Robert Levy
Completed 4/26/2016, reviewed 5/2/2016
4 stars
The Glittering World is another book that takes something out
of mythology and plants it in a contemporary setting. This time, it’s the changeling. A changeling is believed to be a faerie child
put in place of a human child stolen by the faeries. The changeling was often used in medieval
times to explain children with developmental or social problems. In this book, a man comes to find out that he
was a changeling, realizing that his whole life was a lie, and tries to find
the truth about who he is and where he really came from.
Blue takes a trip to Nova
Scotia with three friends to close out the sale of
the house his grandmother left him upon her death. When they arrive, they find that the town is
the remnants of an old hippie commune, replete with artists, mystics, naysayers,
and secrets. Blue begins to hear strange
utterings of being welcomed home and sees things in the woods. Soon he finds an article that reveals that
when he was five years old, he and a little girl disappeared into the woods for
several weeks. Slowly other memories
come back, and he’s determined to find out what happened to him.
The book is well written and constructed. The narrative follows linearly, but is told in
third person sequentially from the perspective of each of the four friends. So there are four chapters, one for each
character. This form builds the mystery
as people disappear and reappear while keeping the narration non-omniscent. I really enjoyed the build up of the suspense
in this way.
I also really liked Gabe, Blue’s co-worker, who is obsessed
with him. There was something so sweet
and innocent in him, despite the unhealthy bond he formed with Blue. Gabe reminded me of myself when I was younger
and how I easily fell in love with anyone who showed me a little
affection.
I give this book four out of five stars. Especially as a debut novel, it’s quite
impressive, with good prose, well thought out characters, and an intriguing
plot.
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