"The Girl with Glass Feet" Book Review

The Girl With Glass Feet by Ali Shaw
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"WINNER OF THE DESMOND ELLIOTT PRIZE 

(From Publishers Weekly)
"The cold northern islands of St. Hauda's Land are home to strange creatures and intertwining human secrets in Shaw's earnest, magic-tinged debut. Ida Maclaird returns to the archipelago to find a cure for the condition her last visit brought her—she is slowly turning into glass. The landscape is at once beautiful and ominous, and its residents mistrustful, but she grows close to Midas Crook, a young man who, despite his intention to spend his life alone, falls in love with Ida and becomes desperate to save her. Their quest leads them to Henry Fuwa, a hermit biologist devoted to preserving the moth-winged bull, a species of insect-sized winged bovines; to Carl Mausen, a friend of Ida's family whose devotion to her mother makes him both ally and enemy; and finally to Emiliana Stallows, who claims to have once cured a girl with Ida's affliction. Each of these characters' histories intertwine, though their motivations surrounding Ida are muddled by their loyalties. Both love story and dirge, Shaw's novel flows gracefully and is wonderfully dreamlike, with the danger of the islands matched by the characters' dark pasts."  

I'll admit that I originally got this book because I thought the cover was pretty. And I thought the story might justify buying it. 

I actually thought this was a beautiful book. It's like a tragic fairy tale for adults or young adults. Sad that nearly everyone looses their loved ones in this book. 

I really enjoyed it. It was a bit slow at times, but it was worth reading everything. For a first novel, it's very good. I can't wait for the other novels Mr. Shaw will write. The characters were fully realized and very interesting. Such wonderful creatures, too. I wouldn't mind revisiting St. Hauda's Land if it meant meeting those awesome wonders again.

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I give this book 4 out of 5 books.