WOMS: The Glass Spare Duology & the Deceiver’s Heart

The Glass Spare & The Cursed Sea by Lauren DeStefano

This duology intrigued me simply because the magical power of the protagonist, Wil, was turning alive objects — humans, plants, animals, etc. — into gemstones. Kind of a bizarre concept, except DeStefano makes it work. That is what fascinated me. Unfortunately, that’s the only thing which fascinated me.

Sure, the plot is a bit predictable, but there’s enough differences the reader stays entertained long enough to finish the books.

The main distinction between the two books is how much elapses in Wil’s absence with her family. Maybe too much. I get there’s a curse, and her puppet of an older brother is being controlled by her vengeful grandmother, who’s out to destroy their family. In the moment as you read it, you don’t notice how improbable the conflict seems, but after finishing, if you step back to consider the cause and effect, the entire plot is peculiar, albeit far-fetched.

Sometimes, too, the twists in the plot feel forced as if they’re just in the story to twist it for no necessary reason. This is primarily in the second book, The Cursed Sea. The twists make the characters dance around the world as if to some frenzied polka, causing my suspension of disbelief to not remain as suspended as I would have enjoyed. If her world were as vast as she described, I do not think they could be travelling the seas at such paces, back and forth from country to country.

It’s fiction, it’s fantasy, it’s entertaining. It’s not difficult to read as far as maintaining interest is concerned; meaning you won’t get so bored you won’t want to finish it. However, when you get to the end of the second book, you may have the same reaction as me of, “Huh. That’s different.”

The Deceiver’s Heart by Jennifer A. Nielsen

This book follows The Traitor’s Game, which I read last year and mostly enjoyed. Enough to read the second installment.

The book’s opening was one of the most gripping, throw-you-in-the-deep-end-not-caring-if-you-can-swim, no hesitations first chapters I have ever read. It astounded me. That said, it left a lot wanting for the remainder of the book.

This isn’t to say Nielsen didn’t deliver on high-stakes drama. She definitely did. I just think I was so undone by that opening the rest of the book never seemed up to par in intensity. Even towards the end with the major battle, the near death of the deuteragonist, Simon, and Kestra receiving unprecedented magical abilities — I’m not sure if that conflict matched in fervor.

But that ending! It ripped everything apart. Now, it wasn’t as devastating as Holly Black‘s The Wicked King, which I still have not recovered from (review coming soon), but it was close. Ish.

I am definitely looking forward to the next installment to see how Nielsen develops her maturing characters and maybe broadens her world’s horizons further. I do want more from this series, so I’m hoping for a lot with the next book. And Nielsen may just be able to deliver it.