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The Glass Palace
A curse. An arranged marriage. A chance to live happily ever after.
For as long as Astrid can remember she's been betrothed to a stranger. When tragedy strikes her husband-to-be emerges from the shadows ready to claim her hand in marriage. Unable to resist this mysterious stranger she is drawn into a realm of captivating magic and haunting secrets.
Tyhr has lived behind a silver tiger mask for years, cursed to a dark fate and suspended in time. Astrid could be the one to break the spell but first, he must earn her trust and break through the hard shell encircling her heart.
In this extraordinary new life, Astrid will forge friendships and confront ancient creatures. Through perilous trials and breathtaking adventures, she will have to decide what promises are worth keeping and which must be broken.
Immerse yourself in this spellbinding retelling of the classic fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon—where romance and adventure collide in an unforgettable tale of love and magic.
For as long as Astrid can remember she's been betrothed to a stranger. When tragedy strikes her husband-to-be emerges from the shadows ready to claim her hand in marriage. Unable to resist this mysterious stranger she is drawn into a realm of captivating magic and haunting secrets.
Tyhr has lived behind a silver tiger mask for years, cursed to a dark fate and suspended in time. Astrid could be the one to break the spell but first, he must earn her trust and break through the hard shell encircling her heart.
In this extraordinary new life, Astrid will forge friendships and confront ancient creatures. Through perilous trials and breathtaking adventures, she will have to decide what promises are worth keeping and which must be broken.
Immerse yourself in this spellbinding retelling of the classic fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon—where romance and adventure collide in an unforgettable tale of love and magic.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 15, 2023
479 people are currently reading
2687 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Trattner
14 books194 followersKathryn Trattner is an award-winning author who has loved fairy tales, folk stories, and mythology all her life. Her hands-down favorites have always been East of the Sun, West of the Moon and the myth of Persephone and Hades. When not writing or reading, she's traveling as much as possible and taking thousands of photos that probably won't get edited later. She lives in Oklahoma with her wonderful husband, two very busy children, one of the friendliest dogs ever, and three cats who think they’re in charge.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 268 reviews
December 6, 2023
Book Review
Author: Kathryn Trattner
Book: The Glass Palace
Genre: Fantasy
Overview
The story begins in Sweden, with Astrid’s life falling apart due to the passing of her father, her last living family member. With nowhere else to go and the receiving of her first and only letter from Tyhr, her husband-by-proxy, Astrid travels to Siberia to be with him. Tyhr is there to meet Astrid, but he is mysteriously wearing a silver Tiger mask. To reach her new home they must traverse the Black Forest, a glacier, and jungle, all full of magical creatures.
For weeks Tyhr does not show up to spend time with Astrid; instead, Astrid befriends a somewhat snarky talking bird. Although Astrid and Tyhr do not spend much time together Astrid is determined to finalise their marriage. In her attempt to do so Astrid makes a disastrous mistake, resulting in a life changing journey.
Review
The story had a good concept with the mysterious and cursed husband, and opportunities for Astrid to grow as a character via the life changes and odyssey that she must endure.
The visualisation and descriptions were lovely and really set out the scenes and experiences of Astrid. It was quite refreshing to have such imagery.
Although the visualisation and descriptions were very well done, they reached a point of being excessive and made it difficult to keep reading until the next scene/bit of information that would keep the story moving. I ended up skimming a few pages just to keep the momentum going, it felt like the author was more focused on describing scenes than building characters and relationships.
I found it difficult to care about the characters due to a lack of attention to character and relationship development. I did not feel like I got to know Tyhr at all. He didn’t really ‘gain her trust’ as the book blurb describes, as they were hardly together. Since Astrid spent most of the book with her bird friend and only a couple nights with Tyhr, I somewhat expected they would get together in the end due to the absence of connection between Astrid and Tyhr. Due to this I did not understand Astrid’s inspiration to try so hard and go through so much turmoil to be with Tyhr, other than he was the only person left she had some vague connection to.
I would have liked more backstory to the lore and magical features of the world; the lack of this made it difficult to fully appreciate that aspect of the story.
Despite the love-story description, the book is more of a coming-of-age as it is focused on Astrid’s growth.
I am giving the book 2.5/5 stars as the writing was lovely, there is potential there, but I needed more depth to the characters/relationships/world.
If you enjoy uncomplicated books based on fairy-tales with coming-of-age, very light romance, and mythological creatures you may enjoy this book.
Details which niggled me:
The geography. It says Astrid moved to Sweden when she was 5, but then when she’s leaving home Astrid says she has nothing left in Amsterdam. Amsterdam is later mentioned when they discuss the location of her father’s shipping business, but it is then again stated that she lived in Sweden. Amsterdam is not in Sweden. Although Astrid’s parents are from England she doesn’t have an English accent and doesn’t want to move to England because she has no real connection there; however, when she later views the Swedish street scene she doesn’t connect with the accents of the people she’s been living around most of her life. This didn’t seem to l
Later she travels from Siberia (mid/eastern Russia) to Italy, only moving south via train, which isn’t really possible as you would need to go very far west before going directly south. The magical forest in Siberia is called ‘The Black Forest’; however, there is a real Black Forest in Germany, which makes this a bit confusing when the story is based in 1890s Europe/Russia (not a fantasy map). So, there are now two Black Forests with myths of magical creatures? I just feel like the author could have done a bit more research on the locations and names, or just had the Black Forest be the one located in Germany (they get lots of snow, too) with the ‘portal’ emerging as they travel, which would simplify the whole thing and easily connect to the train ride through the Alps.
OFFICIAL DESCRIPTION
For as long as Astrid can remember she's been betrothed to a stranger. When tragedy strikes her husband-to-be emerges from the shadows ready to claim her hand in marriage. Unable to resist this mysterious stranger she is drawn into a realm of captivating magic and haunting secrets.
Tyhr has lived behind a silver tiger mask for years, cursed to a dark fate and suspended in time. Astrid could be the one to break the spell but first, he must earn her trust and break through the hard shell encircling her heart.
In this extraordinary new life, Astrid will forge friendships and confront ancient creatures. Through perilous trials and breathtaking adventures, she will have to decide what promises are worth keeping and which must be broken.
Author: Kathryn Trattner
Book: The Glass Palace
Genre: Fantasy
Overview
The story begins in Sweden, with Astrid’s life falling apart due to the passing of her father, her last living family member. With nowhere else to go and the receiving of her first and only letter from Tyhr, her husband-by-proxy, Astrid travels to Siberia to be with him. Tyhr is there to meet Astrid, but he is mysteriously wearing a silver Tiger mask. To reach her new home they must traverse the Black Forest, a glacier, and jungle, all full of magical creatures.
For weeks Tyhr does not show up to spend time with Astrid; instead, Astrid befriends a somewhat snarky talking bird. Although Astrid and Tyhr do not spend much time together Astrid is determined to finalise their marriage. In her attempt to do so Astrid makes a disastrous mistake, resulting in a life changing journey.
Review
The story had a good concept with the mysterious and cursed husband, and opportunities for Astrid to grow as a character via the life changes and odyssey that she must endure.
The visualisation and descriptions were lovely and really set out the scenes and experiences of Astrid. It was quite refreshing to have such imagery.
Although the visualisation and descriptions were very well done, they reached a point of being excessive and made it difficult to keep reading until the next scene/bit of information that would keep the story moving. I ended up skimming a few pages just to keep the momentum going, it felt like the author was more focused on describing scenes than building characters and relationships.
I found it difficult to care about the characters due to a lack of attention to character and relationship development. I did not feel like I got to know Tyhr at all. He didn’t really ‘gain her trust’ as the book blurb describes, as they were hardly together. Since Astrid spent most of the book with her bird friend and only a couple nights with Tyhr, I somewhat expected they would get together in the end due to the absence of connection between Astrid and Tyhr. Due to this I did not understand Astrid’s inspiration to try so hard and go through so much turmoil to be with Tyhr, other than he was the only person left she had some vague connection to.
I would have liked more backstory to the lore and magical features of the world; the lack of this made it difficult to fully appreciate that aspect of the story.
Despite the love-story description, the book is more of a coming-of-age as it is focused on Astrid’s growth.
I am giving the book 2.5/5 stars as the writing was lovely, there is potential there, but I needed more depth to the characters/relationships/world.
If you enjoy uncomplicated books based on fairy-tales with coming-of-age, very light romance, and mythological creatures you may enjoy this book.
Details which niggled me:
The geography. It says Astrid moved to Sweden when she was 5, but then when she’s leaving home Astrid says she has nothing left in Amsterdam. Amsterdam is later mentioned when they discuss the location of her father’s shipping business, but it is then again stated that she lived in Sweden. Amsterdam is not in Sweden. Although Astrid’s parents are from England she doesn’t have an English accent and doesn’t want to move to England because she has no real connection there; however, when she later views the Swedish street scene she doesn’t connect with the accents of the people she’s been living around most of her life. This didn’t seem to l
Later she travels from Siberia (mid/eastern Russia) to Italy, only moving south via train, which isn’t really possible as you would need to go very far west before going directly south. The magical forest in Siberia is called ‘The Black Forest’; however, there is a real Black Forest in Germany, which makes this a bit confusing when the story is based in 1890s Europe/Russia (not a fantasy map). So, there are now two Black Forests with myths of magical creatures? I just feel like the author could have done a bit more research on the locations and names, or just had the Black Forest be the one located in Germany (they get lots of snow, too) with the ‘portal’ emerging as they travel, which would simplify the whole thing and easily connect to the train ride through the Alps.
OFFICIAL DESCRIPTION
For as long as Astrid can remember she's been betrothed to a stranger. When tragedy strikes her husband-to-be emerges from the shadows ready to claim her hand in marriage. Unable to resist this mysterious stranger she is drawn into a realm of captivating magic and haunting secrets.
Tyhr has lived behind a silver tiger mask for years, cursed to a dark fate and suspended in time. Astrid could be the one to break the spell but first, he must earn her trust and break through the hard shell encircling her heart.
In this extraordinary new life, Astrid will forge friendships and confront ancient creatures. Through perilous trials and breathtaking adventures, she will have to decide what promises are worth keeping and which must be broken.
September 15, 2023
This was a magical retelling with so much unlike twisting. I loved the scenery, the dialogue and especially how feelings and emotions were described. It felt like a dream, like something that happened and I was a part of it.
April 1, 2024
A curse, an arranged marriage, a chance of living ever after.... a beauty and a beast retelling. I love all of the above but Kathryn Trattner didn't give me the chance to let me believe and fall in love with the book.
The beginning was great with the background of the characters explained well but after that it went downhill. Nothing happened until the second part of the book but I still wasn't able to feel the excitement when the adventures started.
3 stars, stronger writing and tighter plot would make this a better book.
The beginning was great with the background of the characters explained well but after that it went downhill. Nothing happened until the second part of the book but I still wasn't able to feel the excitement when the adventures started.
3 stars, stronger writing and tighter plot would make this a better book.
May 14, 2024
there apparently was a nice bird? that's all I got because I cannot remember for the life of me what happened in this book except that it was sort of anticlimactic.
September 10, 2023
Gave BATB vibes but wanted more from it. I wish Astrid questioned things more before just going along with everything. Got Narnia vibes midway through!
I received this ARC for an honest review, all thoughts/opinions above are my own!
I received this ARC for an honest review, all thoughts/opinions above are my own!
October 3, 2024
This man felt like someone she would love, the emotion was there, waiting, hoping, ready. But not yet, she needed more.
Another myth retold. Maybe Cupid and Psyche; maybe East of the Sun and West of the Moon. Draws heavily on Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid, Moana, and other Disney princess movies. Doesn’t connect.
“How did those get here?” Magic. “That's not a real answer.”
Slow start. Microscopic detail of protagonist’s thoughts and actions for first half of book. Compensated by rushed closing. The eponymous palace shows up late and is rushed through.
And all because Astrid had made a stupid mistake. Selfish. Thinking she knew better, believing a kiss was all it would take.
Protagonist resists the shift from the real into the fantastic. Appropriately so. Her emotions along the way ring less true.
You know if you roll your eyes any harder, they might get stuck.
Another myth retold. Maybe Cupid and Psyche; maybe East of the Sun and West of the Moon. Draws heavily on Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid, Moana, and other Disney princess movies. Doesn’t connect.
“How did those get here?” Magic. “That's not a real answer.”
Slow start. Microscopic detail of protagonist’s thoughts and actions for first half of book. Compensated by rushed closing. The eponymous palace shows up late and is rushed through.
And all because Astrid had made a stupid mistake. Selfish. Thinking she knew better, believing a kiss was all it would take.
Protagonist resists the shift from the real into the fantastic. Appropriately so. Her emotions along the way ring less true.
You know if you roll your eyes any harder, they might get stuck.
July 6, 2025
The Glass Palace takes a sweet little detour on an old favorite fairy tale of mine: East of the Sun West of the Moon.
Astrid lives in Sweden with her dying father and will soon be the last of her family--until her husband, a man that she's been married to since birth, calls to take her away that is. Astrid receives a letter after her father's death with short instructions on where to go to meet her husband, and she soon finds herself on a train to Siberia to be with him. What she finds is a conundrum: her husband is wearing a mask (never revealing his face to her), is of few words, and takes her through the Black Forest and a magical glacier to a place that shouldn't exist: the Summer Valley.
She sees her husband at dinner, if at all, and never during the day, and she only has a talking bird for company most of the time. Yet connection managed to bloom despite the oddness of their pairing & Astrid is determined to make a proper match of the two of them--until she does something she isn't supposed to and puts the three of them on a perilous journey.
The Glass Palace was such a treat to read. While there wasn't as much interaction between Astrid and her husband as I would have liked (nor was it spicy enough), I really enjoyed the personal and physical journeys Astrid went on to fix her wrongs and save her husband. The new elements to the fairy tale were really fresh and piqued my curiosity; they're probably my favorite part about the novel.
I highly recommend it to anyone who loves fairy tales or East of the Moon in particular!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Astrid lives in Sweden with her dying father and will soon be the last of her family--until her husband, a man that she's been married to since birth, calls to take her away that is. Astrid receives a letter after her father's death with short instructions on where to go to meet her husband, and she soon finds herself on a train to Siberia to be with him. What she finds is a conundrum: her husband is wearing a mask (never revealing his face to her), is of few words, and takes her through the Black Forest and a magical glacier to a place that shouldn't exist: the Summer Valley.
She sees her husband at dinner, if at all, and never during the day, and she only has a talking bird for company most of the time. Yet connection managed to bloom despite the oddness of their pairing & Astrid is determined to make a proper match of the two of them--until she does something she isn't supposed to and puts the three of them on a perilous journey.
The Glass Palace was such a treat to read. While there wasn't as much interaction between Astrid and her husband as I would have liked (nor was it spicy enough), I really enjoyed the personal and physical journeys Astrid went on to fix her wrongs and save her husband. The new elements to the fairy tale were really fresh and piqued my curiosity; they're probably my favorite part about the novel.
I highly recommend it to anyone who loves fairy tales or East of the Moon in particular!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 27, 2024
I really loved the imagery in this. The writing is really beautiful and pretty captivating.
It's very much a book about the journey vs the actual plot. I thought the characters along that journey were super interesting. I feel like there was so much potential in this book that I wish we would've gotten more from it. I would've liked for us and Astrid to get to know Tyhr more. Their relationship building felt very minimal, which made the plot less likely. However I did love Astrid and Chinooks relationship.
The plot could've been better developed but I truly did enjoy the settings/characters in this story!
It's very much a book about the journey vs the actual plot. I thought the characters along that journey were super interesting. I feel like there was so much potential in this book that I wish we would've gotten more from it. I would've liked for us and Astrid to get to know Tyhr more. Their relationship building felt very minimal, which made the plot less likely. However I did love Astrid and Chinooks relationship.
The plot could've been better developed but I truly did enjoy the settings/characters in this story!
October 26, 2023
This is a beautiful book and a retelling of a classic fairy tale. I confess that it’s not one I was familiar with and initially got beauty and the beast vibes.
Kathryn does a wonderful job of describing the world in which our characters live. Astrid has been promised to a man she doesn’t know and the book follows her navigating meeting him.
I really enjoyed the ARC and can’t wait to read more of her work ♥️
Kathryn does a wonderful job of describing the world in which our characters live. Astrid has been promised to a man she doesn’t know and the book follows her navigating meeting him.
I really enjoyed the ARC and can’t wait to read more of her work ♥️
September 17, 2023
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily, so here goes.
Having just read a book about Eros and Psyche, I knew the general trope to expect as will others that know of the pairing, or are familiar with the East of Sun, West of the Moon fairytale but like many authors beforehand, the details will be different and Trattner did an amazing job in telling her version.
It was poetic and atmospheric that within the first few pages I was enjoying the world building and the characteristics of her MC, Astrid. Astrid who has lost everything – but a promise made by her father that betrothed her to a stranger for as long as she can remember, in which said betrothed has come to claim. So with little to no options, she goes where he takes her and that's just the beginning.
Trattner does a great job not just in her descriptions but her dialogue between the characters. I could sense the emotions from the dialogue without Trattner having to add in adjectives at every turn. There were some great, free flowing moments between Astrid and her strange husband to be, that had warm undertones that spoke more about him and his feelings towards her before the story picks up speed and we are left with Astrid for the rest of the story.
Thank you to Book Sirens for letting me enjoy this read and I can't wait to read what else Trattner has written!
Having just read a book about Eros and Psyche, I knew the general trope to expect as will others that know of the pairing, or are familiar with the East of Sun, West of the Moon fairytale but like many authors beforehand, the details will be different and Trattner did an amazing job in telling her version.
It was poetic and atmospheric that within the first few pages I was enjoying the world building and the characteristics of her MC, Astrid. Astrid who has lost everything – but a promise made by her father that betrothed her to a stranger for as long as she can remember, in which said betrothed has come to claim. So with little to no options, she goes where he takes her and that's just the beginning.
Trattner does a great job not just in her descriptions but her dialogue between the characters. I could sense the emotions from the dialogue without Trattner having to add in adjectives at every turn. There were some great, free flowing moments between Astrid and her strange husband to be, that had warm undertones that spoke more about him and his feelings towards her before the story picks up speed and we are left with Astrid for the rest of the story.
Thank you to Book Sirens for letting me enjoy this read and I can't wait to read what else Trattner has written!
April 7, 2024
An arranged marriage by proxy, Astrid has never seen her husband nor does she really know much about him. Now she is having to travel to Siberia to join him, what she finds though is unlike anything she could imagine. Tyhr hinds behind a mask, every time she tries to get answers it only drives them further apart where it quickly turns to not seeing him. Astrid finds a companion in a bird, Chinook, though who offers opinions whether she likes it or not. When she make a mistake she finds herself and Chinook traveling to solve a problem including saving her husband.
I thought this story had a beautiful descriptive quality to it. You could easily imagine this fantastical world that the author created. I really enjoyed this one, Tyhr gained my attention right off the bat while Astrid it took me a bit to warm up to. Will definitely be checking out more by this author.
I thought this story had a beautiful descriptive quality to it. You could easily imagine this fantastical world that the author created. I really enjoyed this one, Tyhr gained my attention right off the bat while Astrid it took me a bit to warm up to. Will definitely be checking out more by this author.
May 3, 2024
A really fun adventure read
This is a great palate cleanser for fantasy lovers! It reads like a mix between romantasy and fairytale with a dash of odyssey!
Excited to read more from this author
This is a great palate cleanser for fantasy lovers! It reads like a mix between romantasy and fairytale with a dash of odyssey!
Excited to read more from this author
August 24, 2023
This was my first read from this author, and my first read from BookSirens!
I'm not familiar with the fairy tale that this is based on but I enjoyed this retelling.
Astrid was an interesting protagonist who we followed on her journey. At times, I felt this book had a more magical realism feel rather than a usual fantasy. Whilst there is an element of romance, the plot is more centred on Astrid and her experiences, although the romance was a driver.
The pace for this book was quite slow and steady and the author writes well, developing the world as we meet the different elements. This really reminded me of a fable type story in the way that it was written, rather than just a straight fantasy novel.
The plot has themes of loneliness, loss, love and friendship and Astrid learns life lessons throughout her journey. This is what's important and what Astrid learnt on the way, over the love story.
An enjoyable read, a little different to what I was expecting but worthwhile to delve into this world!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I'm not familiar with the fairy tale that this is based on but I enjoyed this retelling.
Astrid was an interesting protagonist who we followed on her journey. At times, I felt this book had a more magical realism feel rather than a usual fantasy. Whilst there is an element of romance, the plot is more centred on Astrid and her experiences, although the romance was a driver.
The pace for this book was quite slow and steady and the author writes well, developing the world as we meet the different elements. This really reminded me of a fable type story in the way that it was written, rather than just a straight fantasy novel.
The plot has themes of loneliness, loss, love and friendship and Astrid learns life lessons throughout her journey. This is what's important and what Astrid learnt on the way, over the love story.
An enjoyable read, a little different to what I was expecting but worthwhile to delve into this world!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 14, 2023
This book had a lot of potential to be a gripping, page turning book! This book read almost like a new female powered Beauty & the Beast with a backpack full of fantasy potential, embracing the modern day love of indoor plants and unique pets.
As I continued reading I kept wondered if mentions of the past and little snippets of knowledge from external characters would build upon the very limited information that we were given. Which is why it is only rated 3/5 stars.
There's magic, a brooding and emotionally unavailable husband and help from a sassy bird. All around a nice read that would be great for a vacation book or during your commute to work.
🌶️ Spice level - 0 No spice. A safe for work read.
🗺️ World building - 4/5 stars.
Characters 3/5 stars - There was a lot of hints and suggestions about the characters, main and side, but I was left wanting to know more about who they where.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
As I continued reading I kept wondered if mentions of the past and little snippets of knowledge from external characters would build upon the very limited information that we were given. Which is why it is only rated 3/5 stars.
There's magic, a brooding and emotionally unavailable husband and help from a sassy bird. All around a nice read that would be great for a vacation book or during your commute to work.
🌶️ Spice level - 0 No spice. A safe for work read.
🗺️ World building - 4/5 stars.
Characters 3/5 stars - There was a lot of hints and suggestions about the characters, main and side, but I was left wanting to know more about who they where.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 25, 2023
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I would like to say that I fell in love with the cover photo of this book at first sight. It is so gorgeous and stunning and the title of the book is also quite intriguing. This is the second book I am reading by this author and I must say that I am in love with her writing skills.
This was a captivating reimagining with so many unexpected twists. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions, the witty dialogues and especially how the characters' feelings and emotions were portrayed. It felt like a fantasy, like something that I experienced and was part of.
This book is highly recommended. Grab your copy today and don't miss this masterpiece.
I would like to say that I fell in love with the cover photo of this book at first sight. It is so gorgeous and stunning and the title of the book is also quite intriguing. This is the second book I am reading by this author and I must say that I am in love with her writing skills.
This was a captivating reimagining with so many unexpected twists. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions, the witty dialogues and especially how the characters' feelings and emotions were portrayed. It felt like a fantasy, like something that I experienced and was part of.
This book is highly recommended. Grab your copy today and don't miss this masterpiece.
February 27, 2024
The pacing was off, I couldn’t care less about the characters, and the writing was repetitive. Quite some typos and butchered sentences in this novel too. As far as retellings go, this didn’t add anything to East of the Sun, West of the Moon. The tiger, setting and other twists had so much potential, but the idea was poorly executed. I want to say something nice about this book, but I can’t think of anything. My two stars might be too generous.
March 8, 2025
This story is a nice little twist on the quintessential fairy tale. I love that it's the woman who has to go on the epic adventure to rescue the prince. There's a lot to enjoy about this book--but there's also a lot I didn't.
I enjoyed the descriptions of the world and the fantastical elements. But I wasn't too keen on the fact that this is simultaneously a fantasy world as well as our reality. I could have done without her coming from Sweden (actually, she mentions living in Amsterdam, but that her family moved to Sweden. So I'm not actually sure WHERE she began this tale, because Amsterdam is NOT in Sweden, but whatever.) and them ending up in Italy. None of that felt necessary or appropriate for the story and it actually sort of dragged me out of it because where the hell are all of these fantastical places located in our real world? She goes to Siberia to meet her husband, but ends up wandering through a desert at one point?????? And her husband is a 100 year old prince of a fallen realm...okay which realm? None of this would have been an issue if I didn't know she was an English woman living abroad in Sweden from a young age.
The characters had potential too. I like that the prince is masked, that there's very obviously some sort of curse placed upon him. I also can get behind him not being able to explain it to the FMC. It gave Beauty and the Beast vibes.
But it was annoying how pushy she got and how she kept asking the same questions knowing she wouldn't get any answers. The first third of this book is very repetitive.
I also wish we'd gotten to see them interact more and get closer. She wants a husband in all ways--but they don't actually have very many meaningful conversations. They only spend a few nights together and he won't tell her very much about himself or his past or his current situation. And what she tells him about her past is bland and boring (maybe because she tells us about 14 times in her inner monologue and by the time she actually gets around to spitting out the story to him I was over it). They don't do much besides sit in the same room and read separate books.
Not to mention the whole arranged marriage scenario is suspicious AF. Tyhr finds her father struggling and offers to help him for a price. That price being HIS GODDAMNED DAUGHTER. How did the prince even know this man HAD a daughter? What made him choose HER to fall in love with when their betrothal happened when she was just a kid? See, the whole reason he's cursed is because he refused to marry a sorcereress, instead wanting to marry for love. Okay, fair enough. So why then does he choose to betroth himself to a strangers CHILD whom he's never even met?????????
It's that betrothal--that PROMISE of marriage-- that carries Astrid forward on this ludicrously dangerous journey to rescue the prince. Because she doesn't break promises!! Love has nothing to do with it--so when she finally confesses 75% of the way through the book that she loves Tyhr, I don't believe her. I don't believe their love at all.
How am I supposed to root for this couple when they barely know one another? If this part of the story had been better fleshed out, if they'd actually gotten to know one another and fallen in love despite him wearing his mask, I'd have eaten this book up. Instead, I was dragged along on an adventure with a woman I didn't really have any special connection to in the hopes that she found and rescued a man she didn't have any special connection to!
The best character in this book is Chinook. The bird was sassy AF and I loved him.
Listen. This book has good bones. It's got charm and the writing is beautiful. But the character development and the (weird/lack of) world building drag this one down for me. I saw where Trattner was going, but I don't think she quite got there.
3 stars.
I enjoyed the descriptions of the world and the fantastical elements. But I wasn't too keen on the fact that this is simultaneously a fantasy world as well as our reality. I could have done without her coming from Sweden (actually, she mentions living in Amsterdam, but that her family moved to Sweden. So I'm not actually sure WHERE she began this tale, because Amsterdam is NOT in Sweden, but whatever.) and them ending up in Italy. None of that felt necessary or appropriate for the story and it actually sort of dragged me out of it because where the hell are all of these fantastical places located in our real world? She goes to Siberia to meet her husband, but ends up wandering through a desert at one point?????? And her husband is a 100 year old prince of a fallen realm...okay which realm? None of this would have been an issue if I didn't know she was an English woman living abroad in Sweden from a young age.
The characters had potential too. I like that the prince is masked, that there's very obviously some sort of curse placed upon him. I also can get behind him not being able to explain it to the FMC. It gave Beauty and the Beast vibes.
But it was annoying how pushy she got and how she kept asking the same questions knowing she wouldn't get any answers. The first third of this book is very repetitive.
I also wish we'd gotten to see them interact more and get closer. She wants a husband in all ways--but they don't actually have very many meaningful conversations. They only spend a few nights together and he won't tell her very much about himself or his past or his current situation. And what she tells him about her past is bland and boring (maybe because she tells us about 14 times in her inner monologue and by the time she actually gets around to spitting out the story to him I was over it). They don't do much besides sit in the same room and read separate books.
Not to mention the whole arranged marriage scenario is suspicious AF. Tyhr finds her father struggling and offers to help him for a price. That price being HIS GODDAMNED DAUGHTER. How did the prince even know this man HAD a daughter? What made him choose HER to fall in love with when their betrothal happened when she was just a kid? See, the whole reason he's cursed is because he refused to marry a sorcereress, instead wanting to marry for love. Okay, fair enough. So why then does he choose to betroth himself to a strangers CHILD whom he's never even met?????????
It's that betrothal--that PROMISE of marriage-- that carries Astrid forward on this ludicrously dangerous journey to rescue the prince. Because she doesn't break promises!! Love has nothing to do with it--so when she finally confesses 75% of the way through the book that she loves Tyhr, I don't believe her. I don't believe their love at all.
How am I supposed to root for this couple when they barely know one another? If this part of the story had been better fleshed out, if they'd actually gotten to know one another and fallen in love despite him wearing his mask, I'd have eaten this book up. Instead, I was dragged along on an adventure with a woman I didn't really have any special connection to in the hopes that she found and rescued a man she didn't have any special connection to!
The best character in this book is Chinook. The bird was sassy AF and I loved him.
Listen. This book has good bones. It's got charm and the writing is beautiful. But the character development and the (weird/lack of) world building drag this one down for me. I saw where Trattner was going, but I don't think she quite got there.
3 stars.
October 5, 2024
I’ve never read East of the Sun West of the Moon, let alone heard of it. That being said, I can’t tell you whether this was close to or similar to the story. Nevertheless, I come at this review with the eyes of someone who is simply reading it for what it is…… simple enjoyment.
The story itself is written pretty well; the author suffers slightly from the need to over describe scenes to the detriment of proper grammar, but it’s not too obnoxious. On a few occasions I felt the need to scratch my head and re-read the sentences for clarification, but in reality, this is a small complaint.
The story starts off strong, Astrid suffers a true tragedy in the form of losing all of her family and is rescued by her mysterious husband. She travels across the continent to find him, slowly begins to build a relationship, gets a little too excited and BAM - ruins it all before it can really get anywhere. C’mon Astrid (love the name by the way), you could have just waited a little while longer. Haven’t you heard “curiosity killed the cat?”
I enjoyed Astrid’s journey to rescue Tyhr and I think the author was thoughtful about all of it: the world, the creatures, and her growing relationship with Chinook (who I swore was just Tyhr at one point - so WRONG about that). At one point I just wanted Astrid and Chinook to end up together. But, alas, he just simply was a magical bird (or was he?)
The end came so suddenly for me, especially after such efforts to weave an incredible journey. The Enchantress was easily defeated, Astrid suddenly realized she was in love with Tyhr (how I have no clue…. I mean, sure they were working on it, but come on girl - one kiss in the dark is not enough), Tyhr was saved, and the crazy magician hell bent on prying the golden band off of Astrid’s finger (yes, I know he died. I think) was forgotten. If I overlook all of those sudden and half-realized factors and don’t think too hard about it, I can be satisfied with the book as it is. But, let’s be honest, I’m struggling. This is why a 3 is appropriate. It’s good but not in a way that feels fulfilling, just good as in satisfactory. By all means, read it - it’s worth your time though.
The story itself is written pretty well; the author suffers slightly from the need to over describe scenes to the detriment of proper grammar, but it’s not too obnoxious. On a few occasions I felt the need to scratch my head and re-read the sentences for clarification, but in reality, this is a small complaint.
The story starts off strong, Astrid suffers a true tragedy in the form of losing all of her family and is rescued by her mysterious husband. She travels across the continent to find him, slowly begins to build a relationship, gets a little too excited and BAM - ruins it all before it can really get anywhere. C’mon Astrid (love the name by the way), you could have just waited a little while longer. Haven’t you heard “curiosity killed the cat?”
I enjoyed Astrid’s journey to rescue Tyhr and I think the author was thoughtful about all of it: the world, the creatures, and her growing relationship with Chinook (who I swore was just Tyhr at one point - so WRONG about that). At one point I just wanted Astrid and Chinook to end up together. But, alas, he just simply was a magical bird (or was he?)
The end came so suddenly for me, especially after such efforts to weave an incredible journey. The Enchantress was easily defeated, Astrid suddenly realized she was in love with Tyhr (how I have no clue…. I mean, sure they were working on it, but come on girl - one kiss in the dark is not enough), Tyhr was saved, and the crazy magician hell bent on prying the golden band off of Astrid’s finger (yes, I know he died. I think) was forgotten. If I overlook all of those sudden and half-realized factors and don’t think too hard about it, I can be satisfied with the book as it is. But, let’s be honest, I’m struggling. This is why a 3 is appropriate. It’s good but not in a way that feels fulfilling, just good as in satisfactory. By all means, read it - it’s worth your time though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2023
I have a special place in my heart for fairy tale retellings. There is a certain magic to adapting and making something so well known even more magical. That being said, I've not had much experience with East of the Sun, West of the Moon apart from a small Norweigen film called The Polar Bear King and the novel Ice by Sarah Beth Durst.
Both of the above have their charms, but The Glass Palace sparks a new light into the tale. A tiger, not a polar bear, living in a valley that is the opposite side of paradise.
The main character, Astrid, is wonderful. We can clearly see how she thinks and feels, having lost all her family and setting out on a strange journey to be with her mysterious husband that she has been promised to since before she was born. Only to find that the world is nothing like she expected.
Instead of being some damsel that just let's things happen to her, she actively chooses to keep going no matter the odds. No matter that she might die in the process. But then again, if she has nothing really left to loose but her life, her husband, and a talking bird... Surely she has everything to gain.
4.5* and really hoping the grammar errors dotted around got caught before the physical print run as that is my only complaint in an otherwise beautifully written story. I'll definitely be picking up some of her other books!
I received this free copy from BookSirens in return for an honest review.
Both of the above have their charms, but The Glass Palace sparks a new light into the tale. A tiger, not a polar bear, living in a valley that is the opposite side of paradise.
The main character, Astrid, is wonderful. We can clearly see how she thinks and feels, having lost all her family and setting out on a strange journey to be with her mysterious husband that she has been promised to since before she was born. Only to find that the world is nothing like she expected.
Instead of being some damsel that just let's things happen to her, she actively chooses to keep going no matter the odds. No matter that she might die in the process. But then again, if she has nothing really left to loose but her life, her husband, and a talking bird... Surely she has everything to gain.
4.5* and really hoping the grammar errors dotted around got caught before the physical print run as that is my only complaint in an otherwise beautifully written story. I'll definitely be picking up some of her other books!
I received this free copy from BookSirens in return for an honest review.
September 30, 2023
I'm not sure if it's always been that way, or if I'm just noticing it more throughout the last couple of years, but I feel like a lot of stories are retellings of old fairy tales with a slightly new twist.
But then Kathryn Trattner also adds to it by sending our heroine on a daring rescue adventure to save her cursed prince, with the help of a rather snarky bird companion.
Thanks to Kathryn Trattner for providing me with an eARC of the book and giving me the opportunity to share my honest opinion about the book.
There is more than one kind of magic here.The Glass Palace definitely takes quite a few notes from Beauty and the Beast, and weaves it together with the Greek mythos of how Psyce discovered Cupid as her "saviour".
But then Kathryn Trattner also adds to it by sending our heroine on a daring rescue adventure to save her cursed prince, with the help of a rather snarky bird companion.
“You're a bird.”
And you are a woman feeling sorry for herself and refusing to get out of bed.
Thanks to Kathryn Trattner for providing me with an eARC of the book and giving me the opportunity to share my honest opinion about the book.
August 9, 2023
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
When I first started this book, I thought I knew what I was in for. I recognized familiar themes from Beauty and the Beast and similar fairy tales, and so imagine my surprise when discovering the “beast” of the story’s secret and curse arrived in the first half of the book. I didn’t realize that what was coming was an epic adventure. True to the spirit of fairytales, this book held me spellbound.
I loved every single step of the heroine, Astrid’s, journey. From a frozen forest, to a lush jungle, to the depths of the sea, to a vast desert, the settings are vivid and arresting. The author has a real way with words, and it’s so easy to fall into the world she has created.
Unfortunately, that was part of the reason this book gets a 4/5 from me instead of a perfect score. I loved getting lost in the magic, but I was routinely pulled out of the magic with small but very noticeable errors in the text. A better editor could have made this story a near perfect one. Instead, I kept getting distracted regularly by little mistakes like “but she would it” instead of “but she would save it” , missing punctuation and misplaced punctuation, and “Thyme” instead of “Tyhr”. Even so, I will absolutely be revisiting and enjoying this book, and I’ll be looking forward to seeing more from the author in the future.
When I first started this book, I thought I knew what I was in for. I recognized familiar themes from Beauty and the Beast and similar fairy tales, and so imagine my surprise when discovering the “beast” of the story’s secret and curse arrived in the first half of the book. I didn’t realize that what was coming was an epic adventure. True to the spirit of fairytales, this book held me spellbound.
I loved every single step of the heroine, Astrid’s, journey. From a frozen forest, to a lush jungle, to the depths of the sea, to a vast desert, the settings are vivid and arresting. The author has a real way with words, and it’s so easy to fall into the world she has created.
Unfortunately, that was part of the reason this book gets a 4/5 from me instead of a perfect score. I loved getting lost in the magic, but I was routinely pulled out of the magic with small but very noticeable errors in the text. A better editor could have made this story a near perfect one. Instead, I kept getting distracted regularly by little mistakes like “but she would it” instead of “but she would save it” , missing punctuation and misplaced punctuation, and “Thyme” instead of “Tyhr”. Even so, I will absolutely be revisiting and enjoying this book, and I’ll be looking forward to seeing more from the author in the future.
September 8, 2023
The first word that comes to mind when I think of this book is “magical”, followed shortly by “beautiful”; the writing, the story, the visual imagery, all of it. I love a fairy tale retelling, though this one I was unfamiliar with (East of the Sun, West of the Moon); however it seems akin to Beauty and the Beast, in the beginning at least. I enjoyed the friendship between Astrid, and the bird, Chinook who was always full of wit and incredibly blunt.
It is set in the late 1800s but also kind of lost to time, in the magical patches of the world. Astrid is bound to Tyhr in an arranged marriage. He doesn’t come to collect her until a tragedy strikes her family, which is the catalyst of a magical adventure for the two. Astrid is to break Tyhr’s curse, and in doing so, leading her on an adventure and many near death experiences on her journey to save him. The encounters along the way have lessons in them, a physical token taken from each, and though she makes some dumb decisions she also learns from them. For someone so closed off initially, she learned to open up and love. I thought this was a really beautiful read and I quite enjoyed it. Thank you to Book Sirens and Kathryn Trattner for the early copy and chance to review this.
It is set in the late 1800s but also kind of lost to time, in the magical patches of the world. Astrid is bound to Tyhr in an arranged marriage. He doesn’t come to collect her until a tragedy strikes her family, which is the catalyst of a magical adventure for the two. Astrid is to break Tyhr’s curse, and in doing so, leading her on an adventure and many near death experiences on her journey to save him. The encounters along the way have lessons in them, a physical token taken from each, and though she makes some dumb decisions she also learns from them. For someone so closed off initially, she learned to open up and love. I thought this was a really beautiful read and I quite enjoyed it. Thank you to Book Sirens and Kathryn Trattner for the early copy and chance to review this.
January 24, 2024
Alright this book has a very endearing quality for me: it was all about the fairytales I read/watched/listened as a child and they utterly got e feeling nostalgic and giddy. I do believe that the author wrote a wonderful retelling and I am not keen on them usually as they tend - according to me - not to add anything, but in this case it was brilliant and with so many interesting themes.
What I didn't like was the pacing of the story and love story, itself. To me they both seemed quite rushed, although I can see the reason behind it. Still, it did put a dampen to my enjoyment of the story.
What I didn't like was the pacing of the story and love story, itself. To me they both seemed quite rushed, although I can see the reason behind it. Still, it did put a dampen to my enjoyment of the story.
May 29, 2025
Interesting Premise
I am glad I read this story. I almost gave up. I really liked how it all came together. It was very descriptive.
The story was interesting but a little underdeveloped. It needed some time running. Like the descriptions were beautiful but almost too much. The world, was it supposed to be our world or a weird variation of it. There were also some places that more editing may have helped. Character development was strong on Chinook, but Astrid could have grown more.
I don't know if I will read more by this author.
I am glad I read this story. I almost gave up. I really liked how it all came together. It was very descriptive.
The story was interesting but a little underdeveloped. It needed some time running. Like the descriptions were beautiful but almost too much. The world, was it supposed to be our world or a weird variation of it. There were also some places that more editing may have helped. Character development was strong on Chinook, but Astrid could have grown more.
I don't know if I will read more by this author.
January 9, 2024
I have enjoyed all of Kathryn Trattner’s books and this was no exception. This was a fantastical story of Astrid, someone betrothed all her life but never meeting him. Her whole family is gone and she receives a letter to go and meet him. We follow Astrid as she meets her betrothed, loses him, then journeys across the world to get him back.
This is a very detail rich story on a short timeline. I feel like the book could have been longer, or cut some scenes out, just by how much has been packed in.
This is a very detail rich story on a short timeline. I feel like the book could have been longer, or cut some scenes out, just by how much has been packed in.
January 14, 2024
Clearly I’ve been on an East of the Sun, West of the Moon binge reading quest because this is like the 3rd one I’ve read in the past 2 weeks.
Every retelling brings something different to readers and The Glass Palace feels so unique. It feels like 1/3 Beauty and the Beast and then East of the Sun west of the moon + acotar elements. Astrid’s journey as a character and through the story was really interesting and there was something new at every turn.
Every retelling brings something different to readers and The Glass Palace feels so unique. It feels like 1/3 Beauty and the Beast and then East of the Sun west of the moon + acotar elements. Astrid’s journey as a character and through the story was really interesting and there was something new at every turn.
January 22, 2024
Such a good book couldn’t put it down the end was a little quick I feel like it was rushed and we didn’t get much but in general it kept me interested the whole time. If you magic, fantasy, romance you will like this book. Kind of a beauty and the beast vibe with some twists. Def a recommended read .
February 7, 2024
This was a cute Beauty and the Beast retelling that felt like reading a fable. I enjoyed it and would recommend.
I would also love to live in this fantasy world, or at least her jungle house with nothing to do but read books all day.
I would also love to live in this fantasy world, or at least her jungle house with nothing to do but read books all day.
May 24, 2024
2.5 🌟
Started put promising, then got a little too childish for my taste. The 2.5 🌟 is for the beautiful writing. It was very descriptive and I enjoyed the scenery/scenes described.
Started put promising, then got a little too childish for my taste. The 2.5 🌟 is for the beautiful writing. It was very descriptive and I enjoyed the scenery/scenes described.
September 9, 2023
I received an arc of this wonderful. This book gives massive east of the sun, west of the moon vibes. Which is like a Norwegian version of beauty and the beast (a little bit). I loved the FMC Astrid. She’s not your typical FMC that waits around. She’s a very strong girl. She has been through so much and yet doesn’t let that stop her. I loved loved loved the fact he fell first and there’s no third act breakup! Overall I give this book 4/5 🌟
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