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The Glass Forest
The lives of three very different women intersect in shocking ways in this thriller by the New York Times bestselling author of The Bookseller.
In the autumn of 1960, Angie Glass is living an idyllic life in her Wisconsin hometown. At twenty-one, she’s married to handsome, charming Paul, and has just given birth to a baby boy. But one phone call changes her life forever.
When Paul’s niece, Ruby, tells them that her father, Henry, has committed suicide and her mother, Silja, has gone missing, the newlyweds drop everything to be by Ruby’s side in the small upstate town of Stonekill, New York.
Angie thinks they’re coming to the rescue of Paul’s grief-stricken young niece, but seventeen-year-old Ruby, self-possessed and enigmatic, resists Angie’s attempts to nurture her. While taking up residence in Henry and Silja’s eerie, ultra-modern house on the edge of the woods, Angie discovers astonishing truths about the complicated Glass family. As she learns about Henry and Silja’s spiraling relationship, and Ruby’s role in keeping them together, and apart, Angie begins to question the very fabric of her own marriage.
As details of the past unfold and Ruby dissects her parents’ state of affairs, the Glass women realize what they’re capable of when it comes to love, secrets, and ultimate betrayal.
In the autumn of 1960, Angie Glass is living an idyllic life in her Wisconsin hometown. At twenty-one, she’s married to handsome, charming Paul, and has just given birth to a baby boy. But one phone call changes her life forever.
When Paul’s niece, Ruby, tells them that her father, Henry, has committed suicide and her mother, Silja, has gone missing, the newlyweds drop everything to be by Ruby’s side in the small upstate town of Stonekill, New York.
Angie thinks they’re coming to the rescue of Paul’s grief-stricken young niece, but seventeen-year-old Ruby, self-possessed and enigmatic, resists Angie’s attempts to nurture her. While taking up residence in Henry and Silja’s eerie, ultra-modern house on the edge of the woods, Angie discovers astonishing truths about the complicated Glass family. As she learns about Henry and Silja’s spiraling relationship, and Ruby’s role in keeping them together, and apart, Angie begins to question the very fabric of her own marriage.
As details of the past unfold and Ruby dissects her parents’ state of affairs, the Glass women realize what they’re capable of when it comes to love, secrets, and ultimate betrayal.
368 pages, Paperback
First published February 6, 2018
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About the author
Cynthia Swanson
4 books775 followersCynthia Swanson is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the psychological suspense novels The Bookseller, The Glass Forest, and Anyone But Her. Cynthia was named 2025 Indie Author of the Year by the Indie Author Project, has received the Colorado Book Award (twice) and the WILLA Literary Award, won the Indie Author Project contest, and been a finalist for the High Plains Book Award, the WILLA Literary Award, and the CAL Award. She is also the editor of the award-winning anthology Denver Noir. She lives with her family in Denver. Find Cynthia online at www.cynthiaswansonauthor.com, Bluesky (cynswanauthor) and Substack (The What If Journal).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 696 reviews
November 5, 2017
A beautifully written, exquisitely detailed novel that unravels slowly. There's not a lot of action, it's more of a character study of some of the most interesting people I've read about recently. Sometimes books are written in a way that you can imagine yourself there with the characters, sometimes they're not. I'm happy to say this is the former. I could feel what they were feeling. After reading the blurb, I was nervous about keeping track of the three characters we get perspectives from, but they all have their own voice and it's very easy to keep track.
Angie Glass is living her version of an ideal life. It's 1960, she's married to a charming and handsome older man, and raising their baby boy. Her husband Paul is passionate and caring, and she couldn't be happier. She knows exactly how her life will end up... a happy marriage, more babies, and staying in love with her husband forever.
Ruby is the seventeen year old niece of Paul, Angie's husband. She calls their home one day with terrible news... her father has killed himself and her mother is missing. Paul almost travels to attend to this family business by himself, but Angie insists on coming along. She thinks Ruby will need her. They don't know each other well, but this is the time a girl needs a mother figure... but Angie is still young, only a few years older than Ruby and often confused for a teenager herself. Ruby doesn't seem to be interested in Angie at all. She barely wants to speak to anyone.
Silja we see from flashbacks, the mother of Ruby and wife to Paul's brother, Henry. She's nowhere to be found. A career woman who provided her family, how could she possibly abandon her daughter? The note she left saying she needed to get away offers no clues as to her whereabouts. The chapters from the past explain the marriage between her and Henry in vivid detail... the end of which take place in the modern glass house in the woods that Angie, Paul, and Ruby are now staying in as they try to figure out what steps to take next.
Having known Paul for only a bit over a year, there may be lots of things Angie doesn't know about her husband and his family. Love that begins with the purest of intentions can become twisted.
I'd recommend this book to fans of slow burning novels that take you deep into the mind and heart of the characters. I could feel their frustration and heartbreak and cared about them.
Touchstone kindly sent me an advanced review copy of this book. This in no way affects my review, which is honest and unbiased.
Angie Glass is living her version of an ideal life. It's 1960, she's married to a charming and handsome older man, and raising their baby boy. Her husband Paul is passionate and caring, and she couldn't be happier. She knows exactly how her life will end up... a happy marriage, more babies, and staying in love with her husband forever.
Ruby is the seventeen year old niece of Paul, Angie's husband. She calls their home one day with terrible news... her father has killed himself and her mother is missing. Paul almost travels to attend to this family business by himself, but Angie insists on coming along. She thinks Ruby will need her. They don't know each other well, but this is the time a girl needs a mother figure... but Angie is still young, only a few years older than Ruby and often confused for a teenager herself. Ruby doesn't seem to be interested in Angie at all. She barely wants to speak to anyone.
Silja we see from flashbacks, the mother of Ruby and wife to Paul's brother, Henry. She's nowhere to be found. A career woman who provided her family, how could she possibly abandon her daughter? The note she left saying she needed to get away offers no clues as to her whereabouts. The chapters from the past explain the marriage between her and Henry in vivid detail... the end of which take place in the modern glass house in the woods that Angie, Paul, and Ruby are now staying in as they try to figure out what steps to take next.
Having known Paul for only a bit over a year, there may be lots of things Angie doesn't know about her husband and his family. Love that begins with the purest of intentions can become twisted.
I'd recommend this book to fans of slow burning novels that take you deep into the mind and heart of the characters. I could feel their frustration and heartbreak and cared about them.
Touchstone kindly sent me an advanced review copy of this book. This in no way affects my review, which is honest and unbiased.
December 18, 2017
Wow. This is a very different book than Swanson’s debut novel, The Bookseller, but equally compelling with the same attention to historical accuracy that makes you feel like you’re in the 1940s/1960s.
Told from the alternating points of view of three women, the story gets off to a slow start, but once you get into it, you won’t be able to put it down. Stilja’s story begins in 1942 when she meets Henry and has a whirlwind love affair and a quick marriage before he goes off to war. The war changes him, and not for the better, but Stilja has already given birth to Ruby.
Angie and Ruby’s stories begin in 1960 after Stilja has left a note saying she’s leaving them and the dead body of Henry is found outside their glass house in the forest with a cup of poisoned tea. Where is Stilja? Did she kill Henry or was it really suicide because he was so depressed about her leaving? Also, what truths does Angie have to discover about her much older husband, the painter Paul, the brother of Henry?
The way this story unravels is deeply gratifying and the history is fascinating. It makes you appreciate the way things have improved for women, even if we still have a long way to go.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Touchstone for the opportunity to review this book, which RELEASES FEB. 6, 2018.
For more of my reviews, please visit: http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
Told from the alternating points of view of three women, the story gets off to a slow start, but once you get into it, you won’t be able to put it down. Stilja’s story begins in 1942 when she meets Henry and has a whirlwind love affair and a quick marriage before he goes off to war. The war changes him, and not for the better, but Stilja has already given birth to Ruby.
Angie and Ruby’s stories begin in 1960 after Stilja has left a note saying she’s leaving them and the dead body of Henry is found outside their glass house in the forest with a cup of poisoned tea. Where is Stilja? Did she kill Henry or was it really suicide because he was so depressed about her leaving? Also, what truths does Angie have to discover about her much older husband, the painter Paul, the brother of Henry?
The way this story unravels is deeply gratifying and the history is fascinating. It makes you appreciate the way things have improved for women, even if we still have a long way to go.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Touchstone for the opportunity to review this book, which RELEASES FEB. 6, 2018.
For more of my reviews, please visit: http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
January 17, 2018
Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review.
Henry and Paul Glass are brothers, movie star handsome with their dark eyes and slow easy smiles. Is there something slightly off about one of them? Could one or both be acting? Troubling secrets and falsehoods are bubbling to the fore, doing real damage and eroding trust. Their respective families are about to be shattered.
The slow build works perfectly here in a look at family dynamics that rest soundly on the darkish side. No twists of the type that leave you with whiplash, but sometimes that is a good thing. I happily settled for the creeping sense of dread that stayed with me throughout the read.
Henry and Paul Glass are brothers, movie star handsome with their dark eyes and slow easy smiles. Is there something slightly off about one of them? Could one or both be acting? Troubling secrets and falsehoods are bubbling to the fore, doing real damage and eroding trust. Their respective families are about to be shattered.
The slow build works perfectly here in a look at family dynamics that rest soundly on the darkish side. No twists of the type that leave you with whiplash, but sometimes that is a good thing. I happily settled for the creeping sense of dread that stayed with me throughout the read.
February 9, 2018
S.L.O.W. low 3 for me.
After a truly frightening start, THE GLASS FOREST slowly introduces the reader to the protagonists that gradually set the stage for disaster....for what's coming.
The story alternates narrators chapter by chapter between a naive 21 year old Angie, a young and older Silja, and a clever young teen named Ruby....all with connections to handsome lookalike brothers Henry and Paul.
There IS a good storyline here, but (for me) it stayed buried too long; and even when it began to come together revealing clues of family secrets, it was just too little too late. That being said, I really did like the final outcome (hehehe)....hence the 3 Star rating.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Touchstone for the ARC NOW AVAILABLE in exchange for an honest review.
November 1, 2018
Wow The Glass Forest By Cynthia Swanson was AMAZING I was hooked right from the start literally could not put this down, it had so many aspects of a historical fiction novel that I was surprised when they classed it as mystery suspense, however what can I say I will be reading more from this author in the future. It was atmospheric, dark, & slow which I think worked as you got the plot in your head easier, loved the characters they had their secrets lies & deceit I loved every minute was beautifully written.
Angie & Paul Glass are living an idyllic life in Dawn County Wisconsin in the 1960's, until they receive a phone call from their niece Ruby saying her father Henry Paul's brother has committed suicide.
Ruby daughter of Henry & Silja live in Stone kill New York her Mother Silja has gone missing which is strange so Angie, Paul & baby son PJ fly to New York to be by her side & find out the ytruth as to what happened to Henry & Silja.
We find out through letters how henry & Silja met I must say I could not stop reading this part as it was back in 1942 - !944 Henry decides to go to war He was gone a long time but Silja finds out she is pregnant with Ruby she writes to Henry telling him he will be a father, Henry jumps out of his skin he is so happy, but then its a while till she hears from him again, then she gets a letter saying he has been badly injured they were so in love.
But when Henry comes home he is a totally different person there is no love there anymore, Silja relies on her mother to look after Ruby while she goes to school then supports them all as Henry cannot work.
But as we find out later the Glass Women have hidden secrets they don't want anybody to find out about, until finally one of them has had enough & could blow everything sky high.
All I can say is there were a lot of twisty moments in this book as well as heartfelt moments which were quite sad my favourite character was Silja being from Finland was gutsy strong character who stood up for herself no matter the cost.
5 shiny *****rs
Angie & Paul Glass are living an idyllic life in Dawn County Wisconsin in the 1960's, until they receive a phone call from their niece Ruby saying her father Henry Paul's brother has committed suicide.
Ruby daughter of Henry & Silja live in Stone kill New York her Mother Silja has gone missing which is strange so Angie, Paul & baby son PJ fly to New York to be by her side & find out the ytruth as to what happened to Henry & Silja.
We find out through letters how henry & Silja met I must say I could not stop reading this part as it was back in 1942 - !944 Henry decides to go to war He was gone a long time but Silja finds out she is pregnant with Ruby she writes to Henry telling him he will be a father, Henry jumps out of his skin he is so happy, but then its a while till she hears from him again, then she gets a letter saying he has been badly injured they were so in love.
But when Henry comes home he is a totally different person there is no love there anymore, Silja relies on her mother to look after Ruby while she goes to school then supports them all as Henry cannot work.
But as we find out later the Glass Women have hidden secrets they don't want anybody to find out about, until finally one of them has had enough & could blow everything sky high.
All I can say is there were a lot of twisty moments in this book as well as heartfelt moments which were quite sad my favourite character was Silja being from Finland was gutsy strong character who stood up for herself no matter the cost.
5 shiny *****rs
Read
February 3, 2018DNF at 30 percent. I tried my best with this one but it was extremely extremely slow. I could not connect with any of the characters and tried multiple times to come back and read it. I have been on streak with 1-2 star reads right now and just so many other books to read/review. Thank you for the opportunity.
February 8, 2018
What a great read! I found this novel to be an atmospheric, suspenseful tale with just enough subtlety in the beginning to give the reader a hint that all was not as it appeared to be in the Glass families. The more I read, the more palpable the tension and eeriness. I couldn’t put it down, read into the wee hours of the morning, and finished it in a day.
The book opens when Paul Glass receives news that his brother, Henry, has apparently committed suicide, and his wife Silja is missing. Paul, his wife Angie, and their young son travel to attend to funeral arrangements and take care of teenage Ruby, Henry and Silja’s daughter. They learn shortly after arriving that the police suspect Henry’s death was not a suicide, and Silja has still not been found. Ruby is uncommunicative, has no friends, and keeps to herself.
Alternating chapters tells Silja's story using flashbacks starting in the early 1940’s when she first meets Henry, and follows her life up to the time of Henry’s death in the early 1960's. I can't say more about the plot without spoilers, but suffice it to say there are a lot of secrets, disordered relationships, and strange dynamics. Having the novel set during these time periods worked perfectly for the story and the period details were spot on. I had a few minor quibbles with the ending but not enough to detract from my enjoyment of the novel as a whole.
This is not a fast-paced thriller. I recommended it for fans of dark, suspenseful, and character-driven tales. There’s no trickery to hook the reader, just good old-fashioned story telling. Its a slow burn in the beginning during the set up, but I flew through the last half.
* Many thanks to Netgalley, Cynthia Swanson, and Touchstone for an e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The book opens when Paul Glass receives news that his brother, Henry, has apparently committed suicide, and his wife Silja is missing. Paul, his wife Angie, and their young son travel to attend to funeral arrangements and take care of teenage Ruby, Henry and Silja’s daughter. They learn shortly after arriving that the police suspect Henry’s death was not a suicide, and Silja has still not been found. Ruby is uncommunicative, has no friends, and keeps to herself.
Alternating chapters tells Silja's story using flashbacks starting in the early 1940’s when she first meets Henry, and follows her life up to the time of Henry’s death in the early 1960's. I can't say more about the plot without spoilers, but suffice it to say there are a lot of secrets, disordered relationships, and strange dynamics. Having the novel set during these time periods worked perfectly for the story and the period details were spot on. I had a few minor quibbles with the ending but not enough to detract from my enjoyment of the novel as a whole.
This is not a fast-paced thriller. I recommended it for fans of dark, suspenseful, and character-driven tales. There’s no trickery to hook the reader, just good old-fashioned story telling. Its a slow burn in the beginning during the set up, but I flew through the last half.
* Many thanks to Netgalley, Cynthia Swanson, and Touchstone for an e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Read
October 22, 2017DNF at 35% Will leave rated. Just so plodding got slow, and I'm just not feeling anything.
December 6, 2018
Something sinister sidles right up next to you......a shapeshifter of sorts.
The Glass Forest starts out drifting a bit like a slow-moving canoe upon calm waters. You extend your hand over the side dragging your fingers while creating deeper and deeper rivets upon the surface. Hardly a breeze to ruffle one's hair. But the tranquility will be broken by some brutally jagged rocks below the surface. Give it time......
Angie Glass is as endearing as the trace of freckles crossing her sunkissed twenty year old face. She rocks baby PJ in her arms and marvels at her blessed life in Door County, Wisconsin. But her reverie is broken as a phone call comes in from her husband Paul's niece, Ruby. Paul's brother, Henry, is dead and Ruby's mother, Silja, has taken off for a better life. From what the police have been able to ascertain, Henry's death appears to be a suicide.
Angie convinces Paul to allow her and PJ to accompany him to upstate New York. Someone needs to settle the estate and to be responsibile for Ruby now that her parents are no longer there. Angie will be opening the door to situations that she (and we readers) had no clues as to this storyline's direction.
Cynthia Swanson lays out her plot points with reverting chapters from the 1940's to the 1960's. Many an author nowadays drops the bombshell from the get-go and works backwards from there on. Not Swanson. Swanson lets out the line from the reel slowly. As readers, we keep waiting for the Boogie Man in the closet or monsters wrestling with dust bunnies under the bed. And this is where some of the DNF readers snapped the book closed. I was ready to do just the same thing. But patience, Grasshopper, there's a fine nougat center in this one.
We're gonna find out just who has their head a bit twisty and tilting to one side. All is not what it seems and there's plenty of low-hanging branches in that forest. Mind your step.
The Glass Forest starts out drifting a bit like a slow-moving canoe upon calm waters. You extend your hand over the side dragging your fingers while creating deeper and deeper rivets upon the surface. Hardly a breeze to ruffle one's hair. But the tranquility will be broken by some brutally jagged rocks below the surface. Give it time......
Angie Glass is as endearing as the trace of freckles crossing her sunkissed twenty year old face. She rocks baby PJ in her arms and marvels at her blessed life in Door County, Wisconsin. But her reverie is broken as a phone call comes in from her husband Paul's niece, Ruby. Paul's brother, Henry, is dead and Ruby's mother, Silja, has taken off for a better life. From what the police have been able to ascertain, Henry's death appears to be a suicide.
Angie convinces Paul to allow her and PJ to accompany him to upstate New York. Someone needs to settle the estate and to be responsibile for Ruby now that her parents are no longer there. Angie will be opening the door to situations that she (and we readers) had no clues as to this storyline's direction.
Cynthia Swanson lays out her plot points with reverting chapters from the 1940's to the 1960's. Many an author nowadays drops the bombshell from the get-go and works backwards from there on. Not Swanson. Swanson lets out the line from the reel slowly. As readers, we keep waiting for the Boogie Man in the closet or monsters wrestling with dust bunnies under the bed. And this is where some of the DNF readers snapped the book closed. I was ready to do just the same thing. But patience, Grasshopper, there's a fine nougat center in this one.
We're gonna find out just who has their head a bit twisty and tilting to one side. All is not what it seems and there's plenty of low-hanging branches in that forest. Mind your step.
February 24, 2018
Enjoyable read. A little on the slow side but very well written and did pick up near the end. I would recommend to readers that like mysteries and don’t mind a slower paced book.
February 19, 2018
This is a slow burning story that may require some patience from the reader. If you're expecting a thriller then you'll likely be disappointed. I went into this with little expectations and I feel I was rewarded with an excellently written atmospheric tale that compelled me to turn the pages. I needed to know what the heck was going on.
The story starts with Paul Glass getting a phone call from his 17 year old niece in New York, Ruby, explaining that his brother Paul has committed suicide and her mom, Silja, is missing. Paul packs his wife Angie and infant son PJ up and off to fly out to New York to help Ruby with arrangements and to figure out what they'll do with her next as she has no other family.
Throughout the entire book you just know that something is "off" with the Glass family. This is told in alternating chapters. There is Angie, Ruby, and Silja's sections that are told in flashbacks. Ms. Swanson slowly gives you pieces of the puzzle until the satisfying conclusion.
Also I should mention that what drew me to this book is the gorgeous cover. Love it!
Thank you to Sydney @ Simon and Schuster for sending me a widget through NetGalley. I very much appreciate the opportunity.
The story starts with Paul Glass getting a phone call from his 17 year old niece in New York, Ruby, explaining that his brother Paul has committed suicide and her mom, Silja, is missing. Paul packs his wife Angie and infant son PJ up and off to fly out to New York to help Ruby with arrangements and to figure out what they'll do with her next as she has no other family.
Throughout the entire book you just know that something is "off" with the Glass family. This is told in alternating chapters. There is Angie, Ruby, and Silja's sections that are told in flashbacks. Ms. Swanson slowly gives you pieces of the puzzle until the satisfying conclusion.
Also I should mention that what drew me to this book is the gorgeous cover. Love it!
Thank you to Sydney @ Simon and Schuster for sending me a widget through NetGalley. I very much appreciate the opportunity.
December 18, 2017
I really enjoyed this...a family who is tied together by a web of lies. How much do you really know someone? What separates this from the myriad of thriller/suspense books is the time period. This takes place in 1960 and the atmospheric feel of that era is touchable. Two brothers - Henry and Paul. Paul's new wife Angie and their baby. Henry's wife Silja and their teenage daughter Ruby. Silja's story is laid out in flashbacks from when she meet Henry. It all becomes tangled together and characters are developed in a slow burn towards the ultimate ending. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel. Publishing date is projected for February 6, 2018.
March 7, 2019
Atmospheric and unsettling, THE GLASS FOREST depicts, with razor-sharp edges, the walls we don't see until we find ourselves trapped within them--and the chilling, emotional panorama of the view from the inside looking out. (Many thanks to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review early.)
December 5, 2017
Cynthia Swanson is BACK ladies and gents and IMHO, better than ever. This is a rich, atmospheric suspense novel that sweeps you up in the mysteries of the Glass family and immerses you completely in their world.
March 21, 2018
Thank you so much to Touchstone Books for providing my copy of THE GLASS FOREST by Cynthia Swanson - all opinions are my own.
In the 1960’s, Paul and Angie Glass are recently married with a newborn baby boy, living in idyllic Wisconsin. Paul’s niece, Ruby, calls to inform them her father, Henry, has committed suicide and her mother, Silja, is missing. Paul and Angie rush to Stonekill, New York to be by Ruby’s side, and stay with her in the family home on the edge of the woods. And this is when things start to make a turn for the worse. Paul and Angie haven’t been married for very long, so how well does she really know him? Or Paul’s family for that matter?
Let me just flat out say I LOVE THIS BOOK. It’s a slow burning, atmospheric, brilliantly written suspense novel. The chapters alternate between Angie, Ruby, with flashback chapters from Silja. It starts out slow and steady, and then all of the sudden you can’t put it down. And I gush over the nuance and historical detail that went into telling the story. It really adds an extra level of uniqueness that I look for in this genre. This is not a hardcore thriller by any means, but rather reads more like a character study packed with suspense and a ton of intrigue!
If you’re like me and enjoy a compelling, suspenseful piece of literary fiction about a dysfunctional family with an abundance of secrets, then this one is for you! I am officially a fan of Swanson and cannot wait to read more of her books!
In the 1960’s, Paul and Angie Glass are recently married with a newborn baby boy, living in idyllic Wisconsin. Paul’s niece, Ruby, calls to inform them her father, Henry, has committed suicide and her mother, Silja, is missing. Paul and Angie rush to Stonekill, New York to be by Ruby’s side, and stay with her in the family home on the edge of the woods. And this is when things start to make a turn for the worse. Paul and Angie haven’t been married for very long, so how well does she really know him? Or Paul’s family for that matter?
Let me just flat out say I LOVE THIS BOOK. It’s a slow burning, atmospheric, brilliantly written suspense novel. The chapters alternate between Angie, Ruby, with flashback chapters from Silja. It starts out slow and steady, and then all of the sudden you can’t put it down. And I gush over the nuance and historical detail that went into telling the story. It really adds an extra level of uniqueness that I look for in this genre. This is not a hardcore thriller by any means, but rather reads more like a character study packed with suspense and a ton of intrigue!
If you’re like me and enjoy a compelling, suspenseful piece of literary fiction about a dysfunctional family with an abundance of secrets, then this one is for you! I am officially a fan of Swanson and cannot wait to read more of her books!
November 2, 2017
This is a really good, very creepy suspense novel. At first, it just seems like a family drama, then you slowly start to realize that it's really dark and twisted. Highly recommended for fans of good suspense novels. It has a similar tone to author Ruth Ware's thrillers.
March 16, 2018
I couldn't put this one down! Told from different character perspectives between 1948-1962, this one is a page turner. The Author does her homework with the time period, dress, cars, architecture, jewelry, men/women roles, racial issues, socialism/communism issues, even how much leniency was given in divorce, and women's rights during that era.
But that's not all. This is a pulse pounder. As you read farther into the story you realize, you just know...something dark is/or has happened. You're just not sure what. And of course there are innocents involved. Character development is spot on, before you find yourself becoming angry or frustrated with some of the characters and their choices, think of the time period, and the restrictions placed on them at the time. Think of how disastrous results can happen in a minute, a second, that can alter a lifetime. Of how you may think you know someone. But may not know them at all. In the end, this book is also about love, life, and sacrifice. Also, hopefully- nature vs. nurture. Enjoy. I hope this Author chooses to write more suspense novels!
But that's not all. This is a pulse pounder. As you read farther into the story you realize, you just know...something dark is/or has happened. You're just not sure what. And of course there are innocents involved. Character development is spot on, before you find yourself becoming angry or frustrated with some of the characters and their choices, think of the time period, and the restrictions placed on them at the time. Think of how disastrous results can happen in a minute, a second, that can alter a lifetime. Of how you may think you know someone. But may not know them at all. In the end, this book is also about love, life, and sacrifice. Also, hopefully- nature vs. nurture. Enjoy. I hope this Author chooses to write more suspense novels!
January 16, 2018
I read an advace copy of this book. This was a slow moving book but overall pretty good. I did like the rotating points of view; that worked well for this story.
February 13, 2021
Love myself a good family drama where they are tested with something difficult and need to come togheter and come through it, but this wasn't that for me. I wasn't invested with the family's issues and the characters didn't stand out to me which is both important for me. Finished it for the sake of finish it
March 9, 2018
Once again, I purposefully didn't read any reviews of this book prior to reading - I didn't want to be biased in any way. This is my second book by this author and I loved it. Of course, I loved her first book so maybe I am a little biased! It's the story of the Glass family - Angie, only 21, married to Paul and living in Wisconsin; Silja married to Henry (Paul's brother), and Ruby, Silja and Henry's teenage daughter, all three living in the small town of Stonekill, New York. Poor Angie's life is turned upside down when Ruby calls to tell her that her father Henry has committed suicide and her mother Silja has disappeared. And so the story begins. The Glass brothers are a couple of characters - and not in a nice way. They are complicated with secrets. The ladies in the story find out the hard way. Thanks to Touchstone Books for this ARC.
April 17, 2018
This book has been described as a slow burn and that it was. I loved it. I just thought it was masterful. I loved everything about it. One of my favorites this year. 5 stars.
June 11, 2021
The Glass Forest by Cynthia Swanson is a book that’s told from the perspective of 3 women, each showing strength in their own way.
It begins in the 1960’s in Door County, Wisconsin, where Angie Glass, 21, lives in the home that belonged to her grandparents with her new baby and husband Paul. One day she receives a call from her husband’s niece Ruby with some unbelievable news that Ruby’s mother Silja has run away and her father Henry has been found dead outside their home in Stonekill, New York. A note was left by her mother that said she was sorry, but life’s too short to wait. They say her father committed suicide because he couldn’t handle his wife leaving. Angie had only met her husband’s brother and his family once almost a year ago at her and Paul’s wedding. Angie was swept off her feet by Paul and they were married three months after they first met.
Next is Silja. Her story starts in 1942 in Brooklyn at the age of twenty. She wanted to believe in love at first sight like the characters in the movies she loved watching. And that’s exactly what happened when she first saw Henry standing at the bus stop in his GI uniform. She was so enamored with him that she ignored the small uncomfortable feelings she had when he stressed to her how much he liked her in the color green and when on a date she wore something else and how unhappy he was with her. Regardless, ten days after meeting him and before he had to leave for the war she says yes when he asks her to marry him. Everything was happening just like the movies she loved so much.
Ruby is the seventeen-year-old daughter of Silja and Henry. She found her father lying in the woods not far from their house. She’s a quiet, very smart girl who had a hard time making friends in school and her favorite book was To Kill a Mockingbird.
The three women have different struggles at different times in their lives. Angie, even though she’s only four years older than Ruby, has to step in as her “parent.” She has to make some very adult decisions as she learns things about her husband she hadn’t realized. Silja tries desperately to support her husband when he comes back from the war a different person than she knew. Thanks to her mother’s insistence that she gets an education and goes to college she’s able to support her family when her husband isn’t able to. Ruby, the child who tries to find her way with a father who’s angry and thinks everyone’s a communist and a mother who’s unhappy and working all the time.
Stories where the women are strong, more then they realize, and have great friendships that make them even stronger are some of my favorites.
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It begins in the 1960’s in Door County, Wisconsin, where Angie Glass, 21, lives in the home that belonged to her grandparents with her new baby and husband Paul. One day she receives a call from her husband’s niece Ruby with some unbelievable news that Ruby’s mother Silja has run away and her father Henry has been found dead outside their home in Stonekill, New York. A note was left by her mother that said she was sorry, but life’s too short to wait. They say her father committed suicide because he couldn’t handle his wife leaving. Angie had only met her husband’s brother and his family once almost a year ago at her and Paul’s wedding. Angie was swept off her feet by Paul and they were married three months after they first met.
Next is Silja. Her story starts in 1942 in Brooklyn at the age of twenty. She wanted to believe in love at first sight like the characters in the movies she loved watching. And that’s exactly what happened when she first saw Henry standing at the bus stop in his GI uniform. She was so enamored with him that she ignored the small uncomfortable feelings she had when he stressed to her how much he liked her in the color green and when on a date she wore something else and how unhappy he was with her. Regardless, ten days after meeting him and before he had to leave for the war she says yes when he asks her to marry him. Everything was happening just like the movies she loved so much.
Ruby is the seventeen-year-old daughter of Silja and Henry. She found her father lying in the woods not far from their house. She’s a quiet, very smart girl who had a hard time making friends in school and her favorite book was To Kill a Mockingbird.
The three women have different struggles at different times in their lives. Angie, even though she’s only four years older than Ruby, has to step in as her “parent.” She has to make some very adult decisions as she learns things about her husband she hadn’t realized. Silja tries desperately to support her husband when he comes back from the war a different person than she knew. Thanks to her mother’s insistence that she gets an education and goes to college she’s able to support her family when her husband isn’t able to. Ruby, the child who tries to find her way with a father who’s angry and thinks everyone’s a communist and a mother who’s unhappy and working all the time.
Stories where the women are strong, more then they realize, and have great friendships that make them even stronger are some of my favorites.
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
June 28, 2018
I wanted to like this one more than I did because I really liked The Bookseller. This one is completely different for sure!
I felt like the author didn't go far enough with making this book authentic to the time period. Yes, there's racial tension, mention of Communists, etc., but they seemed more thrown in there rather than giving the book depth. No one really seemed to work except Silja (and that name threw me off through the entire story), yet they always seemed to have enough money to do whatever they wanted. There wasn't enough back story ever revealed to get a sense of the characters' motivations.
What did work was the mystery, and I really liked Angie (and somewhat Ruby by the end) but maybe the three perspectives in such a short novel were too many to really get depth. It almost felt like the two distinct storylines (with the two brothers) were neither one given quite enough "meat" to make them gripping stories, and if one was the focus we could see the descent a bit better. The ending is good and wraps things up nicely.
I felt like the author didn't go far enough with making this book authentic to the time period. Yes, there's racial tension, mention of Communists, etc., but they seemed more thrown in there rather than giving the book depth. No one really seemed to work except Silja (and that name threw me off through the entire story), yet they always seemed to have enough money to do whatever they wanted. There wasn't enough back story ever revealed to get a sense of the characters' motivations.
What did work was the mystery, and I really liked Angie (and somewhat Ruby by the end) but maybe the three perspectives in such a short novel were too many to really get depth. It almost felt like the two distinct storylines (with the two brothers) were neither one given quite enough "meat" to make them gripping stories, and if one was the focus we could see the descent a bit better. The ending is good and wraps things up nicely.
December 17, 2017
I admired so much about Swanson's debut, The Bookseller, but was particularly enthralled with her gift for storytelling. This gift is on full display again in The Glass Forest. It starts off as a character-driven family drama centered on the putative suicide of Henry, around whom the relationships swirl. As we get to know the finely drawn cast, the lights dim, the pace accelerates and the smoldering questions catch fire. I raced through the second half, compelled to discover what drove these people to act as they had, to find the truth of their entanglements. Don't miss this one when it comes out in February; The Glass Forest is taut suspense--completely credible and utterly engrossing.
March 24, 2018
Si hay algo en que están de acuerdo los lectores de The Glass Forest es que posee una narrativa atmosférica y una trama lenta. Énfasis en el último adjetivo.
Una novela lenta y atmosférica no tiene necesariamente un significado negativo, pero si el resultado de lo que el autor intenta construir no es satisfactorio, entonces la arquitectura del libro puede desmoronar la edificación antes de iniciarse el proceso.
Muchos usuarios en Goodreads han DNF el libro, otros lo han puntuado negativamente al alcanzar las páginas finales y yo estoy de acuerdo. Mucho build-up, poca ejecución. La base de la historia tardó tanto tiempo enterrada que, cuando salió a relucir, poco me importaba el libro, la autora, los personajes. Solo quería terminar.
Una novela lenta y atmosférica no tiene necesariamente un significado negativo, pero si el resultado de lo que el autor intenta construir no es satisfactorio, entonces la arquitectura del libro puede desmoronar la edificación antes de iniciarse el proceso.
Muchos usuarios en Goodreads han DNF el libro, otros lo han puntuado negativamente al alcanzar las páginas finales y yo estoy de acuerdo. Mucho build-up, poca ejecución. La base de la historia tardó tanto tiempo enterrada que, cuando salió a relucir, poco me importaba el libro, la autora, los personajes. Solo quería terminar.
October 14, 2017
Has your life not turned out like you thought it would? Me neither and sometimes I feel bad about that until I read a book like "The Glass Forest" and realize I am not alone. An unexplained death set in a time when women had fewer choices, this book will make you see clearly how every choice counts.
Cynthia Swanson's writing is masterful and this tale is told with exquisite detail and perfect unravelling. "The Glass Forest" is an excellent book, especially for lovers of nostalgia and mystery.
Cynthia Swanson's writing is masterful and this tale is told with exquisite detail and perfect unravelling. "The Glass Forest" is an excellent book, especially for lovers of nostalgia and mystery.
April 11, 2018
I really liked this book. It made me sad however it resolved in the end. The book had plenty of horror and insanity in it. Henry and Paul were completely crazy for the belief of communist. It reminds me of the general who believed that every government official was a communist. I think his name was General Douglas MacArthur who was fired by President Truman for his constant accusations. I forgot what but now people nickname him for his ridiculous accusations. Henry reminds me of him because he accused his wife, his child's principal, and David. I mean then he builds a bomb shelter from the Russians which never happened. He was the definition of paranoia. His brother Paul is no better because he's a Pedifiler how ever the hell you spell it. I cannot spell it for the life of me, but the word I'm trying to say is a older person having sex or sexually harassing a young child. Paul pronounces his sick love for his niece who is 16. Also he writes to Henry about how he doesn't love his wife, Angie, and how he hates his marriage. I mean if he is so unhappy why didn't he freaking divorced her. Then Paul was going to try to kill Angie and his son P.J. I mean I was like get the freak out of there as fast as you can.
This book had so much that I need to write two paragraphs or more. The flashbacks with Silja and Ruby were so emotional. I felt horrible how miserable and naive Silja was. Silja's husband Henry goes to war and gets injured. He can't have sex and he is emotionally unstable. War does that to someone however I think Silja should have left him. Silja wants them to be together forever and is patient with him. Whenever she tries to talk to him about his experiences about the war and he snaps at her. I can see immediately that their relationship is going to crumble. Silja has to work instead of her husband working for them. She becomes the breadwinner for the family which he complains about later in the book, however I'm jumping much later in the book. Silja works while Henry plays with Ruby and does house work. How she is so strong for the family is admirable and brave. Later in life they move into the suburbs and Henry becomes more distant. Silja tries to get him to spend time with her. However the closest she can get to him is by sitting on the other side of the bathroom door while he takes a shower. That was one of the most depressing moments in my opinion in the book. Henry becomes angrier and yells at her that he wanted to go to college or get a job. I mean are you kidding me, Henry. Silja asked him to get a job or do something but Henry was too depressed or angry. Now he's whining about it and she's saying go do it. I guess he didn't expect her to say that because he says it's too late. Really? That was a really stupid argument for him to make. Also Silja wants a divorce however Henry refuses constantly that he believes marriage is forever. His arrogance is his downfall however that will be mentioned later.
One night Silja wants to bring Ruby to a concert that is filled with black artists. Henry doesn't care and they go out together. They go out and the concert ends in disaster with mobs fighting because of racism. It got me really angry of the injustice and ridiculous reasoning of the mob. They just wanted to share music and art to the world which Silja is dumbfounded by the anger. When she and Ruby try to escape, they get help from a mysterious knight in shining armor, David. David rescues them and they remember his kindness for ages. After a couple of months Silja is alone going to the movies because of Henry not spending time with her. she and David meet again and fall instantly in love. They sit close watching movies every weekend until Ruby follows Silja in one of their meet ups. Ruby is confused but understands that Henry is not the best father or husband to be married with. As a happy family, they sit around eating a picnic and taking photos. This scene was so beautiful and Ruby is so happy that David is like a father figure to her.
However the happy family gets destroyed by none other than Henry. Henry realizes that Silja has been cheating on him and he beats her. He throws her in the bomb shelter and without oxygen she dies. Ruby comes home and Henry confesses that her mother got what she deserved. He had no remorse and thought it was justified. This reminds me that he didn't have any sympathy for the execution he saw before this occurred. Ruby offers him tea which she puts poison in. Also Ruby told Angie all of this when Paul is trying to kill her. David is mourning and is happy that Henry is dead. I was actually pretty happy he was dead however the issue was Paul was still alive and wanted to take Ruby away.
The epilogue
Ruby and Paul escape the country together so Ruby can save Angie. Ruby is being constantly controlled and watched by Paul which frightened me a little. Then Ruby pushes his him off a cliff because of his crimes. Ruby lives off her mother's money and lives the rest of her life in Spain. Back in America Angie is living with her mother taking college. She meets a boy she has a crush on in her class and is worried about marrying him. The emotional damage is clear when she cries relieved that she isn't pregnant. This book was truly amazing and I think many people would enjoy it.
This book had so much that I need to write two paragraphs or more. The flashbacks with Silja and Ruby were so emotional. I felt horrible how miserable and naive Silja was. Silja's husband Henry goes to war and gets injured. He can't have sex and he is emotionally unstable. War does that to someone however I think Silja should have left him. Silja wants them to be together forever and is patient with him. Whenever she tries to talk to him about his experiences about the war and he snaps at her. I can see immediately that their relationship is going to crumble. Silja has to work instead of her husband working for them. She becomes the breadwinner for the family which he complains about later in the book, however I'm jumping much later in the book. Silja works while Henry plays with Ruby and does house work. How she is so strong for the family is admirable and brave. Later in life they move into the suburbs and Henry becomes more distant. Silja tries to get him to spend time with her. However the closest she can get to him is by sitting on the other side of the bathroom door while he takes a shower. That was one of the most depressing moments in my opinion in the book. Henry becomes angrier and yells at her that he wanted to go to college or get a job. I mean are you kidding me, Henry. Silja asked him to get a job or do something but Henry was too depressed or angry. Now he's whining about it and she's saying go do it. I guess he didn't expect her to say that because he says it's too late. Really? That was a really stupid argument for him to make. Also Silja wants a divorce however Henry refuses constantly that he believes marriage is forever. His arrogance is his downfall however that will be mentioned later.
One night Silja wants to bring Ruby to a concert that is filled with black artists. Henry doesn't care and they go out together. They go out and the concert ends in disaster with mobs fighting because of racism. It got me really angry of the injustice and ridiculous reasoning of the mob. They just wanted to share music and art to the world which Silja is dumbfounded by the anger. When she and Ruby try to escape, they get help from a mysterious knight in shining armor, David. David rescues them and they remember his kindness for ages. After a couple of months Silja is alone going to the movies because of Henry not spending time with her. she and David meet again and fall instantly in love. They sit close watching movies every weekend until Ruby follows Silja in one of their meet ups. Ruby is confused but understands that Henry is not the best father or husband to be married with. As a happy family, they sit around eating a picnic and taking photos. This scene was so beautiful and Ruby is so happy that David is like a father figure to her.
However the happy family gets destroyed by none other than Henry. Henry realizes that Silja has been cheating on him and he beats her. He throws her in the bomb shelter and without oxygen she dies. Ruby comes home and Henry confesses that her mother got what she deserved. He had no remorse and thought it was justified. This reminds me that he didn't have any sympathy for the execution he saw before this occurred. Ruby offers him tea which she puts poison in. Also Ruby told Angie all of this when Paul is trying to kill her. David is mourning and is happy that Henry is dead. I was actually pretty happy he was dead however the issue was Paul was still alive and wanted to take Ruby away.
The epilogue
Ruby and Paul escape the country together so Ruby can save Angie. Ruby is being constantly controlled and watched by Paul which frightened me a little. Then Ruby pushes his him off a cliff because of his crimes. Ruby lives off her mother's money and lives the rest of her life in Spain. Back in America Angie is living with her mother taking college. She meets a boy she has a crush on in her class and is worried about marrying him. The emotional damage is clear when she cries relieved that she isn't pregnant. This book was truly amazing and I think many people would enjoy it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2018
A slow burner, character driven novel that pulled me in with distinct voices that resonated throughout the novel. Even figuring out how the novel would end did not detract from the events and timeline of the novel. When the story opens we find teenage Ruby calling her uncle to let him know that her mother is missing and her father dead of an apparent suicide. Her young aunt, a naive young woman married to her Uncle Paul, travel to her side with their young infant to help Ruby process this untoward turn of events. However, as they are there, things unfold and another story begins to come to the forefront. Told in alternating chapters between the aunt and Ruby, including flashbacks from the past, the novel presents a world that is very evocative of the time and place.If you are looking for a fast paced drama this is not the novel for you but if you want to delve inside character's heads and discover the nature of love and the power of secrets, this is a sure bet.
December 30, 2017
I really felt the premise of this story was strong and I was intrigued with the initial pages and set up. The story alternates perspectives between Angie, Ruby, and Silja and while I didn't love this it worked ok to propel the story forward. My main critique is this is a very meandering plot and even by 50 % I was wondering if anything was going to happen. It seemed to be mainly a character study and the only character I cared at all for was Silja. I kept hoping the pace would pick up but it really didn't until finally at around 75% things started happening. By then the plot twists were unremarkable and pretty predictable. I read mainly to find out about Silja's character and in the end I can't say this worked for me. I think those who enjoy drawn out character studies with subtle unreliability and can hold out until the very end for things to transpire may like this.
October 15, 2017
Angie is a young woman from a small town in Wisconsin, at 21 she married to Paul, a handsome older man. When they receive news about that her brother-in-law Henry was dead, and that their niece was living by herself since her mother, Silja was missing, they decided to travel to Stonekill, New York to be by Ruby’s side. Angie thinks that she could help Ruby’s with her loss, but later discovered that she wasn't an average 17 year old. Angie, Silja and the baby were the only normal characters in this book, I had a hard time writing this review but I would recommended it if you do not mind reading about a Sociopath Family!
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