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The Cassaforte Chronicles #1
The Glass Maker's Daughter
Magic lies at the heart of Cassaforte, medieval city of bewitchments and intrigue. Cassaforte is home to sixteen-year-old Risa Divetri, whose fate is about to be decided by the gods. Risa has led the sheltered life of a nobleman's daughter, but soon she plans to leave home to study the family craft-creating enchanted glass objects. When the gods are consulted to determine which school she will attend, the impossible happens: Risa remains unchosen. The rejection sends Risa into a spiral of shame, anger, and confusion. If she's not meant to be a glass maker, what will she do? But when Cassaforte's age-old magic begins to unravel and dark forces threaten the kingdom, Risa's fiery spirit and untapped powers take her on a perilous journey--one that will lead her to her true destiny.
336 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2009
7 people are currently reading
2682 people want to read
About the author
V. Briceland
5 books80 followersThough he has written primarily under his various pseudonyms before now, Vance Briceland is the award-winning author of several adult and young adult novels, including You Are SO Cursed, a 2005 American Library Association Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers title.
Originally from Richmond, Virginia and a graduate of the College of William and Mary, Briceland now lives in Old Greenwich, Connecticut.
He has since worn many hats, each more fantastic than the last, as soda jerk, a paper flower maker in an amusement park, a pianist for a senior citizens’ show tunes choir, an English teacher, a glass artist, and a novelist.
While he does not blow glass, Briceland is a stained glass window and panel lamp artist and also works with kiln-formed glass, where the heat only gets up to about 1,500 degrees. He says, “The much higher temperatures involved in blowing glass scare me!”
Originally from Richmond, Virginia and a graduate of the College of William and Mary, Briceland now lives in Old Greenwich, Connecticut.
He has since worn many hats, each more fantastic than the last, as soda jerk, a paper flower maker in an amusement park, a pianist for a senior citizens’ show tunes choir, an English teacher, a glass artist, and a novelist.
While he does not blow glass, Briceland is a stained glass window and panel lamp artist and also works with kiln-formed glass, where the heat only gets up to about 1,500 degrees. He says, “The much higher temperatures involved in blowing glass scare me!”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
January 16, 2011
Originally posted on The Authoress: Book Review and More.
If you like Tamora Pierce, you’ll love V. Briceland. I was completely hooked by this book—by the writing, the characters, the setting, the plot, the romance. I believe it rare to find stories where the world is completely thought-out and isn’t confined to what the character witnesses every day. While perhaps a tad bit difficult to understand at first, the remarkable detail really brings the story to life and keeps you riveted as the story progresses.
The writing—WOW! (with an exclamation point) Very simple, yet elegant. This is definitely a book I’ll turn to when I need to see how writing should really be done. It’s the kind of writing that fades into the background, but not in the nothing-significant kind of way. As in, it flows so smoothly that you’re left to enjoy the story and you aren’t hindered by the writing. Even fantastic, out-of-this-world writing can distract me from the story.
I loved the characters. These are the types of characters that will stay with you for years. All of them were unique and I didn’t get them confused with one another. Even if you didn’t have a written history of the characters, you felt as if you knew them and could easily interact with them. Milo was definitely my favorite character but Risa follows right behind and Camilla, too. Camilla was awesome. So was Ricard—he was hilarious!
The atmosphere was almost alive. You could tell that it was loosely based on Italy, but the world is its own. While the terms mock Italy (like, cazarra, tavernas) it’s magical in its own right. For example, there are many cazas and each represents a different craft. Like Caza Divetri (Risa’s own house), they are famous for their glass making. (Hence the title, The Glass Maker’s Daughter.) Then there are the gods Muro and Lena and the social structure of the Seven and Thirty. The detail is fascinating!
The plot was FANTASTIC! I thought it was going to be a cliché ending, but GOSH! I loved the twist at the end! The whole thing builds up and up and up and then plummets, then goes up again…it was incredible. Risa was the perfect character to tell this story and was smart, too, but not too smart. She was believable—she had her selfish moments, her anxieties, her tantrums, her shining times. All wrapped up in this ugly conspiracy that she’d gotten thrown into head first.
I usually don’t go for the subtle romances, but this was an exception. It was so sweet in how subtle yet completely obvious it was and it created an underlining tension between the characters and me, as the reader. It’s the kind that had me going, “Oh, c’mon, DO something!” But yet I enjoyed the bantering and the build up of trust between them. It really blended in well with the story but didn’t overshadow any important plot points.
It was just a little difficult to follow at first. The first fifty pages or so, I lost track of how things worked and was confused with all the names mentioned, but as I continued, it made sense and gave it a more enriching quality.
If you like Tamora Pierce, Maria V. Snyder, or Cinda Williams Chima, definitely track this book down. It’s not well known and you may have to buy it from your independent bookstore or online. (I ended up buying it at Half-Price Books, which is a second-hand bookstore.) You can buy it from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, or BookDepository.
If you like Tamora Pierce, you’ll love V. Briceland. I was completely hooked by this book—by the writing, the characters, the setting, the plot, the romance. I believe it rare to find stories where the world is completely thought-out and isn’t confined to what the character witnesses every day. While perhaps a tad bit difficult to understand at first, the remarkable detail really brings the story to life and keeps you riveted as the story progresses.
The writing—WOW! (with an exclamation point) Very simple, yet elegant. This is definitely a book I’ll turn to when I need to see how writing should really be done. It’s the kind of writing that fades into the background, but not in the nothing-significant kind of way. As in, it flows so smoothly that you’re left to enjoy the story and you aren’t hindered by the writing. Even fantastic, out-of-this-world writing can distract me from the story.
I loved the characters. These are the types of characters that will stay with you for years. All of them were unique and I didn’t get them confused with one another. Even if you didn’t have a written history of the characters, you felt as if you knew them and could easily interact with them. Milo was definitely my favorite character but Risa follows right behind and Camilla, too. Camilla was awesome. So was Ricard—he was hilarious!
The atmosphere was almost alive. You could tell that it was loosely based on Italy, but the world is its own. While the terms mock Italy (like, cazarra, tavernas) it’s magical in its own right. For example, there are many cazas and each represents a different craft. Like Caza Divetri (Risa’s own house), they are famous for their glass making. (Hence the title, The Glass Maker’s Daughter.) Then there are the gods Muro and Lena and the social structure of the Seven and Thirty. The detail is fascinating!
The plot was FANTASTIC! I thought it was going to be a cliché ending, but GOSH! I loved the twist at the end! The whole thing builds up and up and up and then plummets, then goes up again…it was incredible. Risa was the perfect character to tell this story and was smart, too, but not too smart. She was believable—she had her selfish moments, her anxieties, her tantrums, her shining times. All wrapped up in this ugly conspiracy that she’d gotten thrown into head first.
I usually don’t go for the subtle romances, but this was an exception. It was so sweet in how subtle yet completely obvious it was and it created an underlining tension between the characters and me, as the reader. It’s the kind that had me going, “Oh, c’mon, DO something!” But yet I enjoyed the bantering and the build up of trust between them. It really blended in well with the story but didn’t overshadow any important plot points.
It was just a little difficult to follow at first. The first fifty pages or so, I lost track of how things worked and was confused with all the names mentioned, but as I continued, it made sense and gave it a more enriching quality.
If you like Tamora Pierce, Maria V. Snyder, or Cinda Williams Chima, definitely track this book down. It’s not well known and you may have to buy it from your independent bookstore or online. (I ended up buying it at Half-Price Books, which is a second-hand bookstore.) You can buy it from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, or BookDepository.
March 1, 2011
I get so tired of books about young kids saving the day, but thoroughly enjoyed this one because the author does an excellent job of showing how the enormity of the situation effects the main character. I also enjoyed the magic system employed by this book - it's simple and elegant, and I can and probably will spend hours thinking about it.
April 15, 2017
This book started out slow, and I felt like the vocabulary, sentence construction, and story were a little clunky. As the story progressed, around page 50, things picked up and I started really enjoying the novel. I think part of my dislike for the beginning of the novel was it was very descriptive and the story didn't feel like it was going anywhere. It took time for the story to open and the characters to develop. I wanted to like the book to start with but it wasn't until the characters started doing things that it got interesting to me.
I liked Milo, Camilla, and Risa. The story is told in third person from Risa's point of view. Risa was a little difficult at first, but she ended up being a fun character. I liked the slow romance between Risa and Milo. Camilla, Milo's older sister, was less developed, but she the one character I liked most in the story.
I liked the world the story was set in. Seven families who pledge their fealty to the crown through blowing a horn each night. This also keeps their home intact. I'll be interested to see the back story of the country developed as the series continues. I wasn't sure about this book at first, but I think I'll be reading the next in the series.
I liked Milo, Camilla, and Risa. The story is told in third person from Risa's point of view. Risa was a little difficult at first, but she ended up being a fun character. I liked the slow romance between Risa and Milo. Camilla, Milo's older sister, was less developed, but she the one character I liked most in the story.
I liked the world the story was set in. Seven families who pledge their fealty to the crown through blowing a horn each night. This also keeps their home intact. I'll be interested to see the back story of the country developed as the series continues. I wasn't sure about this book at first, but I think I'll be reading the next in the series.
February 20, 2018
DNF at 70%
This felt like a MG book that wanted to be YA. By that I mean the character is 16 but acts like she's 12-13 and the writing and plot seemed more on the MG side in terms of depth and simplicity. There's nothing wrong with MG books and I do enjoy them on occasion. I do not seek them out though because most of the time I'm not going to be the target audience.
While I had great hopes going into this, I quickly grew bored with Risa's childishness. The book attempts to instill urgency but most of the time the pace plodded and I didn't feel the danger I thought I should feel. There were simple solutions for the antagonists to achieve their goal(go in and take these people's horns or physically detain them with some masked men at the ritual time) but for some reason they preferred to resort to methods that were more likely to fail.
I was also annoyed that whenever Risa did get justifiably upset or make a decision of some sort, the "love interest" would step in to belittle her. He'd call her a child and a baby. He'd tell her to stop thinking a certain way or whatever.
For example, one of the Milo's friends fixates on Risa. She's clearly not comfortable with the attention and wants this guy to back off. Yet he keeps pushing her and putting her in spots she doesn't want to be in. Then he decides to write a song for her and begins singing it throughout the entire city. He doesn't ask her if it's okay, just decides to wax on like they're lovers and tell the world.
She finds out and is mortified. First of all, she can't even express anger about it because the crowd thinks she's just an embarrassed lover. Secondly the song is actually putting her in real danger. She's supposed to keep a low profile and hide who is saving her home. The song names her as the person doing the saving.
So besides the fact that someone is making her uncomfortable, he's also putting her in danger. She rushes off to her room and Milo chases after her.
He accuses her of being snobby and "What's wrong with him looking at you? Is someone outside the precious Seven and Thirty not allowed to look upon a Divetri?"
Besides this being an unfair statement because she's clearly shown that she doesn't think her status puts her above other people and has socialized a lot with Milo and others of his station, it also demeans her wishes. She wants this guy to stop gawking at her, to stop flirting with her, to stop trying to touch her, to stop singing her praises.
We're trying to teach kids to respect someone's space and wishes. Now we have a book that's saying that if a girl doesn't want someone's attention she is wrong.
It gets worse. She tries to explain why it makes her uncomfortable and to be fair, it doesn't matter the reasons. What matter is that she wants him to STOP. You don't NEED a reason to want someone to back off. And you don't have to explain yourself. If you WANT someone to step off they need to respect that.
He then tells her that she should deal with having this attention since she's a hero and "If you just stopped acting like a child with her feelings hurt, and began to think like a cazarra, you would see."
Once she finally at least convinces him that this guy is putting her in danger, Milo agrees to shut it down. They run all over trying to stop the spread of this song which creeper boy has made sure is everywhere. At this point I realized they weren't going to stop this. Too many people(they'd put on 50 shows by the time the MC finds the creepy one) had heard it and I knew it was going to end up with her in danger.
By 70% I'd long since ceased carrying. The plot is pretty transparent so you figure out what is happening, where it's going, who's who, and even if you haven't guessed how it'll end or what's next, it isn't worth it. I was bored long before then and honestly couldn't bring myself to care about any of the characters.
This felt like a MG book that wanted to be YA. By that I mean the character is 16 but acts like she's 12-13 and the writing and plot seemed more on the MG side in terms of depth and simplicity. There's nothing wrong with MG books and I do enjoy them on occasion. I do not seek them out though because most of the time I'm not going to be the target audience.
While I had great hopes going into this, I quickly grew bored with Risa's childishness. The book attempts to instill urgency but most of the time the pace plodded and I didn't feel the danger I thought I should feel. There were simple solutions for the antagonists to achieve their goal(go in and take these people's horns or physically detain them with some masked men at the ritual time) but for some reason they preferred to resort to methods that were more likely to fail.
I was also annoyed that whenever Risa did get justifiably upset or make a decision of some sort, the "love interest" would step in to belittle her. He'd call her a child and a baby. He'd tell her to stop thinking a certain way or whatever.
For example, one of the Milo's friends fixates on Risa. She's clearly not comfortable with the attention and wants this guy to back off. Yet he keeps pushing her and putting her in spots she doesn't want to be in. Then he decides to write a song for her and begins singing it throughout the entire city. He doesn't ask her if it's okay, just decides to wax on like they're lovers and tell the world.
She finds out and is mortified. First of all, she can't even express anger about it because the crowd thinks she's just an embarrassed lover. Secondly the song is actually putting her in real danger. She's supposed to keep a low profile and hide who is saving her home. The song names her as the person doing the saving.
So besides the fact that someone is making her uncomfortable, he's also putting her in danger. She rushes off to her room and Milo chases after her.
He accuses her of being snobby and "What's wrong with him looking at you? Is someone outside the precious Seven and Thirty not allowed to look upon a Divetri?"
Besides this being an unfair statement because she's clearly shown that she doesn't think her status puts her above other people and has socialized a lot with Milo and others of his station, it also demeans her wishes. She wants this guy to stop gawking at her, to stop flirting with her, to stop trying to touch her, to stop singing her praises.
We're trying to teach kids to respect someone's space and wishes. Now we have a book that's saying that if a girl doesn't want someone's attention she is wrong.
It gets worse. She tries to explain why it makes her uncomfortable and to be fair, it doesn't matter the reasons. What matter is that she wants him to STOP. You don't NEED a reason to want someone to back off. And you don't have to explain yourself. If you WANT someone to step off they need to respect that.
He then tells her that she should deal with having this attention since she's a hero and "If you just stopped acting like a child with her feelings hurt, and began to think like a cazarra, you would see."
Once she finally at least convinces him that this guy is putting her in danger, Milo agrees to shut it down. They run all over trying to stop the spread of this song which creeper boy has made sure is everywhere. At this point I realized they weren't going to stop this. Too many people(they'd put on 50 shows by the time the MC finds the creepy one) had heard it and I knew it was going to end up with her in danger.
By 70% I'd long since ceased carrying. The plot is pretty transparent so you figure out what is happening, where it's going, who's who, and even if you haven't guessed how it'll end or what's next, it isn't worth it. I was bored long before then and honestly couldn't bring myself to care about any of the characters.
January 28, 2012
Fair warning: Spoilers ahead
I read this upon seeing one of my favourite authors give it 5 stars. I kept thinking it would get better but.... No such luck. Yes, it's a childrens book, but that doesnt excuse poor writing, plot, and character development. I guess my main issue was that the protagonist was lackluster at best. She's supposed to be a feminist at heart, self-reliant in tough situations. While she certainly seems impulsive (to the point of outright stupidity), I can't name an example of her reliability. She happened to be at the right place at the right time to blow a freaking horn (oh so brave). She 'saves' a beggar by jumping into a river that wouldve killed them both if the conveniently handsome guard hadnt saved them both. The final revelation of her awesome powers is only because she has a temper tantrum that reveals a twist that any 5 year old couldve predicted after her brother made the comment about the book... I mean, really? There's supposedly supposed to be some kind of character development that's supposed to happen, but development implies progression. She suddenly realizes she loves the guard - Boom, they'll be together forever. She frees her father - Boom, hes cool with her being independent and marrying a commoner. She rescues a beggar - Boom, hes the exact person they need. Everything just falls on her lap while the other characters coo about how great and perfect she is (except that she has the horrid quality of being 'a little too rash'). The gods think shes the best thing since sliced bread! Minstrels fallin love her at first glance! She highborn, but she doesnt have all those inconvenient prejudices. She's s feminist before feminism existed, but she must have her man by her side to guide her through her troubles. Yet shes so capable and self-reliant? I call BS. She's a Mary Sue that ruins a really cool conceptual world.
I read this upon seeing one of my favourite authors give it 5 stars. I kept thinking it would get better but.... No such luck. Yes, it's a childrens book, but that doesnt excuse poor writing, plot, and character development. I guess my main issue was that the protagonist was lackluster at best. She's supposed to be a feminist at heart, self-reliant in tough situations. While she certainly seems impulsive (to the point of outright stupidity), I can't name an example of her reliability. She happened to be at the right place at the right time to blow a freaking horn (oh so brave). She 'saves' a beggar by jumping into a river that wouldve killed them both if the conveniently handsome guard hadnt saved them both. The final revelation of her awesome powers is only because she has a temper tantrum that reveals a twist that any 5 year old couldve predicted after her brother made the comment about the book... I mean, really? There's supposedly supposed to be some kind of character development that's supposed to happen, but development implies progression. She suddenly realizes she loves the guard - Boom, they'll be together forever. She frees her father - Boom, hes cool with her being independent and marrying a commoner. She rescues a beggar - Boom, hes the exact person they need. Everything just falls on her lap while the other characters coo about how great and perfect she is (except that she has the horrid quality of being 'a little too rash'). The gods think shes the best thing since sliced bread! Minstrels fallin love her at first glance! She highborn, but she doesnt have all those inconvenient prejudices. She's s feminist before feminism existed, but she must have her man by her side to guide her through her troubles. Yet shes so capable and self-reliant? I call BS. She's a Mary Sue that ruins a really cool conceptual world.
August 23, 2009
Is that a gorgeous cover, or what? I have to say it was the cover that made me purchase this book and the great reviews it had on Amazon. From the premise I was expecting something fast-paced and full of fun magical happenings but I was rather let down once I got into the story.
There’s not much of it, or it’s not as dramatic as the premise made it sound. The only magic is the enchantments and spells invoked during the artisan’s craft and of course Risa’s powers. Those don’t manifest until much later anyway. But for all of this, The Glass Maker’s Daughter, was a simple, light-hearted read that would please those of you in the mood for something on the more positive end.
It took me a while to get into the writing because it wasn’t nearly as captivating as the others I’ve read through. If I had to put a description to it, maybe plain would be the answer but that has its benefits because then you’re not bogged down by show-y, fancy prose that goes on forever describing a simple object, sequence, or what have you.
The plot of this book is pretty straightforward and linear. There’s not much that deviates or surprises you, except for the slight twist at the end. Because there’s not a whole lot of action the book is pretty slow but reads fast enough for you not to get bored. One aspect of the book that I found great was the gradual build up of romance between the characters, and that while Risa did have important special powers, they only appeared very late in the story and didn’t overtake the central focus of the plot. In fact, it was seamlessly blended to move the story along and didn’t hamper it all.
There’s not much of it, or it’s not as dramatic as the premise made it sound. The only magic is the enchantments and spells invoked during the artisan’s craft and of course Risa’s powers. Those don’t manifest until much later anyway. But for all of this, The Glass Maker’s Daughter, was a simple, light-hearted read that would please those of you in the mood for something on the more positive end.
It took me a while to get into the writing because it wasn’t nearly as captivating as the others I’ve read through. If I had to put a description to it, maybe plain would be the answer but that has its benefits because then you’re not bogged down by show-y, fancy prose that goes on forever describing a simple object, sequence, or what have you.
The plot of this book is pretty straightforward and linear. There’s not much that deviates or surprises you, except for the slight twist at the end. Because there’s not a whole lot of action the book is pretty slow but reads fast enough for you not to get bored. One aspect of the book that I found great was the gradual build up of romance between the characters, and that while Risa did have important special powers, they only appeared very late in the story and didn’t overtake the central focus of the plot. In fact, it was seamlessly blended to move the story along and didn’t hamper it all.
February 7, 2017
This would be a one-star book, except I think there's a pretty good chance I would have loved it when I was a kid. As an adult, though? Tissue-thin worldbuilding, paint-by-numbers plotting , and a main character who. . . .
Okay. Actually, I think the main character is the most interesting part of the book, because she is exactly what you'd expect for someone of her age and background: snobby, oblivious to her privilege, convinced the world revolves around her, and an ass to pretty much everyone she meets. It is a completely convincing portrait of a thoroughly unpleasant individual. And I would have enjoyed reading it if she were cast as an anti-hero--or if the book was about her learning and growing beyond her flaws.
But no, it's protagonist-centric morality all the way down. She is convinced she's the center of the universe because she is the center of the universe; everyone she meets, even people who should hate her, quickly come to see her for the amazing person she is (except, of course, for the villains, who you can identify because they are ugly, disabled, and the only people to dislike the protagonist).
It's wish-fulfillment for misunderstood tweens. There's a place for that. I ate Mercedes Lackey up with a spoon when I was twelve. But I'm not twelve any more, and this was painful to read.
Okay. Actually, I think the main character is the most interesting part of the book, because she is exactly what you'd expect for someone of her age and background: snobby, oblivious to her privilege, convinced the world revolves around her, and an ass to pretty much everyone she meets. It is a completely convincing portrait of a thoroughly unpleasant individual. And I would have enjoyed reading it if she were cast as an anti-hero--or if the book was about her learning and growing beyond her flaws.
But no, it's protagonist-centric morality all the way down. She is convinced she's the center of the universe because she is the center of the universe; everyone she meets, even people who should hate her, quickly come to see her for the amazing person she is (except, of course, for the villains, who you can identify because they are ugly, disabled, and the only people to dislike the protagonist).
It's wish-fulfillment for misunderstood tweens. There's a place for that. I ate Mercedes Lackey up with a spoon when I was twelve. But I'm not twelve any more, and this was painful to read.
July 7, 2015
3.5 stars.
This book was a goodreads suggested recommendation and I am glad I spent my time on it.
The difficult part of the book is getting to know the city and various names and it's quite difficult bcs most of the authors keep a variety in the name but here Caza was prefix for many things like king, kingdom and so on.
I had a hard time understanding who was who at the beginning but after first few chapters when u get a hang of the characters and various things it gets clearer to read.
If you are stopping at first few chapters then I will say it's your loss.
There wasn't much new in the book but it was interesting. The book is not one of my best read but it so is one of the book which I liked reading to.
I looking forward to more of the series bcs maybe this was an end but there can't be an end for a kingdom and it can never go on peace forever.
This book was a goodreads suggested recommendation and I am glad I spent my time on it.
The difficult part of the book is getting to know the city and various names and it's quite difficult bcs most of the authors keep a variety in the name but here Caza was prefix for many things like king, kingdom and so on.
I had a hard time understanding who was who at the beginning but after first few chapters when u get a hang of the characters and various things it gets clearer to read.
If you are stopping at first few chapters then I will say it's your loss.
There wasn't much new in the book but it was interesting. The book is not one of my best read but it so is one of the book which I liked reading to.
I looking forward to more of the series bcs maybe this was an end but there can't be an end for a kingdom and it can never go on peace forever.
August 12, 2009
This is a world I would definitely enjoy revisiting.
December 14, 2024
This is an excellent fantasy story. The world building is deep and believable. In this world the gods influence is more active and subtly guides the story. The lead is a teenage female who expects to be selected to go to one of the two schools for the gifted and instead is rejected. This results in a series of connections and friendships made, personal growth, and eventually kingdom level results. I wont say any more because it will spoil the story. The story is well laid out and the story telling is very good. I recommend this book.
February 21, 2019
An enjoyable read. The world-building is superb and the writing and characterisation is lovely. I just struggled with the pace, which felt to me super slow.
March 22, 2019
DNF. Could not get into it, which is disappointing because the synopsis sounded so intriguing.
October 24, 2021
Добра първа книга.
October 30, 2012
Thoughts on the Overall Book: Okay, for the people who know my reading habits, you'll know I RARELY read a book entitled "The ___'s Daughter" but I really wanted to read this series and it didn't sound like the kind of story those books usually are like. So anyway, besides that, I really liked this book overall. I'm a big fan of alternate historical fantasy, and I loved the world created in this book because it was a mirror of a medieval Italy and for some reason I always love that setting. It wasn't a totally weird fantasy either, which I am glad of. It took me a few chapters to get into, and I'll admit the introduction of Milo was what really made this go from a three star book to a four star book, but I enjoyed it, and the ending actually took me by surprise. It was kind of the last thing I expected to happen, and I really liked that.
Cover--Yae or Nay: I do like the cover for this book. I liked how it has a kind of peeled away look to see the picture underneath. It gives it the feeling for the kind of book it is. And the colors are light and bright like the setting of the book is. The title is good too, even though I rarely read books about someone's daughter as mentioned before, but you get the title once you read the book.
Characters: Risa was, over all, a good protagonist, she was at least not stupid and I did feel sorry for her. Sometimes she was a bit of a brat and I could have slapped her for it, and this is why I don't always like female protagonists, but besides those few moments she was okay. Milo was definitely my favorite character in the book though. There is nothing I can complain about on his part. He was just one of those really sweet guys who is the best friend you could possibly have and totally honest and loyal. Camilla, I wasn't sure I would like when she was first introduced, but once I learned she was Milo's sister, I immediately felt more kind toward her and grew to like her a lot. I was really glad the only other leading female in the book was Milo's sister because if she hadn't been I'm afraid there would have been and annoying jealousy battle between her and Risa over Milo. But I loved her and Milo's relationship and how you could tell they were really close and worked well together. Cousin Fredo was also a really fun character to hate.
Writing Style: I really like the author's style of writing, he is descriptive without being overly so, and very visual in his descriptions. I could see every scene clearly in the book as if it were a movie and it all had a very light atmosphere like how Italy really is. I also liked how, while there was magic in the book (which I'm not always a fan of) it was an understandable, practical, magic that actually made sense to every day life. And it was only used to enchant objects so that they would work better and not for doing everything like in Harry Potter.
Problems/What bothered me: The only thing that really bothered me was Risa's occasional bratishness, and besides that there was just the one part with the crown that kind of seemed disjointed in the plot, even though the reason for Risa's taking it is revealed later. To me though it just seemed like I dropped off for a moment and missed something, but it was the only real slip up in the plot and not all readers might see it that way.
Conclusion: Four stars, I really liked it, and I'm excited to read the rest of the series. This is one of those books that is very good yet sadly, little known. I'm glad I gave it a chance, despite the title :P
Recommended Audience: Anyone 12 and up could probably read this book, there was nothing to complain about content wise, and it's a good coming of age story. It's also a guy or girl read even though there's a girl protagonist.
Cover--Yae or Nay: I do like the cover for this book. I liked how it has a kind of peeled away look to see the picture underneath. It gives it the feeling for the kind of book it is. And the colors are light and bright like the setting of the book is. The title is good too, even though I rarely read books about someone's daughter as mentioned before, but you get the title once you read the book.
Characters: Risa was, over all, a good protagonist, she was at least not stupid and I did feel sorry for her. Sometimes she was a bit of a brat and I could have slapped her for it, and this is why I don't always like female protagonists, but besides those few moments she was okay. Milo was definitely my favorite character in the book though. There is nothing I can complain about on his part. He was just one of those really sweet guys who is the best friend you could possibly have and totally honest and loyal. Camilla, I wasn't sure I would like when she was first introduced, but once I learned she was Milo's sister, I immediately felt more kind toward her and grew to like her a lot. I was really glad the only other leading female in the book was Milo's sister because if she hadn't been I'm afraid there would have been and annoying jealousy battle between her and Risa over Milo. But I loved her and Milo's relationship and how you could tell they were really close and worked well together. Cousin Fredo was also a really fun character to hate.
Writing Style: I really like the author's style of writing, he is descriptive without being overly so, and very visual in his descriptions. I could see every scene clearly in the book as if it were a movie and it all had a very light atmosphere like how Italy really is. I also liked how, while there was magic in the book (which I'm not always a fan of) it was an understandable, practical, magic that actually made sense to every day life. And it was only used to enchant objects so that they would work better and not for doing everything like in Harry Potter.
Problems/What bothered me: The only thing that really bothered me was Risa's occasional bratishness, and besides that there was just the one part with the crown that kind of seemed disjointed in the plot, even though the reason for Risa's taking it is revealed later. To me though it just seemed like I dropped off for a moment and missed something, but it was the only real slip up in the plot and not all readers might see it that way.
Conclusion: Four stars, I really liked it, and I'm excited to read the rest of the series. This is one of those books that is very good yet sadly, little known. I'm glad I gave it a chance, despite the title :P
Recommended Audience: Anyone 12 and up could probably read this book, there was nothing to complain about content wise, and it's a good coming of age story. It's also a guy or girl read even though there's a girl protagonist.
July 27, 2011
Even though this is the first book in the Cassaforte Chronicles by V. Briceland, it is actually the second one I have read. Due to an unfortunate series of circumstances I had the second book of this series in my hands before the first one and I devoured it quickly. I sped through The Glass Maker's Daughter faster than The Buccaneer's Apprentice only because I found that I could not put the book down. I had owned it for less than 48 hours before I was finished and I found myself itching to pick up Buccaneer's Apprentice and read it all over again, something I was unable to do considering the late hour at which I finished.
The first thing I want to do with this review is tackle some issues I've seen in other reviews. The main issue I've seen brought up is that, when stripped down, all this book is, is a story about a down-and-out teen girl who is forced to save the society that shunned her while finding love and friendship along the way. Yeah. That's actually a very accurate, bare-bones plot summery. But if you say that, then you are missing the entire point of The Glass Maker's Daughter. You are ignoring the beautiful world that Briceland has crafted for his readers with descriptions as magical as the enchantments detailed in the pages. You are missing the great character development. You are missing the HEART of this novel.
Sure, it is a simple plot line, but when have you read a young adult novel that was incredibly complex? There are no popular postmodern texts for young readers for a reason: the form doesn't work. But Briceland does not fall into the easy traps of Young Adult Fiction, the most common of which is exposition. Never does the reader feel like anything is being forced down our throats. Sure, an experienced reader who takes time to focus on the text can see important plot devices in action the moment they are set up, but the same can be said for other novels too. The ability of an adult reader to guess the ending in no way ruins the mood or the action pacing of the novel. There were plenty of times when I expected the heroine to fail even though I had read the sequel already.
Now on to what makes this novel great and gives it that extra fifth star: The characters. Rarely do I find characters in a book that I can fall so in love with. And each character has his or her own personality. There are no random named characters that blend into the background. Every one has their own thoughts and actions, and they frequently clash with each other. This serves to make the characters very real to the reader. There is never a sense of contrivance in the characterization, and the author does not fall into the easy trap of making characters act out of their normal behavior simply to solve plot problems. No guards suddenly give up and no cowards suddenly turn brave. Every change in character is fluid and perfectly understandable to the reader.
I would recommend this book to adults and young adults alike. I think that the plot and the setting are both magical enough to draw in readers from all age groups. And the way the book is written, so cleanly plotted and staged, makes me wonder why it has not been optioned for a movie yet. With the craze of vampires and angels making their rounds in Hollywood, I would think an enjoyable fantasy story would fit in perfectly for those of us who don't care about the color of a vampire's eyes.
The first thing I want to do with this review is tackle some issues I've seen in other reviews. The main issue I've seen brought up is that, when stripped down, all this book is, is a story about a down-and-out teen girl who is forced to save the society that shunned her while finding love and friendship along the way. Yeah. That's actually a very accurate, bare-bones plot summery. But if you say that, then you are missing the entire point of The Glass Maker's Daughter. You are ignoring the beautiful world that Briceland has crafted for his readers with descriptions as magical as the enchantments detailed in the pages. You are missing the great character development. You are missing the HEART of this novel.
Sure, it is a simple plot line, but when have you read a young adult novel that was incredibly complex? There are no popular postmodern texts for young readers for a reason: the form doesn't work. But Briceland does not fall into the easy traps of Young Adult Fiction, the most common of which is exposition. Never does the reader feel like anything is being forced down our throats. Sure, an experienced reader who takes time to focus on the text can see important plot devices in action the moment they are set up, but the same can be said for other novels too. The ability of an adult reader to guess the ending in no way ruins the mood or the action pacing of the novel. There were plenty of times when I expected the heroine to fail even though I had read the sequel already.
Now on to what makes this novel great and gives it that extra fifth star: The characters. Rarely do I find characters in a book that I can fall so in love with. And each character has his or her own personality. There are no random named characters that blend into the background. Every one has their own thoughts and actions, and they frequently clash with each other. This serves to make the characters very real to the reader. There is never a sense of contrivance in the characterization, and the author does not fall into the easy trap of making characters act out of their normal behavior simply to solve plot problems. No guards suddenly give up and no cowards suddenly turn brave. Every change in character is fluid and perfectly understandable to the reader.
I would recommend this book to adults and young adults alike. I think that the plot and the setting are both magical enough to draw in readers from all age groups. And the way the book is written, so cleanly plotted and staged, makes me wonder why it has not been optioned for a movie yet. With the craze of vampires and angels making their rounds in Hollywood, I would think an enjoyable fantasy story would fit in perfectly for those of us who don't care about the color of a vampire's eyes.
March 3, 2010
Cassaforte is a medieval city full of magic, enchantments, and intrigue. While there is a king that rules the general city, the magic lays within the seven main families of the city, who each contribute a gift. One such family is the Divetri family, makers of the finest glass, whom Risa Divetri belongs to.
Risa is a feisty spirit who is just coming of age to be chosen for one of the two schools in the city where young adults learn to develop their gifts. Risa is prepared to go to school and excel in creating enchanted glass, just like her father, but then the unthinkable happens. When the Gods come down to direct Risa as to where she must go, they leave her unchosen destined to remain at home. While she is devasted, she soon discovers that there might just have been a reason why she must stay at home.
The city’s magic soon starts to unravel and the threat of corruption becomes apparent, Risa is determined to stop it. Discovering more about herself then she could have ever imagined she sets off on an adventure to save the home she loves, as well as finding her own self.
This was definitely a stunning novel! The cast of characters, as well as the plot was both extremely unique and left the reader wanting more. Also on a totally non-content based note, the cover is magnificent and completely eye catching!
First I must start with the storyline, which absolutely made the book. It combined a historical element, albeit it was fictional, that made the setting really interesting and magic, but not in an over-the-top manner. While many of the objects, houses, etc. were enchanted in the city; none of the characters had powers, which made the fantasy angle of the book just mesh with almost a normalcy. Anyways I also loved how Risa had to take a journey to find herself and not just follow the same path that everyone else in her family had to follow in order to find their gift.
Now, onto the characters. While most of the time I really enjoyed Risa’s personality and drive to fulfill her mission, I sometimes found her to be rather whiny and unsatisfied with what she got. As the story progressed though she became more comfortable with herself and started to stand up for herself and her decisions and became a much stronger character. By the end of the book she had a keen sense of adventure which radiated through the pages of the book.
Overall this was an excellent novel that all readers will enjoy, regardless of their taste in genre. As I mentioned before the fantasy aspect isn’t all encompassing and there is plenty of action to satisfy even the most rambunctious of readers. The author is definitely full of talent and I hope for more novels from him with just as exciting a storyline.
Risa is a feisty spirit who is just coming of age to be chosen for one of the two schools in the city where young adults learn to develop their gifts. Risa is prepared to go to school and excel in creating enchanted glass, just like her father, but then the unthinkable happens. When the Gods come down to direct Risa as to where she must go, they leave her unchosen destined to remain at home. While she is devasted, she soon discovers that there might just have been a reason why she must stay at home.
The city’s magic soon starts to unravel and the threat of corruption becomes apparent, Risa is determined to stop it. Discovering more about herself then she could have ever imagined she sets off on an adventure to save the home she loves, as well as finding her own self.
This was definitely a stunning novel! The cast of characters, as well as the plot was both extremely unique and left the reader wanting more. Also on a totally non-content based note, the cover is magnificent and completely eye catching!
First I must start with the storyline, which absolutely made the book. It combined a historical element, albeit it was fictional, that made the setting really interesting and magic, but not in an over-the-top manner. While many of the objects, houses, etc. were enchanted in the city; none of the characters had powers, which made the fantasy angle of the book just mesh with almost a normalcy. Anyways I also loved how Risa had to take a journey to find herself and not just follow the same path that everyone else in her family had to follow in order to find their gift.
Now, onto the characters. While most of the time I really enjoyed Risa’s personality and drive to fulfill her mission, I sometimes found her to be rather whiny and unsatisfied with what she got. As the story progressed though she became more comfortable with herself and started to stand up for herself and her decisions and became a much stronger character. By the end of the book she had a keen sense of adventure which radiated through the pages of the book.
Overall this was an excellent novel that all readers will enjoy, regardless of their taste in genre. As I mentioned before the fantasy aspect isn’t all encompassing and there is plenty of action to satisfy even the most rambunctious of readers. The author is definitely full of talent and I hope for more novels from him with just as exciting a storyline.
July 12, 2012
Cassaforte is an enchanting character, full of twists and surprises, beauties and uglinesses. Seven magical island-castles surround the palace, and a whole city spreads out around them.
The back of the cover would have you believe that people named Risa and Milo are the focal point of the story, and it's true that they are instrumental in remaking everything, but Cassaforte herself is what they are all coveting, longing for, thinking of, working toward. It's a feeling that goes beyond patriotism into deep belonging.
Risa is the eponymous glass maker's daughter, and she thinks she knows where her life is going, but fate has other plans for her, and it is up to her to shoulder more responsibility than she feels ready for. Happily, her good nature has won her friends and allies, and she can think of the world in a novel way that enables her to solve puzzles more educated people can't.
I liked that both of Risa's parents are alive and obviously active participants in her education and personality. Both of them are artists, but in different ways, and it is a favorite family story that her mother initiated the romance between them. I liked Risa's relationship with her foil, Milo. There's this great tense scene two-thirds of the way through the book where they have had an argument.
"I despise you." At that moment, she meant every word.
With one hand he pushed his crimson cap back down over his lanky blond hair and looked her straight in the yes. "Right now, I'm not that fond of you."
This is after he's been mooning after her the whole book. He identifies that he is angry at her in this moment in time. It's so... mature.
I also loved the idea of having a mental image, not of something calm and soothing, but of a time you have felt strong and powerful. If children's literature of the last few decades has been on about anything, it's about using talismanic emotions to handle crisis (cough*Patronus*cough).
However, I didn't find the characters other than the city super-compelling, and the story is charming but never twisty.
Read if: You want a nice sunny story to read while you are sick in bed. You collect notes about interesting magical systems.
Skip if: You are looking for a challenging YA book.
Read also: Cornelia Funke's Inkheart.
The back of the cover would have you believe that people named Risa and Milo are the focal point of the story, and it's true that they are instrumental in remaking everything, but Cassaforte herself is what they are all coveting, longing for, thinking of, working toward. It's a feeling that goes beyond patriotism into deep belonging.
Risa is the eponymous glass maker's daughter, and she thinks she knows where her life is going, but fate has other plans for her, and it is up to her to shoulder more responsibility than she feels ready for. Happily, her good nature has won her friends and allies, and she can think of the world in a novel way that enables her to solve puzzles more educated people can't.
I liked that both of Risa's parents are alive and obviously active participants in her education and personality. Both of them are artists, but in different ways, and it is a favorite family story that her mother initiated the romance between them. I liked Risa's relationship with her foil, Milo. There's this great tense scene two-thirds of the way through the book where they have had an argument.
"I despise you." At that moment, she meant every word.
With one hand he pushed his crimson cap back down over his lanky blond hair and looked her straight in the yes. "Right now, I'm not that fond of you."
This is after he's been mooning after her the whole book. He identifies that he is angry at her in this moment in time. It's so... mature.
I also loved the idea of having a mental image, not of something calm and soothing, but of a time you have felt strong and powerful. If children's literature of the last few decades has been on about anything, it's about using talismanic emotions to handle crisis (cough*Patronus*cough).
However, I didn't find the characters other than the city super-compelling, and the story is charming but never twisty.
Read if: You want a nice sunny story to read while you are sick in bed. You collect notes about interesting magical systems.
Skip if: You are looking for a challenging YA book.
Read also: Cornelia Funke's Inkheart.
November 11, 2011
I really feel that Briceland could do a good job with a grown-up fantasy. The fantasy world itself is really worth reading about: the idea of a faux-Florence (or whatever Italian city was the inspiration) with Seven entitled families and Thirty noble families who are waiting for the day that one of the Seven will fall and they can rise up the ranks is awesome. The fact that all the families of the Seven (and though it’s unclear, I think also the Thirty) have particular crafts that they are good at to literally a magical degree is ALSO awesome. And the fact that the Seven have to perform a particular ritual every night or have their castle collapse and all the things in their household tied to their particular talent EXPLODE is even MORE awesome. And the main character having to watch as the other Seven families one by one lose everything is pretty intense. See? World building is THERE.
Unfortunately, the characters were all paper thin. I liked the idea a lot and in the hands of another writer it would’ve been amazing. But the girl is standard “Oh woe, I’m so average and unwanted, wait a minute, I’m super special awesome?!?!?” and the boy is boring “I loved you right away! And I have no personality, but I can protect you with my sword!”. Apparently Briceland did not follow my train of thought of where his talents lie, because he’s written two more books in this series (I didn’t even know it was a series…) instead of turning to adult fantasy. I won’t read any more in this series, but if he does try his hand at grown-up fantasy, I’d be willing to try that.
It's always best to know where your strengths are. Here: world-building. Not romance. Like, seriously, not romance. (it's okay Briceland, A LOT of YA authors ALSO think that having a cute guy declare "You're so pretty, I love you forever, let me stalk you!!!!!" is romance. Hint: it's not).
Unfortunately, the characters were all paper thin. I liked the idea a lot and in the hands of another writer it would’ve been amazing. But the girl is standard “Oh woe, I’m so average and unwanted, wait a minute, I’m super special awesome?!?!?” and the boy is boring “I loved you right away! And I have no personality, but I can protect you with my sword!”. Apparently Briceland did not follow my train of thought of where his talents lie, because he’s written two more books in this series (I didn’t even know it was a series…) instead of turning to adult fantasy. I won’t read any more in this series, but if he does try his hand at grown-up fantasy, I’d be willing to try that.
It's always best to know where your strengths are. Here: world-building. Not romance. Like, seriously, not romance. (it's okay Briceland, A LOT of YA authors ALSO think that having a cute guy declare "You're so pretty, I love you forever, let me stalk you!!!!!" is romance. Hint: it's not).
May 9, 2011
From shutupimreading.blogspot.com
The Glassmaker's Daughter was a delightful fantasy adventure that is never low on thrills.
I will admit that the first few chapters confused me. There's a lot of terms that are used that I wasn't familiar with at all, and there wasn't an index, so you're left to just figure it out on your own. Luckily after a while I learned them.
After that, I thoroughly enjoyed the unique story that blends story elements like growing up, magic, friendship, challenges, and even a little romance effortlessly. For some reason I always seem to be afraid that fantasies will be really slow and drawn out, but that definitely wasn't the case with The Glassmaker's Daughter. Within the first couple of chapters our main character is already making new friends and throwing herself in dangerous situations to save strangers.
As for Risa, I definitely enjoyed her character. Though she could definitely have some self-confidence issues, she proved herself to be a brave heroin that I could enjoy reading about. But I wouldn't say that she was my favorite character. That spot can only be filled by Milo, the city guard that Risa befriends despite her much higher social status (which, by the way, ignoring the social rules? That scored Rise major brownie points from me).
The Glassmaker's Daughter left me grinning at my overall enjoyment of the novel, and because the ending was very sweet and satisfying. I can honestly say that I'm excited to dive into the sequel, The Buccaneer's Apprentice. This one is worth picking up.
Book Report:
Plot: Well paced and exciting.
Characters: They were each so colorful and fun.
Writing: Very pretty. Impressive.
Ending: Perfect.
Kid friendly? Very. I think there was a swear word or two, but that's it.
Should I read it? Yeah, give it a try.
Overall: 4 stars
The Glassmaker's Daughter was a delightful fantasy adventure that is never low on thrills.
I will admit that the first few chapters confused me. There's a lot of terms that are used that I wasn't familiar with at all, and there wasn't an index, so you're left to just figure it out on your own. Luckily after a while I learned them.
After that, I thoroughly enjoyed the unique story that blends story elements like growing up, magic, friendship, challenges, and even a little romance effortlessly. For some reason I always seem to be afraid that fantasies will be really slow and drawn out, but that definitely wasn't the case with The Glassmaker's Daughter. Within the first couple of chapters our main character is already making new friends and throwing herself in dangerous situations to save strangers.
As for Risa, I definitely enjoyed her character. Though she could definitely have some self-confidence issues, she proved herself to be a brave heroin that I could enjoy reading about. But I wouldn't say that she was my favorite character. That spot can only be filled by Milo, the city guard that Risa befriends despite her much higher social status (which, by the way, ignoring the social rules? That scored Rise major brownie points from me).
The Glassmaker's Daughter left me grinning at my overall enjoyment of the novel, and because the ending was very sweet and satisfying. I can honestly say that I'm excited to dive into the sequel, The Buccaneer's Apprentice. This one is worth picking up.
Book Report:
Plot: Well paced and exciting.
Characters: They were each so colorful and fun.
Writing: Very pretty. Impressive.
Ending: Perfect.
Kid friendly? Very. I think there was a swear word or two, but that's it.
Should I read it? Yeah, give it a try.
Overall: 4 stars
August 18, 2010
Strip away the glamour and this story is pretty standard: a city's livelihood is at the mercy of an ambitious, greedy tyrant, and it's up to one young rapscallion--who's been previously snubbed by the society she was raised in--to help make a difference. Throw a little self-pity, some amusing band of bohemes, a little romance, and betrayal, and you can pinpoint to numerous stories just like The Glass Maker's Daughter. Yeah, not many surprising twists or turns.
But that's not where the magic happens anyway. What really made this book interesting was the mock-Venetian world and society. The scenery must have been divine, what with Portello-crafted architecture, Buonochio artistry, and Divetri-enchanted glass windows, among other crafts by the Seven and Thirty. And the "archived" snippets and letters created a unique feel to the world (it was like viewing it as a historian, really!).
And the well-crafted city of Cassaforte had such an enchanting society at that! The rite of fealty and the connection between the Seven noble houses of Cassaforte and the crown was a fascinating study, and I honestly couldn't get enough about the every day danger that Risa and the other Cazarri had to undergo just to keep their Cazas alive while the rightful heirs were away. The suspense was definitely in the fact that there was no telling which of the Seven houses went down next.
As usual, I have quite a number of favorite characters. The Sorrento siblings were definitely amusing, and Ferrer Cassamagi, the old scholar, wrenched at my heartstrings. He was just so precious! The old man was so enthusiastic about ancient lore, that when he encountered the very legend he fell in love with, he even made me cry. Ugh, gawds.
But that's not where the magic happens anyway. What really made this book interesting was the mock-Venetian world and society. The scenery must have been divine, what with Portello-crafted architecture, Buonochio artistry, and Divetri-enchanted glass windows, among other crafts by the Seven and Thirty. And the "archived" snippets and letters created a unique feel to the world (it was like viewing it as a historian, really!).
And the well-crafted city of Cassaforte had such an enchanting society at that! The rite of fealty and the connection between the Seven noble houses of Cassaforte and the crown was a fascinating study, and I honestly couldn't get enough about the every day danger that Risa and the other Cazarri had to undergo just to keep their Cazas alive while the rightful heirs were away. The suspense was definitely in the fact that there was no telling which of the Seven houses went down next.
As usual, I have quite a number of favorite characters. The Sorrento siblings were definitely amusing, and Ferrer Cassamagi, the old scholar, wrenched at my heartstrings. He was just so precious! The old man was so enthusiastic about ancient lore, that when he encountered the very legend he fell in love with, he even made me cry. Ugh, gawds.
July 20, 2009
cassaforte is a medieval city, mostly accessible by canals and bridges, with seven cazas- kind of like islands- just off the main city. a great ancient family lives at each caza, each responsible for a different aspect of culture- architecture, books, weapons, etc. each house knows special enchantments to protect the items it creates and make them especially useful.
every night at sunset, the king blows an enchanted horn from the palace and, each in turn, the leader of the cazas blow their enchanted horns back as a rite of fidelity.
risa lives in the casa divetri, responsible for making enchanted glass objects. when the time comes for her to learn the enchantments at a special school, she finds herself the first in her family not to be selected to attend a school. she becomes depressed, but when the king's death is announce and her parents are taken hostage by the palace, she soon learns that maybe she wasn't chosen for a reason.
sarah chose this book for our next book club meeting partly because the author is local (royal oak!) and we'll be able to meet him. thus i was a little afraid that i wouldn't like the book...but i got sucked in at lightning speed and loved it to the last page. risa is a great main character- strong and wise but real. will this be my best teen fantasy of 2009? can't recommend it highly enough.
every night at sunset, the king blows an enchanted horn from the palace and, each in turn, the leader of the cazas blow their enchanted horns back as a rite of fidelity.
risa lives in the casa divetri, responsible for making enchanted glass objects. when the time comes for her to learn the enchantments at a special school, she finds herself the first in her family not to be selected to attend a school. she becomes depressed, but when the king's death is announce and her parents are taken hostage by the palace, she soon learns that maybe she wasn't chosen for a reason.
sarah chose this book for our next book club meeting partly because the author is local (royal oak!) and we'll be able to meet him. thus i was a little afraid that i wouldn't like the book...but i got sucked in at lightning speed and loved it to the last page. risa is a great main character- strong and wise but real. will this be my best teen fantasy of 2009? can't recommend it highly enough.
July 9, 2009
To be fair I should have given this book two and a half stars. But I just couldn't bring myself to give it three. I sort of liked it. More or less, I liked the idea of it far more than the execution. The story is very jumbled in places and the pacing is very strange. I'd be settled in the story, going along and then abruptly the focus would change and I'd have to get settled again. I can't really say it was bad, it was just weird.
The main character, Risa, is also kind of an annoying heroine. She doesn't act sixteen, she doesn't even act twelve. So it's just strange that she has these adult moments in the middle and then reverts back around to being a child again. I actually enjoyed the secondary characters much more than the protagonist. Milo and his sister Camilla were very well thought out.
By the ending Risa's next adventure sounds infinitely more interesting than the one I just read. If there is a second book, I would probably pick it up. Pherhaps Briceland will have evolved as an author by then.
The other thing I thought was strange, though I doubt was anything the author did, is the back cover. It says, "Dark Magic. Hidden Danger. A Reluctant Heroine." For the life of me I could not find any "Dark Magic" in this book.
The main character, Risa, is also kind of an annoying heroine. She doesn't act sixteen, she doesn't even act twelve. So it's just strange that she has these adult moments in the middle and then reverts back around to being a child again. I actually enjoyed the secondary characters much more than the protagonist. Milo and his sister Camilla were very well thought out.
By the ending Risa's next adventure sounds infinitely more interesting than the one I just read. If there is a second book, I would probably pick it up. Pherhaps Briceland will have evolved as an author by then.
The other thing I thought was strange, though I doubt was anything the author did, is the back cover. It says, "Dark Magic. Hidden Danger. A Reluctant Heroine." For the life of me I could not find any "Dark Magic" in this book.
October 25, 2015
Risa has waited her whole life for the day of choosing, to find out where she would go to study to learn the arts of enchantment that will improve her glass making skills and make her a useful member of her family. She is one of the famous Divetrii family, one of the illustrious families of the Seven, who are tied to the king through fealty and enchantments.
However, when Risa is not chosen by either of the gods on her choosing day, she finds that her path may be different, and much more dangerous than she could ever imagine. Throw in an intriguing city guard, an elderly beggar, a suspicious prince, and a magic she has never learned and doesn't understand, and she may just find a way to triumph in spite of it all.
I really loved this book. I loved Risa, and although she had some major growing to do, she was a strong and exciting heroine. I also loved the subtle romance that grew from friendship, which is so much more true to life than the "love at first sight" stuff that is often bogging down most of the young adult genre. Truly, this was such a refreshing young adult read, that I give it 4.5 stars. I can't wait for my daughter to read it.
However, when Risa is not chosen by either of the gods on her choosing day, she finds that her path may be different, and much more dangerous than she could ever imagine. Throw in an intriguing city guard, an elderly beggar, a suspicious prince, and a magic she has never learned and doesn't understand, and she may just find a way to triumph in spite of it all.
I really loved this book. I loved Risa, and although she had some major growing to do, she was a strong and exciting heroine. I also loved the subtle romance that grew from friendship, which is so much more true to life than the "love at first sight" stuff that is often bogging down most of the young adult genre. Truly, this was such a refreshing young adult read, that I give it 4.5 stars. I can't wait for my daughter to read it.
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December 8, 2012The protagonist has anger management issues, jumps to illogical conclusions without stopping to think, yells at people, translates the actions or words of others as disrespectful or dismissive of her 90 percent of the time and bases her sense of self on how powerful she feels or how impressive she is to others. And she stays that way pretty much all the way through the book. The author caught her mindset early and well in the book and then, except for a few nods to an increased awareness of other socio-economic groups, it never really changed much. The plot was interesting and the setting and history engaging but the the villains were all ugly, the heroes were all good looking, and the heroine didn't develop much.
The protagonist's behavior got old really fast. And to have her rational young hero fall in love with her beauty and then stay enamored and devoted through all of her unkind and immature behavior stretched credibility and sent a false message that it's reasonable for a woman to believe that she can treat a man badly with impunity and expect him to be untouched by that meanness, continuing to be courageously devoted and enamored in spite of it.
And that's nutty.
The protagonist's behavior got old really fast. And to have her rational young hero fall in love with her beauty and then stay enamored and devoted through all of her unkind and immature behavior stretched credibility and sent a false message that it's reasonable for a woman to believe that she can treat a man badly with impunity and expect him to be untouched by that meanness, continuing to be courageously devoted and enamored in spite of it.
And that's nutty.
July 23, 2009
Risa is the daughter of The Glassmaker in the city of Cassaforte. Cassaforte is a medieval society, with 7 magical trade guilds that make up the elite of society. All of the elit children are chosen by one of two schools to be trained to take over their guild. When Risa is the only child Unchosen, she falls into despair. But as the city begins to crumble under a tyranical price, she begins to see that perhaps the gods left her Unchosen for a reason.
I really loved the set up for this book, with the guilds, and the society, and the way the entire city was magically structured around the idea of fealty.
On the other hand, Risa was WHIIIIIINY. She mopes, and carries on, and has pitty parties, and refuses to talk to her parents, and this takes up a lot of the story for awhile. She is supposed to be 16, but the way she acts and talkes is more like an 11 year old. And when the author clearly wants you to rejoice in some marvelous thing she's done, you can't, because it's only marevlous because she was such a tool in the first place.
I really loved the set up for this book, with the guilds, and the society, and the way the entire city was magically structured around the idea of fealty.
On the other hand, Risa was WHIIIIIINY. She mopes, and carries on, and has pitty parties, and refuses to talk to her parents, and this takes up a lot of the story for awhile. She is supposed to be 16, but the way she acts and talkes is more like an 11 year old. And when the author clearly wants you to rejoice in some marvelous thing she's done, you can't, because it's only marevlous because she was such a tool in the first place.
July 9, 2012
Risa lives in Cassaforte, a magical medieval city ruled by a king and council of seven noble families. As a child of one of the Seven, she plans to attend one of the two city schools and learn the trade of her family. However, when the gods are consulted on which school she should attend, Risa remains unchosen.
Risa first rejects the gods out of anger and shame, but when her parents are held hostage at the castle and Risa’s home is threatened, she begins to see the wisdom of her position. She uses her power, strength of spirit, and new friendships, to help fight against the evil threatening to destroy Cassaforte. The Glass Maker’s Daughter is a story of self-discovery and the power of friendship. Cassaforte has a Venice-type feel adding a touch of magic to a medieval Italy.
It is a light and fun read for those who love fantasy, However, it is a little predictable in places. It was an ok story, but I expected more from a book Tamora Pierce rated 5 stars. Usually, I agree with her, but it was only 3 for me.
Risa first rejects the gods out of anger and shame, but when her parents are held hostage at the castle and Risa’s home is threatened, she begins to see the wisdom of her position. She uses her power, strength of spirit, and new friendships, to help fight against the evil threatening to destroy Cassaforte. The Glass Maker’s Daughter is a story of self-discovery and the power of friendship. Cassaforte has a Venice-type feel adding a touch of magic to a medieval Italy.
It is a light and fun read for those who love fantasy, However, it is a little predictable in places. It was an ok story, but I expected more from a book Tamora Pierce rated 5 stars. Usually, I agree with her, but it was only 3 for me.
August 16, 2012
Risa belongs to a long line of glass makers loyal to the king. Each night the trumpeter from the palace blows the evening call, and each of the most important artisan houses sound a response. If the response does not come in time, the house will fall. But the king has been ailing for some time now, and everyone is uncertain what the future will bring with the prince on the throne. They just know it won't be good.
When it comes time for each young nobleman or noblewoman to be assigned a house of learning, to her utter dismay, Risa is left unchosen. As she tries to work out her place in a home that no longer fits, she uncovers a devious plot which threatens the kingdom and everything (and everyone) she holds dear.
Up until the climax, this was a fairly ordinary fantasy. Enjoyable, but not outstanding. The climax took me by surprise (maybe others saw it coming?) but was a perfect fit and very satisfying. So that bumped it up to 4 stars. Need to find the sequels.
When it comes time for each young nobleman or noblewoman to be assigned a house of learning, to her utter dismay, Risa is left unchosen. As she tries to work out her place in a home that no longer fits, she uncovers a devious plot which threatens the kingdom and everything (and everyone) she holds dear.
Up until the climax, this was a fairly ordinary fantasy. Enjoyable, but not outstanding. The climax took me by surprise (maybe others saw it coming?) but was a perfect fit and very satisfying. So that bumped it up to 4 stars. Need to find the sequels.
January 10, 2014
I really enjoyed reading this book. It is a great YA fantasy/fiction novel. In many ways the style of the writing and storytelling reminded me of Cornelia Funke's "The Book Thief" and the "Inkheart" trilogy (both of which I've read and really enjoyed as well.)
The main characters are very believable and "real", as is the conflict and tension within the story. The geography and setting are very interesting. The book explores all sorts of themes - parent/child relationships, religion, good/evil, community/individualism, love, loyalty, duty, etc.
Apparently this is the first book in a series, and I'm anxious to read the others - I hope they're as well written and enjoyable as the first!
The main characters are very believable and "real", as is the conflict and tension within the story. The geography and setting are very interesting. The book explores all sorts of themes - parent/child relationships, religion, good/evil, community/individualism, love, loyalty, duty, etc.
Apparently this is the first book in a series, and I'm anxious to read the others - I hope they're as well written and enjoyable as the first!
March 22, 2011
A wonderful fantasy book with a medieval setting. Risa is the 16 year old daugter of one of the 7 noble families who live in Cassaforte. Through a nightly ritual the seven families are able to maintain peace and prosperty for their citizens. Risa is set to continue her families legacy and be chosen by one of the two gods. But at the end of the ceremony Risa is left unchosen. She feels angry and humilated, running from the ceremony she goes to hide in her rooms. But soon things turn much worse and Risa must overcome these feelings. The king has died and her parents are missing. It's now up to Risa to fulfill her families responsibities in the nightly ritual and find her parents.
January 14, 2013
Though this Middle Grade novel started slow and was riddled with tedious detail, I still LOVED it!
The heroin was worthy of our adoration as was her brave, kind, and refreshingly happy hero. The storyline was simple, yet honest and although I easily guessed the Ah-ha Moment chapters before it happened, there was enough twists to make me wonder what else would happen.
I normally would give a predictable read like this one less stars, but it was really well written and had great characters, and even better it was clean (besides a few cuss words). If I'd read it when I was young I would have adored it.
4 1/2 stars.
The heroin was worthy of our adoration as was her brave, kind, and refreshingly happy hero. The storyline was simple, yet honest and although I easily guessed the Ah-ha Moment chapters before it happened, there was enough twists to make me wonder what else would happen.
I normally would give a predictable read like this one less stars, but it was really well written and had great characters, and even better it was clean (besides a few cuss words). If I'd read it when I was young I would have adored it.
4 1/2 stars.
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