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Glint
In this compelling novel of parallel happenings in two different worlds, Ellie must behave like the girl Argent would, in the other world, if she is to find her missing brother. Argent, in her own search for the missing baby dragon, gets help from the mysterious outsider Lukos. Must Ellie do the same in her world?
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
December 22, 2019
Actual rating 3.5 Stars.
I enjoyed this, though I really wish the two separate tales had actually intertwined as described in the blurb. Regardless, both stories were intriguing.
I obviously enjoyed Argent's story more, since it had dragons in it, and I liked this new depiction of them. I really wish we'd seen MORE of the dragons -- but that's always my gripe, isn't it?
Anyway, this is a quick, enjoyable MG read for fantasy aficionados. Extra points for a fun new take on dragons :)
I enjoyed this, though I really wish the two separate tales had actually intertwined as described in the blurb. Regardless, both stories were intriguing.
I obviously enjoyed Argent's story more, since it had dragons in it, and I liked this new depiction of them. I really wish we'd seen MORE of the dragons -- but that's always my gripe, isn't it?
Anyway, this is a quick, enjoyable MG read for fantasy aficionados. Extra points for a fun new take on dragons :)
May 24, 2012
This book originally caught my attention because it follows two stories -- one that's happening in "real life" and one that's imaginary, and the line between reality and imagination is a concept that continues to fascinate me. Of the two stories, I preferred the "real-life" one, which involved a girl trying to find her missing younger brother. There were clear parallels between the real and imaginary stories, but they weren't as predictable or as obvious as they could have been -- it took a little work to put the pieces together, which was nice. They didn't overlap as heavily as I expected them to, but I found the endings to both of them to be incredibly satisfying; they can both stand alone, but they're better together.
There were a few annoying instances of head-hopping, but overall the book is well-written, with some startlingly dark and creepy images for something that is marketed as a middle-grade novel (I'm not sure why it wasn't targeted toward teens ... was it because the main character still felt connected to her childhood fantasy world?). The character development, especially the surprising revelation of the villain, is well done. My plan is to pass this on to a friend who I think will enjoy it, and who knows where the book will journey from there.
There were a few annoying instances of head-hopping, but overall the book is well-written, with some startlingly dark and creepy images for something that is marketed as a middle-grade novel (I'm not sure why it wasn't targeted toward teens ... was it because the main character still felt connected to her childhood fantasy world?). The character development, especially the surprising revelation of the villain, is well done. My plan is to pass this on to a friend who I think will enjoy it, and who knows where the book will journey from there.
August 20, 2009
The blurb says, "As each girl makes her way closer to her goal, the boundaries between the worlds of fantasy and reality begin to blur until it's unclear where one world ends and the other begins." Um, no. They are entirely distinct. Do not pick up this book waiting to see when Ellie and Danny's ordinary, small-town life crosses into fantasy because that DOESN'T HAPPEN. The stories are analogous because Ellie and Danny are the ones who made Argent up. Ellie is shy and uses bold Argent as a model when she needs courage. This is all fine. I don't know why the publisher tried to sell this is a fake fantasy story. I was pretty sure fairly early on that this was how it was going to work out, so I wasn't horribly disappointed the way I was with The Wild Swans, where the two stories turn out to have no connection whatsoever. But I would have been more excited if Coburn had pulled a Pamela Dean The Secret Country-type overlapping and twisting of the story.
July 17, 2009
Glint was the very first book i ACTUALLY read! And yes i was very proud of myself ^-^! I find it to be a great book, and i never got bored reading it. The story always put you on edge making you want to know what happens next! It was almost impossible for me to put down, which means A LOT!
May 24, 2024
Amazing. Switching back and forth was a little challenging because I would get wrapped into one story and then the next would start up and I would get wrapped right back up in that one. It was like reading two books at once and neither you could put down.
April 17, 2020
In this story for young adults you follow two different stories, one suspense and one fantasy, that at the same time is connected. The stories is "easy written" which make it maybe to childish for those who read heavier literature, but perfect for those who want an easy yet interesting story to follow. I recommend it.
January 9, 2022
Quick read, solid page turner. Mystery had me hooked and plot twist was good.
July 8, 2023
Made me fall deeply in love with fantasy books at age 9! Will forever remember and recommend 🥹
September 7, 2016
Everyone likes Ellie's little brother Danny. He's such a happy, friendly kid. So when he mysteriously disappears, her life veers into a hard quest to find him again, to prove her father innocent as well as restore the life they used to have.
Argent enjoys watching dragons hatch, even though her village bears the creatures no love. Dragons radiate enough heat to engulf anything near them in flames, and when Argent witnesses a baby being kidnapped, her village is more interested in destroying the distraught mother than trying to find the baby. So she sets off on a quest to help the dragon family.
This didn't work out much like I had expected, and although I suppose that's good, it made for somewhat frustrating reading. I kept expecting the two stories to cross over, when really the only connection between them is that Danny appears to be hallucinating Argent, and the two journeys have a somewhat parallel structure. So really you have two separate novels told in alternating chapters. One is a fiction story about a girl trying to find her kidnapped brother, and one is a fantasy about a girl trying to find a kidnapped dragon.
I liked the dragon story better, but there was a lot more that could have been done if it had been its own story. Because it's splitting time with another tale, some of the things I was really interested in seeing more of didn't get a lot of time. Lukos, for example, explains the process of shapechanging to Argent and pretty much says he thinks she's capable of it, but she (perhaps understandably) shoves the idea away and wants nothing to do with it. I kept hoping the plot would circle back to that and make it happen, but it never did. Also, the worldbuilding in general could have used more fleshing out. The dragons get most of the focus, but a few other creatures come up near the end and I would've liked to see a bit more of them, too. Or at least seen some detail in the towns and the people that make this different from all the other fantasies set in a pre-industrial time.
Overall this isn't bad, but the split storyline can be frustrating because they have so little to do with each other. I rate this story Neutral.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
Argent enjoys watching dragons hatch, even though her village bears the creatures no love. Dragons radiate enough heat to engulf anything near them in flames, and when Argent witnesses a baby being kidnapped, her village is more interested in destroying the distraught mother than trying to find the baby. So she sets off on a quest to help the dragon family.
This didn't work out much like I had expected, and although I suppose that's good, it made for somewhat frustrating reading. I kept expecting the two stories to cross over, when really the only connection between them is that Danny appears to be hallucinating Argent, and the two journeys have a somewhat parallel structure. So really you have two separate novels told in alternating chapters. One is a fiction story about a girl trying to find her kidnapped brother, and one is a fantasy about a girl trying to find a kidnapped dragon.
I liked the dragon story better, but there was a lot more that could have been done if it had been its own story. Because it's splitting time with another tale, some of the things I was really interested in seeing more of didn't get a lot of time. Lukos, for example, explains the process of shapechanging to Argent and pretty much says he thinks she's capable of it, but she (perhaps understandably) shoves the idea away and wants nothing to do with it. I kept hoping the plot would circle back to that and make it happen, but it never did. Also, the worldbuilding in general could have used more fleshing out. The dragons get most of the focus, but a few other creatures come up near the end and I would've liked to see a bit more of them, too. Or at least seen some detail in the towns and the people that make this different from all the other fantasies set in a pre-industrial time.
Overall this isn't bad, but the split storyline can be frustrating because they have so little to do with each other. I rate this story Neutral.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
April 3, 2018
This is a novel with parallel journey's happening in different realms of space and time. In one story, Danny as been kidnapped and his sister is looking for him, in the other, a baby dragon taken by a bounty hunter and Argent is trying to rescue it.
The first scene is every parent's nightmare: the 6 year old brother, Danny, gives his 11 year old sister, Ellie, a homemade tattoo. Danny disappears fishing on the morning of his 11th birthday. The last thing Ellie told him, as they were being playful in the kitchen, "I hope you drowned." She sees a Glint and leads her to clues (at the Cave, the Pool Dome, Red and Silver warehouse, the residential facility and the cabin) that take her to Danny.
The Sci-Fi story mirrors the level world plot. Argent pursues the baby dragon with the help of a witch, a shape shifter (Lukos) and the Duke. This part of the story is introduced as a dream sequence that Danny is having while drugged. Argent is trying to overcome the superstition of the local population and save the dragon.
There are too many adult themes for me to recommend this book to the target audience, ages 9-12. The boy is kidnapped and drugged, a junkie's pad is explored and there is a memorable scene with the tongue and eyeballs in formaldehyde.
The first scene is every parent's nightmare: the 6 year old brother, Danny, gives his 11 year old sister, Ellie, a homemade tattoo. Danny disappears fishing on the morning of his 11th birthday. The last thing Ellie told him, as they were being playful in the kitchen, "I hope you drowned." She sees a Glint and leads her to clues (at the Cave, the Pool Dome, Red and Silver warehouse, the residential facility and the cabin) that take her to Danny.
The Sci-Fi story mirrors the level world plot. Argent pursues the baby dragon with the help of a witch, a shape shifter (Lukos) and the Duke. This part of the story is introduced as a dream sequence that Danny is having while drugged. Argent is trying to overcome the superstition of the local population and save the dragon.
There are too many adult themes for me to recommend this book to the target audience, ages 9-12. The boy is kidnapped and drugged, a junkie's pad is explored and there is a memorable scene with the tongue and eyeballs in formaldehyde.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2012
This book originally caught my attention because it follows two stories -- one that's happening in "real life" and one that's imaginary, and the line between reality and imagination is a concept that continues to fascinate me. Of the two stories, I preferred the "real-life" one, which involved a girl trying to find her missing younger brother. There were clear parallels between the real and imaginary stories, but they weren't as predictable or as obvious as they could have been -- it took a little work to put the pieces together, which was nice. They didn't overlap as heavily as I expected them to, but I found the endings to both of them to be incredibly satisfying; they can both stand alone, but they're better together.
There were a few annoying instances of head-hopping, but overall the book is well-written, with some startlingly dark and creepy images for something that is marketed as a middle-grade novel (I'm not sure why it wasn't targeted toward teens ... was it because the main character still felt connected to her childhood fantasy world?). The character development, especially the surprising revelation of the villain, is well done. My plan is to pass this on to a friend who I think will enjoy it, and who knows where the book will journey from there.
There were a few annoying instances of head-hopping, but overall the book is well-written, with some startlingly dark and creepy images for something that is marketed as a middle-grade novel (I'm not sure why it wasn't targeted toward teens ... was it because the main character still felt connected to her childhood fantasy world?). The character development, especially the surprising revelation of the villain, is well done. My plan is to pass this on to a friend who I think will enjoy it, and who knows where the book will journey from there.
April 18, 2013
I read this ages ago and it's never really left my mind, although the title did! Finally I figured it out and reread it. Still just as good as the first time.
This is a wonderful blending of a fantasy story and a mystery in one. When Ellie's brother Danny goes missing, she has to call on the strength of Argent a character she made up years earlier in order to brave trying to find him. Meanwhile, as Danny lies drugged and alone, he imagines Argent's quest to save a baby dragon.
Both the main girls are strong characters. When trouble finds them, both raise to the occasion. As this is really their story, the other characters are really more filler, but they are enjoyable all the same.
While the two worlds never meld, they follow similar paths and both worlds feel real and solid. At no point was I waiting to return to one world because that part of the story was better, both halves of the story are equally as exciting.
Highly recommend!
This is a wonderful blending of a fantasy story and a mystery in one. When Ellie's brother Danny goes missing, she has to call on the strength of Argent a character she made up years earlier in order to brave trying to find him. Meanwhile, as Danny lies drugged and alone, he imagines Argent's quest to save a baby dragon.
Both the main girls are strong characters. When trouble finds them, both raise to the occasion. As this is really their story, the other characters are really more filler, but they are enjoyable all the same.
While the two worlds never meld, they follow similar paths and both worlds feel real and solid. At no point was I waiting to return to one world because that part of the story was better, both halves of the story are equally as exciting.
Highly recommend!
March 29, 2012
There has been some hate against this book, but all I can say, was it was wonderful. While Ellie and Argent's worlds never exactly crossed, in a sub form way, they did. The journey they took, the hero who came (now...should I like Lukos, or Miguel more? Hmmm...), it was identical. I entirely enjoyed this read. The only difficulty was the switching back and forth from Argent to Ellie. While it wasn't at all confusing, it was...what's the word? Annoying isn't right, but it kept me reading. I had to see what came next. And, I, pridefully, knew who the kidnapper was early on. Not because I read a spoiler, or skipped, but because the body parts in jars totally gave it away for me. What can I say. I've been reading and studying Sherlock Holmes methods for years. Lol.
Read
October 7, 2013Ellie and her little brother Danny are close - close enough to get into trouble a lot as kids. They create a fantasy world where Argent - a girl who is the exact opposite of Ellie (outgoing, brave, adventurous) Once they even tattooed a spiral mark on their ankles! But now Ellie’s older, has a boyfriend, and on Danny’s 11th birthday, Danny disappears.
Suddenly, Ellie’s family is torn apart, the police are living in their house, and Danny is still nowhere to be found. Instead, he’s hiding in Argent’s world - where Argent is embarking on a dangerous quest - and Ellie must embark on one in her world, too - or Danny could be lost forever.
Coburn combines two very different world extremely well in this tale of adventure and the love a family has for its son.
Suddenly, Ellie’s family is torn apart, the police are living in their house, and Danny is still nowhere to be found. Instead, he’s hiding in Argent’s world - where Argent is embarking on a dangerous quest - and Ellie must embark on one in her world, too - or Danny could be lost forever.
Coburn combines two very different world extremely well in this tale of adventure and the love a family has for its son.
April 25, 2013
Glint is interesting in that it follows two stories. The first is the story of 15-year old Ellie, whose younger brother disappears on his 11th birthday. The second is the story of the imaginary amateur dragon-scholar, Argent, who heads off on a desperate quest to save a stolen baby dragon.
As the book goes on, the transition between each story becomes a little more seamless, but switching back and forth does mean that each plotline is slightly less developed and has a few too many moments of convenience.
Overall, however, it's a fantastic read with some marvelous twists. The characters are likable and the author has clearly put effort into coming up with the story.
As the book goes on, the transition between each story becomes a little more seamless, but switching back and forth does mean that each plotline is slightly less developed and has a few too many moments of convenience.
Overall, however, it's a fantastic read with some marvelous twists. The characters are likable and the author has clearly put effort into coming up with the story.
September 29, 2007
I found myself thoroughly gripped by this book - it's not at all what I expected. Ellie's desperate determination to find her brother is such a heartbreaking journey, you really feel for her along the way. The parallels between the twists Ellie's search for Danny takes and Argent's quest to find and save a baby dragon really adds to the novel's suspense. And the ending - wow. I had my suspicions, but the last scenes of the book were still absolutely shocking. With each turn of the page, I was more and more absorbed by this story - Ann Coburn is definitely an author to watch.
September 11, 2011
A pretty young book. Not much complexity in plot, and a lot of telling (instead of showing). Still, if one is expecting a juvenile read... it wasn't bad. Kept my interest well enough. Could have been much more engaging emotionally, though. Anyway, interesting concept for dragons, and an interesting concept for the book... but I think I could have felt it more.
September 27, 2014
One of my absolute favorite novels. How Coburn mixed fantasy with reality is simply amazing! The blend was just right, and it kept me on the edge of my seat. I have read it four times over - and I normally don't read a book again unless I absolutely want to relive the plot over and over again, and breathe in its pages, as if I am going to get sucked up into the story book any time soon.
October 29, 2010
I liked the intermingled story line but near the end, I found myself skimming in order to pluck out the relevant bits. Near the end, the author seemed to kind of drag the descriptions out a bit. Solid enough book.
July 22, 2012
Interesting parallel historical fantasy versus fiction based reality coming of age drama. I suspect there is a sequel. I enjoyed the resolution, though the story kept me on edge. A bit of mystery weaved into the brother's kidnapping journey.
June 13, 2013
An 11-yr-old boy goes missing. Hs sister is desperate to find him and starts following the path of an old game they made up. In a medieval setting a girl goes on a mission to save a dragon. Has that world taken her brother?
Good suspenseful read
Good suspenseful read
February 14, 2008
Not my favorite
July 1, 2008
Interesting and I liked it, but I'm not sure what the author was really trying to say with the parallel worlds.
September 8, 2010
great book, i recommend it to teens
February 11, 2015
I love kidnapping books because they are so entertaining.
September 10, 2021
Dark and intruguing I couldnt put it down, shocking ending
August 18, 2009
I loved how the stories of both of the heroines were parallel.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews