The Glass Spare (The Glass Spare #1) by Lauren DeStefano

I received a complimentary ARC from the publisher, courtesy of Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.

Summary

A banished princess.
A deadly curse.
A kingdom at war.

Wil is the youngest spare and the only daughter to the world's wealthiest king. Sharing a castle with the nation's heir and her alchemist prodigy of a brother, Wil has honed her invisibility as her strength. That is, until the day she discovers her deadly power: she can crystallize living things—even people—with a touch. After a tragedy changes the course of her life, she must help the kingdom that's turned its back on her, even as it descends into war.

Book Details

The Glass Spare by Lauren DeStefano
The Glass Spare Series, Book #1
Young Adult Fiction / Fantasy
Published October 24th 2017 by Balzer + Bray
Hardcover, 402 pages
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

Review

Mixing fairy tale and steampunk, THE GLASS SPARE is the first in YA fantasy duology that takes inspiration from the legend of King Midas.

This is the second series I’ve picked up this month, A Touch of Gold by Annie Sullivan being the first, inspired by the tale of King Midas and his golden touch. Both stories are ending up to be great reads and uniquely told from the daughter’s perspective.

The setting for The Glass Spare has a medieval atmosphere with castles and royalty. There are plenty of political maneuverings going on with war looming between two kingdoms, while touches of steampunk are given in gadgets and weapons that I found interesting.

What I enjoyed at the beginning of the book were the complicated family dynamics and sibling relations.

Wil is the youngest member with three older brothers, two whom she adores and one that she fears. Her eldest brother, the future heir to the throne, is brave and adventurous, whom Wil admires, while the youngest brother is brilliant at inventing gadgets and Alchemical potions and shares a special sibling bond with Wil.

Mix into this exciting family dynamics is a power-hungry father and a superstitious mother with a forgotten past.

The plot of the story is based on the younger siblings being used as spies by their father to further advance his kingdom. Until one night Wil is attacked and she discovers a dangerous secret. Her touch turns people into gemstone.

She tries to hide this horrible ability until one-night tragedy strikes and she is banished from the kingdom by her father.

Wil sets sail in search of a cure by a mythical healer and comes across a cursed prince who needs her help. In exchange for knowledge of the healer's location, Wil promises to help the prince. Adventure, dangers, curses, and romance ensue!

I enjoyed the slow-burn romance and great family dynamics. DeStefano paints an eerie picture of a curse that is not only deadly but one that builds into a compulsive and volatile ability. I’m excited to pick-up the concluding book as I have a few ideas about where her curse originates from.