Glass Slipper? No, Glass Feet!

The Girl with Glass Feet
by Ali Shaw

Genre; Fiction/Romance/Drama
Publisher; Atlantic Books/London/2009
Pages; 292
ISBN; 978-1-84354-919-2

Plot; Ida MacLaird was once a beautiful, fun loving girl with her whole life ahead of her, but lately her hair and skin have gone pale and the life has been drawn from her face. Ida is going through a frightening, traumatic and problematic metamorphosis; she is slowly turning into glass, feet first.

It all started on a trip to the small island of St Hauda after meeting a man named Henry Fuwa, a man she took as being a drunk, speaking of smalled winged bulls, a creature who can turn your skin white with one glance and people, made of glass.

With her delicate feet padded in socks and boots, Ida returns to St Hauda's Land to hunt down Henry and find out how she can save herself from a crystallised fate.

With the help of Midas, a local photographer, and an old family friend, Carl, can Ida stop the transformation before it is too late?

My Thoughts; I sat on the lounge and read this story in the one sitting, enjoying each moment for the light entertainment that it was.

This book can be sad at times, but do not pick it up expecting it to be lifechanglingly emotional. While there were moments I had a tear in my eye, I wasn't moved by the story.

Shaw introduces a likable bunch of characters, the head of which being Ida, who you cannot help but feel for. I only wish I could have known more about her. As I read, I pictured her as the "girl next door" type, but apart from the occasional glimpse at the past, you don't really get to know this girl beyond what is happening to her. I think if I had been shown more of her personality and history, this story could have been a lot more gripping and emotional for me.

This book just didn't have enough depth to make it a gripping read. The storyline and characters are beautiful, but delving further into the characters would have taken this book to another level.

The character I most liked was Midas. There is nothing like a good, quirky character to try to wrap your head around. A character who is obviously caring and warm on the inside while being cold and awkward on the outside.

To whom would I recommend this book? I cannot see this book being read by a fan of epic stories, but for someone needing a weekend read which isn't too light, but isn't too in depth either, this would hit the mark.

Happy Reading!