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Reviewed by:
  • A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge
  • April Spisak
Hardinge, Frances A Face Like Glass. Amulet, 2017 [544p]
Trade ed. ISBN 978-1-4197-2484-8 $19.95
E-book ed. ISBN 978-1-68335-078-2 $15.54
Reviewed from galleys         R* Gr. 6-9

Neverfell, now twelve, was mysteriously dumped near a cheesemaster's home years ago, and he took her in and trained her. However, Neverfell's emotional physiognomy is so alarming it must be hidden with a mask, since in this underground world spontaneous expression is unknown. The drudges are only taught happy, subservient countenances so they never cause discomfort to those who rule them, and the Court members learn hundreds of expressions from the Facesmiths. Neverfell is therefore an exceedingly rare commodity, and she is used as such, passing from person to person and landing under the thumb of a mercurial ruler, until she finally finds some agency to change what she sees and hates about this world. The setting is brilliantly described, and it is filled with magic, intrigue, longing, and impossibly vivid characters (even the minor ones) that all barrel through life with a zeal that is both invigorating and exhausting. There is wit in the writing style and cleverness the development of this crackling world, and readers will connect with Neverfell, the one girl who can't hide what she is feeling in a world that has no idea what that is like. This novel is therefore a deeply and impressively immersive experience that will be welcomed by thoughtful fantasy readers and cheered by Hardinge fans.

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