|
What the critics say about A Glass Darkly...
"The novel adheres to conventions of fantasy literature providing a quasi
medieval setting for the richly developed fantasy world complete with laws
of nature that allow magic and sorcery; a well-defined main character, appropriate
secondary characters, and stereotypical stock characters; an invented language
rife with dialect, complex vocabulary, and mystical words and phrases; and
strong themes involving the conflict between good and evil. As in the previous
entries in the series, A Glass Darkly features Ingamald, an appealing and dynamic
heroine, who uses her considerable abilities and powers to benefit her fellow
creatures. Strong and independent, she can certainly resort to brutal means
when necessary, but she constantly struggles against abusing her skills. She
strives to maintain a high standard in using her sorcery and subjugates her
personal romantic aspirations in favour of pursuing her self-perceived responsibilities." http://www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/cm/vol13/no10/aglassdarkly.html “With a fantastically stylized narrative and a diverse cast of
characters, Albertan Gail Sidonie Sobat brings her gorgeous Ingamald
trilogy to a close. Picking up after the cliffhanger ending in A
Winter's Tale, witch Ingamald and six-fingered, mind-bending
Yda have been transported to the world of Gyldden. They're in a search
to find a solution to the frozen conflict of their home land. But,
along the way, the witch and child find things in Gyldden are not as
they should be – more
specifically, there are no children in the world. Ingamald is forced
to find a solution to Gyldden's problem while pondering her own issues
back home. With Sobat's style further developed in a new world, she
addresses moral and ethical dilemmas not seen before in young adult
literature. The cast – a blend of circus performers, forest fairies
and childless townfolk – is dynamic and unique, and their dialogue
is A Glass Darkly's greatest strength.” |