Review: GLOW--Amy Kathleen Ryan

Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan
September 13, 2011 
St. Martin's Griffin 
Young Adult | Science Fiction/Dystopian
Glow #1
Pages: 307
Source/Format: Publisher/ARC
Rating: ★★★★


What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?


Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them...


Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.


But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside.

REVIEW:

Ever since I read ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, I wanted to read more books set in space. Actually, more YA books set in space. So when I stumbled upon GLOW? I crossed my fingers so hard that this book would rock and not disappoint me.


Good news! It didn’t. This book was amazing. I loved that it was told in third person, dual narrative with Kieran and Waverly. What I found really confusing was the parts and when Waverly and Kieran were separated, they each had their own part. The parts overlapped each other time-wise. So, when I got done with Waverly’s part, it was like the book rewound time to go back to Kieran’s part. It’s not like usual dual narrative where one character gets a chapter, then the other character steps in, etc. It was interesting, just kinda confusing at times because the parts would go on for many pages: 50, 75, etc. and not just ten or so.


And the characters. Wow, there is some amazing character development. After the attack, everybody changes, revealing their true selves. And they progress throughout the story so very well. They had to grow up because the adults on the ship weren’t there. What a brilliant, beautiful book.


It was such a sweeping tale, too. I think the religion aspects are handled wonderfully (not pushing their views on you, imo.) and even marriage and giving birth at such a young age (Waverly is fifteen; Kieran sixteen) is handled very well. At the end of the book, I had forgotten they were so young because of how they acted. I can’t wait for book two.


Do I recommend? I very, very much do recommend. Especially for sci-fi readers. If you loved ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Beth Revis, you’ll love GLOW by Amy Kathleen Ryan.