ebook, 352 pages
Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Suspense
Published February 10th 2015 by Gallery Books
Available on: Kindle, Hardcover

What they say:

What I have to say:

The Glittering World was a book that I chose to read solely for the cover. Yes, it was pure cover love for me.

The color palette is wonderful, it is dark yet colorful. The image of the tree and the man and their reflection looks magical but somber at the same time. I found it utterly intriguing how the reflection looks so much better and glittering than the “real life” image, how the human form was blurry in the “real life” image and defined in the reflection. I saw it and thought it was going to be a story that was going to leave me choosing between the real world and a fantasy world.

I then read the blurb and for some reason I thought it has going to be a dark fairy tale. I was in the mood for some adult fantasy, so I had to check it out.

The Glittering World is the story of 4 friends, Blue, Elisa, Jason and Gabe, who travel from New York to Cape Breton to sell a house that Blue inherited from his grandmother. What they thought was going to be a cool road trip between friends turns out to be the you could say trip of their life time. Shortly after arriving to the house and getting acquainted with the locals, Blue remembers secrets from his past that help him discover who and what he really is. Dun dun dun! The trip then gets complicated after Blue and Elisa mysteriously disappear. Jason and Gabe are left with the mission to find them. As they search for them, the mysteries that lay behind below an abandoned artists’ colony are unveiled.

After reading the first two chapters I was hooked and intrigued. Blue seemed like a tortured soul. The introduction to his character and his woes was good. I didn’t understand why this was so important because I wanted the fairies or whatever strange creatures this book was going to be about to pop up. I was anxious for fantasy.

I kept reading and it got weird but in good way. The author had me with the creepy dark luminous fairies. As the story progressed it got creepier and darker. The plot is divided into 4 parts. Each part is narrated by one of the four main characters, starting with Blue, then Jason, followed by Elisa and it ends with Gabe. Since part two I was dying to know Gabe’s side of the story. I thought it had to be creepy weird, and I wasn’t wrong.

The Glittering World was a confusingly addictive adult read. It is an utterly wild ride. Strange, gross at times and different from everything I’ve read. It is a fast paced read that you can’t put down. I would describe it like a maze, once you get in on one side, you can’t go back. You just have to keep going until the end. You might get disoriented and or lost inside it, but once you start it, you can’t stop until you get out of it.

I liked this book and gave it 3 stars. I didn’t give it a higher rating for the following reasons:

The characters, the main and secondary ones, they are different and complicated but I never really bonded with any of them or their woes. Thus, I can’t say I had a favorite one.

The change in narration was confusing because you don’t get closure from each narrative; you just jump from on person’s point of view to another and don’t hear from them again. That doesn’t affect the plot, the story unfolds despite the change in narrators, but in the end you are left wondering about the other characters’ final thoughts. It would’ve been nice to read Blue’s point of view in the end. Since he’s the one tied up to the fantasy world, it would’ve given me closure if the plot started with and ended with Blue. It would’ve made more sense because I thought the story was about him but it ends up not being solely about him after all.

The plot was dark and creepy but it was mostly confusing. It wasn’t a lack of imagination on my part, because I have a pretty good imagination, but at times I felt like I was reading someone’s drug infused trip and I had a hard time really getting it.

Then there were the fae. These were not my cup of fae. Their world sounded pretty gross and disgusting to me. There was nothing pretty, magical or delightful about this fantasy world. Usually when I read fantasy, it’s usually about worlds I would like to be a part of or beings I would like to be or whose powers are amazing. SPOILER ALERT: There’s nothing enticing or fascinatingly glittering about “creatures” that look like praying mantis that are reproducing in a creepy, gooey, disgusting world underground.

I also didn’t understand the purpose of their existence. Who created them? What exactly are they? Shapeshifting creatures? Insects? Aliens? Only Robert Levy knows. The author left quite a few loose ends that should be explained, to make a cohesive bond between the real world and the fantasy world.

Regardless, this is not a bad book. It is a three solid stars read. If you’re looking for a classic fairy tale that focuses on choosing between good and evil, this is not the book for you. If you’re looking for a Neil Gaiman story, read a Neil Gaiman book, this is not a Neil Gaiman story. If you’re looking for a book, whose physical cover GLITTERS, this is the book for you. If you’re looking for a story about fae that step out of the usual fae mold, this is the book for you. If you’re looking for an adult novel about tortured souls in a dark psychedelic world, this is the book for you. If you’re in the mood for supernatural suspense, this is the book for you.

Dyad. noun. A group of two; couple; pair.
Insouciant. adjective. Free from concern, worry or anxiety; carefree; nonchalant.

Words have different meanings. Those presented here are as used in the book read. All definitions from Dictionary.com

The book starts with this quote. We’ve all felt that way sometimes, haven’t we? I have.

I woke up this morning
and I took a look around
at all that I got
These days I’ve been
lookin’ in the mirror
and wondering if that’s me
lookin’ back or not
— Steve Earle, “The Other Kind”

I read this book right after moving. I was actually surrounded with unopened boxes of stuff in my room while reading this book. Most of those boxes contained paper. I read this quote and it hit me. Definitely a quote to ponder on.