Death hasn’t visited Rowan Rose since it took her mother when Rowan was only a little girl. But that changes one bleak morning, when five horses and their riders thunder into her village and through the forest, disappearing into the hills. Days later, the riders’ bodies are found, and though no one can say for certain what happened in their final hours, their remains prove that whatever it was must have been brutal.
Rowan’s village was once a tranquil place, but now things have changed. Something has followed the path those riders made and has come down from the hills, through the forest, and into the village. Beast or man, it has brought death to Rowan’s door once again.
Only this time, its appetite is insatiable.
Last year I was really tempted to read McCormick Templeman’s debut novel, The Little Woods, but for some reason, I put it off. I’m glad I didn’t do the same thing with The Glass Casket. After reading this one, I’m definitely going back and reading The Little Woods because The Glass Casket was fabulous.
The Glass Casket is a chilling, atmospheric read that captivated me from the start. Admittedly, it does not have the quickest start but if you’re willing to get past that (and you should be) the story that’s held between these pages is worth it. The story is the perfect mix of fantasy, romance, and horror. It’s easy to see from the very first pages that The Glass Casket is not your typical fantasy story. While I wouldn’t compare it to The Near Witch in the typical way, it has a similar feeling to it, if you get what I mean.
The writing is fabulous. It’s probably one of my favorite parts about the book and the reason that I definitely will be checking out more from McCormick Templeman. It’s not overly descriptive but definitely is not lacking in that department. It’s the perfect style of writing for this kind of story. It gives the book an added sense of creepiness and mystery.
The characters were amazing. Rowan is not the easiest person to like at the start and neither are Tom and Jude but they did grow on me. The interactions between all of them were wonderful and it’s easy to see the relationships between them all. No matter what the relationship was, they all had a certain chemistry to them.
Overall, I would definitely recommend The Glass Casket to fans of fantasy with a hint of horror. McCormick Templeman does not hold anything back with this book.
What others are saying about The Glass Casket:
The Book Smugglers’ review: “The Glass Casket is not an easy story, nor is it one that leaves you feeling giddy and put in the mind of happily ever afters with rosebuds and rainbows.”
The YA Kitten’s review: “Is The Glass Casket a novel worth reading and thinking about? Definitely.”
Book Swoon’s review: “If you are a fan of darker, fairy tale inspired retellings, then this book is for you.”