“Like Glass is Matthew Cory's debut novel and I have to say that it packs a powerful punch. This is a story which focuses on three main people - Rob, his brother Bill, and "the girl that comes between the brothers", Janet. Like Glass is a tale of innocent youth, one fateful night and eight years of emotional anguish and torment.
Rob and Janet meet, fall instantly in love, only to have that love shattered by Rob's brother, Bill. After one night of intoxicated unfaithfulness, Rob's heart is ripped out and later torn to shreds when he finds out that Janet is pregnant and her and Bill are married.
Eight years pass, with Rob's heart filled with anger and hatred for those he once thought he could trust. Then a tragedy occurs, bringing Rob back to Janet. It is a struggle when the two reunite, an aura of anger between them. It is not long, until yet another unthinkable incident occurs, bringing them closer together. Rob is finally able to forgive his brother and see past those eight years of heartache. Life finally seems to be back on track again, when a collision course for disaster once again takes place.
Like Glass is the perfect combination of humor, humility and drama. It draws the reader in and doesn't let up its grip, even when the final page has been turned. The story begins with the innocence of love, which is soon shrouded in darkness, until the light of love and peace are once again found. However, an unexpected twist occurs, cloaking the unsuspecting within its tormented and devious folds, leaving just a small glimmer of light fighting its way to get through the tiniest of tears.
In all honesty, I became emotionally entranced within the pages of Like Glass. My heart breaking and leaving behind a lingering ache, as these incredibly strong characters are left to endure so much. Mr. Cory paints a vivid picture with his words as he brings his characters to life and wraps the reader within his story. Without spoiling anything, I have to say that Mr. Cory's writing is a bit reminiscent of Nicolas Sparks, at least to my thinking. This is especially true for me, where the ending is concerned.
It takes a great writer to invoke strong emotions within a reader and I feel that Matthew Cory has accomplished just that with Like Glass. Mr Cory's use of *blinks* with Rob, while he is trying to cope with the unthinkable, are very clever and well thought out. His characters are believable and the transitions between scenes are very smooth. I feel that Matthew Cory shows great talent and I anxiously await future works by him.
As a final thought, I must say that knowing there is a sequel to Like Glass on the horizon, helps a bit after having all perception of how the ending would play out completely shattered into shards of glass. This is not to say that the ending is bad, it just leaves behind a lump in your throat and possibly a trail of tears behind.
I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a great read - just be prepared to have a box of Kleenex handy. Like Glass is not a heavy read, by far, but a very emotional one.
*overall rating 4.5/5
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April P wrote this review Thursday, November 6 2008.
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