ISBN: 0-451-45789-7 Order from: Amazon.com
A frustratingly uneven juvenile fantasy with flashes of charm, a murder mystery, a lot of politics, and practically no magic.
Reviewed by David on July 15, 2000
Genre: Fantasy (Mystery, Intrigue, Juvenile)
Synopsis: Rani's merchant family have skrimped and saved enough to buy the twelve-year old girl an apprenticeship to the prestigious Glasswright's guild. When a deadly plot against the royal family appears to implicate the guild, Rani is forced to turn fugitive. With all hand against her, the girl tries to find the real culprits—to protect herself, as well as the kingdom.
Full Review: While occaisionally an engaging heroine, Rani appears rather dense at times, frustratingly so. The plot "maturity" is somewhat uneven, as the events alternate between brutality and juvenile-like simplicity. The juvenile influence also appears in the exaggerated importance of the heroine to the intrigue, and the simplistic resolution. Perhaps the weakest attribute is the annoyingly indirect and portentious methods the "good guys" use to communicate, which leads directly to confusion and suffering.
A mediocre novel, which shows occasional flashes of promise, this fantasy contains enough charm to hope for a better next book from the author.
Overall: 5; Plot: 4; Characters: 4.5; Style: 4.5; World-building: 5.5; Originality: 5;
Copyright date 2000, Penguin Group (Roc), July 2000, Mass market paperback, 324 pages
ISBN: 0-451-45789-7 Order from: Amazon.com