The Glass Woman

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Century Iceland: Witchcraft is punishable by death. Women are held submissive by virtue of Biblical scriptures. Food is scarce and the ocean is a death trap. The season of winter looms over villages like the shadow of the Engill dauðans. I was drawn in by an intriguing title, a beautiful cover, and the promise of a dark tale set in a cold country.

Apart from the mystery and atmosphere, my favorite thing about The Glass Woman was the character of Rosa. She starts off as a scared and fragile little girl but really grows into newfound strength along the way. The same goes for the reluctant relationship between her and Jon, which grows stronger in a way, albeit not the way they anticipated. ICELAND. A time of few choices for a woman. When marriage is not a choice but a means of survival. When you can't marry someone, you have feelings for as he/she might be a social class above or below you. Then, there is the threat of being labeled a witch…. ahh, the good ole days..... The Glass Woman is a retelling of 'Bluebeard': this becomes clearer as the story goes on, though Lea strays from the template in pleasing ways. In terms of more contemporary fiction, it has the intrigue and emotional core of The Miniaturist combined with the setting and atmosphere of Burial Rites. It also reminded me a little of The Silent Companions – both feature a recently married woman travelling to her husband's home, only to find it filled with secrets and things that go bump in the night. It seems as it goes in circles and even if something new happens, it just adds to the annoying mystery and not progression the plot. There is also no character development besides the constant reminder that she must be obedient. I was hoping that her love for reading and writing would come through in this story, but that’s not the case. What is Jón hiding? What’s in the attic that is so private Rosa is never allowed up there? And most importantly: what happened to Jón’s previous wife Anna, that nobody seems to dare to speak of.

The Glass Woman

Into this epic landscape comes Rosa, who marries for practical purposes not love and who comes to believe she may be in grave danger from Husband Jon, the death of his first wife being surrounded by gossip, intrigue and dark mutterings of witchcraft.. Intensely written and atmospheric, with an unusual setting, this is a stark evocation of a community where fear of the outsider is rife and unsettling." - Daily Mail, UK As soon as it was established Anna was alive, I felt my interest wane a bit. The story then became a bit predictable and also a bit scattered, at least for me. And as much as I liked this, I felt, even in the beginning there was so much repetition to the plot, that I was not as into it as I would have liked. Seclusion from the outside world isn't the only troubling aspect of her new life—Rósa is also forbidden from going into Jón's attic. When Rósa begins to hear strange noises from upstairs, she turns to the local woman in an attempt to find solace. But the villager's words are even more troubling—confirming many of the rumors about Jón's first wife, Anna, including that he buried her body alone in the middle of the night.

I turn to face the sea and I walk. I am overwhelmed by the sensation of lightness, as if the stones weigh nothing. It is a return to the still waters, after a lifetime of currents and drift. The book is set in an era where people believed in ghosts, spirits, witches, legends, etc and had their own way of dealing with them from chants, potions, and even runes to ward off the bad spirits and keep people safe. Caroline Lea paints a deeply sinister picture of Rosa’s new home and draws you into this relentlessly harsh environment where death is only ever a breath away. Rosa is an amazingly engaging character, fiercely independent internally whilst outwardly projecting obedience, you get totally caught up in her wish to know the secrets hidden from her.

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That does not mean it isn't a good a story. Rarely have I read a book so rich in atmosphere and it is worth reading just for that. I also learned so much about Iceland. I am glad I read this. Some months earlier, a young woman named Rósa was living in a small, impoverished community with her widowed mother, Sigridúr. She knew that her mother was growing frail and would not survive the winter if she could not find more money to buy food and fuel.