Book Review: Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Title: Glow
Series: Sky Chasers #1
Author: Amy Kathleen Ryan
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin; Pan Macmillan AU.
Release Date: October 1^st (Aus.),
Source: Publisher for review (Thank you!)
Format: ARC
Synopsis:What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?

Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them...

Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.

But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside.
My Thoughts:

What would you do if you were suddenly wrenched apart from your family, loved ones and everyone you’ve ever known? Usually when I read a good book that raises this question or something similar, I would pause and ask myself ‘if this happened to me, what would I do?’. Unfortunately, while reading Glow, this question was buried at the back of my mind, and truthfully, I did not really care what would happen to the two main characters when they suddenly became separated. I truly wished I cared, but since I could not relate to the characters, I was purely reading just so I could quickly finish it.

The characters weren’t spectacular or likable in my opinion. Waverly, our protagonist was no doubt a determined and courageous girl, but I couldn’t quite relate to her. Kieran, Waverly’s boyfriend (and future husband?) seemed too perfect; everyone looked up to him and it was like he could do no wrong. Truthfully, I just wished Seth (both romantic and political rival) would take everything from him and strip him of his privileges. Waverly and Kerian’s relationship seemed somewhat awkward to me – I just couldn’t accept them as a couple. As for Seth, well, he tortures, manipulates and imprisons anyone he wants, which would usually cause me to despise him, except this time, I didn’t exactly care about these insanely sadistic methods.

Glow is written in third person, which did not work well for me. It felt like I was watching everything happen from a distance and I couldn’t be a part of it. It also prevented me from relating to the characters, feeling their emotions and understanding them. Everything, from pain, heartbreak, and joy all felt the same. I think Glow probably would’ve worked better if it was written in first person? – at least I think would be able to relate better to the characters, especially our two main characters, Waverly and Kieran.

What I did like about this book was the original, and refreshing storyline. I have heard that the plot is fairly similar to that of Across the Universe, but since I have not read that yet , this was a new read for me. (I think I might start reading AtU now, as the plot has definitely roused my interest).There was action, suspense, and some heart-pounding moments towards the end which certainly kept me reading. I guess I’ve learned that not only should you NOT judge a book by its cover, but also DON’T judge a book by the first few chapters, because some books, like Glow managed to capture my full attention towards the end. Although overall, Glow was a mediocre read for me, I believe the series has potential to really evoke my interest and leave me breathless for more.

Rating: 3 stars