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- Title: Glass Sword
- Author: Victoria Aveyard
- Narrator: Amanda Dolan
- Length: 14:40:00
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 09/02/2016
- Publisher: HarperTeen
- Genre: Fiction, Teen
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
It’s rare that a story pulls you in like a dusty road stretching toward the horizon, but “Glass Sword” by Victoria Aveyard, narrated by Amanda Dolan, does just that. I stumbled upon this audiobook during a restless night in a creaky guesthouse in Patagonia, the wind howling outside like a chorus of restless spirits. The sequel to “Red Queen”, this teen fiction gem picks up where Mare Barrow’s lightning-charged rebellion left off, and it’s a ride that feels both exhilarating and heavy – like carrying a backpack full of stones through a storm.
The story unfolds like a map creasing under weathered hands. Mare, a Red with Silver powers, escapes the treacherous grip of Maven, the prince-turned-king who betrayed her. She’s on a mission to find others like her – Red-and-Silver hybrids – to build an army against the oppressive Silver elite. You can almost feel the grit under her boots, the electric hum of her power crackling in the air. Aveyard weaves a tale of resistance, identity, and the cost of fighting for what’s right, and it hit me hard. It reminds me of a time when I sat with a group of miners in Bolivia, their hands rough as they spoke of standing up to exploitation. Their quiet defiance mirrored Mare’s, though her battlefield is one of blood and lightning.
Listening to Amanda Dolan’s narration was like sitting across from that Oaxacan grandmother I once knew, her voice weaving tales by firelight. Dolan captures Mare’s raw determination with a warmth that draws you in, her pacing as deliberate as footsteps on a long trek. The way she shifts tones – soft for Mare’s vulnerable moments, sharp for the chaos of battle – makes the audiobook experience immersive. You can almost taste the metallic tang of fear in the air when Maven’s forces close in. The audio quality is crisp, every thunderclap of Mare’s power resonating through my headphones as if I were standing beside her.
Thematically, “Glass Sword” digs into the messy heart of rebellion. Mare’s journey isn’t just about fighting an external enemy – it’s about wrestling with herself. She’s haunted by the lives lost, teetering on the edge of becoming the monster she despises. It’s a coming-of-age story wrapped in a dystopian shell, and Aveyard doesn’t shy away from the darkness. I found myself thinking of my own travels, like that night in the Atacama Desert when “One Hundred Years of Solitude” filled my car with its surreal weight. Both stories carry a sense of inevitability, a reminder that transformation often comes with scars.
Dolan’s performance elevates this. Her ability to embody Mare’s emotional arc – from shattered trust to steely resolve – feels like a conversation with a friend who’s seen too much. She nails the supporting cast too – Cal’s brooding intensity, Maven’s chilling charisma – but it’s Mare’s voice that lingers. The audiobook’s duration, just over 14 hours, flies by, though I’ll admit there were moments when the pacing lagged, especially in the middle as Mare’s recruitment efforts stretched on. Still, Dolan’s energy kept me hooked, her narration a steady hand guiding me through.
That said, “Glass Sword” isn’t flawless. The weight of Mare’s guilt can feel repetitive, like a song stuck on the same chorus. And while the world-building is vivid – silk-clad Silvers clashing with dirt-streaked Reds – some plot threads dangle unresolved, leaving you hungry for the next installment. Compared to, say, “The Hunger Games”, it trades political intricacy for emotional depth, which works if you’re in it for the heart rather than the strategy. For teen fiction fans, it’s a worthy successor to “Red Queen”, though it leans harder into personal stakes than epic scope.
What I love most is how it mirrors the human connections I’ve found on the road – people caught between who they are and who they must become. There was a kid I met in Lisbon, a runaway with eyes too old for his age, who could’ve been Mare in another life. That’s the magic of this audiobook: it’s a story about power, yes, but also about the quiet, stubborn hope that keeps us going.
If you’re into dystopian tales with a teen fiction twist, this listening experience is for you. It’s perfect for long drives or quiet nights when you want to lose yourself in a world that’s both foreign and familiar. And if you can snag it as a free audiobook – say, through a trial on Audiobooks.com – it’s an even sweeter deal. Just don’t expect a tidy bow at the end; this is a journey that leaves you aching for more.
Reflecting on it now, “Glass Sword” feels like those evenings in Oaxaca – intimate, intense, and unforgettable. It’s a story that stays with you, like the echo of thunder rolling across a desert plain.
Until the next tale calls us onward, amigos,
Marcus Rivera
