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genieinanovel's review against another edition
3.0
Shattering Glass was a quick, easy read that pretty much gave you the ending right on the first page. The story shows the long build-up to the tragic end, meanwhile you get little glances at what seems to happen to Young, Rob, and Bobster after the ending of the book.
The story moved fast and you learned more about the characters through dialogue and action rather than descriptions. I can’t say I was ever attached to any of them, though I felt the most for Coop because he really struggled with his home life and wanting to get a scholarship so that he would not end up like his father. I didn’t even feel bad for Simon despite knowing that these other boys were just making a spectacle of him. Simon’s attitude really irked me throughout the book.
I was honestly a little dissatisfied with the way the book ended because there was all this build-up and the climax lasted about half a page, then the book ended. I just felt like there would be a little more to it, but I do respect the author’s way of ending things. Again, I was just hoping for more.
So, overall, this book was pretty good and I think that over time as it comes back to me I’ll appreciate it more.
The story moved fast and you learned more about the characters through dialogue and action rather than descriptions. I can’t say I was ever attached to any of them, though I felt the most for Coop because he really struggled with his home life and wanting to get a scholarship so that he would not end up like his father. I didn’t even feel bad for Simon despite knowing that these other boys were just making a spectacle of him. Simon’s attitude really irked me throughout the book.
I was honestly a little dissatisfied with the way the book ended because there was all this build-up and the climax lasted about half a page, then the book ended. I just felt like there would be a little more to it, but I do respect the author’s way of ending things. Again, I was just hoping for more.
So, overall, this book was pretty good and I think that over time as it comes back to me I’ll appreciate it more.
heather01602to60660's review
4.0
A book that kept me up too late, and while you know from the start where it's going, you have to keep reading to get there. Disturbingly believable.
loganashleyauthor's review against another edition
5.0
Full Review at www.loganashleyleduc.com
Oh. My. God. This book took my breath away. I honestly mean that - the last 30 pages or so, I don't think I full exhaled once.
I sat in a book coma for an extended period of time trying to come up with words for how this book made me feel.
I won't lie - there were points where I was confused. But by the end, it all made sense and it made me want to go back and reread all those parts over again, which should always be the authors goal - to make you want to reread.
I loved the writing style. It was so different from many other books I've read.
This was disturbing and suspenseful and terrifying and made me want to hold my breath even though I kind of knew what was coming.
I'm still not fully out of my book coma that this book has induced so I'll end here. Wow....just, wow.
Oh. My. God. This book took my breath away. I honestly mean that - the last 30 pages or so, I don't think I full exhaled once.
I sat in a book coma for an extended period of time trying to come up with words for how this book made me feel.
I won't lie - there were points where I was confused. But by the end, it all made sense and it made me want to go back and reread all those parts over again, which should always be the authors goal - to make you want to reread.
I loved the writing style. It was so different from many other books I've read.
This was disturbing and suspenseful and terrifying and made me want to hold my breath even though I kind of knew what was coming.
I'm still not fully out of my book coma that this book has induced so I'll end here. Wow....just, wow.
miss_tricia's review
2.0
It seems like a spoiler to say the boys kill Simon Glass, especially because they don't kill him until the last page of the book. However, the book's first page reveals that the boys will eventually kill Simon Glass, so it's not really spoiling anything past the first paragraph. I had to wonder why a woman would write a book in which all of the reasonably fleshed out characters are high school boys. Particularly because the incident which inspired the book actually involved high school girls. On the other hand, even the reasonably fleshed out characters are pretty one-dimensional. OK, OK, it's YA fiction. What do you expect? It's better than some R.L. Stein garbage, But it probably still deserves a pass.
mariutzica's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
verkiezen's review against another edition
2.0
Shattering Glass was a really interesting read. It's the story of a group of friends in high school (four boys) who led by their ringleader, Rob Haynes, decide to make the least popular boy in school, Simon Glass, Class Favorite. Each chapter is started with a quote by a character from after the story takes place. And you're told from the beginning that something bad is going to happen.
I couldn't quite figure out what was going to happen by the end, but I did figure out enough that the ending didn't really surprise me.
I guess I was never really "popular" in school, but my school didn't fixate on cliques to quite the same extent which this high school does. And it's hard to tell if that's an accurate reflection of life--y'know media distorting what actually occurs in high schools--or if I just happened to luck out by growing up in middle-class suburbia Montana.
This book, however, does focus pretty strongly on the concept of popularity, and the lengths to which people will go to achieve it. It also seems to focus strongly on the bad side of teenagers. Which I found a bit disheartening (as a former teenager and as a prospective teacher of teens). The only character who really seems to care about everyone is Ronna, who's also really the only present female character in the book. Most of the other girls are mentioned in passing or only mentioned in a sexual way, which I found very frustrating.
Overall, I guess the most I could say is that it was a fairly quick read and the mystery of it held my attention.
Favorite quote: "Movies tell us how skinny to be, and the television tells us which toilet paper to wipe our ass with. And everybody listens. You're even listening to your shrink instead of your heart. [...] Why do you have to make me the sinner because I follow instead of lead?"
I couldn't quite figure out what was going to happen by the end, but I did figure out enough that the ending didn't really surprise me.
I guess I was never really "popular" in school, but my school didn't fixate on cliques to quite the same extent which this high school does. And it's hard to tell if that's an accurate reflection of life--y'know media distorting what actually occurs in high schools--or if I just happened to luck out by growing up in middle-class suburbia Montana.
This book, however, does focus pretty strongly on the concept of popularity, and the lengths to which people will go to achieve it. It also seems to focus strongly on the bad side of teenagers. Which I found a bit disheartening (as a former teenager and as a prospective teacher of teens). The only character who really seems to care about everyone is Ronna, who's also really the only present female character in the book. Most of the other girls are mentioned in passing or only mentioned in a sexual way, which I found very frustrating.
Overall, I guess the most I could say is that it was a fairly quick read and the mystery of it held my attention.
Favorite quote: "Movies tell us how skinny to be, and the television tells us which toilet paper to wipe our ass with. And everybody listens. You're even listening to your shrink instead of your heart. [...] Why do you have to make me the sinner because I follow instead of lead?"
elianamargalit's review against another edition
2.0
This book definitely wasn't one of my favorites, but it was interesting to see how writing styles in young adult books have changed in such a short period of time. This book utilizes many stereotypes about high school, which seems common for books for young adults written in the early 2000s. The characters are pretty standard--the nerd who wears a pocket protector, the popular guys who only care about themselves, the cheerleader who dates the popular guys--we've seen these types of characters many times before. Although I've absolutely read books published more recently that employ these stereotypes, I would say that more recent books branch out to include more non-stereotypical high school students.
Also, I'm not sure how I feel about where the book ended. Even though of course we know what happened after the ending because of the quotes at the beginning of the chapter, I feel like I would've preferred for the events of the ending to be the climax of the book with a more solid resolution afterwards. Especially the revelations about Rob's dad, I don't think were handled responsibly. Even though we're only getting comments from the characters and it's probably not what the author thinks, I feel like it perpetuates some dangerous assumptions about victims of sexual abuse and it's irresponsible for that to be revealed on the last pages of the book with no resolution.
Also, I'm not sure how I feel about where the book ended. Even though of course we know what happened after the ending because of the quotes at the beginning of the chapter, I feel like I would've preferred for the events of the ending to be the climax of the book with a more solid resolution afterwards. Especially the revelations about
beergeekgirl's review against another edition
3.0
I've been recommending this book for years, based on what others have said, and only now finally got around to reading it. (Thank you again, YALSA!)
I liked the book, as much as you can like something so disturbing. And it does fall into the category of one of the most disturbing endings to a book. In face, I finished this before going to bed and had to grab a copy of Runner's World to sort of neutralize it.
Here's where it fell short.While Young is essentially the good guy--he's the only one who took "responsibility," he didn't actually participate in the beating--he's really just spineless. I kept hoping somewhere along the line he would stand up for himself. I know that was supposed to be the point, and it's what allowed Glass to get his dig in at him at the end, but it made him essentially unlikable. In the end, it's also not surprising that he only stood back and watched.
I did like the interviews at the beginning of each chapter. It kept me hooked, wondering what was going to happen and who was going to be involved (I had it all wrong up until almost the very end).
I loved Coop, who truly was a good guy, and would be very interested to hear the story told from his point of view.
I liked the book, as much as you can like something so disturbing. And it does fall into the category of one of the most disturbing endings to a book. In face, I finished this before going to bed and had to grab a copy of Runner's World to sort of neutralize it.
Here's where it fell short.
I did like the interviews at the beginning of each chapter. It kept me hooked, wondering what was going to happen and who was going to be involved (I had it all wrong up until almost the very end).
I loved Coop, who truly was a good guy, and would be very interested to hear the story told from his point of view.
mistylane132's review
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
djblock99's review
4.0
This book seems destined for "teen classic" status. The opening paragraph instantly pulls you in. It's one of those books that you want your friends to read so you can discuss it afterwards.