A review by cursedepub
The Oracle Glass by Judith Merkle Riley

dark emotional informative relaxing sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This is a historical fantasy novel set in the time of the Affair of the Poisons of 1600s France and is honestly really much more historical than fantasy. Many characters are real-world historical figures and most of the novel is dedicated to the daily lives of its characters, with some examination of social politics. This is a major strength of the novel; with the depth and breadth of historical immersion, you really feel like you are there in France, and it doesn't overexplain itself either.

The prose style is similar to some 19th-century classics - think Little Women, Great Expectations, Tom Sawyer, etc. - and maintains a brisk and strong personality thanks to our protagonist Genevieve. I enjoyed Genevieve as a character, especially with the constant conflict between her cynical intellect and her sentimentality, as well as between her maturity and naivety. Her narration and first-person POV provided a unique lens into the world she occupied, and I really did find her compelling. However, while I usually enjoy slower-paced novels, there was a point where I felt that events were becoming very repetitive and the latter part of the novel didn’t really seem to have a point to make. Attempts to build up suspense and a larger overarching story did not quite succeed, and new plot elements were introduced last minute and then not much was done with them. I feel like the story ran out of steam a while before it ended - this was more of a 3.75-star rating in the middle. Fans of slice-of-life plots may enjoy this more than I did. 
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