Book Review: The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead

Release Date: April 5th, 2016
Read: June 29th-July 2nd, 2016
Publisher: Razorbill
Series: The Glittering Court, #1
Format: Signed Hardcover, 400 pages
Source: Bought

Description from GoodReads:

   Big and sweeping, spanning from the refined palaces of Osfrid to the gold dust and untamed forests of Adoria, The Glittering Court tells the story of Adelaide, an Osfridian countess who poses as her servant to escape an arranged marriage and start a new life in Adoria, the New World. But to do that, she must join the Glittering Court.

   Both a school and a business venture, the Glittering Court is designed to transform impoverished girls into upper-class ladies who appear destined for powerful and wealthy marriages in the New World. Adelaide naturally excels in her training, and even makes a few friends: the fiery former laundress Tamsin and the beautiful Sirminican refugee Mira. She manages to keep her true identity hidden from all but one: the intriguing Cedric Thorn, son of the wealthy proprietor of the Glittering Court.

   When Adelaide discovers that Cedric is hiding a dangerous secret of his own, together they hatch a scheme to make the best of Adelaide’s deception. Complications soon arise—first as they cross the treacherous seas from Osfrid to Adoria, and then when Adelaide catches the attention of a powerful governor.


   But no complication will prove quite as daunting as the potent attraction simmering between Adelaide and Cedric. An attraction that, if acted on, would scandalize the Glittering Court and make them both outcasts in wild, vastly uncharted lands…

Review:

   I will walk by your side for so long as the sun continues to rise.
   Whatever I expected when going into The Glittering Court, it was not what I got. After reading practically everything Mead has ever written, I was sure I'd know what to expect when going into the story but apparently I was wrong.
   First thing's first, the cover for the book does not do it justice and it gives you a complete wrong impression of what it under it. Even when the cover was revealed I found it bland, and now that I've read it I can still say the same. People say don't judge a book by it's cover, but people are way more likely to pick up a book because its cover attracted them then anything else. The jewels and dress I can understand, but unless I completely missed something, why are there a bunch of flowers on the cover?
   Going into the book, I assumed that it was to take place in a somewhat distant future. Whether it was because from reading the summery I got a futuristic impression, I don't know. What I do know is that going into the book you should expect a more western feel, but from the perspective of the upper class. It was a western adventure I didn't realize I wanted.
   I really enjoyed the idea that even if the girls were getting "purchased" from the people of the Glittering Court, that they were still given the option of choosing who they wanted to wed instead of just going to the highest bidder.
   The only problem that I really had with the book was the somewhat slow beginning of the novel, I found the beginning to be slow because we got a bunch of unnecessary background information on characters that weren't really a part of the book after the first 50 pages.
   I was aslo a bit confused on why we never learnt "Adelaide's" real name in the first place, she was either Adelaide or Lady, until roughly the final 50 pages of the book. Was this just a mess up? Or did I just miss it? Either way, with the small insider jokes that happened throughout the book, I wasn't able to understand them until the very end when we finally learnt her name.
   The Glittering Court was written phenomenally, with a plot that kept you holding on for the ride. With everything that occurred in the end of the book, you just know that I'll be picking up it's sequel when it releases.

Rating:

Favourite Quote:

"Sometimes, at the right time of day, they can catch a glimpse of each other across the sky. Nothing more."

Recommend to People Who Enjoy: 

Young Adult, Historical Fantasy, Romance, Exploration, Settlers, Finishing School