Glass Across the Sea by Sara Ella
Fairytale Retelling. 432 Pages. 5 Stars
Synopsis:
Light always finds a way to break free . . .
Noelle Perrault has felt drawn to the tales her glassmaker father told of the four Firefly artisans since she was a child. But when her mother falls under a curse, Noelle suspects the stories are more than mere fables. Their last hope is for her father to embark on a desperate journey to another realm, where he must seek a miracle. Alone but not defenseless, Noelle is forced to navigate battles that rise against her beloved home, while her dearest friend, the prince, vows to help her father.
Dante Marin is a prince prepared to bear the crown. But the king offers an ultimatum: find the fabled Firefly Vestiges, believed to hold the Lamplighter’s ancient power, or forfeit the crown. Only then will Dante be considered worthy of his birthright and given the freedom to choose his bride. But how does one hunt down a legend?
Connected by the past, but forced apart in the present, Noelle and Dante must discover the truth about the Firefly and Vestiges before they lose all hope—and each other—for good. But breaking a curse comes at a great sacrifice—one neither of them predicted. With a mysterious foe rising to power, will they survive, let alone succeed? Or will darkness shroud their future, shattering the light they’ve striven to restore?
My Review:
Time for another Cinderella story! Oh, but what’s this? It’s a Sara Ella Cinderella story?
Take my money.
No seriously. This was everything I’d hoped for and more. This book had so many things I love all rolled into one. From the beautiful princessy cover and the touch of ocean, lighthouses, and magic to the nuance of emotions and depth of hope and hardship in the story. A new Cinderella – with a dash of the adventurous, richly thematic Count of Monte Cristo thrown in.
I cannot wait to see the rest of the stories in this series. Sara teases a wide world brimming with more adventure to come. We get a taste of a few different places in Allumeria, lending to the adventurous tones of the story. But it was also a lot of fun to see the different culture further inland than the sea-faring village Noelle and Dante live in. Speaking of sea-faring, y’all know how much I love the sea. This story gives us enough of the salty spray against the cliffs and seashells on sandy shores vibes to make my beach girl soul sigh in delight. And the threads of glass, artistry, pumpkins, slippers, and magic will enchant any fairy tale fan.
Also, the magic system in this is super intriguing. I’m certainly looking forward to learning more, but the bits of memory, time, and healing kinds of magic felt like just the tip of the iceberg. Sara managed to both surprise and delight me with her world. It felt like anything could be right around the corner. A new kind of magic, a new people, place, music, color. Anything. The fables and parables lend to a neat history in this world, too. A delightful setting that felt so natural to the two tales interwoven as if they’d always been one.
As for the two tales, I’m far more familiar with Cinderella than the Count of Monte Cristo, but I definitely saw the touches of Monte Cristo sprinkled in. And I thought they were layered in perfectly, paired with beautiful nods to classic Cinderella elements that felt seamless in the world. I love how the mash up brought out a story all its own. Beyond the fairy tale Easter eggs, guys, this story had my jaw literally on the floor more than once! I was so invested in things I cannot say cause spoilers! Let’s just say, there were some twisty turny bits – and not just saved for the end!
I adored some of these characters so much and I’m really, really, really hoping we see them again throughout the rest of the series. And not just for cameos! These guys need more story!! Noelle is a delightful, strong, and kind Cinderella who clings to the light in such an inspiring way. And Dante has such a heart for pursuing the truth. I loved his dashing courage and nobility. The “stepfamily” in this classic tale was also a lot of fun. That whole dynamic was SO well done! And Père and the king and Jaq (um, can I put in a vote for more Jaq?!). Just all of the characters. I want to gather them up and hold them close!
This is such a story of endurance, hope, and steadfastness. I love how Sara points us over and over again to light and truth in the midst of storms. Hardships will come. We won’t understand. It will hurt. We face loss and grief and frustrations with even those we love. People have their own motivations that conflict with ours and this world is full of opposing forces fighting for what remains of the light – either to wield it or to snuff it out.
But we get to choose how we will respond. And that’s what Sara has captured so beautifully here. Courage and heroism is choosing truth, light, and hope, even in our darkest moments.
The story is a swashbuckling adventure with some mild fantasy violence, a sweet, clean romance, and no swearing. It deals with some themes of grief, abuse, death, sickness, and etc. But suitable for a pre-teen in my opinion.
More
The first book in the Realms of Allumeria series is Glass Across the Sea (5 Stars)
Sequels haven’t been announced yet, but I’ll come back to update once they are.
I’m guessing this series should be read in order, but again, we’ll see!
On GraceBought
If you enjoyed this story, you may also like:
Cinderella and the Colonel, Cinders, Stars, and Glass Slippers, Fated: Cinderella’s Story, Ellie and the Prince, and The Midnight Blizzard
Don’t miss the FREE CINDERELLA RETELLING GUIDE here with 34+ Cinderella Retellings!