What a great read! I found this novel to be an atmospheric, suspenseful tale with just enough subtlety in the beginning to give the reader a hint that all was not as it appeared to be in the Glass families. The more I read, the more palpable the tension and eeriness. I couldn’t put it down, read into the wee hours of the morning, and finished it in a day.

The book opens when Paul Glass receives news that his brother, Henry, has apparently committed suicide, and his wife Silja is missing. Paul, his wife Angie, and their young son travel to attend to funeral arrangements and take care of teenage Ruby, Henry and Silja’s daughter. They learn shortly after arriving that the police suspect Henry’s death was not a suicide, and Silja has still not been found. Ruby is uncommunicative, has no friends, and keeps to herself.

Alternating chapters tells Silja's story using flashbacks starting in the early 1940’s when she first meets Henry, and follows her life up to the time of Henry’s death in the early 1960's. I can't say more about the plot without spoilers, but suffice it to say there are a lot of secrets, disordered relationships, and strange dynamics. Having the novel set during these time periods worked perfectly for the story and the period details were spot on. I had a few minor quibbles with the ending but not enough to detract my enjoyment of the novel as a whole.

This is not a fast-paced thriller. I recommended it for fans of dark, suspenseful, and character-driven tales. There’s no trickery to hook the reader, just good old-fashioned story telling. Its a slow burn in the beginning during the set up, but I flew through the last half.

* Many thanks to Netgalley, Cynthia Swanson, and Touchstone for an e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Excerpt]
The Glass Forest is a book that’s part of a genre I’d like to read more often. It’s part thriller, part mystery, part general fiction, and there was definitely a very moody, atmospheric feel to it. I was surprised by how quickly I read through the book, too; once you get into it, you can finish the novel in no time. The sense of mystery that pervades the story forces you to read chapter after chapter until the resolution.

This story had so many unanswered questions that only were addressed in the last three or four chapters. That was the most intriguing aspect for me, and what kept my interest when it otherwise would’ve flagged – the air of suspense, mysteriousness, and, in some instances, the anticipation of something bad. The questions that kept me hooked:

How did Henry die? Well, aside from the obvious reason. It was more like, why did he die?
Why did Silja leave? And also, did Silja really leave?
What does Ruby know? She admitted early on that she didn’t love her father, and in fact hated him at times.
What was wrong with Paul? What did he do when he was young that made the whole town of Stonekill hate him, and what was he doing in present times that made him subtly sinister?
[Full review on my blog!]

I really tried to enjoy this novel, because of course I enjoyed her previous novel immensely. However I found the pace of the book tediously slow. And although I believe the novel to be an excellent book, I was too frustrated by the pace to truly enjoy it.

This story is not for the reader who likes a fast paced novel or even a steady burn. This novel is for those readers who enjoy a very gradual character study where the story divulges its secrets begrudgingly.

Told through the first person point of view of young wife Angie Glass, third person point of view of seventeen year old Ruby Glass, and through the flashbacks of Ruby's absent mother Silja, this novel writes a story of hopes and dreams and secrets set in the 1960s of a troubled family in the aftermath of an apparent suiced.

If you can be patient and wait for the story to slowly unfold, you'll enjoy a story that can only truly be appreciated as a whole instead of the varying parts.

Thanks Touchstone and netgalley for this ARC.

A very strange story. Strong young women in the 60's, a glass house, and secrets, paranoia, and murder. Groovy twists and awesome ending.

DNF at 30 percent. I tried my best with this one but it was extremely extremely slow. I could not connect with any of the characters and tried multiple times to come back and read it. I have been on a streak with 1-2 star reads right now and just so many other books to read/review. Thank you for the opportunity.

This is a hard story to read.

I had to keep reminding me how it happens in a different time because even though we atill have a long, long way to go when it comes to the way women are treated, it's tough to see it was worse just some decades ago.
I mean, violence against women, specially coming from their partners, is still a terrible issue that has to be addressed always but in the decades when this book takes place they couldn't even legally set themselves apart from their abusers and it is heartbreaking.

The novel is split in 3 different points of view: Angie, Ruby and Silja. Each woman faces their own hardships and takes their own time to realize just how heavy a toll they got. Or how to handle it.

(Some mild spoilers from now on, be warned!)

<spoiler> I didn't like Angie much at first and even towards the end I wasn't totally sold on her. I understand she is a reflection of the times and a catholic family but still, I felt she lacked compassion and even common sense at times. She could have been less intrusive, less judgmental of Selja and Ruby and could see who she had married if she tried to put herself in someone else's shoes a bit earlier in the story. But then again, I might be doing just the same and being too harsh on her because I am from a different era and have hindsight.

Ruby is a delight. We get to follow her entire life and she turns into a surprising human. I would have liked if she had handled things a bit differently, but I can understand her practicity, the way she kind of dettached herself from feelings at times to get things done.

Selja enchanted me. What an amazing woman. She deserved so much better in life and I wanted togo into the pages myself to free her of that oppression. I can sympathize to Henry's plight to a point; war can change people for the worst and the trauma wasn't even taken too seriously back then but he had no reason or right to hold her hostage in his demise. He just wanted someone around to blame for everything, to be the target of his hate so he could live with himself. He turned into a horrid person and his last actions just about broke my heart.
</spoiler>
(End of spoiler zone!)

All in all, this is a good mystery with a historical background that will certainly appeals to fans of Kate Morton for example. I also think that if you liked the author's first novel, The Bookseller, you won't be disappointed by her second book.

I'd like to thank the publisher for offering me an ARC of this novel via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

oh I just loved this book, more than the bookseller, and I really enjoyed that one. Yes, this story is a slow burn but the foreshadowing offered enough lure for me that I couldn't put it down. as others have noted, the second half moves faster than the first, but I had no problems getting sucked into the story from the first few pages. I can't recommend this book enough.

A slow burner, character driven novel that pulled me in with distinct voices that resonated throughout the novel. Even figuring out how the novel would end did not detract from the events and timeline of the novel. When the story opens we find teenage Ruby calling her uncle to let him know that her mother is missing and her father dead of an apparent suicide. Her young aunt, a naive young woman married to her Uncle Paul, travel to her side with their young infant to help Ruby process this untoward turn of events. However, as they are there, things unfold and another story begins to come to the forefront. Told in alternating chapters between the aunt and Ruby, including flashbacks from the past, the novel presents a world that is very evocative of the time and place.If you are looking for a fast paced drama this is not the novel for you but if you want to delve inside character's heads and discover the nature of love and the power of secrets, this is a sure bet

Amazing. I was drawn into this book immediately. At first, I expected it to be more of a thriller, edge-of-your-seat book. But after I started it, I realized it was much more of a character-driven mystery. I loved Silja and Angie and Ruby. I loved the historical aspects with the war, communism, and how society was affected by these world events.

Cynthia Swanson's The Glass Forest is one of those books that pretty much leapt out of nowhere and took up permanent residence in my heart. I picked it up on a whim, and I'm so glad I did. It's an examination of a family's dark secrets, filled with unforgettable characters doing their best to survive against some pretty terrible odds, and I loved every minute I spent in the world Ms. Swanson has created.

It's the fall of 1960 and newly married Angie Glass is living a life straight out of a storybook. Her husband Paul is handsome and charming, and he adores her and their infant son. She loves the small Wisconsin town they call home. She's surrounded by a close-knit group of friends and family, and she can't imagine wanting anything more. But a completely unexpected, out-of-the-blue phone call from Paul's seventeen-year-old niece Ruby, a girl Angie barely knows, changes her life irrevocably.

It seems that Ruby's father has committed suicide and her mother has run away, leaving Ruby alone to deal with the subsequent police investigation. Uncertain how to handle things, she reaches out to her Uncle Paul, who immediately travels to upstate New York with Angie and their son. Angie expects to serve as a sort of stand-in mother figure to Ruby, but the teenager instantly rebuffs her. Now, Angie and Paul must discover the truth behind Henry's suicide and Silja's disappearance.

From the very beginning, Angie can't help but think that Ruby knows more than she's telling about what really happened to her parents, but Ruby refuses to confide in her. Instead, she wanders the woods near her family's property alone or in the company of the local doctor, a man shrouded in his own terrible secrets. As time passes, Angie becomes ever more desperate to uncover the truth and return home to Wisconsin, for something just doesn't feel right to her about the town of Stonekill and the people who live there.

The Glass Forest is a deeply atmospheric novel that skillfully blends historical fiction with literary mystery and a healthy dose of family dysfunction thrown into the mix, but, even more than that, it's the story of three women, each fighting in her own way to overcome circumstances beyond her control. Angie and Ruby take turns narrating events directly following the suicide of Ruby's father, and readers are also given illuminating glimpses into the years leading up to the tragic event courtesy of flashbacks from Silja's perspective. I was pleased by Ms. Swanson's ability to give each woman's chapters equal weight. Often, I'm more invested in one character's story, but that definitely wasn't the case here. I found the novel as a whole to be completely engrossing.

I found myself really wanting to feel compassion for Ruby throughout. She's a young woman caught in an untenable situation, the kind of character I usually embrace right off the bat. However, her self-possession and general prickliness made her really difficult to warm up to, no matter how hard I tried. I admired her strength and fortitude, but I never really felt able to be fully in her corner. Fortunately, Ms. Swanson does a fantastic job showing the reader why Ruby is the way she is, and I came away with a great deal of appreciation for her character.

The author gives us the idea that Silja's marriage to Henry was not a happy one. Henry is a deeply damaged veteran of the Second World War and he treats Silja quite badly. There aren't super detailed descriptions of domestic violence, but the reader is definitely aware that it happens. If this is something you're sensitive to, you might want to take this into account before deciding to read this novel.

The Glass Forest is the kind of book that will remain with you long after you reach the end. I finished it about a week ago, and the characters are still on my mind. Ms. Swanson has most certainly earned a place on my list of authors to keep an eye on and I can't wait to see what she does next.

Buy it at: A/BN/iB/K

“The Glass Forest” by Cynthia Swanson is a dark, atmospheric literary thriller dealing with the Glass family and their history of deception. The book alternates between three female narrator from 1940s-1960s. I really enjoyed the strong female characters and the writing.

I really enjoyed this mystery. I loved that the story was told from three different perspectives: Silja, Ruby, and Angie. It gave the story a strong context and fullness. I could predict some of the smaller plot developments, but the large ones I never saw coming. I love that. I love a book that keeps you on your toes. It was equal parts disturbing and intriguing. I also appreciated that the story was set in the 1960s and that the characters were shaped by events like the Cold War and racial integration. I've read a lot of mysteries/thrillers lately and most are set in present day. It was fun to read something that was not.

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley for an honest review.

This was a beautifully written suspense that completely surprised me. I generally like fast paced stories and find slower paced suspense novels lose my attention very easily. This was not the case here. Swanson did such a wonderful judge evolving the characters and giving you background on them. The switches in narrators and timelines were done perfectly to enhance the story and keep the suspense without feeling to jumpy. While the first half was a little slow it really ramps up and made for a wonderful read.

Lies, lies, and more lies who can you believe? This book is told by 3 points of view, young wife and mother Angie, Silja who is married to Angie's husbands brother, and Ruby who is Silja's daughter and Angie's niece. Angie receives a phone call from Ruby that her dad has committed suicide and her mother has ran away. Angie and her husband and baby all travel to New York to help Ruby and figure out what happened. Silja's life is not what it seems. As Angie finds some truths from piecing together the clues she realizes nothing is at it seems! This book was so engrossing I read it in one long evening! Thank you to NetGalley and Touchstone for an advanced readers copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

Angie Glass is living a quiet simple life in her small Wisconsin town. She comes from a large family and has lived there her entire life. Just twenty one years old, Angie has a baby and is newly married to Paul, a stranger she met last summer with Hollywood good looks who arrived with little more than a bag and a charming smile. When the phone rings one day in their small house in the woods, their lives are changed forever. Paul’s niece Ruby has called to inform them that her father, Paul’s brother is dead and her mother, Silja, has disappeared. Angie insists she and the baby accompany Paul to upstate New York to help Ruby and find out what has really happened to Henry. From the moment they arrive in the house that is literally made of glass, every step Paul makes leaves Angie questioning who her husband really is. Ruby seems standoffish and Angie can’t discern whether she is shy or hiding something. With each passing days the clues become more sinister. It is hard to tell in this complicated family if anyone is ever telling the truth. Flashing back through Silja’s young life, Henry’s controlling ways had left her desperate and afraid. This twisted, creepy, literary thriller is filled with a cast of characters so quietly deceptive even they start to believe their own lies. Highly recommend this well written, suspenseful novel. You will not be able to put it down (or walk in the forest alone.)

I should have DNFed this one. It started out weak and ended with a whimper. Such a disappointing read. This is a story about a young mom who discovers that her husband's family is beyond strange, but that her husband is a complete stranger. Say what? Yep, turns out the man she married is in love with his teen-aged niece - Yikes! Secrets, infidelities, jealousies, and small town dramas erupt throughout this convoluted story about family, love, and loss. The characters are awful and make caring about them impossible, which means you don't care to find out what will happen to them. All in all, a predictable story that goes nowhere.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview The Glass Forest by Cynthia Swanson.
The timeline is set in the 1960's centered around three women and family secrets, disappearances, and stories. This is told in flashbacks.
There are alot of characters and the plot line was slow for me.
Found it difficult to finish, however, those who like thick plot lines may enjoy this one.

Interesting story but way too slow for my liking. I can see a lot others enjoying this, however.

I really felt the premise of this story was strong and I was intrigued with the initial pages and set up. The story alternates perspectives between Angie, Ruby, and Silja and while I didn't love this it worked ok to propel the story forward. My main critique is this is a very meandering plot and even by 50 % I was wondering if anything was going to happen. It seemed to be mainly a character study and the only character I cared at all for was Silja. I kept hoping the pace would pick up but it really didn't but finally at around 75% things started happening but by then the plot twists were unremarkable and pretty predictable. I read mainly to fins out about Silja's character and in the end I was very disappointed. I think those who enjoy drawn out character studies with subtle unreliability and can hold out until the very end for things to transpire may like this

I struggled a bit with this book to get into the multiple characters and storylines, but it was an enjoyable read overall. I would recommend to friends, and I will definitely read more from Cynthia Swanson!