The Sound of Glass

Great story, enjoy today, don’t wait for tomorrow. It’s a mystery, love story and more. So many lessons to learn.

I discovered The Sound of Glass while mulling through hundreds of books on Netgalley. I was thirsty for a gripping story, one that wouldn’t make me feel reluctant to turn the page, one that would plant me in my chair for hours, a read that would only afford me enough time to take a short break and quickly return to finish it. The Sound of Glass did that for me. I began reading on a Tuesday and finished on a Thursday. Without giving away too many details, a thing I hate when people write reviews (we’re not asked to write a synopsis), Karen White took a domestic issue and seamlessly threaded it through the book without ever causing the reader to revolt and end the reading experience. The way she picked at the main issue a snippet at a time was a brilliant move. I also greatly appreciated the way Karen White stuck to her theme. The tinkling glass and the turbulence it goes through at the bottom of the ocean give it the fortitude to withstand the carelessness of everyday life. This beautiful theme was carried throughout the book, its subjects masquerading around with hardened faces to keep themselves from crashing to the floor. The characters come alive in this novel, reminding the reader either one of them could be your neighbor, brother or sister, mother or daughter. The southern twang of an Alabamian contrasted the sensitivity and culture of another from Maine. The unhealthy mental state of one contrasted a person's serene demeanor. Love, like the glass going through turbulence on the ocean’s floor, is slow to take form, made stronger with time. All of it realistic and believable. The characters are familiar, distinct, served a unique purpose, and all are tightly interwoven. The plot made you read as fast as humanly possible to find a resolution. It required pencil and paper, a diagram chart, a family tree—well, almost. You never slowed or entertained thoughts of shoving the book aside for another. You’re caught … trapped … up to your neck in this story. As for Karen White’s writing abilities, she would greatly benefit from using restraint when writing with so many filler words. Too often, she used too many words to convey her message. When writers do this, they lose clarity. And the lack of clarity forces her audience to revisit paragraphs numerous times. To her credit, Karen White had this beautiful knack of invoking life’s lessons through one particular character. The lessons were so well placed throughout the story that I found myself writing them down. Examples of direct quotes: (1) “Even in the blackest darkness, there is always light shining somewhere”; (2) “Everybody dies, but not everybody lives”; (3) “The greatest moments in life are usually the smallest”; (4) “Never give a lady a tube of lipstick without a mirror”; (5) “You look prettier than a pat of butter melting on a short stack”; and (6) “Courage isn’t the absence of fear. Courage is doing the one thing you think you cannot do.” Of course, this isn’t all the lessons noted in the book, but you get the idea. Karen White was foreign to me. But during my search for a good book, her book magnet caught my attention. I liked the title. I read the synopsis. I read the first chapter on Amazon. Then reserved it in my desktop Kindle soon after I finished my review of The London Bookshop Affair by Louise Fein. The Sound of Glass deals with a sensitive issue and much care is needed when deciding to read it. On occasion, you may weep. Be prepared for it. What you won’t find among these pages is a boring read. I’m over the moon about that.

I received an ARC of The Sounds of Glass via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. In The Sound of Glass, young widow Merritt Heyward inherits the childhood home of her dead husband, Cal. Merritt abandons her life in Maine to move to Beaufort, SC, where she hopes to learn more about the husband she lost. Before she can even more into her new home, her step-mother and the half-brother she's never met show up, complicating Merritt's life even further. Together, they begin to unravel Cal's past and learn to be a family again. It's hard to pick out one favorite thing about The Sound of Glass. I truly loved everything about it. The narration moved smoothly between the three narrators: Merritt, Loralee and Edith. The combination of the plane mystery and the family relationships made the novel fast paced and hard to put down. Although, I do have to admit that I had a favorite character. I adored Loralee and her Journal of Truths entries. Her wisdom was refreshing. I also liked that she saw the best parts of Merritt and wanted more for her. I was inspired by how Loralee dealt with the hand she was given in life and how she was raising her son, Owen. Merrit was a character I had a love/hate relationship with. Just when I would be annoyed with her actions and start to dislike her, she would explain herself or Loralee would think of something her husband had told her about Merritt and I would like her again. Seeing her growth throughout the entire novel was very fulfilling. Edith's glimpses of the past really shaped how I saw not just Heyward family, but Cal and Merritt's relationship as well. The only thing more that I might have wanted out of Karen White was a chance to hear the thoughts in Gibbes' head. There must have been so much running through his mind! He was such a cool character. The Sound of Glass is one of the best books I've read so far this year. That doesn't surprise me, as I always love anything Karen White writes. She truly knows how to mix mystery, romance, family and the Southern landscape into beautifully heartbreaking and fulfilling tales.

I enjoyed the story from beginning to end and found joy amidst the tragedies life can bring. It is a story of weakness and strength and the struggle to define what rules in the characters’ lives.

I chose this book at random, having never read anything by the author before. I've read one other book that did the back and forth narration/view point between present-day characters, interspersed with a narrative that had taken place years ago. It is an effective technique to fill in gaps and do a slow reveal to a secret. The first half of the book, I thought, moved well and introduced the characters. They were flawed and not always likeable, but I like that in characters and it kept pulling me along. Unfortunately, the second half of the book was trite and predictable and almost seemed to be written by a different person. It lost my interest. Nothing surprised me, there was nothing new that we haven't read or seen hundreds of times already. It was disappointing.

Well written story weaving together several women across different generations who were victims of domestic violence. The location and setting are as much a part of the story as any character. In spite of the sad and very flawed characters, the story is ultimately inspirational. A colorful character in the story maintains a "journal of truth" throughout where she jots down as many words of wisdom that she can come up with for each situation that arises. Some are cliche, some are humorous, but all really do have kernels of truth and wisdom.

Learned so much from this intelligent woman. So much. Great read. Introspective for many of us. Take your time reading. No rush

I absolutely loved the character of Loralee, she really came to life for me, I don't want to give any spoilers and ruin it so I will stick to a broader opinion. I gave it 5 stars, but really thought it deserved 4.5 since I have to put either 4 or 5 stars I gave it 5. A good enough story that has all the right ingredients to make it a truly wonderful read. It made me laugh, made me cry, had a little mystery, enough suspense to want to keep reading to find out what happens. I didn't think the story was long at all, I was sad when I got to the end, that's how I know its a good story, when I don't want it to end, that why I gave it 4.5. parts,I have never read a book by Karen White before but after reading the sound of glass, I will definitely be reading more from this author. I am one that reads the description of a book, then I go to the reviews and then I make a purchase. I was really surprised by some of the low reviews, but I guess everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I read a lot of books, all different genre, for entertainment, I would rather read than watch TV most times, and when you get lost in a story you know its a good book and that's what this book did for me.

I just loved this novel. Couldn't put in down. It has everything: mystery, romance, superb writing and although the ending was somewhat predictable it still made for an excellent read down to the last page. This is my second novel by this author and I promise myself to read every one she wrote. Treat yourself and read this novel!

Intelligently written. I can not wait to read more of her work

An excellent read.

good

Karen White never disappoints. She is a masterful storyteller. Her characters are so well persons in their own right. This was a difficult story to read but it breathed healing. Loved it