Book Review of Sand to Glass

​For every book we release, we'll be sure to post a review of it right around the time the book comes out. Our latest book, Sand to Glass by Remy Apepp, came out this Monday, November 1st. This review comes from Anna Winslow.

Take it away, Anna. . . .


Mesmerizing Dark Literary Fantasy
 
Sand to Glass follows the royal family of Ordyuk, and especially the princes and princess. At first, the kingdom is prosperous: a desert land of linen and gold, festivals and kohl. Then the Accursed begin to reappear: former humans who have been infected by an Accursed bite, they develop a taste for human flesh (they are literally unable to eat anything else) and can sprout arachnoid appendages both to heal themselves and to attack. The only way the kingdom has to battle back is with Blessed warriors—humans who have been blessed by the deities with extraordinary powers and correspondingly shorter lifespans. As the invasion gets worse and worse, we watch how the royal family deals with it.

Here, I would have liked a little more worldbuilding description . . . but I don’t really mind, because it’s not the point or crux of the story. Sand to Glass is not actually about running the kingdom or fighting the Accursed; it’s about the royal siblings:

Diyomendon, the crown prince, who is eternally furious but who also exerts extreme self-control. He lashes out verbally but acts wisely.

Naliki, the princess, who likes laughing at her brothers and who really loves them, but who is eternally and even compulsively manipulative.

Luxanthus, the second prince and the kingdom’s head warrior. He’s such a strong fighter that everyone thinks he’s Blessed, but although often silent, he’s no simpleton.

Rezekyrios, who is timid, unstable, and jittery. He has a bright mind with enormous retention, but can barely speak for himself. He is absolutely desperate to feel useful and equally certain he is not.

—That’s how all the characters start; but, of course, it isn’t how they finish. They learn and change and grow, becoming both stronger and more damaged, simultaneously combating monsters and their own psyches. What remains is a fascinating close-knit character study that avoids any hint of cliché, spoon-feeding, or foolishness.

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Our thanks to Anna! Check out our author interview with Remy Apepp here. And click here to read a really fun interview with several characters from ​Sand to Glass!

You can read the first section (it doesn't have chapters) of Sand to Glass in Remy's blog here.

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