An interesting piece of historical fiction set in Iceland in 1686 where Rosa finds herself suddenly betrothed to Jon Eiriksson to alleviate the struggles of herself and her mother. Jon's village is remote and unwelcoming and while the villagers distrust Rosa as an interloper, Rosa distrusts her new husband and the real circumstances around the death of his first wife.

The wildness bareness of Iceland is the perfect setting for a story clothed in mystery and suspicion. The isolation stokes the unsettling atmosphere and plays on Rosa's loneliness and paranoia and Lea does a wonderful job of describing the forbidding surroundings and atmosphere. The pacing is inconsistent and the story starts to drag once the newness of Rosa's situation wears off. Jon and Rosa's relationship is stifling, and meant to be that way, with Jon demanding total obedience and forbidding her to enter the loft space. Unfortunately this nod to Bluebeard isn't capitalized on and there is a lot of repetition that prevents the plot from moving on and the characters from developing in any significant way. In a similar way, the references to folklore, from the rumours that the apprentice Petur is one of the "hidden folk" and Rosa's admitted love of the Sagas never come to much leaving the story feeling disjointed and unsure of what it is trying to be.

"In love, every one of us is a cross, every one of us a Christ."

Rosa is a strong willed young woman but desperately naive. She believes love will come from simply being married and doesn't realise, love is something that exists as easy as breathing. The story itself is not overly taxing for the reader and it seems to take a long time to progress. Having said that, if you read this book, listen to Tchaikovsky's 'Liturgy of St John Chysostom' to set the mood.

Didn't quite enjoy this in the way I expected too but I can see how others may enjoy it. For me it was a little flat.

Well, this was certainly an interesting read. It's a historical novel set in Iceland, where Rósa marries a total stranger from another village in order to provide for her sick mother. Jón, her new husband, has recently lost his wife; though the specifics of this are unknown. There are rumours amongst his village regarding her fate, but when Rósa tries to speak to him about it, he refuses to answer. He becomes angry easily and remains incredibly distant. He does not let Rósa go to the village often, or have company at their home. He also forbids her from going up to the loft, where Rósa hears strange noises at night.
From the start, there is a foreboding, eerie atmosphere. There are some shifts in the narrative between Jón and Rósa, but most of the novel is told from Rósa's perspective. Jón's chapters sometimes jump about temporally, which isn't always made clear, so can be a little confusing. But his parts are incredibly interesting in that we slowly learn more about him, his childhood, and his relationship with his late wife, Anna.
There are lots of disturbing moments in this book, and lots of mystery. The time period was fraught with oppression and it is clear throughout this book. Rósa, although incredibly unhappy, remains dedicated to playing the role of a 'good wife'; even while she is trying to discover why Jón is so distant, what happened to Anna, and why the loft is locked.
I found the second half of the book to be especially exciting and intriguing. We begin to get the answers we wanted throughout the book, and we get a very bittersweet ending. (It really is as bittersweet as it could get.) Rósa's character has been criticised by other readers, and I certainly see why; although she occasionally stands up for herself a little later in the book, most of the time she is incredibly meek and timid. She stammers repeatedly and obeys almost every order she's given. Of course, she is just trying to placate her husband and act the part of a quiet, submissive woman and wife, but it is quite infuriating to read at times.
There's a lot of imagery and metaphor throughout this book, and a kind of lyrical, dark fairytale feel. Overall, I really enjoyed it, particularly the second half. 4 stars.

This was a very striking ,compelling read!
The tension in places was utterly breathtaking, the,feeling of the cold of.the 17th century enveloped me.
I felt like I had been whisked to a Catherine Cookson adventure.
I was.in a bit of a reading lull but this took me right out of it.
Fantastic characters ,storyline and perfect execution of a by gone era

I am in charge of the senior library and work with a group of Reading Ambassadors from 16-18 to ensure that our boarding school library is modernised and meets the need of both our senior students and staff. It has been great to have the chance to talk about these books with our seniors and discuss what they want and need on their shelves. I was drawn to his book because I thought it would be something different from the usual school library fare and draw the students in with a tempting storyline and lots to discuss.
This book was a really enjoyable read with strong characters and a real sense of time and place. I enjoyed the ways that it maintained a cracking pace that kept me turning its pages and ensured that I had much to discuss with them after finishing. It was not only a lively and enjoyable novel but had lots of contemporary themes for our book group to pick up and spend hours discussing too.
I think it's important to choose books that interest as well as challenge our students and I can see this book being very popular with students and staff alike; this will be an excellent purchase as it has everything that we look for in a great read - a tempting premise, fantastic characters and a plot that keeps you gripped until you close its final page.

Unfortunately I didn’t love this one as much as I was hoping to. I liked the idea behind it and the storyline, but it fell flat for me. I can see why some people love this one, but it just wasn’t for me.

its very different and although its very descriptive it didnt win me over. Its an ok read if a bit weird at times and i dont get title at all but i finished it at a push.

A truly wonderful book set in the wilderness of Iceland in the 17th century. The Glass Woman is the extraordinary second book by Caroline Lea that is well worthy of the hype. It is beautifully written, full of spectacular descriptions of the bleak landscape and a highly engaging page turning masterpiece, where I was on Rosa’s side every step of the way.

A young woman, Rosa, follows her new husband Jon Eiríksson back to his remote village in Stykkisholmur. They have only just met, but she feels she could not refuse his proposal of marriage after Jon promises to provide food and warmth for Rosa’s ailing mother in her home village to help her survive the unforgiving winter. However once in Stykkisholmur, Rosa discovers she is isolated and her fellow villagers view her with suspicion and distrust. Jon refuses to talk to Rosa about his first wife, or what happened to her, and demands she keeps her distance from the other villagers.

Feeling more and more lonely and disconnected from her mysterious husband, Rosa begins to start hearing noises and footsteps in the locked attic and finding objects in the croft. She has heard whispers of the huldufólk and runes from the old days, before magic and superstition were replaced by Christianity and women accused of being witches burnt alive or drowned. With winter on its way and then no way to leave the village for months on end, Rosa begins to worry that she will suddenly disappear like Jon’s first wife Anna or be driven mad by the strange noises.

The Glass Woman is a haunting and compelling novel of love, hope, suspense, struggles, intrigue, friendship, mystery and the power of superstitions, myths, folklore and legends. It has the feel of a gothic novel with the barren landscapes, the claustrophobia of being stranded in a cut off village and the menacing atmosphere. There are comparisons to be found to Jane Eyre; with the moody seemingly disinterested husband, the talk of the first wife and issues caused for Rosa the second wife, the attic and talk of a mad person locked inside. The atmosphere is certainly spot on for a gothic novel.

Currently busy trying to find some more gems like this to have me spellbound again. Can’t give it enough stars. Definitely one for you if you’ve read and enjoyed The Bear and the Nightingale, The Miniaturist or Once Upon a River.

With many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for the opportunity to read this ARC, in return for an honest and unbiased review.

In a land haunted by witch trials, this darkly atmospheric thriller akin to Daphne Du Maurier will not disappoint. Expect suspense, a secret love story and one hell of a plot twist.

I'll admit I was just drawn in by the pretty cover on this one, but then what followed was like The Miniaturist meets Burial Rites. Atmospheric and compelling.

A compelling novel set in seventeenth century Iceland.
It centres around the beliefs and suspicions of the people of that time. It demonstrates women’s place in society and the way that they are seen as property of men and bullied into submission and if they rebelled are preserved as a problem and labelled as witches.
At times the story reminded me of the writing of the Bronties with reminisces of Jane Eyre.
In a very delicate way it also deals with the love of men for each other be it in a brotherly way or homosexual.

A delicious atmosphere expertly crafted and maintained propels the plot which centers on women's lack of agency in 17th century Iceland. As Rosa attempts to figure out what is going on within this small town, Lea carries the suspense finely through good character development.

This felt like a bit of a slow read to start - but the characterisations were excellent, as was the sense of the world they inhabited. Got more drawn in as the story went on.

Set in 17th century Iceland, Lea's novel tells of Rosa, a young woman who agrees to marry Jon Eiriksson to ensure her ailing mother benefits from her alliance to a wealthy man, and the community she encounters when she goes to live in the remote village of Stykkisholmur. Rosa is directed to keep to herself and avoid the villagers but she hears odd rumours about the death of Jon's first wife Anna, grows increasingly lonely, and hears strange noises from the loft her husband keeps locked.

The landscape is a character in itself, comprising of the looming mountains, volcanic rock, and turf covered crofts all encircled by the changing moods of the sea.

There are dark themes, tension and mysteries. It is a book about fear; fear of outsiders, fear of difference, and fear of judgement, expressed by a tendency to cultivate isolation to avoid malicious gossip.

Lea evokes the superstition and knowledge of the sagas that the women, particularly, cling to as a framework for understanding and predicting life in a harsh environment.

It is also a book about love and desire, the importance of human connection, and it is ultimately hopeful. Beautiful writing, wonderful descriptions of Iceland, period detail, compelling characters. Loved it!

An exquisite saga of forbidden love, secrets and survival in 17th century Iceland. I was utterly spellbound by the descriptions of the unforgiving landscapes, the tough lives led and the story which had me gripped throughout. Gorgeously told, beautifully described and a must-read.

This was one of those books I requested from NetGalley on a whim based on a very pretty cover and a blurb that made it sound like just my type of read and boy was I right. There was something so compelling about the writing that from the very first page I was hooked and more or less devoured the whole thing in a day. It has a wonderful mix of historical fiction and murder mystery with a little bit of the supernatural thrown in for good measure.

The author picked the perfect setting and time period for this story and the writing is absolutely wonderful. There's such a great sense of place and it's very easy to imagine life in this remote Icelandic community or in main character Rosa's case on the outskirts of it. It's a cold and forbidding place, with a real feel of remoteness and isolation. From the very start there's a tense and chilly atmosphere and the author somehow manages to maintain this even when there's not a lot of action.

The story is told primarily from the point of view of Rosa and follows her as she travels to this strange new place to live with her new husband, who she barely knows, and tries to figure out what happened to his first wife, what secrets he's keeping and why the town view them with distrust. Interspersed with this are brief chapters set a few months later after the discovery of a body of a woman in the ice, told from the point of view of husband Jon. I did prefer Rosa's chapters but the little hints and suggestions of what's to come from Jon do make for an addictive read.

I don't want to go into too much detail about the characters as I feel it'll give too much away but I loved how complex they were and how they develop over the course of the story. No one is wholly good or bad and actually it's very difficult to get a handle on who they really are and whether they can be trusted. Even Rosa is the typical unreliable narrator as while she's likeable and comes across as very meek and naive for a lot of the story, she's also intelligent and passionate. She's superstitious and seems to have an active imagination and a fondness for stories which make it hard to tell at times what is real and what's in her head.

I did love the way the author worked folklore and mythology into the story and in particular the clash between these old ways and the strict religious beliefs of the time that forbid any kind of superstition or traditional practices, viewing them as blasphemy or witchcraft.

Overall this may not be a fast paced, action packed read but it's a truly compelling story that had me gripped from the very start till the very end. It was unexpected and unlike anything I'd read before and I kind of loved it.

It was no picnic living in 17th century Iceland. The conditions were harsh and the people were even more so. Rosa, who just about survived with her mother on day by day basis, feels forced to accept the marriage proposal of a trader from far away who will keep her mother fed and warm. She is drawn into a life of secrets and uncertainty which is ruled by coldness and need. Her new husband, Jon, has lost his wife fairly recently and locals shun him and accuse him of getting rid of her. His helper, Petur, is dark and worrying and an outsider. The story is very atmospheric, quietly ratcheting up the tension and making us feel the suspicions and fear that abounded. I didn't like the sudden switch to first person narrative by Jon every so often as it confused me, it broke the line of the story. It did serve to fill in the back stories but for me just muddled things. Overall, a chilling, well-written thriller.

I always enjoy a historical fiction to get my teeth into and I have a fascination with the Scandinavian countries and Viking history. I did struggle initially to get absorbed into ‘The Glass Woman’ but once I managed to get a few chapters in I really started to enjoy the story.

The story follows a young woman called Rosa who lives in a village in Iceland, who in order to save her elderly mothers life is married onto a leader of another village. Rosa’s new husband Jon is full of mystery and Rosa finds him quite frightening.

Rosa feels isolated in her new home and her husband orders her to keep away from the other villagers, although she finds a way to make a friend. At times her life feels as if it is in danger and she hears gossip of Jon’s first wife and how she came to meet her death.

This story was quite dark at times and set in a land that was forbidding during the time, I enjoyed an insight into the history of Iceland from the movement from paganism to Christianity.

The Glass Woman opens in November 1686 with a body rising to the surface of the frozen sea just off the coast of Iceland. Amongst the crowd who gather to watch and to try to pull the body from the water is one man who knows more than he’s willing to admit. A man who ‘remembers carrying the heavy body in the winding sheet, weighted with stones; remembers his wound paining him as they scraped through the snow and smashed the ice with long staves before sliding the body in’.

We then go back a few months to the August of that year, when Rósa comes to live in the village of Stykkishólmur with her new husband, Jón. She knows very little about Jón but he had promised to see that her ailing mother was cared for if she married him, so she felt she had to accept his proposal. Rósa finds it difficult to settle into her new life; she misses her mother and her childhood friend Páll and her husband is proving to be disappointingly cold and distant. The other women of the village seem to be reluctant to befriend Rósa and she soon discovers that this is because there is some sort of mystery surrounding the death of Jón’s first wife, Anna.

Alone and isolated in Jón’s croft, Rósa listens to strange noises coming from the loft above but she is unable to investigate because her husband keeps the loft door locked and has forbidden her to try to enter. He expects her to be meek and obedient, as symbolised by the small glass woman he gave her as a wedding present, but Rósa has other ideas. She has questions that must be answered. Who or what has been hidden away in that secret locked room? What really happened to Anna? And what sort of man has she married?

The Glass Woman is a beautifully written novel; Iceland is a setting I always find atmospheric and interesting and in this book it is more than just a setting – the landscape itself plays a part in the development of the story. I liked Rósa and understood how difficult the situation was that she found herself in, unable to trust her husband yet doing her best to make the marriage work, while suspecting that he may have done something terrible and that she herself could be in danger.

Most of the novel is written from Rósa’s point of view, but there are also some chapters narrated by another character and set at a slightly earlier time. Although this did help to fill in some of the gaps in Rósa’s knowledge, I thought it was done in a way that confused things rather than clarified them. The structure seemed to slow the story down and I didn’t find myself becoming fully absorbed until near the end of the book when the various threads began to come together and the truth started to emerge.

Overall, though, I did enjoy reading The Glass Woman. Some of the plot elements in the first half of the book made me think of Jane Eyre and others of Rebecca, but as the story moved forward I knew it wasn’t going to be exactly like either of those other novels and that Caroline Lea had written something quite different.