Book Review: GIRL THROUGH GLASS by Sari Wilson

I was given an advance copy of GIRL THROUGH GLASS in December and finally picked it up yesterday, planning to give it a small measure of my attention for a couple weeks until I could finish it. To my surprise and delight, it captured my full attention and I consumed the whole book within 24 hours. It’s hard to believe this is Sari Wilson’s first novel—it is written with a wonderful literary style. She is able to put words to feelings in a way not many authors can.

Maybe it’s because I could relate to the story as a dancer, but I think it’s much more than that. I believe she’s an author I’ll keep an eye on, and whose work I’ll devour just as easily no matter the subject. Sari’s writing is a thing of beauty; her expressions are refreshing and original, such as when she describes Mira having her hair done by a woman who holds the bobby pins in her teeth. “The lady pulled and tugged and clutched at Mira. The bobby pins the lady gripped in her teeth moved up and down like insect antennae trying to communicate something dire.”

The flow of the book worked its magic as well, weaving the life of a young girl growing into a woman between scenes of the grown woman’s present day life until the two come together and the story is complete. Sari Wilson has created suspense that I wasn’t even aware was building until the truth of what happened to this girl became crystal clear. It caught me completely by surprise, in a very good way.

GIRL THROUGH GLASS by Sari Wilson is well done. She exposes the stark realities of the ballet world with an authenticity that will make real ballerinas nod in agreement, and delivers it in a beautifully written story about characters I came to love.