Customer Reviews

Shattering Glass

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(29)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

There are plenty of books out there in which a group of high school students end up accidentally, or otherwise, killing either a classmate or a schoolteacher. Usually there's a great amount of build up to the event. Maybe it's a mystery that you reach at the end. Maybe the kids are innocent of the crime and it's all about clearing their names. In the case of "Shattering Glass", however, the protagonist Young Steward does away with any and all misunderstandings right from the start. "Simon Glass was easy to hate. I never knew exactly why, there was too much to pick from. I guess, really, we each hated him for a different reason, but we didn't realize it until the day we killed him". And we're off!

Four good buddies, Young, Rob, Bob, and Coop are the top of the pecking order at B'Vale High School. They're handsome, popular, and all around respected fellows. Rob is the unquestioned leader of the group, so when he proposes a crazy quest nobody raises any objections. Rob has honed in on one Simon Glass, the resident loser of the school. Glass is fat, uncool, and socially backward. For Rob the ultimate challenge becomes the success of Simon Glass. He becomes obsessed with it, using all his charm and resources to persuade people to help him in his crazy scheme. Ever the follower, Young doesn't question Rob's goals. Not even when he discovers the dark secret hiding in his best friend's past. By the time the book reaching its horrifying conclusion you've already learned what happens to the four friends and the unfortunate Simon Glass.

The book isn't a whodunit. It's a towhatextentdunit. By reading the little quotes that appear at the beginning of each chapter the reader begins to get a sense of what happened the night of Simon's death. The question isn't what happened so much as it is, "Who was involved?". It's more, "To what extent was Young involved?". Giles is the master of the slow reveal. She gives us just enough information throughout the story to be interested. Then she'll toss in the occasional tantalizing detail just to suck us deeper into the story. Best of all, Giles never creates a character without there being some kind of backstory involved. If someone does something cruel or unfeeling, you can probably bet they've their own problems hidden away somewhere. What I liked best of all was the character of Glass himself. Simultaneously a victim and a victimizer, the object of everyone's attention turns out to be far cannier than anyone ever suspected. In a way, I saw this book as a kind of updated "The Chocolate War". In both cases a charming teen at the height of his school's society feels a need to keep himself at the top of the pecking order through the rigid control of others. The only difference is, in "The Chocolate War" the villain decides to destroy a fellow student. In this book, he aims to recreate him. And the results are almost identical.

Giles has debuted with a powerful first novel. The book isn't, for the record, actually as good as "The Chocolate War", but it is the rare young adult novel that makes you think. There's a lot of power behind Giles' words and her characters are a fascinating study. As a former substitute teacher, she's aware of her subject matter and their social constraints. Best of all, the book never falls into that old trap of an adult writing for teens and including lots of "hip" teen slang. The closest this book ever comes to slang is the occasional "Yo!". I can live with that. In the end, "Shattering Glass" deserves its praise. It may not be the nicest book about teen popularity out there, but it's certainly not the cruelest.

"Shattering Glass" is a suspenseful novel written by Gail Giles about the murder of a high school senior named Simon Glass. The book is narrated by a straight-A student named Young Steward. He's one of the most popular boys in Simon's school, but only because he's a close friend of the even more popular and charismatic Rob Haynes. Simon is a geek who's hated by just about the entire student body, but Rob has other plans for him. He decides to make it his mission to turn Simon into the most liked kid in the whole school. Simon goes along with it at first, but it isn't long before the newly confident Simon starts coming up with some devious plans of his own.

On the very first page of the first chapter of this book, Young admits that he himself and his friends are the ones responsible for murdering Simon. So a book can't be very exciting when you already know the ending, right? Well, you'd be surprised. "Shattering Glass" has an incredibly suspenseful storyline filled with twists and surprises that I never even saw coming! You'll be so anxious to know when, how, and especially why the murder occurred that it will probably be hard to put the book down! Young retells the events leading up to the killing with such emotion and detail that you might even find yourself feeling more pity for him than for Simon. At the beginning of every chapter are quotes from people somehow associated with the murderers or the victim. The quotes are from many years after the incident occurred, and by reading these statements and opinions you can slowly piece together exactly what happened on the fateful day of Simon's death.

"Shattering Glass" is a very entertaining book that I would recommend to everyone. A lot of the issues dealt with in this story can really make you view people in an entirely different way. It gives you a first-hand look into the darker side of high school popularity, while constantly reminding you that nothing is ever as it appears.

Author Gail Giles takes a well worn plot line - turning the class loser into Mr. Popularity - and turns it into a much deeper exploration of power, conformity, and boundaries. Simon Glass is pretty much a stereotypical senior class loser; overweight, smart beyond comprehension, poorly dressed, nervous, and clumsy. Rob Haynes has been the most popular senior in school ever since he waltzed into town about a year ago and effortlessly stole that honor from Lance Ansley. The novel begins with Lance attempting to recapture some attention from his classmates by humiliating Simon. This quickly rubs Rob the wrong way, and he enlists his three closest friends and biggest fans, Young, Coop, and Bob, to help him transform Simon from a loser to a popular part of their social set. The usual makeover scenes occur, and Rob helps Simon find ways to befriend each of the boys in their social scene, from taking the ACTs for Coop to fixing Young's schedule in the school's computer so that his father won't know he's taking a Creative Writing class. But things begin to turn around ever so slightly when Rob becomes obsessed with getting Simon elected Most Popular. Rob begins to ask enormous favors from his friends, including asking Young to dump his girlfriend so that Simon can take her to the senior Favorite's Dance. And Simon himself has begun to act differently. He's standing up to Rob in small ways, and he's careful to remind each boy he's ever helped that he could always undo the favor. In the middle of these events, Simon and Young make a startling discovery about Rob. Tipped off by a name discrepancy in Rob's file, the two head to the library where they discover that Rob moved from a nearby town shortly after his father was convicted of sexually abusing him for nearly six years, contrary to the lies Rob had told upon his arrival. When Simon pulls his most daring act of defiance against Rob, the situation grows extremely violent. Simon then reveals Rob's secrets to the group of friends and ultimately pays the price with his life.

This title was well named as an ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, as it's certainly a page turner. The structure of the novel gives just the right amount of mystery, and the opening quotes from various people in the community are a very nice touch.

Giles sets up a structure within the novel that asks readers to consider how different individuals "patch a hole" in other people, by doing or saying something that soothes a deep and secret worry or fear. We see Rob do this for Young, we're to assume that he's been able to do that same thing for the other boys in his close clique of friends, and we see Rob helping Simon try to do the same thing for the boys with his craftily chosen favors. So Rob becomes the mystery. Why is Rob so determined to elevate Simon's social status? Why is he so determined to take Lance to the depths of loser-dom? The only clue that Giles gives us is the information that Rob's father sexually abused him for many years, and the narrator leads us to suspect that Rob is trying to somehow patch a hole inside himself with the Simon situation. Suffice to say that there's a lot of room for thinking between the questions and the clue, and quite frankly, I think it's too much room. As well-written and fast-paced as this book is, I really wanted a more thoughtful look into how Rob's past led him to the actions in this book. The psychological implications of sexual abuse are tossed about here in a fashion too casual for quality literature, and with a few well chosen paragraphs Giles could have moved the reader into a far more respectful place of curiosity about the relationship between sexual abuse and violence. Given the shallow depth of each character and the likewise superficial exploration of the troubling circumstances that led to a terrible crime, I think most readers will close the last page on this book without much backward reflection.

"Shattering Glass" is a powerful examination of what it takes to become popular, and what happens when the power structure of a society/school is dramatically shifted.

The narrator's best friend decides to give the school "loser" a makeover in order for him to become popular and eventually be voted Class Favorite for the seniors. His three pals warm to the task, but the narrator is repelled by the outcast, especially after he senses that the boy is more manipulative and rebellious than he lets on. The boy also has an uncanny ability to ferret out secrets and weaknesses that others would prefer to keep hidden. When he uses this power against this group of friends, tragedy ensures, in a very Y2K way.

Unlike one reviewer, I did not find the profanity gratuitous but used for effect in very specific scenes. However, I did feel the author at times was trying to hard to be colorful, coining the kinds of phrases that are used in movies like "Clueless" but not (often) by real life teens.

Shattering Glass, written by Gail Giles, was a terrific teen book. The book touches on topics such as love, lies, and a follow the leader type of feeling. The story takes place in a south western town, and is about a group of teenage boys who chose to take the "geekiest" boy in the school and attempt to make him "the class favorite" by the end of the year. Young is one of the main characters of the story; he faces a lot of hardships, because of the way his friend Rob wants things to turn out with Simon Glass, the nerd. Young discovers that Rob has been lying to them, about who he is and where is from, this gives Young a sense of betrayal, but he tries to understand, and doesn't say anything to Rob about it. The way the book is written has you wanting more until you reach the end, but then you still want more.
The book is interesting because of the way it is written, you think one thing will happen and another thing does. It also keeps you guessing. The book shows a darker side to highschool students. The book is overall very interesting and fun to read, however, in the beginning it is a little slow, but it picks up momentum quickly, however, and nothing major happens till around the last three pages of the book. It is however, catching, and an excellent book. The only problem is it takes too long to get to the most shocking part, but it is as I have said overall a good book.
The author does a great job at describing the life of a teenager, the fact that there is a major "social class" in highschool was depicted in the book in a perfect light. The book shows how peer pressure is a major way of the typical teenage lifestyle.
I love to read books, but I am very picky on which books I read, if a book doesn't grab my interest with in the first chapter I don't finish it. Shattering Glass grabbed my interest within the first few pages. The book affected me in many different ways, it showed how far some people would go for friends, and it shows the pressure of highschool, which I can really relate to, but it put it in a different point of view. My opinions on the topic in this book has not changed at all, I agreed with everything the author wrote, and the book was everything I thought it would be and more.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading books that hit on real subjects, for someone who wants to read what really happens in the world but in a fictional viewpoint. This was a great book and I highly recommend it. It would also make a great movie! I hope you like the book, and enjoy reading it!!!

Life's not always fair, I think that we can all agree with that. Someone may do something totally wrong and not get in trouble for it, while you on the other hand get blamed for everything and do nothing. This is how Young Steward felt in Shattering Glass. Young and his friends make a huge mistake that they never intended on doing. This is an easy-to-read book that will keep you turning page after page, it's lesson is one that you will never forget.

Young Steward is a part of Rob's posse. Rob Haynes moved to B'Vale their junior year, Young and himself became fast friends and stayed that way. Now it is their senior year and with assistance from their two buds, Coop and Bobster, they plan on transforming the class reject into Mr. Popularity. Simon Glass is overweight and a dork, constantly being bullied around by Lance, the used-to-be popular one, until Rob came along. While the gang helps Simon to become the stud of their senior class, Simon helps them along the way.

However, through all of this helping and generosity, Young, Coop, Bobster, and Rob begin to hate Simon just as everyone else does. They vent their anger towards him one night during the homecoming dance in the equipment room. The outcome is horrific, and not planned at all.

Shattering Glass is full of action, language, and has a twist of romance that will keep you turning pages until you reach the end. Life's not fair, no matter how many times we say it, it'll always be true, no matter how hard we wish, it'll always be true, no matter what... it will always be true. This story of how four boys totally wrecked their lives during their teen years is heartfelt and tragic, but contains that perfect life lesson. Life's not fair, but sometimes you just gotta deal with what you've been dealt.

This book is wonderful for high school students who have that certain enemy that they wish weren't there. It's also a great book for adults to draw that life lesson from and to always remember. Enjoy!

I read about 50 YA books a year, and this is not a good one. The characters are stereotypical, and the way the plot develops is totally implausible. This is a perfect case of a writer telling but not showing. The characters have no emotional depth.

In many school-related situations, or any situations for that matter, there is always the one person who is left out, picked on, or made fun of. This person is commonly treated so unfairly because they are different in some way. People often think that just because of the way someone dresses, thinks, or behaves, he or she is dysfunctional in some way and they feel the need to single this person out.
Shattering Glass, a semi-comical mystery story by Gail Giles, is about an outcast named Simon Glass. Rob, the most popular guy in school decides that he and his friends should take Simon under their wing and make him popular. Considering how low Simon stood on the popularity rankings, this idea seemed impossible. Simon was the typical, friendless nerd, who seemed to be everyone's target of offense. Some, in particular, went out of their way just to make things even tougher on Simon. The main characters of the book, Rob, Young, Coop, and Bob, the most popular guys in school do just the opposite by assigning themselves the new task of making Simon the most acceptable, or even liked guy in school. As the story advances, changes are evident in the characters. A newly discovered mystery of one of the boys' past, changes each of the boys' future; for the rest of their lives.
I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to any fan of mystery and some comedy, coming from the sarcastic teenagers. The book was very entertaining and kept me on the edge of my seat, but I am not a fan of sad endings and in a sense, this book's ending ruined the whole story. I do not want to say too much, so I recommend and encourage you to read this thrilling story.

Shattering Glass by Gail Giles was the most riveting, suspenseful, and relatable book I have ever read. This book captured my mind time and time again, taking me through the troubled experiences of such a troubled boy. Every aspect of this book reflects things that go on daily in my school environment.

I could easily relate to all experiences in this novel. Well... most of the experiences. Gail Giles has a wonderful knowledge of what happens in the life of a high school student and is able to recreate it on these wonderfully constructed pages.

Everything about this book is perfect. The foreshadows and the language; All pure and flawless. Experience the romance, passion, ridicule, triumph, and excitement this book has to offer. I know that my life is different now because of reading Shattering Glass.

I wish that I never had read Shattering Glass, just so that I can read it again for the first time.

Gail Giles wrote Shattering Glass with careful thought and planning which resulted in a one of a kind novel. The way she presents events and detail makes the reader want to keep reading. She has done an outstanding job.
Shattering Glass is a teen novel that is written in a way that teens can relate well to. Gail Giles writes about situations and things that any teenager in today's world would understand. For example, the narrator talks about a test that every high-schooler has to take: "Coop ran, loose and steady more at ease than I'd seen him in weeks, since he took the ACT" (150). The incorporation of real life situations is definitely a plus. Another example of a situation a teen can relate to is, ""Homecoming under the Stars. That was the theme of the big do. I guess the planning committee found posters from the zillion other years that Homecoming was under the stars. Every high school normally has a homecoming.
Giles's incorporation of character oral reflections at the beginning of every chapter is a key factor in making the reader want to not put the book down. These statements provide details hinting towards what happens in the end without giving the end away. These statements are mysterious and enticing. An example of one of the statements is, "And mostly I thought that the other students would learn something about the goodness of people from it. They learned something about people but nothing about goodness" (93).
The detailed descriptions of the settings in the novel sets up a good picture for the reader to visualize the setting. It makes it easy. An example of a description of a setting in the novel is, "The Galleria's three floors of upscale stores, plus four-star hotels, were covered with a glass dome. Trees grew in mammoth pots fountains sprayed in arches, and the centerpiece was an ice rink, the biggest of the few on the Texas Gulf Coast" (42).
Giles did a good job of using brand names that we can relate to in our 21st century. An example of this is when the narrator says, "Semi prep might do it. Kind of Eddie Bauer, L.L. Bean, or Banana Republic" (42).
The novel is worded to where it is almost impossible to not understand what is going on. Some novels, especially those of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, are worded in ways to where you almost have to be a college graduate with a master's degree to understand what they are talking about. Sometimes they are so confusing you just want to put them down. What makes this novel so fun to read is that it is written with a lot of straightforward details. It does not have all of the fancy figurative language that many novels written in the past have.
An interesting thing about this book is that it can be classified into several categories. It is a drama, comedy, romance, and thriller. So, no matter what type of book someone likes to read, this book will suit their preference.
In conclusion, the novel Shattering Glass will be a novel that will be around for a while. Any teenager would love this book. The novel's good description of setting, suspenseful statements, and ease of understanding work together to make this novel a successful one. Anyone who loves mystery, suspense, and romance will absolutely love this novel. This book is definitely a five star.