... what drives the horticultural explorers in Beatrice Colin’s The Glass House is more than the thrill of discovery or the excitement of outfoxing the competition. And what motivates the women they leave behind is even more complicated ... At the end of the novel, Colin’s plotting takes a few unconvincing turns, but what rings true up until then is the approach-avoidance dance of Antonia and Cicely, women of very different backgrounds and personalities who share a common problem—dealing with the prejudices and assumptions of a world where men are expected to make all the important decisions.
Balmarra itself is another character in the story, filled with family treasures and portraits, with a spectacular glass house on the grounds containing rare plant specimens from all over the world. Offer this to fans of historical fiction, women’s stories, and Scotland.
Colin’s lovely storytelling conveys the stark reality of women’s lives in the post-Victorian era. While vastly different in personality and temperament, Antonia and Cicely are similarly pigeonholed into roles not of their choosing, but the result of decisions made by the men in their lives. For fans of historical and women’s fiction.
... alluring ... Colin’s lyrical depictions of early-20th-century India and Scotland provide an immersive view of the characters’ experiences, particularly in Cicely’s view of damp, dank Glasgow after arriving from India, and family secrets add to the intrigue over the inheritance of Balmarra. Colin’s final work is a fine achievement.
