I requested Glass Sword right after finishing Red Queen because the book was just THAT GOOD. I couldn't wait. And I absolutely flew through Glass Sword as well because it certainly didn't disappoint.
I'll start with the negatives first because I like to get those out of the way. And, really, there's only one major point that I want to bring up. Cal and Mare is obviously a relationship that has been building up since Red Queen, and in Glass Sword it made a bit more progress. I was okay with that. I don't OTP them, but they'll do as a ship. But what I didn't like was the fact that Mare kept repeating the fact that Cal was oh-so-bad for her and she "can't let him go". She said this so many times, and it was annoyingly redundant and repetitive. I was unimpressed. Like, I ship it, but you're in the middle of a war and there's no need to keep telling me what you should do but can't at the most inopportune moments.
Another slightly more minor thing I didn't like was how Mare completely blacked out during a fight scene, and all we got to see was the aftermath. Like, the action wasn't described to the reader and next thing we know people are dead and Mare is leaving the area. I would have liked it to have been described, because one of the deaths was a HUGE one and I felt like it should have been the main focus of the scene.
Anyway, MARE IS WONDERFUL AND I LOVE HER. She's going through a hell of a lot in this book. She's been manipulated and abused - both emotionally and mentally - and in Glass Sword she is feeling the effects. I love how she is a different person to how she was in Red Queen but is still true to herself. She's having so many conflicting feelings and thoughts and emotions because of how she's been - and is being - treated. She's just a girl, and she's having to grow up and lead this army and win this war. And people are judging the fuck out of her for it but she's continuing anyway and wanting to do what she thinks is best. Clarke Griffin, anyone? I made that connection earlier and nearly fell off my chair because characters and people alike judge Clarke for every decision she makes, even though sometimes there's no other choice. As Queen Clarke has said before, sometimes there aren't any good decisions. You have to work with what you've got. I LOVE MARE BARROW AND SHE IS MY RED QUEEN.
I also love that the superpowers are amped up in this book. In Red Queen we got to know the various houses and powers of the Silvers, and now we're seeing different ones when it comes to the newbloods. The newbloods are dangerous and badass and the Silvers should be very afraid. In Glass Sword, Mare and the others are trying to save newbloods from Maven. We meet so many new and interesting characters. My particular favourites are Ada and Cameron, of course.
We also see more of Mare's family in Glass Sword, particularly Shade. WHO I LOVE. He's the sweetest. I hope we get to know Mare's other brothers more in the sequel and the final book, because I think the whole Barrow family is interesting. We don't know much about either Bree or Tramy because Mare has always been closest to Shade, so I want to know more about the both of them.
The ending turns this fight into a whole different ball game. I was shocked at what happened at the very end (with the cage), even though I really shouldn't have been. And the whole kneeling thing made me SO MAD. SO MAD. I DID NOT SURVIVE SPARTACUS TO EXPERIENCE THIS. I also really liked how the world is expanding and we're getting to know more about other countries and territories. There is so much to explore within this world and I want to know everything.
I've seen many complaints about how this series isn't the most original one out there, and I have to agree. But in this case, unoriginal doesn't necessarily mean bad. I have developed a bond with the characters and I am so deep into this pit that I'm not sure I can wait until next year for the next book. Unoriginal doesn't matter to me at this point, because this book has everything that I want. With superpowers, thrilling action sequences, upsetting moments, and amazing character development, the only thing Glass Sword is really missing is an OTP. But that can come later.