The Glass Arrow by Kristen Simmons

Aya's been having a tough one hundred and seven days. After being ripped away from the wild, the only home she's ever known, she's been forced to live in a society where females are scarce and hunted, and, following their capture, bought and sold like animals before a slaughter. Aya would love to escape, but that's kind of difficult when she lives in a literal prison where watchmen and cameras are tracking her every move. But with the help a mute Driver and some ingenuity, Aya's getaway may not be as impossible as it seems.

At first glance, the Glass Arrow would seem to be a high fantasy. The glass arrow on the cover contributes to that, as well as the concept of a brand-new world with its own geography and customs. But unlike many other high fantasies out there, this world has been highly modernized. The technology is far advanced to our own. There is genetic engineering. Instead of basing this world off of Medieval Europe, Kristen Simmons cuts a unique path and creates something futuristic, which, after so many books following the same formula over and over, is refreshing.

In this novel, we follow the character of Aya as she navigates through this dystopic world. When I began this book, I initially wasn't too fond of her character. I found her to be impulsive and incredibly proud. In the story, she looks down on the other girls sharing the prison with her, considering them to be shallow and weak. But as I continued reading, I watched as Aya's character developed into someone who considers the feelings of others, and as I learned more about her past and background, I started to understand her point of view and was able to sympathize with her. She's a tough character; she never backs down from what she believes is right and she fights her hardest for freedom. For those that love strong heroines, Aya is an excellent, relatable character.

Plotwise, I did find the story a tad predictable. I was able to identify the love interest the second he appeared, and the story didn't take any drastic twists that left me shaking in my seat, wondering, "Where the heck did that come from?" The beginning of the book was quite slow; it only really contained Aya planning her escape. Following the second part, though, the plot picked up, and I found that putting the book down was difficult. The story of this novel is highly enjoyable and even bittersweet at times (times I cannot reveal because that would include spoilers). The world was well constructed, containing a plausible explanation of how their society came to that specific state. There were certain elements of this society that felt highly unrealistic and almost comical, but this is fiction, and the point of fiction is not to stick to reality, but to create your own.

Overall, I enjoyed this book far more than I expected to, and I can easily recommend this to anyone who craves a story about a strong female character, a unique world, and a fight for freedom.

By Catherine O. - TAB Member