Glow Review.

Name - Glow.
Author - Amy Kathleen Ryan.
Publisher - St. Martins Griffin.
Rating - Five stars.
Theme song - Drops of Jupiter - Train.

Synopsis - What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue? Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. On board their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them...Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth. But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside.




"Glow" takes place in outer space aboard two different spaceships. The Empyrean is Kieran and Waverly's home, it's the only thing they've ever known. Their family, friends and entire lives are on the ship and always have been. The ship operates under a captain. Everyone on the ship believes that Kieran will take Captian Jones' place in time. People look up to Kieran and Waverly, they are the oldest children aboard the ship at sixteen and fifteen. It's almost expected for the two of them to be together, it just so happens that they also want to. Waverly and Kieran are in love and have been together since they were little. They're each others best friends, too. Kieran even purposes to Waverly, but the happily ever after was cut short when out of a nowhere the sister ship to the Empyrean, The New Horizon begins to match their pace.


The New Horizon was supposed to be years ahead of them and landing on "New Earth" before them, but for some reason they've slowed down indefinitely. Everyone is abuzz of what it could mean, but no one really knows. None of them have to wonder for long though because soon the members of The New Horizon come aboard The Empyrean. As soon as they realized they were under attack, it was far too late. The New Horizon members swooped onto The Empyrean vigilantly knocking everyone out of their way. Lives were lost during the battle to get all the young girls aboard a shuttle, but eventually they did, it happened.


Once the girls were taken aboard The New Horizon everything unfolded surrounding a "leader" named Anne Mather who ended up misleading everyone. Anne Mather was corrupted and coninving, but very good at coming across in a calm manner. She was the mastermind behind The New Horizon. She had everyone eating out of the palm of her hand for awhile, except for Waverly and a few other girls like Samantha, Sarah and Felicia. What the girls had to go through aboard that ship was insane and at times difficult to read. All the while, the boys back on The Empyrean, Kieran included were trying to survive. The guys had to handle losing more people, fighting amongst each other, a zero gravity scare and much, much more.


 I can't give anymore away, but to say that this was such an incredible journey to read wouldn't be doing the entire story justice. The characters are so poignant and interesting. There aren't just main characters, but many sub-characthers that literally make the entire story. This book is filled with nothing but nonstop suspense, thought provoking scenes and an array of emotions. You begin to question everything, the entire story and wonder what really is. Then it's revealed to you but you continue to question the circumstances of such and where the story could go next. You never know what Amy Kathleen Ryan will throw at your next.


All in all, more than anything I want to talk about how this book is the type of book that makes you clear out time in your day to read. If you're in some sort of reading limbo, this book will bring you out of it and leave you reeling for more. It's addictive. It's phenomenal. I loved Waverly's character the most. She was brave and determined, she refused to give up even in the face of danger. No matter how many times she was knocked down, she never failed to get back up and try again. She was caring toward the younger girls and their protector the entire time.


The jury's out on my opinions of Seth and Kieran. Seth is neurotic and troubled which makes him unpredictable and violent, but he's also very smart. Seth's wits compared to Kieran's geniune knowledge doesn't even compare. When they were able to work together, it was golden. The fact that they couldn't stand to be around one another was not surprising, it should have been expected considering both of their ego's appeared to be through the roof. They both have strong beliefs and were set in their ways and because Kieran was the expected predecessor he was looked upon to run the ship. So much heartbreak could have been ignored if those two boys could have just put their testosterone aside. The ending of the book included Seth still locked up in the brig for what he had done and Kieran leading the ship once again. When Kieran first started preaching, I honestly think he was doing it for the good of the people, but as time went by, I think more and more he realized the he could control them because they believed in him. I think Kieran began to do things differently because he knew everyone was looking up to him, waiting on him to make his next move. He went too far though. Not to mention, on top of everything else that happened to all of them, Seth and Kieran both are in love with Waverly. They all experienced immense sadness but we're able to rally together. All I'm lefting thinking is... what next? Glow isn't even on shelves yet and I'm already waiting on the sequel.