I’m not sure if I waited too long to read Glass Sword, or if I’m simply no longer impressed by YA dystopian fantasy.

The only element I think I truly liked was the relationship between Mare and Cal. Despite how frequently they exasperated me throughout the novel, I appreciated the connection they shared and the tentative way Aveyard wrote their private moments. They did disagree, they did argue, but there was still a bit of tenderness between them that convinced me of romantic potential.

Unfortunately, the positives stop there. There were many elements that I found off-putting individually that, when combined, didn’t do the story any favors. From Mare’s insufferable attitude and self-centering tendencies, to repetition and predictability in the story and an unclear timeline, Glass Sword was as much of a hot mess as Cal himself.

I do appreciate the raw, realistic way Aveyard wrote Mare. She was doubtful and insecure, trying to assist with a rebellion while juggling the complexities of her personal life, but it didn’t take long for me to get sick of her narrative. It was appalling to me how often she forgot about her own family, and annoying how frequently she thought of her abilities. If someone took a shot every time the phrase “lightning girl” appeared...let’s just say it wouldn’t be a good idea for anyone that values life, even a little bit. Honestly, Mare, we get it; you’re a vengeful, humanoid Pikachu. Let’s move on, please.

I firmly believe that Aveyard missed an opportunity to explore moral ambiguity in Mare, to shape her into a character reminiscent of Adelina from Marie Lu’s The Young Elites. Maybe that happens in future installments. I don’t know. What I do know is that, not only did Aveyard focus on all the wrong parts of her protagonist, she also woefully neglected the numerous side characters introduced as the story progressed. Several names and unique abilities were thrown around, but I can’t recall more than the approximate half-dozen with the “best” powers. I’m not even sure I could necessarily match person to ability.

I’ve got a few more points I could discuss, but because I’m running out of energy, I’ll limit myself to one more significant thing that caught my attention. The first half of this book was quite repetitive. After an escape, a brief reprieve, and one more escape, Mare and company go on a lengthy mission to find and recruit more “newbloods” like her - the given term for those born Red that somehow possess abilities beyond any Silver knowledge or experience. While only a few of these recruitments are explained in detail, I feel that some of the page time spent on this would’ve been better used on other events.

And lastly, hand-in-hand with the repetition is the outright predictability of this sequel. After a few new recruits, every mission to find another felt systematic. Training, planning, and relationship drama were about all the middle chunk of the story had to offer. Only in the last third did Aveyard spice things up a bit and throw in a couple of decent surprises. That might’ve been enough to redeem the plot somewhat, if I hadn’t managed to guess the big end twist a mile away. I didn’t figure out all of the minor details, but I wasn’t even a little bit shocked while reading the final chapters. And that...is a problem.

Alright, I think I’ve said everything I have to say about Glass Sword. Aveyard’s second installment wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t anything special, either. I would ultimately say that it was a mediocre novel that offered some romantic potential, but suffered from second book slump. There’s a sliver of curiosity within me regarding King’s Cage, though not enough to persuade me to read it. I just can’t see myself spending money on a copy, or waiting weeks for one from the library, when there are so many unread books on my own shelf I’m much more interested in.