Michelle Posted April 16, 2010 Share Posted April 16, 2010 Well it's taken me a while, but my review is finally written. I do appreciate that not everyone is going to like this book, but it's certainly magical, and as I say, it has stayed with me, which I usually find a good sign. It’s hard to know where to start with this book, as it so much to commend it. I suppose the most important issue to deal with is the title. Ida MacLaird does in fact have glass feet, and it appears that the rest of her body is gradually following. This worried me when I read the synopsis, because I generally like things to be believable, but somehow this works. For some, this will work on the level of an adult fairy story, an unusual occurrence which is just accepted. For others, however, the condition can be seen to represent any medical condition which slowly takes over a body, especially cancer. Ida returns to the island where she believes her condition started, trying to look for a reclusive man who she feels may be able to help her. Whilst there she meets Midas Crook, a man with his own problematic background, and they start to fall in love. The bulk of the book is about the various relationships on the island, and the way they interleave – although Ida’s condition remains important, it’s not central, and it is the various characters and these relationships which caught me. The way that Ali writes about the island itself is almost poetic, and this makes the book a joy to get lost in. His writing is descriptive, but to the point, a rare combination. For me, the ending to the story was done well, and is very emotional. This is a book over which I had some reservations when starting, but these were soon overcome. It’s a book which has stayed in my thoughts, and is highly recommended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted April 16, 2010 Share Posted April 16, 2010 Ooh thanks Michelle ... this is definitely on my wish list Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted April 16, 2010 Share Posted April 16, 2010 Great review Michelle, it's going on my list too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inver Posted April 16, 2010 Share Posted April 16, 2010 Sounds a very different kind of read Michelle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KindleWorm Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Great review, Michelle... I read this a couple of months ago and I can still recall how it made me feel. I totally agree about the quality of the writing, it is beautiful prose, with a poetic bent, but which doesn't become sentimental or complex. The interplay between the sombre landscape and the surrealism of Ida's world make for a thoroughly original and sensitive love story. I wouldn't hesitate in reading something else by this author. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 I bought this on my Kindle a while back as it's only 99p, but I haven't read it yet. Unfortunately, the books are piling up on it, when I'd been hoping to keep my TBR quite low and just buy books as I wanted to read them, but they keep having sales or putting books on my wishlist down to a low price that's too good to miss! I will get round to this one at some point though, as it sounds very unusual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joice Ribeiro Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 Well it's taken me a while, but my review is finally written. I do appreciate that not everyone is going to like this book, but it's certainly magical, and as I say, it has stayed with me, which I usually find a good sign. It’s hard to know where to start with this book, as it so much to commend it. I suppose the most important issue to deal with is the title. Ida MacLaird does in fact have glass feet, and it appears that the rest of her body is gradually following. This worried me when I read the synopsis, because I generally like things to be believable, but somehow this works. For some, this will work on the level of an adult fairy story, an unusual occurrence which is just accepted. For others, however, the condition can be seen to represent any medical condition which slowly takes over a body, especially cancer. Ida returns to the island where she believes her condition started, trying to look for a reclusive man who she feels may be able to help her. Whilst there she meets Midas Crook, a man with his own problematic background, and they start to fall in love. The bulk of the book is about the various relationships on the island, and the way they interleave – although Ida’s condition remains important, it’s not central, and it is the various characters and these relationships which caught me. The way that Ali writes about the island itself is almost poetic, and this makes the book a joy to get lost in. His writing is descriptive, but to the point, a rare combination. For me, the ending to the story was done well, and is very emotional. This is a book over which I had some reservations when starting, but these were soon overcome. It’s a book which has stayed in my thoughts, and is highly recommended. The description of the island remind me of "Wuthering Heights". Everything copiously poetic but also gloomy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.