Glassheart

Catherine Orton

Published by Walker books – 5th November 2020

“Through the Glass, the magic is waiting”

‘Glassheart’ is a thoroughly enchanting, magical adventure set in the wild moors of Dartmoor that had me utterly captivated from the very first chapter. A deliciously enchanting tale of the supernatural and sorcery, set in the aftermath of World War 2.

Nona is sent to live with her uncle Antoni after her mother and brother are killed in the Blitz in London. Her uncle is a glazier and they travel to a job he’s been commissioned at a derelict church in a lonely spot on Dartmoor. All Nona has left of her life in London is a pink shard of glass from her shattered living room window – her Glassheart. She was found clutching it in the rubble after the dust had settled and she has a mysterious scar on her cheek.

Haunted by memories of the war and grieving for her family, Nona discovers that the heart has the ability to give her glimpses into the spirit world. She catches reflections of a beautiful woman with honey-coloured hair who speaks in hypnotic, singsong tones.

But there is something or someone else…

A chilling darkness gathers out in the wilds and Nona sees a vision of a man cloaked in black with a stag’s head on the horizon of the rolling hills. All is not as it seems at the dilapidated church and an unusual and powerful energy overcomes uncle Antoni. A malevolent spirit is at work and Nona must find a way to protect herself and her uncle.

Discovering there is magic is all around her, both good and bad, Nona learns she has her own magical abilities. She must harness these, along with courage, determination and the help of the allies she meets along the way, to overcome this dark force.

Glassheart explores the themes of war, loss and grief so delicately. The link throughout the story between our world and the spirit world, fantasising about the possibility that one could move between the two is simply irresistible.

A must read for a Year 5 or 6 class this autunm.

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