A Face Like Glass

In the underground city of Caverna, inhabitants must learn facial expressions from specialized craftsmen, as they are born without the ability to naturally show emotion. The city is filled with magical crafts: wines that affect memory, cheeses that grant visions, and perfumes that control minds. The story centers on Neverfell, a mysterious girl who serves as an apprentice to a reclusive cheesemaker named Grandible. Unlike everyone else in Caverna, she wears her emotions openly on her face and cannot mask her feelings - a dangerous trait in a society built on intrigue and deception. As Neverfell navigates Caverna's complex social and political landscape, she becomes caught in schemes that threaten the city's precarious balance of power. The dangerous beauty of this world, with its face-collectors and mind-altering delicacies, conceals darker truths beneath its surface. The novel explores themes of authenticity versus artifice, questioning what it means to be genuine in a world where even facial expressions are manufactured. Through its unique premise, the story examines the relationship between truth, power, and identity.

Readers describe an imaginative, complex story with detailed worldbuilding in the underground city of Caverna. Many reviewers note the unique premise of a society where people must learn facial expressions artificially. Readers appreciated: - Fresh, original concept - Intricate plotting - Strong character development of protagonist Neverfell - Rich sensory details of Caverna's bizarre foods and wines - Multiple plot threads that come together at the end Common criticisms: - Slow pacing in the middle sections - Complex political intrigue can be hard to follow - Some found the 500+ page length excessive Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (12,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (300+ ratings) The StoryGraph: 4.3/5 (1,000+ ratings) Multiple readers compared the writing style to Diana Wynne Jones and called it "a dark Alice in Wonderland." Several mentioned re-reading to catch missed details and connections.

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🔍 The magical cheeses featured in the book were partly inspired by real "live" cheeses like Casu Marzu, which contains living insect larvae. 🏆 "A Face Like Glass" won the 2013 Robert Holdstock Award for Best Fantasy Novel and was shortlisted for multiple other literary prizes. 🎭 The concept of "face crafting" in the novel draws parallels to the historical use of masks in Venice, where nobles wore elaborate disguises to conceal their identities and social status. ✍️ Frances Hardinge wrote her first novel at age 13 and completed A Face Like Glass while living in a house boat on the Thames River. 🕰️ The intricate underground city of Caverna took over three years to fully develop and map out before the actual writing of the story began.