Behind Green Glass by Amanda Von Hoffmann

Published: 2010
Publisher: Soto Publishing Company
Pages: 184
Copy: Bought
Summary: Goodreads

Isolde is a shy and artistic sixteen-year-old who moves into a house rumored to be haunted. When she discovers a shard of green glass, a new world opens for her. Through the glass she sees Lyric, who mistakenly believes that he is a ghost, and other ethereally beautiful creatures. As their mystery unfolds, Isolde learns that they are not ghosts, but The Forgotten Ones, fairies cast out of their realm, labeled imperfect for their physical and mental differences. Isolde's friendship with Lyric and The Forgotten Ones teaches her that sometimes our "imperfections" can also be our greatest strengths.

I picked up Behind Green Glass meaning to read for a short while. Three hours later I closed the book and thought, "I really enjoyed that". It is a wonderful fairy story with an underlying message that we should all be aware of. Just because someone is different, doesn't make them any less a person than anyone else, whether they be human or fairy. Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity.

The main protagonist, Isolde , is a shy 16 year old, with a kind heart and an amazing talent for drawing. She struck me as being a really 'nice' girl, genuine and caring. She continually questions her ability to see fairies - thinking that perhaps she is just creating imaginary friends. I loved Ms Von Hoffman's descriptions of the fairies, ethereal and otherwordly with animal characteristics.

' She froze. Perched in the maple outdoors she saw a figure, human in shape, animal-like in posture. A smooth expanse of bare muscled chest, light tangled hair, glowing irises.' (33)

Lyric, Ffafnir, Damarian and Nola, all fairies, were fun and had very distinct personalities, I loved them all, especially Ffafnir's stutter and Damarian's moodiness. Matt was enjoyable and believable as Isolde's slightly naive boyfriend, and I found the uncertainties of the two of them to be very refreshing and a nice change from the usual boldness of teenagers in books today.

All-in-all a quick, enjoyable fantasy story for fans of the genre. I just wish it had been a little longer. I look forward to seeing more from Ms Von Hoffman in the hopefully not too distant future.