Blog Tour: Glistening Haven by Jill Cooper [Review]

Glistening Haven
Glistening Haven #1
Author: Jill Cooper
Published: 20th November 2012
Publisher: Createspace
Format: eBook
Source: Received from the author
Purchase: Amazon

A sexy dystopian novel, The Glistening Haven is set in the future where society's attempt for beauty and perfection nearly destroyed it. Murder, sex, duplicity and drama, join us in the world of New Haven 56.

Susan Monroe doesn't ask for much: good grades from her children, a house with room for a pool, to be the best Tupperware party host in New Haven 56.

But inside her tranquil 1950s styled community, a monster lurks. A monster that lives inside Susan, and every one of her superficially perfect neighbors, held in check by the oppressive police state that rules over them.

Susan's happy life is torn apart when her teenage son goes missing the same night an explosion rips apart the community. Susan knows it’s only a matter of time before the police start breaking down their doors.

Before the reconditioning begins and Susan's identity is lost, she must do one final thing.

Find her son.

My review

Pro/Con

Glistening Haven has officially become one of my favourite book of this month, until now! I totally wasn't expecting it to be so amazing! Let's start with saying that at the beginning I was a bit confused by the story, because it is certainly a very twisted book but.. you know how much I love twists! Until the end the book literally kept me with bated breath and I just couldn't relax because everytime I did, something terrible happened.

The book is set in New Haven 56, a "bubble" ( as it is called by those who live there) where the glistenings are controlled and their life constantly monitored by the New Haven's Police Department. All this happened because of the glistenings' nature, because of their thirst for blood; glistenings are kind of dragons who have the ability to take on human appearance and they can easily be confused with them, unless they are tested by electrical discharges, that stimulate their transformation. In the past, glistenings represented a threat for humans and they were forced to live under bridges or in half-destroyed buildings to avoid their fury but nowadays, all that glistenings really want is a normale life. Something they could never have because the government would never allow that to happen. 

That's why when Wendy discovers to be pregnant with Jake, a glistening, she understands that she needs to find a way to get out of New Haven. But unfortunately she will learn soon, that she can't trust anybody and that she, and her baby are just a pawn in the schemes of the government.

The whole world Jill Cooper created was fantastic and it is probably the strongest point of the book. I loved how complicated the government of her society was and how cruel it could become to protect appearance of a perfect world and to ensure the tranquility of mankind. I really enjoyed the idea of those creatures that everyone considered monsters but that were actually a lot more human sometimes, than the humans theirselves. They accepted their condition of being segregated by a human government, just to have the chance of having a normal life, kids and a safe house where to raise them. I know that they have killed a lot of humans before for their nature, but, killing or torturing glistenings just for the pure pleasure of it, isn't just as cruel? Another thing that I though was fascinating is that, in my opinion, the book was so well-developed and breathtaking that it seemed like the characters had only a secondary role. There were many characters, many families, each of them with their own problems and their own ideals but I thought that most of them were completely overshadowed by the magnificence of the context in which they lived. Nevertheless, I think the author succesfully used the characters also to make them spokespeople of some important values: the love for the family, equality, discrimination and also the desperate need to achieve peace in someway or another.

Characters

As I said, there were many character in the book and some of them were also great, but the one that I feel most like describing is Jenna Morgan. I can't express how much her character has surprised me because that would mean ruining the surprise to all of you who are planning on reading this awesome book, but I really have to say that her hatred for glistening his certainly not unjustified. She was a very charming woman and a kick-ass fighter, but what fascinated me most about her personality is her determination and her moodiness. I know, they are quite the opposite, right? Well, I told you she was a bit complicated! She had lived a period of her life that has changed her completely and that had also influenced her way of seeing glistenings. Even if she had more than one proof that they were part human, she really can't stop herself from killing them. Want to know why? Read the book!

Overall

A well-written, breathtaking (I've already said that, haven't I?!) and mind-blowing dystopian / thriller, a must-read for all Veronica Roth's fans out there.

P.S Insurgent..think about the "bubble" and you will probably understand where the link is!

And aren't you super curious about what will happen to Wendy's half-glistening baby? YES! And me too! So I really recommend you to start this amazing series and purchase your copy of Glistening Haven as soon as possible. I assure you that you will not regret it! To purchase a signed copy of Glistening Haven for just 8$ click here!

Rated 4.75!

Jill Cooper

Author of the YA Dream Slayer series, Jill loves to blend horror, comedy, the supernatural, and love, through her novels. A fan of genre blending, her work strives to cross boundries, but most of all strives to entertain.

She loves soft cuddly cats, warm blankets, and paranormal romances.

Jill resides in Massachusetts, is constantly renovating her home that she shares with her husband, young daughter, and two skittish cats.