BOOK OF THE WEEK

The Shadow in the Glass

The fairy tale of Cinderella is synonymous with a number of things; among ugly stepsisters and crystal shoes of course, the tale preaches the morals of kindness towards all by forgiving others for doing wrong.

But what if this iconic tale could be adapted to a more real-life context? How might things play out and could there still be a fairytale ending? These are just some of that questions that would’ve spun around the mind of author JJA Harwood as she embarked upon her debut novel, The Shadow in the Glass.

Harwood grew up in Norfolk before eventually finding her way to London after her university studies. She is reportedly passionate about wandering off into haunted houses and making friends with stray cats. But more importantly, Harwood is also passionate about exploring controversial female characters, and her debut novel melds history and fairytale to create a dark and intelligent new take on the story of Cinderella.

The main themes of the story revolve around women, the price of labour and the cost of hope.

The book’s protagonist Eleanor – or Ella – once upon a time wished for more than a life as a lowly maid at Granborough House. The lady of the house, Mrs Pembroke, treated Ella as one of her own, but after her death, Ella was forced to work hard under the lecherous gaze of the drunken Mr Pembroke.

However, one night while taking refuge among her beloved books, a fairy godmother appears with a solution to all of Ella’s problems: seven wishes at the cost of her soul. Ella quickly realises her deal with the eyeless fairy godmother may not be as fortuitous as it first seems. The more she wishes, the more her hopes for a new life feel out of reach.

In many ways, Harwood’s dark take on this classic fairytale is cleverly written. Her imagery is poetic at points, capturing the vivid Victorian setting with historical accuracy and relevance. The novel’s segmentation into a series of parts also works well, with each warranting your attention as new revelations take hold.

Perhaps the best feature of this book though, is its grounding in reality. The fear Harwood evokes through the young maids who desperately try to avoid becoming another of Mr Pembroke’s victims echoes the stories of the recent Harvey Weinstein scandal. In all, The Shadow in the Glass gives the classic notions of fantasy fairytales a darker transformation, making for an impressive debut.