Melissa’s first-person narrative and pithy remarks are realistic and relatable as she comes to terms with the inevitability—and also the possibilities—of the future. - Publishers Weekly
“Characters are well-realized...Melissa’s first-person narrative rings true. Pleasantly satisfying” - Kirkus Reviews
Themes of memory, beauty, and secrets come together in this thoughtful, uplifting book that skillfully avoids Cinderella-tale predictability. What could have been a formulaic tale of adolescent angst is instead a gentle portrait of a girl growing through her grief. - Booklist
In Jillian Cantor’s expressive, eloquently rendered coming-of-age novel, the broken-glass motif echoes throughout Melissa’s heartfelt story of love and resilience. Cantor’s pitch-perfect narration and spot-on depiction of emotional turmoil will remind readers of the exquisite fragility of adolescence. - BookPage
“The hardest tests of adolescence don’t come in English, Algebra, or Biology. They come in those defining moments, when we are asked to know ourselves and to follow our true hearts. In Life of Glass, the supremely engaging Melissa McAllister has reached her crucible moment. She’s sweet. She’s confused. She’s believable. She’s the right kind of soul for our times.” - Beth Kephart, author of Undercover and the National Book Award finalist The Slant of Sun
