Bookish Thoughts: Glass Across the Sea by Sara Ella

Realms of Allumeria | Book 1

Rating: Highly Recommend

In her quintessential fairytale style, Ella uses the familiar tale of Cinderella to introduce us to a new world full of magical Vestiges, secretive Firefly, and a struggle for the heart of Allumeria against the nefarious Order.

What a wonderful journey through a new world with characters full of loyalty, heart, and kindness. It was the Cinderella retelling I didn’t know I needed, and quintessentially Sara Ella—deep, important themes explored within different lives, loyalty tested in myriad ways, a true romantic through line, and all around fairytale vibes. Integral to the characters’ journeys and understanding of their world and history are the stories held within The Lamplighter Parables, stories that grow and change alongside the characters.

Noelle Perrault is the daughter of the king’s glassmaker, with a secret gift she’s never fully understood. Dante Marin, prince of Lumiverre and Noelle’s best friend, loves the sea and adventure, hunting information on the Vestiges with one dream in mind: unite the kingdoms, as they were meant to be. When Noelle’s father leaves the kingdom to find a cure for her mother’s illness, she asks Dante to accompany him, as does Dante’s father. Noelle’s left in the care of Lady Duval, a supposed friend of her mother’s; Dante ventures to the land-locked kingdom of Echlime, where his ideals are shaken. When Noelle asks for aid from Lumiverre’s king, he sends her alone to Firefly Isle. Unraveling the truths and lies held within the stories from The Lamplighter Parables and trying to stay one step ahead of the unsavory Order, Noelle and Dante must follow the paths laid before them, all while holding fast to who they are and the futures they dream of.

Some of my favorite quotes:

• “[T]he light gets trapped inside, giving us the illusion they are solid, when really they are more fragile than the rest of the glass. And light, my Firefly, always finds a way to break free.”
• “Those who seek the truth will always find it.”
• “‘Even shattered glass, lost across the sea, finds its way back to shore. But not before it is changed—made more beautiful and more refined than the day it was broken.’”
• “Men are not meant to live in the past, but they must always remember the past.”
• “Darkness is drawn to light . . . Even if it does not wish to be.”
• “Memories were shadows, forever leaving their imprint on someone’s life, growing and changing and shaping a person into who they were.”
• “Light is meant to be shared.”

One of my favorite aspects of this story is the inclusion of The Lamplighter Parables, of which we hear in full two of the stories included. They’re tied inseparably to the fabled Vestiges and the first Firefly of Allumeria, adding a depth of world building that draws me ever further into the story. The way Ella handles the stories themselves within the larger stories of Noelle and Dante is expertly done, an interweaving of tales to inspire both faith and skepticism in many other characters. More than that, for me, seeing Dante and Noelle uncover the truths of the parables and how they relate to their own lives was a wonderfully thrilling journey.

Another thing I love about Ella’s story crafting is how she crafts characters and seamlessly weaves in romance. Although Noelle is the recipient of much cruelty over the story, her strength lies in her kindness and her lack of desire for revenge. Instead, she clings to the things her Mére, Pére, and Grand-Mére have taught her, including all she knows of the Lamplighter. She is both soft and strong in so many ways, a beautifully crafted heroine. Alongside Noelle is Dante’s strength and understanding. His clever mind and adventurous spirit are the perfect pairing to search for the Vestiges, and his simple faith in the parables contrasts so well to other characters’ disbelief that the tales hold any truth. Alongside these things, Dante’s and Noelle’s friendship deepens and blossoms in an understated but clear way, even if they’re far apart.

Overall, this was such a wonderful read, and I cannot wait for the next installment in the series—not only to learn more about other Vestiges and tales from the Parables, but to see this amazing world through the eyes of new characters and struggles. This book, though, is one I’ll be revisiting for years to come, that I know for sure. It’s burrowed into me in ways I haven’t yet been able to describe, and the down-to-earth yet ethereal feel of the words on the page bring a sadness that this particular tale is at its (current) conclusion.