The Girl with Glass Feet

One of the perks of my life is getting copies of books before they are released. This book was the best thing to come out of this life perk.

"The Girl with the Glass Feet" by Ali Shaw is probably the best book I've read in the last 10 years. When it finally hits the book shelves in January everyone should buy a copy. EVERYONE. I'd buy everyone a copy for Christmas, but it wouldn't be out so you'll have to either a) buy it yourself. or b) tell me you're willing to wait. Mind you if you tell me you're willing to wait you're making the assumption that you're on my Christmas gift list. So think before you send that email. Just kidding. If you're not on the list I'll pretend the email never made it to spare the awkwardness. I promise.

What you need to know about this book is that my best friend and I agree that it is the most beautiful kind of sad and "gorgeously painful".

As the title makes obvious the focal character has glass feet (I'm loath to say main character, because it's not that easy). The book explores the inhabitants of a small Northern island as the girl with the glass feet searches for an answer to her peculiar physiognomy. Through her journey she forces the people who she seeks out for help to confront the solidarity of the lives they have built themselves.

This book will make you both want to grab life by every piece of its existence; drink it up, slurp it down, chew it up and roll around in the glory of it. It also makes you want to stop and notice the flowers emerging from the winter snow, a fish jumping through the ocean's waves and the crinkles around the eyes of your best friends when they laugh just so. And make you cry for the joy and beauty even in the most sad of times.