Glimpse by Carol Lynch Williams

Title: Glimpse
Author: Carol Lynch Williams
Published: June 2010
Source: The Library
Synopsis from inside cover:
In one moment

it is over.

In one moment

it is gone.

The morning grows

thin, grey

and our lives-

how they were-

have vanished.

Our lives have

changed

when I walk in

on Lizzie

my sister

holding a shotgun.

Glimpse is a heartbreaking and powerful novel that had me turning the pages as fast as possible near the end just to find out what happened. It's told in verse, and it only took me about an hour and a half to read. Oh, how I love novels in verse. Every word is important, everything has to work together or you're left confused with no idea what's happening. Carol Lynch Williams understands that and this was an exceptional novel in verse.

The characters really make this book. Hope is a strong girl, especially considering the way she lives. Her mother is a prostitute, her father is dead, and her sister is all she has. Until she tries to kill herself. Then Lizzie is taken to a mental hospital and Hope is left to figure out what happened. I really felt for Hope. Thinking of her life makes me feel slightly sick. From the get go I didn't like Hope and Lizzie's mother, and by the end I despised her. We don't see much of Lizzie, but there are flashbacks and they visit her a few times. I'm in awe of her and what she endured.

This book isn't for the faint of heart. A lot of it horrified me, because I know that right now, somewhere, this could be happening. It breaks my heart. I really enjoyed the writing in this book, a lot of it was beautiful. The only complaint is that sometimes I was confused about whether it was the past or present.

Basically: Go read this! It will break your heart in the best way!

Characters: 9/10
Plot: 8/10
Writing: 8/10
Originality: 9/10
Ending: 10/10
Overall: 44/50 B+
Cover/Title Comments: The title is absolutely perfect. I love the cover also, the way that the sun peeks through is gorgeous, and Hope rides her bike so it's relevant.