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A Face Like Glass

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A Face Like Glass

By: Frances Hardinge
Narrated by: Cassie Layton
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About this listen

A Face Like Glass is an astonishing and imaginative novel from the Costa Award-winning author of The Lie Tree, Frances Hardinge.

In the underground city of Caverna the world's most skilled craftsmen toil in the darkness to create delicacies beyond compare - wines that can remove memories, cheeses that can make you hallucinate and perfumes that convince you to trust the wearer, even as they slit your throat. The people of Caverna are more ordinary, but for one thing: their faces are as blank as untouched snow. Expressions must be learned, and only the famous Facesmiths can teach a person to show joy, despair or fear - at a price.

Into this dark and distrustful world comes Neverfell, a little girl with no memory of her past and a face so terrifying to those around her that she must wear a mask at all times. For Neverfell's emotions are as obvious on her face as those of the most skilled Facesmiths, though entirely genuine. And that makes her very dangerous indeed....

2013, The CILIP Carnegie Medal, Long-listed

2013, The Kitschies Red Tentacle Award for Best Novel, Short-listed

©Frances Hardinge 2012 (P)2019 Macmillan Digital Audio

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Critic reviews

"Everyone should read Frances Hardinge. Everyone. Right now." (Patrick Ness, author of A Monster Calls)
All stars
Most relevant
This is my favourite book, ever. It is beautiful, magical, strange and wonderful. Thank you Frances Hardinge for your fantastical storytelling.

My favourite book, ever.

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Downloaded this book although not at all sure if I would regret it or not, and am so glad I did. It was very out-of-genre for me but I was intrigued by the concept and it was beautifully and creatively developed. A delightful book superbly narrated.

Fascinating

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I found the concept for this book really interesting. I would have liked a bit more towards the end but in general this was a great book for me.

Great

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Billed as YA but I loved it. Wonderfully imaginative and cleverly told, and the narrator is fantastic

Thoroughly enjoyed it. Excellent narration.

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An extraordinary immersive world told through from the point of view of Neverfell.
Magical, other- wordly and kept me guessing until the end. What a bottomless well of imagination the author draws upon. Thanks for sharing it c

Utterly unique

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