Common Sense Media Review
By Andrea Beach
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Exciting tale of boy glassblower in Renaissance Italy.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Young Renzo, who lives in Murano, Italy, during the Renaissance, wants to follow in his murdered father's footsteps by becoming a glassblower. But to be accepted as an apprentice he'll first have to pass a difficult test of skill. When Letta starts bringing a small troupe of orphans into the workshop at night to keep them warm, she and Renzo work together to build Renzo's skills enough to pass the test. There's something different about Letta and the orphans, though. They're able to communicate with birds in a special way, and when rumors of witchcraft start, the children are imprisoned. The only adult who can help him is his uncle Vittorio, but Murano's ruling Council of Ten has set an assassin on his trail. Renzo struggles to learn how a man decides what's right: If he tries to help the orphans escape, he'll jeopardize the career his family's so dependent on for survival.
Is It Any Good?
FALCON IN THE GLASS is an absorbing tale set in 1497 Italy that's rich in historical detail. Despite an awkward beginning, the novel brings the past and the characters believably to life, shifting easily among many different narrators.
Susan Fletcher's prose particularly soars in the few short passages told from a bird's point of view, which will really spark young imaginations. Fletcher doesn't rely on a lot of action or violence, instead using her considerable narrative skills to keep the story moving and the pages turning.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why is historical fiction so popular. How would Renzo's story be different if it took place nowadays?
The author uses a lot of different points of view to tell the story. How might some of the events be told if the same person told the story throughout?
Did the chapters narrated by the assassin change how you felt about him?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Historical Fiction
- Topics : Friendship , History
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Margaret K. McElderry
- Publication date : July 9, 2013
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 10 - 14
- Number of pages : 300
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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