A Face Like Glass

Story

In the underground city of Caverna, which nobody is allowed to enter or leave, Neverfell mysteriously appears in the underground tunnels of Grandible the Cheesemaker. She has no memories from her past but, as she grows up, she learns a lot about the art of cheese. On the rare occasions that Grandible has visitors, Neverfell is forced to wear a mask because there is something on her face that others would be horrified to see. In a city where everybody is a perfect liar, will the girl manage to reveal the truth?

Why we chose it

France Hardinge has written a number of original and inventive novels for children and young adults. Like many of her stories, A Face Like Glass is set in an beautifully imagined and highly usual fantasy world.

Where it came from

Frances Hardinge has always been fascinated by places underground and by the thought that there might be mysterious worlds down there. Her fictional city, Caverna, resembles historic Versaille’s luxurious Courts enriched with caves, buried streets and catacombs! Interestingly, she herself would also love to learn more about cheese-making!

Where it went next

A Face Like Glass was longlisted for the Carnegie Medal and for the UK Literary Association Book Award 2013, as well as being voted one of the Top 100 Best Ever UKYA Novels.

It was critically acclaimed with reviewers noting the author’s narrative skills and the quality of her book’s ideas and values.

Associated stories

Frances Hardinge is a profilic writer and author of nine novels for older readers and several short stories. Her first book was Fly by Night (2005) followed by its sequel Twilight Robbery (2011). Her novels include Verdigris Deep (2007), Gullstruck Island (2009), Cuckoo Song (2014), A Skinful of Shadows (2017) and Deeplight (2019). In 2015 The Lie Tree was awarded the Costa Book of the Year prize, making Hardinge the first children’s author to win the main Costa award since Philip Pullman in 2001.