The Glittering Court

By: Richelle Mead

Narrated by: Kristen Sieh

A #1 NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER

The Selection meets Reign in this dazzling trilogy of interwoven novels about three girls on a quest for freedom and true love from #1 internationally bestselling author Richelle Mead.

"Brilliant and original, Mead’s new series starts off with a bang and will leave readers on the edge of their seats until the very end."
—School Library Journal

For a select group of girls, the Glittering Court offers a shot at a life they’ve only ever dreamed of, one of luxury, glamour, and leisure. To high-born Adelaide, whose wealthy family is forcing her into a loveless marriage, the Glittering Court represents something else: the chance to chart her own destiny, and adventure in an unspoiled, prosperous new land across the sea.

After a chance meeting with the dazzling Cedric Thorn, Adelaide poses as a servant to join the crop of impoverished girls he promises to transform into proper ladies. But her familiarity with upper class life comes with a price: she must hide her identity from her new friends, mysterious refugee Mira and fiery former laundress Tamsin, and most importantly, from Cedric himself—even though she’s falling in love with him.

Everything begins to crumble when Cedric discovers Adelaide’s ruse, and she catches the eye of a powerful young governor, who wants her for a wife. She didn’t leave the gilded cage of her old life behind just to become someone else's property. But nothing is as daunting—or as wonderful—as the potent, forbidden attraction simmering between Adelaide and Cedric. One that, if acted on, would make them both outcasts in a wild, dangerous, uncharted world, and possibly lead them to their deaths.

Critic reviews

"Southern charm meets My Fair Lady [...] romantics will love this book."
—School Library Connection, starred review

"With a full cast of bold and original characters, Mead does a superb job of building a world that teens will be excited to enter into and disappointed to leave. The plot is intricately woven, and the ending promises future installments from other characters’ points of view. Brilliant and original, Mead’s new series starts off with a bang and will leave readers on the edge of their seats until the very end."
—School Library Journal

"The emphasis on romance, dresses, and intrigue will appeal to fans of Kiera Cass."
—Voice of Youth Advocates

“In a refreshing change to the romance formula...there is a strong feminist element in Adelaide’s narration, and more than meets the eye in terms of plot, character development, and substantive thought."
—Booklist

"An enjoyable fish-out-of-water tale that plays gritty frontier adventure against the finery of the Glittering Court."
—Publishers Weekly

Didn't think I would but I did love it.

Strong female leads and fantastic character development. High adventure reminiscent of Jane Austin meets Larry McMurtry.
You'll wanna keep listening.

loved it!

loved this story. fun to listen to. narration was perfect! the characters were great. I'll be reading more from this author. big fan now.

Pretty good.

It was a rollercoaster for me personally, but this one kept my attention for a greater 85% of the book. The pacing wasn't too bad, and the story was alright. I was slow to take a liking to most of the characters, and they weren't as interesting as the one's in some of the authors other books. I give this read a 3.8/5 for the kinda sorta average story, and a 5 for the grade A narrator. It didn't really leave me wanting too much more, but I think the story can improve down the line, and I will be staying tuned for other installments.

Loved it!

Great book, LOVED the narrator!! I have found absolutely nothing to fault it, and I definitely recomend listening.

The narrator had a very nice voice

Although the story was not my cup of tea, the narrator had a very nice voice. It's about the only thing that got me thru it.