One bruise is just the beginning – a review of the book “The House of Blue Glass”

We live in difficult times. Stifled by the virus, we lock ourselves into our homes and avoid our loved ones. The world drawn by Anna Lubczyk in her latest novel, The House of Blue Glass, looks similar .

During illness

David is a young, ambitious medical student. His life changes the day he finds out that he is incurably ill. In the world of Lubczyk, the virus does not choose its victims – anyone can get sick. The first symptoms are usually inconspicuous: bruising, drowsiness, fatigue, but the disease progresses rapidly. The infected person’s irises change color and the proteins turn black. Using David’s example, we learn that residents must undergo weekly checkups. Being infected with the virus means that a person must move from one place to another without delay. A house made of blue glass is not associated with anything good.

Two worlds

The world of the healthy is apparently no different from the world of the sick. After transferring from one to the other, everyone has the opportunity to continue learning, working and personal development. Young people most often study (or continue) medicine. The most important goal of research is to find an antidote. In the world of the infected, there is a division into three groups. People are classified according to the new color of the irises. David is unique, which influences the plot. Two different colors of irises make it difficult for officials to assign it to a specific part of the world. Nevertheless, the hero gets acclimatized very quickly, treating the past only as a memory.

I like it, I like it!

The fictional world described by Lubczyk in her novel has common features with ours. The current state of epidemiological emergency resembles a blue glass house. It seems that the author accurately predicted the likely course of events (but how?). However, her vision of the future shows heroes who are well prepared for the worst. In the House of blue glass traditional gastronomy does not exist. Vending machines are responsible for preparing and dispensing food, which reduces the possibility of contamination. In addition, the utility spaces are regularly sprayed with a preservative called SENREX by qualified cleaning staff. The plot is coherent and the ending is surprising. While reading the book, I found a few typos, which, however, did not significantly affect my perception of the story.

From outside

The book is easy to read because the author proposes only 214 pages. It will be perfect for people who like succinct but small literary propositions! The cover unfolds beautifully and presents the part of the world that has been closed. On the inner flaps there is a fragment from the novel and a short biography of the author. I regret that Lubczyk has not decided to attach a map, according to which the reader could move around the created worlds. It would be an interesting addition that would surely interest many recipients.