The Girl in the Glass by Susan Meissner

About the Book
Renaissance is a word with hope infused in every letter.
Since she was a child, Meg has dreamed of taking a promised trip to Florence, Italy, and being able to finally step into the place captured in a picture at her grandmother’s house. But after her grandmother passes away and it falls to her less-than-reliable father to take her instead, Meg’s long-anticipated travel plans seem permanently on hold.
When her dad finally tells Meg to book the trip, she prays that the experience will heal the fissures left on her life by her parents’ divorce. But when Meg arrives in Florence, her father is nowhere to be found, leaving aspiring memoir-writer Sophia Borelli to introduce Meg to the rich beauty of the ancient city. Sofia claims to be one of the last surviving members of the Medici family and that a long-ago Medici princess, Nora Orsini, communicates with her from within the great masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance.
When Sophia, Meg, and Nora’s stories intersect, their lives will be indelibly changed as they each answer the question: What if renaissance isn’t just a word? What if that’s what happens when you dare to believe that what is isn’t what has to be?

My Thoughts
To be honest I'm not exactly sure what my thoughts on this book actually are. I didn't love it but I didn't hate it either. This was my first Susan Meissner book and I have to say she is an extremely talented author. The book was written in a beautiful, almost melodic, way that drew you in. The way Florence was described was exquisite and kind of made you feel like you were actually there. However, for me, the plot of the book fell a little flat and I did not get into the characters at all. And maybe it was the place, rather than people or story, that was the center and purpose of the book. If so then it was perfectly done. All in all this was a pretty good one time read but I doubt I'll pick it up again.

About the Author
Susan Meissner has spent her lifetime as a writer, starting with her first poem at the age of four. She is the award-winning author of THE SHAPE OF MERCY, WHITE PICKET FENCES, and many other novels. When she’s not writing, she directs the small groups and connection ministries at her San Diego church. She and her pastor husband are the parents of four young adults. Visit her Web site at www.susanmeissner.com.