Cover of Glass Sword

Book Highlights

Glass Sword

by Victoria Aveyard

What it's about

Mare Barrow, a lightning-wielding girl forced into a royal facade, hunts down others like her to build an army against the Silver elite. This sequel explores the psychological toll of war as Mare struggles to maintain her humanity while becoming the weapon her rebellion demands.

Key ideas

  • The cost of leadership: Power forces Mare to isolate herself, turning her into a literal weapon while her own identity begins to fracture under the pressure.
  • The cycle of violence: Morality becomes blurred as the lines between hero and monster dissolve when fighting against a tyrannical regime.
  • The nature of betrayal: Trust is a dangerous luxury in a world where enemies know you better than your own family, and even allies are capable of deep deception.
  • The burden of choice: Loving the wrong person becomes an unavoidable tragedy, proving that affection is a weakness in a war built on lies.

You'll love this book if...

  • You enjoy fast-paced YA fantasy featuring high-stakes rebellion and morally complex protagonists.
  • You're looking for a story that focuses on the internal isolation of a leader who feels forced to sacrifice their heart for a cause.

Best for

Readers who enjoy dark, character-driven dystopian fiction where the hero is pushed to their psychological breaking point.

Books with the same vibe

  • Red Rising by Pierce Brown
  • Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
  • Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

30 popular highlights from this book

Key Insights & Memorable Quotes

The most popular highlights from Glass Sword, saved by readers on Screvi.

“No one is born evil, just like no one is born alone. They become that way, through choice and circumstance.”
“If I am a sword, I am a sword made of glass, and I feel myself beginning to shatter.”
“Anyone, anything, can betray anyone. Even your own heart.”
“No heart can ever be truly understood. Not even your own.”
“No one is born a monster. But I wish some people were. It would make it easier to hate them, to kill them, to forget their dead faces.”
“Kneel or bleed.”
“We seem weak because we want to.”
“Strange, my enemies know me best, and my family doesn’t know me at all.”
“I fear being alone more than anything else. So why do I do this? Why do I push away the people I love? What is so very wrong with me?I don’t know.And I don’t know how to make it stop.”
“Every single thing I did, you stood behind me,” I say. “If I’m turning into a monster, then so are you.” “Love blinds.”
“Don’t lie to a liar.”
“The thing with heat is, no matter how cold you are, no matter how much you need warmth, it always, eventually, becomes too much.”
“I am a weapon made of flesh, a sword covered in skin. I was born to kill a king, to end a reign of terror before it can truly begin.”
“Don’t lie to a liar, and Maven is the grandest liar of all.”
“It isn't hard to let people die when their deaths give life to something else.”
“Attend to your own fate, Mare Barrow.” “And that is?” “To rise. And rise alone.”
“But I can’t shake the feeling that, while they stand with me, there’s no one beside me. Even with an army at my back, I am still alone.”
“We can’t choose who we love. I wish, more than anything, that we could.”
“Fire and lightning raised Maven up, and fire and lightning will bring him down.”
“I’m starting to think you like prisons,” he says, idling knocking his knuckles against the wall. “And that you have the worst taste in men.”
“No matter how much I might want to feel him, I cannot. I must keep my eyes ahead, and away from the fire of a fallen prince. I must freeze my heart to the one person who insists on setting it ablaze.”
“One dark night I spilled my secrets to him, on a road thick with summer heat. I was the girl who tried to steal his money then. Now, winter looms, and I’m the girl who stole his life.”
“You’ll find I’m remarkably good at giving orders, and particularly awful at following them.”
“Mare of the Stilts died the day she fell onto a lightning shield. Mareena, the lost Silver princess, died in the Bowl of Bones. And I don’t know what new person opened her eyes on the Undertrain. I only know what she has been and what she has lost, and the weight of it is almost crushing.”
“If you die, I’ll kill you.” He smiles sadly. “Likewise.”
“Maven lies as easily as he breathes, and his mother holds his leash but not his heart.”
“It’s not something you can control, Mare,” he replies, still standing so far away. “We can’t choose who we love. I wish, more than anything, that we could.” I feel cracked open. My skin still runs hot from Cal’s embrace, remembering the feel of him only moments ago. But in the deepest part of me, in spite of every fiber of my being, I think beyond the clearing, to ice-colored eyes, an empty promise, and a kiss aboard a boat.”
“I must freeze my heart to the one person who insists on setting it ablaze. Winding”
“I suppose I should get used to being alone too. Not in the world, but in here. In my heart. Part”
“I’m safer than I’ve been in days, surrounded by the people I love most, and yet I’ve never wanted to cry more. For them, I hold back. I curl inward and bleed alone, inside, where no one else can see.”

Find Another Book

Search by title or author to explore highlights from other books.

Try it with your highlights

Create your account, add your highlights and see how Screvi can change the way you read.

Get Started for Free(No credit card required)