Girl Under Glass

By: Ginny Rorby

Narrated by: R.L. Hemm

Can a young girl with a juvenile record convince the authorities that a greenhouse full of plants are the witnesses to a crime—and that she can prove it?

Girl Under Glass is the story of a rootless, rebellious young girl sinking deeper into juvenile delinquency. Given one more chance to avoid juvenile hall, a judge assigns her to community service with a cranky botanist studying plant communication. When he is beaten and left for dead, Kelsey must convince the lead detective that an entire greenhouse full of plants is witness to the crime, and she knows how to prove it.

Girl Under Glass builds on the intriguing science behind The Secret Life of Plants, What Plants Know, The Hidden Life of Trees, and Finding the Mother Tree, all dealing with the cutting-edge research being conducted into the ability of plants to warn other plants of invasions of predatory beetles and certain diseases, and to alter their chemistry from tasty to toxic.

©2024 Black Rose Writing (P)2024 Black Rose Writing

Instantly understand and feel for Kelsie and her family dynamic.

Love love love this narrator! Great story line, probably geared towards teens but definitely caught my attention. You instantly understand and feel for Kelsie and her family dynamic. Her juvenile record puts her in some situations she isn’t sure how she will handle but you will root for her throughout the whole story! Perfectly descriptive so you feel like you’re right there with the characters of the story and can’t wait to see what happens.

Engrossing and enjoyable read

The main character, Kelsey, grabs you by the heartstrings from the first page and never lets go. I wasn't expecting this to be as emotional as it was and loved all of the layers to the story. The vivid descriptions of the sights and smells in the greenhouse, along with the descriptions of Kelsey's home, made me feel like I was right there along side her, for both the good and the bad. I rooted for her through the entire book wholeheartedly.

The narration was excellent as well (if there's one thing that will stop me from finishing an audiobook it's a bad narrator).

If you're looking for something that explores family dynamics, science and a little bit of mystery this is absolutely the book for you.

Great story for pre-teen and teenager

The most enjoyable aspect of listening to this novel was by far the narration. The story itself was enjoyable, flowed well, and was interesting. I’m unsure how consumed or invested I would have been with the storyline if it were not for the effort that was provided by the narrator. Their ability to cater to variable characters as well as retreating to a clearly spoken, calming speaker when necessary was excellent.
I would have no objection to listening to other books by this narrator.

Gripping, Emotional, and Unique

Girl Under Glass is one of the most unique books I've listened to or read this year! Ginny Rorby seamlessly merges botanical science fiction and mythology with the story of a struggling teenager just trying to keep her family - and herself - together. Kelsey McCully is a relatable character for anyone who struggled to feel connected in their teen years, though what she's dealing with is far from ordinary. At the end of her rope and wholly out of options, she manages to start planting new roots with the help of Hobby, her court-mandated boss and eventual mentor. Despite her chance at a new start, Kelsey still has to deal with her mother's drinking problem, and when Hobby ends up hurt it's only her lessons from him (and the greenhouse plants) that can help her salvage everything she's begun to build. Rorby has created an emotional horticultural mystery with characters who grow on you from the first paragraph.

Well written and well performed

This is a very well written story! Very realistic and touching. It's enjoyable for an adult, and I would definitely recommend it for a teen. The narrator did a fantastic job! She expressed emotions perfectly and gave the characters their own voices. The narrator really made this book even more enjoyable.