#1 - The Glass Room by Simon Mawer

I'll post some more comprehensive critical reviews at the end, but bear with me as I give my own review. I will usually not go over too much plot in the novel, you can read other reviews or read the novel yourself since I prefer not to give any spoilers (p.s. most links to review probably contains spoilers, though for this novel that's not a big deal).

The term gorgeous came up in many of the reviews that I read about this book. While I can understand that being said about this book, the prose is well done in its simplicity and starkness very similar to the the plot devise of the glass room as modern art/architecture as the stage for the play. Actually, this work would probably make a fantastic play, hmm.. that being said it might just helped me to like the novel a little more. However, I think the difference when you read a play, or better yet see a play, you have the emotional interactions of the characters. Sometimes, I felt that was lacking in this novel. I know that many reviewers would disagree with me, but there was something just a touch cold about certain parts of the novel.

I enjoyed this novel and I think that most people would as well. My final rating is *** out of 5 stars (sorry I'm not very good with graphics but will try to get better through the year)

Here's a review from Ian Sansom at the Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/jan/24/simon-mawer-the-glass-room

Here is the Tugendhat House which is strikingly similar to the Landauer House: http://greatbuildings.com/buildings/Tugendhat_House.html"