The Glasswright Apprentice by Mindy Klasky

Browsing my local Barnes and Nobles', I found The Glasswrights' Apprentice. I picked it up for lack of anything more interesting to read, and was hooked from the start. The book tells an intriguing story of Rani Trader, a 13 year old girl in a world dominated by the caste system. Her family has payed dearly to have her apprenticed to the prestigious Glasswrights' Guild, a step up in caste. However, almost immediately, Rani is unwittingly caught up in an assassination plot, and branded a traitor to the crown. She must avoid capture many times, trying to find the people responsible for the Crown Prince's murder. As she searches, she is caught up in several conflicting loyalties, not knowing who to trust... The Glasswrights' Apprentice tells a fascinating tale of a believable character -- one who is struggling to find out what's truly going on, and to act on it once she does. Any fantasy fan would enjoy this wonderful book!

This beautifully wrought book describes how a young merchant girl who was paid into the guild caste at a large expense finds herself the victim of a great mishap.  Her warning cry of danger to help the beloved prince of her country enables his assassination.  She is cast out into the streets, a victim of the vicious caste system and chance.  She must escape numerous soldiers searching for her, discover the hidden meaning of a strange snake tattoo that she finds everywhere, what the symbol has to do with the prince and his murder, and reunite herself with her brother.  This is a wonderful story of a young girl and her worries, fears, and guilt as she faces abandonment and the loss of all that she loves.

I found "The Glasswrights' Apprentice" by chance at the local bookstore.  This is Mindy Klasky's first book and I was hooked from start to finish.

Welcome to Morenia . . . where people's lives are constricted by the caste they are born to.  Rani Trader moved up to the guildsmen caste after her merchant parents' spent their life savings to buy their daughter a place in the glasswright's guild.  The life of a glasswright's apprentice is difficult but Rani misses her peaceful existence when she unwittingly becomes involved in a murder that tears her peaceful world apart.  Confused, Rani is forced to unlock the mystery of Prince Tuvashanoran's death and the conspiracy behind it in order to gain back control of her life.

This is an excellent book and I recommend it to anyone who loves to escape to the world of fantasy.