Caroline Lea's "The Glass Woman"

Caroline Lea was born and raised in Jersey in the United Kingdom. She lives in Warwick, England.

Here Lea dreamcasts an adaptation of The Glass Woman, her second novel, and reported the following:

My writing process is strongly visual, and this was particularly true for The Glass Woman, where the majestic brutality of the Icelandic landscape was absolutely key to the novel’s suspense and terror. I kept pictures of icy mountains and desolate lava-fields on my laptop, ‘blocking’ each scene as a director before I wrote it, imagining my character’s movements. I taught high school drama for many years and love the way that a gesture or facial expression can betray a character’s motivation, or their struggle to conceal it. This became hugely important for the world of secrets and lies in The Glass Woman.

Ròsa would be played wonderfully by Heida Reed, who so brilliantly narrated the audiobook. She often portrays characters who are simultaneously strong and vulnerable, and would perfectly convey Rósa’s internal conflict of loyalty, rebellion and fear.

I’d choose Bradley Cooper for Jón and can imagine him encapsulating the character’s rugged menace and desire for control, alongside his moments of tortured fear. I loved Cooper’s later moments in A Star is Born, where he so excellently depicts a formidable man’s struggle with his own demons.

My Katrín would be Olivia Coleman, who is wonderful at providing comic relief, while never compromising the emotional power of the role; she’s capable of making viewers laugh and sob, often during the same scene. I loved the complexity that she brought to the UK version of Broadchurch, where she was both abrasive and, at many points, emotionally raw.

I’d cast Elliot Knight as Pétur: I taught Elliot high school drama and am so proud of his growing success. He imbues roles with a wonderful brooding intensity, which would make him perfect for https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1697167571269160594#postsportraying Pétur’s combination of quick wit and melancholy.

Páll would be played by Tom Hardy; he is excellent at depicting genuinely ‘good’ characters, who, nevertheless, have a dangerous edge. He also often brings humour and lightness to his roles and would be a perfect foil for Jon’s threatening presence.

I’d love Ralph Fiennes to play Egill: he’s brilliant at showing absolute malevolence, while never truly alienating the audience – even when he’s an out-and-out villain. Complex anti-heroes are wonderful and I need Egill to display moments of helplessness, even when he’s at his most malicious.

As a director, I’d either want the wonderful Jane Campion, who creates stunning visuals and great emotional intensity, in her films, as well as in series such as Top of the Lake, or I’d love the team who have directed The Handmaid’s Tale: I adore the slow-burning terror and beautiful cinematography of that series. The combination of agonising, nail-biting domestic suspense – alongside the gorgeous harshness of the Icelandic landscape – is key to the sense of danger that suffuses The Glass Woman.

Learn more about The Glass Woman, and follow Caroline Lea on Twitter.

The Page 69 Test: The Glass Woman.

--Marshal Zeringue