Like Tara Road, in which Binchy introduces an American character to an Irish town, The Glass Lake offers readers a look at the lives of women in another country – namely, England, to which Lena escapes with her lover.

In The Glass Lake, Binchy creates the character of Sister Madeleine, an all-knowing, tolerant, and giving woman who lives as a hermit on the edge of town.

Binchy's husband, Gordon Snell, asked her to "tone down" Sister Madeleine's goodness after reading the first draft and finding the character "too soppy" and "too sentimental".

[5] The Star Tribune, in contrast, felt the major characters were credible but reflected a strong gender bias: Binchy's women, once again, tend to be the "good guys."

[6]This review suggests that the gender bias could be traced to Binchy's upbringing in Ireland's male-dominated society, and her coming-of-age during the women's liberation movement.

[6] The South Florida Sun-Sentinel praised Binchy for writing "strong and realistic female characters" who possess an inner fortitude to survive the ups and downs of daily life.