When I was approached about reviewing Eyes in the Mirror, the initial description really grabbed me. Pairing that with the cover it was given, and I was all set for a good paranormal adventure. Reading the actual novel was somewhat of a disappointment on that front because the story is less paranormal and more realistic, but with a fantasy twist. Make sense? So, I suppose I should say that my disappointment didnt come from Julia Mayers writing, but rather the way I thought this was proposed to me.
The novel is told from dual points of viewDee and Samara, who eventually switch places in the mirror and experience the other halfs life. Both personalities are different enough that there is no confusing them (a blessing when the novel keeps shifting back and forth between them), and it was fascinating to see how each interpreted the same situation. Samara seemingly has it all on the surface, but is falling apart. Dee, on the other hand, comes from a family struggling financially, but has a great group of friends and a mom that loves her.
I felt the story kind of stalled in some places, but then shot forward out of a cannon at others. The cadence of it didnt flow all the time, but the overall story was still entertaining and kept me interested. Some if the dialogue felt off and stilted, but it was something I eventually got used to. I cannot praise Mayer enough for addressing the issue of cutting. So few YA novels have the guts to tackle issues that many teens face. I felt this was especially important to me because I knew a cutter in high school.
While the premise and other parts of Eyes in the Mirror are far-fetched and unbelievable, its a good, fun escape-ish novel that I breezed through in an afternoon. I recommend you check it out for yourself. I highly doubt youll be sorry you did.
The novel is told from dual points of viewDee and Samara, who eventually switch places in the mirror and experience the other halfs life. Both personalities are different enough that there is no confusing them (a blessing when the novel keeps shifting back and forth between them), and it was fascinating to see how each interpreted the same situation. Samara seemingly has it all on the surface, but is falling apart. Dee, on the other hand, comes from a family struggling financially, but has a great group of friends and a mom that loves her.
I felt the story kind of stalled in some places, but then shot forward out of a cannon at others. The cadence of it didnt flow all the time, but the overall story was still entertaining and kept me interested. Some if the dialogue felt off and stilted, but it was something I eventually got used to. I cannot praise Mayer enough for addressing the issue of cutting. So few YA novels have the guts to tackle issues that many teens face. I felt this was especially important to me because I knew a cutter in high school.
While the premise and other parts of Eyes in the Mirror are far-fetched and unbelievable, its a good, fun escape-ish novel that I breezed through in an afternoon. I recommend you check it out for yourself. I highly doubt youll be sorry you did.
