Reviewed by Andrea for TeensReadToo.com
In MAGIC UNDER GLASS by Jaclyn Dolamore, Nimira is a "trouser girl" who is used to singing and dancing for pennies. Until the day Hollin Parry watches her perform and decides that he wants her to sing with a piano-playing automaton. But the automaton is not just a machine - he is really Erris, a fairy gentleman trapped in a clockwork body.
When Nim discovers this, she falls in love with him and vows to set him free. But first she must overcome several obstacles, including finding a way to get Erris an actual body and discovering a way past a scheming Ambassador of Magic who dislikes fairies.
The premise of MAGIC UNDER GLASS immediately caught my attention. A girl who falls in love with an automaton who is really a fairy gentleman trapped in a clockwork body is right up my alley!
I do have to say that I couldn't quite connect with Nimira. I'm not sure if it was because it was set in a different time/country or what, but I just didn't get as much from her as I would have liked. I did fall for Erris (the automaton), though. Right from the beginning, when he and Nim started their connection, I found him endearing and so badly wanted him to be set free. And I couldn't decide about Hollin - sometimes I found him to be a villain, but at other times I found him wanting so badly to be a hero and do the right thing. Did he? You'll just have to read the book to find out!
The premise was a great story. I think it could have been longer and I would have continued to enjoy it. I think (and hope) the ending was set up for there to be a sequel and will definitely be looking to read it if there is one!
This is a story about magic, and about fighting for the ones you love.
In MAGIC UNDER GLASS by Jaclyn Dolamore, Nimira is a "trouser girl" who is used to singing and dancing for pennies. Until the day Hollin Parry watches her perform and decides that he wants her to sing with a piano-playing automaton. But the automaton is not just a machine - he is really Erris, a fairy gentleman trapped in a clockwork body.
When Nim discovers this, she falls in love with him and vows to set him free. But first she must overcome several obstacles, including finding a way to get Erris an actual body and discovering a way past a scheming Ambassador of Magic who dislikes fairies.
The premise of MAGIC UNDER GLASS immediately caught my attention. A girl who falls in love with an automaton who is really a fairy gentleman trapped in a clockwork body is right up my alley!
I do have to say that I couldn't quite connect with Nimira. I'm not sure if it was because it was set in a different time/country or what, but I just didn't get as much from her as I would have liked. I did fall for Erris (the automaton), though. Right from the beginning, when he and Nim started their connection, I found him endearing and so badly wanted him to be set free. And I couldn't decide about Hollin - sometimes I found him to be a villain, but at other times I found him wanting so badly to be a hero and do the right thing. Did he? You'll just have to read the book to find out!
The premise was a great story. I think it could have been longer and I would have continued to enjoy it. I think (and hope) the ending was set up for there to be a sequel and will definitely be looking to read it if there is one!
This is a story about magic, and about fighting for the ones you love.
Originally taken from my Blog: Princess Bookie
My Thoughts: This is either going to be a love or hate book for you. I've read good and bad things about it. We meet Nim who is a trouser girl who left home a while back to make money and didn't get as far as she would have liked to go. Things just got hectic for her. She meets a gentleman named Hollin who asks her to come sing for him. Nim goes back to his place and is paired with an automation. She finds out that a fairy is trapped inside the automation. I won't say much more or else you will know the whole plot! I actually liked this book a lot. But, I won't lie, part of me wanted her to end up with the fairy and the other wanted
part wanted her to end up with Hollin. I've heard it both ways from other people as well. The historical part of this book didn't bother me at all (I usually do not like too many historicals). What happens with the automation, what happens to Nim and Hollin? Does she stay or does she go? Read the book now to find out.
Overall: I was really looking forward to reading this for a while, and I'm glad I did so soon. It is a wonderful written book and I hope there is a book 2!
Cover: The cover is alright. I like her hair and the way she is turned. It does look like a historical cover, yet it is cute enough to make you want to give the book a second glance.
My Thoughts: This is either going to be a love or hate book for you. I've read good and bad things about it. We meet Nim who is a trouser girl who left home a while back to make money and didn't get as far as she would have liked to go. Things just got hectic for her. She meets a gentleman named Hollin who asks her to come sing for him. Nim goes back to his place and is paired with an automation. She finds out that a fairy is trapped inside the automation. I won't say much more or else you will know the whole plot! I actually liked this book a lot. But, I won't lie, part of me wanted her to end up with the fairy and the other wanted
part wanted her to end up with Hollin. I've heard it both ways from other people as well. The historical part of this book didn't bother me at all (I usually do not like too many historicals). What happens with the automation, what happens to Nim and Hollin? Does she stay or does she go? Read the book now to find out.
Overall: I was really looking forward to reading this for a while, and I'm glad I did so soon. It is a wonderful written book and I hope there is a book 2!
Cover: The cover is alright. I like her hair and the way she is turned. It does look like a historical cover, yet it is cute enough to make you want to give the book a second glance.
Absolutely lovely. I was intrigued and enchanted all the way through. I read it in one night, could not put it down! This is a bit of a twist on Jane Eyre - done very well and very creatively. It's not just the wealthy gentleman, the secret surrounding a "late" wife ... it also has magic, fairies (done quite originally, nothing cliche), and machinery.
My only contention is that this book NEEDS a sequel!! The ending still had unfinished business, and, if there is a sequel, I will definitely be reading it. I'd also read other books by the author.
My only contention is that this book NEEDS a sequel!! The ending still had unfinished business, and, if there is a sequel, I will definitely be reading it. I'd also read other books by the author.
I am finding this book hard to review. The writing is nice--it's very easy to read. But I felt like I was reading a sequel because the author kept making references to the political situation and the social standing of the characters but never explained the political structure, geography, or social structure of her story. It is a fictional location, so without some of that history some of her references were not clear. I felt like I got enough information to understand the story--but I also felt that I was unnecessarily frustrated in the process.
I did like the characters and found that I cared what happens with them.
I am a little confused by the title. I was waiting for the author to bring the story back to Magic Under Glass--but I didn't see that she ever did. I feel like there has to be another story so I can figure out about the Magic Under Glass.
But in general, I do hope the author has plans for more stories with these characters. I would love to hear what happened after the end of this book--and she left it wide open for a sequel. And she left a lot of questions she could answer.
I did like the characters and found that I cared what happens with them.
I am a little confused by the title. I was waiting for the author to bring the story back to Magic Under Glass--but I didn't see that she ever did. I feel like there has to be another story so I can figure out about the Magic Under Glass.
But in general, I do hope the author has plans for more stories with these characters. I would love to hear what happened after the end of this book--and she left it wide open for a sequel. And she left a lot of questions she could answer.
