Helpful Score: 1
DARK MIRROR is a doozy of a novel. It seems to cover a little dash of every genrefantasy, historical fiction, science fiction, romanceand while it doesnt fully develop the possibilities that these multiple genres allow, and used quite a few YA tropes to push its nonstop pace along, it was still overall a rollicking good read.
DARK MIRROR focuses on plot over characterization. The books synopsis says practically nothing about the plot, which made it an interesting reading experience for me because that practically never happens for me anymore. The pacing kept me engaged even through the less believable momentswhich occurred at greater and greater frequency as the story progressed.
Why is that so? I think it might be because this book tried to take on so much. First it introduces us to an alternate-world Regency England where magic is common but considered dirty blood among the gentry. The explanations for how the magic worked were practically nonexistent, but it didnt bother me all that much once I readjusted my mental targeted readers age to something much younger.
But then, about two-thirds of the way through the book, we basically get introduced to a whole different set of characters, who know nothing about magic, and so in the span of, like, 20 pages Tory manages to explain and teach them magic. Call me picky, but that felt like a poorly rushed narrative decision. And there is not much I want to say about the ending, because by that point I was trying to hold in my laughter at how dramatic and contrived the plot had gotten. Not the kind of reaction a book wants to inspire in its reader.
Tory and her friends are basically solid characters. Tory is a resilient protagonist, not annoying. Other than her, however, the supporting characters were relatively stock characters: you had your mean but troubled roommate; the jolly, though poor, male friend; the plucky little sister; and so on. The thoroughly undeveloped romance that gets thrown into the story kind of randomly felt entirely like someone had said, This is YA; it needs a romance and so plunked the moody handsome guy in. And, as most of you know by now, that is not okay by my book.
So DARK MIRROR is not high-quality literature. It employs a few too many clichéd YA elements for me to truly enjoy it. But I think that younger readers whove enjoyed Libba Brays or Tiffany Trents gothic YA historical fantasy series might delight in this exciting and fast-paced story.
DARK MIRROR focuses on plot over characterization. The books synopsis says practically nothing about the plot, which made it an interesting reading experience for me because that practically never happens for me anymore. The pacing kept me engaged even through the less believable momentswhich occurred at greater and greater frequency as the story progressed.
Why is that so? I think it might be because this book tried to take on so much. First it introduces us to an alternate-world Regency England where magic is common but considered dirty blood among the gentry. The explanations for how the magic worked were practically nonexistent, but it didnt bother me all that much once I readjusted my mental targeted readers age to something much younger.
But then, about two-thirds of the way through the book, we basically get introduced to a whole different set of characters, who know nothing about magic, and so in the span of, like, 20 pages Tory manages to explain and teach them magic. Call me picky, but that felt like a poorly rushed narrative decision. And there is not much I want to say about the ending, because by that point I was trying to hold in my laughter at how dramatic and contrived the plot had gotten. Not the kind of reaction a book wants to inspire in its reader.
Tory and her friends are basically solid characters. Tory is a resilient protagonist, not annoying. Other than her, however, the supporting characters were relatively stock characters: you had your mean but troubled roommate; the jolly, though poor, male friend; the plucky little sister; and so on. The thoroughly undeveloped romance that gets thrown into the story kind of randomly felt entirely like someone had said, This is YA; it needs a romance and so plunked the moody handsome guy in. And, as most of you know by now, that is not okay by my book.
So DARK MIRROR is not high-quality literature. It employs a few too many clichéd YA elements for me to truly enjoy it. But I think that younger readers whove enjoyed Libba Brays or Tiffany Trents gothic YA historical fantasy series might delight in this exciting and fast-paced story.
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