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“Ophelia possesses two special gifts: a talent for seeing into an object’s past and the ability to travel through mirrors. Her peaceful existence on Amina is interrupted when she is promised in marriage to the taciturn Thorn, a member of a powerful clan from a cold and distant ark. A pawn in a dangerous game that will have far-reaching consequences for her entire world, Ophelia must navigate the lies and machinations of her fiancé’s clan in order to survive in this first installment of the internationally best-selling Mirror Visitor series.”
An instantly engaging thriller/fantasy. Ms. Dabos had me hooked from the first few pages as she remarks “the Family Archives building is forever in a foul mood” and describes Ophelia slowly stepping out of a mirror, nose first! Her story lures you into a world steeping with creativity, a plethora of well developed characters and a plot moving fast enough to keep you guessing.
Told from a third person point of view, I enjoyed the precision of each character’s description; “Black hair, white face, black livery, white hose: she looked like an old photograph,” as well as her little magical touches; “The shaking of all those pendants sounded like a shower of crystal rain.” Her writing is fresh and slow enough to enjoy the richness of her words.
Favorite character? Gail the black-monocled mechanic. I wanted to know more about her, her background, and her abilities. She hinted at humor which this story could use more of as I found most of the characters to be unlikeable even if they had a good reason for being who they are.
Reason for my 4 out of 5 stars? There is a sense of dread, victimhood, and hopelessness throughout the story. I struggled at times to hang in there as Ophelia seems to be backed into a corner with no way out and no hope.
Line that stuck with me? “You look so insignificant, it almost makes you special.”
Overall, I would recommend this complex novel to fantasy readers who enjoy a full immersion into another realm. There is instant engagement, royal scheming, and no shortage of creativity.
Read on!
Tracey
