Mirror Reader by Karen Duvall
Read in October 2024
Summary:
Alice Dodgson is a descendant of Alice in Wonderland who can read mirrors. When her daughter is kidnapped by the old Hawaiian gods, she is forced to team up with her ex, Keoki, who is from the mirror-world, which is an alternate Hawaii, to find her. Along the way, she meets creatures from Alice in Wonderland and has to master her mirror reading magic in order to find her daughter.
Main Characters:
Alice Dodgson: the protagonist. A fierce young woman who will do anything to find her daughter. She's the descendant of Alice in Wonderland and as such she can travel between the two worlds.
Keoki: A loyal and compelling man who'll do anything to help Alice, who he still loves. He's from the mirror-world and cannot travel worldside without the aid of magic.
Hawaiian gods, especially Kamapua'a
World-Building:
There wasn't much world-building as the story is set in modern day Hawaii and an alternate version of it. We don't learn much about the politics, government etc. of the mirror world.
Themes/Tropes:
- Romance / Forbidden Love
- Magic & Magical Realism
- Mythology
- Love & Loyalty
- FMC
- Legacy
- Identity & Self-Discovery
- Magical Artifacts
- Hawaiian Folklore
- Quest
- Parallel Worlds
- Shapeshifters
- The Trickster
Entertainment Value:
The book is very fast paced, sometimes a little too for my taste. I wished at times there was a little more breathing room, just to take the story in. I thought it was fun to weave in the story of Alice in Wonderland and imagine what her descendant might be like. I think the mirror magic system is unique and not something I've come across before. Using a mirror as a portal between the modern world and an alternative world is interesting. As someone who loves mythology, I loved learning more about the Hawaiian pantheon of gods. I do wish they had been more prevalent. The book mainly focuses on the demigod Kamapua'a, which was great, but I wanted to know other gods better too.
Cover Art:
I think the cover art is beautiful and fitting for this story.
Would I read this book again?
Maybe. It had some fun elements, just a little under-baked in my opinion.
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