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Obsidian Mirror #1
Obsidian Mirror
Jake's father disappears while working on mysterious experiments with the obsessive, reclusive Oberon Venn. Jake is convinced Venn has murdered him. But the truth he finds at the snow-bound Wintercombe Abbey is far stranger ... The experiments concerned a black mirror, which is a portal to both the past and the future. Venn is not alone in wanting to use its powers. Strangers begin gathering in and around Venn's estate: Sarah - a runaway, who appears out of nowhere and is clearly not what she says, Maskelyne - who claims the mirror was stolen from him in some past century. There are others, a product of the mirror's power to twist time. And a tribe of elemental beings surround this isolated estate, fey, cold, untrustworthy, and filled with hate for humans. But of them all, Jake is hell-bent on using the mirror to get to the truth. Whatever the cost, he must learn what really happened to his father.
378 pages, Hardcover
First published October 4, 2012
About the author
Catherine Fisher
80 books1,587 followersCatherine Fisher was born in Newport, Wales. She graduated from the University of Wales with a degree in English and a fascination for myth and history. She has worked in education and archaeology and as a lecturer in creative writing at the University of Glamorgan. She is a Fellow of the Welsh Academy.
Catherine is an acclaimed poet and novelist, regularly lecturing and giving readings to groups of all ages. She leads sessions for teachers and librarians and is an experienced broadcaster and adjudicator. She lives in Newport, Gwent.
Catherine has won many awards and much critical acclaim for her work. Her poetry has appeared in leading periodicals and anthologies and her volume Immrama won the WAC Young Writers' Prize. She won the Cardiff International Poetry Competition in 1990.
Her first novel, The Conjuror's Game, was shortlisted for the Smarties Books prize and The Snow-Walker's Son for the W.H.Smith Award. Equally acclaimed is her quartet The Book of the Crow, a classic of fantasy fiction.
The Oracle, the first volume in the Oracle trilogy, blends Egyptian and Greek elements of magic and adventure and was shortlisted for the Whitbread Children's Books prize. The trilogy was an international bestseller and has appeared in over twenty languages. The Candleman won the Welsh Books Council's Tir Na n'Og Prize and Catherine was also shortlisted for the remarkable Corbenic, a modern re-inventing of the Grail legend.
Her futuristic novel Incarceron was published to widespread praise in 2007, winning the Mythopoeic Society of America's Children's Fiction Award and selected by The Times as its Children's Book of the Year. The sequel, Sapphique, was published in September 2008.
Catherine is an acclaimed poet and novelist, regularly lecturing and giving readings to groups of all ages. She leads sessions for teachers and librarians and is an experienced broadcaster and adjudicator. She lives in Newport, Gwent.
Catherine has won many awards and much critical acclaim for her work. Her poetry has appeared in leading periodicals and anthologies and her volume Immrama won the WAC Young Writers' Prize. She won the Cardiff International Poetry Competition in 1990.
Her first novel, The Conjuror's Game, was shortlisted for the Smarties Books prize and The Snow-Walker's Son for the W.H.Smith Award. Equally acclaimed is her quartet The Book of the Crow, a classic of fantasy fiction.
The Oracle, the first volume in the Oracle trilogy, blends Egyptian and Greek elements of magic and adventure and was shortlisted for the Whitbread Children's Books prize. The trilogy was an international bestseller and has appeared in over twenty languages. The Candleman won the Welsh Books Council's Tir Na n'Og Prize and Catherine was also shortlisted for the remarkable Corbenic, a modern re-inventing of the Grail legend.
Her futuristic novel Incarceron was published to widespread praise in 2007, winning the Mythopoeic Society of America's Children's Fiction Award and selected by The Times as its Children's Book of the Year. The sequel, Sapphique, was published in September 2008.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 398 reviews
September 19, 2012
I knew very little about Catherine Fisher before reading The Obsidian Mirror, only that she wrote Incarceron, which I have yet to read, so it’s safe to say I went into this with no expectations whatsoever, just the usual excitement over a pretty cover. In a nutshell, The Obsidian Mirror is a Middle Grade adventure that combines Science Fiction elements (time travel, to be exact), with fairy lore. Had I realized this in time, I doubt I would have requested it since I normally avoid MG like the plague, but it would have been my loss. Fisher is an excellent writer with a good sense of pacing and wonderful imagination.
Time travel always confuses me a bit, but Fisher didn’t make it too complicated. Many questions were left unanswered, but enough was revealed for me to enjoy the story. The obsidian mirror itself, a time portal of sorts, remains a mystery, but one that will surely be resolved in the next installment. The only piece that simply refuses to fit are the fairies. They might be colorful and deliciously creepy, but they contribute nothing to the story and I can’t for the life of me understand their purpose. Perhaps it will be clearer in the second book, but for now, they’re nothing more than a decoration. (Not for me, though, I’m so scared of them.)
I am not a fan of multiple points of view and I think I would have liked this book more were it told from Jake’s perspective alone, preferably in first person. Third person, multiple points of view is my least favorite narrative choice as it often prevents me from creating emotional bonds with the characters and the entire experience can somehow seem cold and clinical. Switching from Jake to Sarah and back, with a few short chapters with other narrative voices broke the natural flow, and all the diary entries by the mirror’s original owner, although essential, certainly didn’t help.
I did like Fisher’s writing a lot, although it’s nothing like what I usually enjoy. Her sentences are short and clear, her style refreshingly concise, and yet she somehow avoids making it seem stilted. It worked well for The Obsidian Mirror, mostly because it’s a Middle Grade adventure and not very emotional at all, but I’m curious to see how it worked in Incarceron.
The Obsidian Mirror left so many questions unanswered and I simply can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel. I will also read Incarceron and Sapphique as soon as I can. Great job, Ms. Fisher!
Time travel always confuses me a bit, but Fisher didn’t make it too complicated. Many questions were left unanswered, but enough was revealed for me to enjoy the story. The obsidian mirror itself, a time portal of sorts, remains a mystery, but one that will surely be resolved in the next installment. The only piece that simply refuses to fit are the fairies. They might be colorful and deliciously creepy, but they contribute nothing to the story and I can’t for the life of me understand their purpose. Perhaps it will be clearer in the second book, but for now, they’re nothing more than a decoration. (Not for me, though, I’m so scared of them.)
I am not a fan of multiple points of view and I think I would have liked this book more were it told from Jake’s perspective alone, preferably in first person. Third person, multiple points of view is my least favorite narrative choice as it often prevents me from creating emotional bonds with the characters and the entire experience can somehow seem cold and clinical. Switching from Jake to Sarah and back, with a few short chapters with other narrative voices broke the natural flow, and all the diary entries by the mirror’s original owner, although essential, certainly didn’t help.
I did like Fisher’s writing a lot, although it’s nothing like what I usually enjoy. Her sentences are short and clear, her style refreshingly concise, and yet she somehow avoids making it seem stilted. It worked well for The Obsidian Mirror, mostly because it’s a Middle Grade adventure and not very emotional at all, but I’m curious to see how it worked in Incarceron.
The Obsidian Mirror left so many questions unanswered and I simply can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel. I will also read Incarceron and Sapphique as soon as I can. Great job, Ms. Fisher!
August 9, 2019
When it comes to Catherine Fisher, pay no mind to me: she's my most favorite, dear author. She could write an entire book describing a turd and I would probably buy it and love it.
Catherine and I are soulmates; she just doesn't know it yet.
February 13, 2013
I have heard of Catherine Fisher before, and I was interested in reading her work, but this is the first book I've read of hers. And boy, did I love it. Now I have to get my hands on the rest of her books! I received this book from the Early Reviewers program on Librarything in exchange for an honest review.
The Obsidian Mirror by Catherine Fisher is an amalgam of different genres, but she does it seamlessly-- we have some paranormal elements with fantasy and faeries as well as some science fiction thrown in. It's hard to say who exactly is the star in this book as we get a multitude of perspectives in third person, but that is also well done. We start with Jack, a young boy, who is determined to find out what happened to his father who has "disappeared." He travels to meet with his father's best friend, Oberon Venn, a recluse who used to be a star climber, who now holes up in Wintercombe Abbey. A host of other people come into the picture and the legendary Obsidian Mirror, which has some interesting aspects to it, plays a central role. I know I'm not telling you much, but there are a lot of plot twists and jaw dropping reveals, and I just don't want to give any of that away.
I loved this book! I loved the old timey feel of the piece, the characters, and the elements of those different genres all combined so effortlessly. I loved the great plot twists, the eerie scenery and backdrop of Wintercombe Abbey, and the Agatha Christie whodunit feel of the novel. The pacing was terrific-- I blazed from cover to cover in a few hours, and wanted to immediately devour the sequel-- which, WHEN is that coming out! Must have!
Overall, a stunning start to a trilogy with a terrific and intriguing set of characters, scenery, and plot twists.
The Obsidian Mirror by Catherine Fisher is an amalgam of different genres, but she does it seamlessly-- we have some paranormal elements with fantasy and faeries as well as some science fiction thrown in. It's hard to say who exactly is the star in this book as we get a multitude of perspectives in third person, but that is also well done. We start with Jack, a young boy, who is determined to find out what happened to his father who has "disappeared." He travels to meet with his father's best friend, Oberon Venn, a recluse who used to be a star climber, who now holes up in Wintercombe Abbey. A host of other people come into the picture and the legendary Obsidian Mirror, which has some interesting aspects to it, plays a central role. I know I'm not telling you much, but there are a lot of plot twists and jaw dropping reveals, and I just don't want to give any of that away.
I loved this book! I loved the old timey feel of the piece, the characters, and the elements of those different genres all combined so effortlessly. I loved the great plot twists, the eerie scenery and backdrop of Wintercombe Abbey, and the Agatha Christie whodunit feel of the novel. The pacing was terrific-- I blazed from cover to cover in a few hours, and wanted to immediately devour the sequel-- which, WHEN is that coming out! Must have!
Overall, a stunning start to a trilogy with a terrific and intriguing set of characters, scenery, and plot twists.
April 1, 2013
I had read Fisher’s Incarceron series and enjoyed it, so I was eager to read this latest book by her. Thanks to Dial and Librarything for the chance to review this book. There were some interesting ideas in here and the book starts out as intriguing. As the story continued though there were too many POVs and the story became fractured and a bit confusing.
Jake is convinced that his strange Godfather Oberon Venn has something to do with Jake’s father’s disappearance. When Jake journeys to Wintercombe Abbey, he finds the truth is much stranger than even he could have guessed. Sarah is a strange runaway who is not exactly what she appears and she also ends up at Wintercombe Abbey in hopes of finding a mysterious mirror.
This is one of those books that is hard to explain. It involves a lot of people, a mysterious time travel inducing mirror, and a bunch of fey. Initially we mainly hear from Jack and Sarah, but as the book continues the story and the number of POVs kind of spin out of control. Trying to figure out how all these little threads are tied together is tough and maybe something that will become clearer in future books in this series.
I always have a bit of trouble with time travel books because you start thinking about how past and previous activities affect current ones and the whole thing gets a bit convoluted and confusing. This holds true for this book as well.
I also had some trouble with the characters. I didn’t really care for any of them all that much. As the reader you don't really get to spend enough time with any of them to fully engage with them.
I also found the inclusion of the Fey with time travel to be a bit confusing. It is definitely a creative twist to time travel, but by the end of the book I still didn’t understand why the Fey were involved. Again maybe future books in this series will reveal more about this.
The book started out as an excellent read. As the story continued it spiraled out into a million different POVs that ended up fracturing the story, slowing the pace, and making it difficult to follow. By the end I felt that what had started out as an interesting premise was kind of a let down.
Overall an okay read, but not great. The premise is interesting and creative and the book starts out as intriguing. As the story continues the addition of more and more story threads and more and more points of view made things confusing. The jumping through time and jumping from character to character fractured the story and made it hard to follow. I never really engaged with any of the characters and by the end of the book found the plot to be a bit of a drag. This could end up being an interesting series, but I disliked this book enough that I won’t be reading any more of it.
I definitely think Incarceron was a better book by Fisher. I wouldn’t really recommend this book to anyone unless you are a huge fan of Fisher’s work and really want to read something else by her.
Jake is convinced that his strange Godfather Oberon Venn has something to do with Jake’s father’s disappearance. When Jake journeys to Wintercombe Abbey, he finds the truth is much stranger than even he could have guessed. Sarah is a strange runaway who is not exactly what she appears and she also ends up at Wintercombe Abbey in hopes of finding a mysterious mirror.
This is one of those books that is hard to explain. It involves a lot of people, a mysterious time travel inducing mirror, and a bunch of fey. Initially we mainly hear from Jack and Sarah, but as the book continues the story and the number of POVs kind of spin out of control. Trying to figure out how all these little threads are tied together is tough and maybe something that will become clearer in future books in this series.
I always have a bit of trouble with time travel books because you start thinking about how past and previous activities affect current ones and the whole thing gets a bit convoluted and confusing. This holds true for this book as well.
I also had some trouble with the characters. I didn’t really care for any of them all that much. As the reader you don't really get to spend enough time with any of them to fully engage with them.
I also found the inclusion of the Fey with time travel to be a bit confusing. It is definitely a creative twist to time travel, but by the end of the book I still didn’t understand why the Fey were involved. Again maybe future books in this series will reveal more about this.
The book started out as an excellent read. As the story continued it spiraled out into a million different POVs that ended up fracturing the story, slowing the pace, and making it difficult to follow. By the end I felt that what had started out as an interesting premise was kind of a let down.
Overall an okay read, but not great. The premise is interesting and creative and the book starts out as intriguing. As the story continues the addition of more and more story threads and more and more points of view made things confusing. The jumping through time and jumping from character to character fractured the story and made it hard to follow. I never really engaged with any of the characters and by the end of the book found the plot to be a bit of a drag. This could end up being an interesting series, but I disliked this book enough that I won’t be reading any more of it.
I definitely think Incarceron was a better book by Fisher. I wouldn’t really recommend this book to anyone unless you are a huge fan of Fisher’s work and really want to read something else by her.
April 25, 2013
If I had to describe The Obsidian Mirror in one word it would be: rebel. No, this book is not about some revolution but it simply rebels and defiest to be labeled. I really had problems tagging it. Should it be young adult or middle grade? Where would you put Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling or The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman? Well, put this book right there with them.
If you try stuffing The Obsidian Mirror into one genre only, you would run into similar problems. Is it contemporary? Yes, since most of the plot happens in present tense. Is it science fiction? Well, you could say so, since there is time travel involved and description of society in distant future... Is it historical? There are excerpts from old journals and some parts of the story happens in 19th century - so yes, it's historical fiction also. Is it fantasy? There are fey and magic and a lot of unresolved plot elements that may turn to be other supernatural surprises, so you can definitely call The Obsidian Mirror fantasy or urban fantasy or paranormal... So there you have it. This is contemporary historical paranormal science fiction/fantasy novel. Ha! Take that Catherine Fisher! You thought you could fool me, but nothing stops my OCD. :D
The Obsidian Mirror is a thrilling adventure set in England at the estate of Wintercombe Abbey. The atmosphere in Wintercombe Abbey is so dark and gothic and one of the big mysteries in The Obsidian Mirror is the house itself and the secrets hidden in it.
"Nothing in the house was straight; everything leaned or tilted; even the floors sloped, and Jake had the unsettling feeling that the Abbey was warping almost as he walked through it."
Story is about multiple characters who all gather in and around Wintercombe Abbey to accomplish their personal, often mysterious goals. Narration is told from third person point of view and jumps between different characters constantly, the more intense the moment, the more switches you should expect. This turned out to be a great tension builder, it does not help for you to really connect to the characters. Although I liked some of them very much, especially Sarah, girl of unknown origin but suspected runaway from mental hospital, and Piers, ever-present all-knowing butler.
The Obsidian Mirror covers a lot of topics. Coping with loss of a close family member, human greed and manipulation, does goal always justifies the means, fight for the better future, lost love, family, friends,... And surprisingly, solution to all of their problems seems to be The Obsidian Mirror.
This is the book that will keep you puzzled and on your toes until the last page. There are so many twists and turns in plot and always something new is happening. The Obsidian Mirror is definitely not ordinary novel full of tropes and cliches. But, for some unknown reason, I had hard time reading it. Or should we better say slow time. I would read and read and read, for ages, and when I check only ten pages passed. This is very strange since I am usually a fast reader, especially with books I like. And I liked The Obsidian Mirror.
If you liked gothic atmosphere of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, scary but beautiful fey from The Iron King by Julie Kagawa or you enjoy reading middle-grade/young adult fantasy novels that revolve around large set of characters and involve mystery, time travel, paranormal and a lot of thrilling action, you are probably going to enjoy The Obsidian Mirror by Catherine Fisher. You are definitely not going to say: "Meh, I read it all before" after finishing this book.
My rating: 3.5 stars
Disclaimer: I was given a free eBook by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. This text is also posted on my blog Bookworm Dreams in a little bit more styled edition.
If you try stuffing The Obsidian Mirror into one genre only, you would run into similar problems. Is it contemporary? Yes, since most of the plot happens in present tense. Is it science fiction? Well, you could say so, since there is time travel involved and description of society in distant future... Is it historical? There are excerpts from old journals and some parts of the story happens in 19th century - so yes, it's historical fiction also. Is it fantasy? There are fey and magic and a lot of unresolved plot elements that may turn to be other supernatural surprises, so you can definitely call The Obsidian Mirror fantasy or urban fantasy or paranormal... So there you have it. This is contemporary historical paranormal science fiction/fantasy novel. Ha! Take that Catherine Fisher! You thought you could fool me, but nothing stops my OCD. :D
The Obsidian Mirror is a thrilling adventure set in England at the estate of Wintercombe Abbey. The atmosphere in Wintercombe Abbey is so dark and gothic and one of the big mysteries in The Obsidian Mirror is the house itself and the secrets hidden in it.
"Nothing in the house was straight; everything leaned or tilted; even the floors sloped, and Jake had the unsettling feeling that the Abbey was warping almost as he walked through it."
Story is about multiple characters who all gather in and around Wintercombe Abbey to accomplish their personal, often mysterious goals. Narration is told from third person point of view and jumps between different characters constantly, the more intense the moment, the more switches you should expect. This turned out to be a great tension builder, it does not help for you to really connect to the characters. Although I liked some of them very much, especially Sarah, girl of unknown origin but suspected runaway from mental hospital, and Piers, ever-present all-knowing butler.
The Obsidian Mirror covers a lot of topics. Coping with loss of a close family member, human greed and manipulation, does goal always justifies the means, fight for the better future, lost love, family, friends,... And surprisingly, solution to all of their problems seems to be The Obsidian Mirror.
This is the book that will keep you puzzled and on your toes until the last page. There are so many twists and turns in plot and always something new is happening. The Obsidian Mirror is definitely not ordinary novel full of tropes and cliches. But, for some unknown reason, I had hard time reading it. Or should we better say slow time. I would read and read and read, for ages, and when I check only ten pages passed. This is very strange since I am usually a fast reader, especially with books I like. And I liked The Obsidian Mirror.
If you liked gothic atmosphere of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, scary but beautiful fey from The Iron King by Julie Kagawa or you enjoy reading middle-grade/young adult fantasy novels that revolve around large set of characters and involve mystery, time travel, paranormal and a lot of thrilling action, you are probably going to enjoy The Obsidian Mirror by Catherine Fisher. You are definitely not going to say: "Meh, I read it all before" after finishing this book.
My rating: 3.5 stars
Disclaimer: I was given a free eBook by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. This text is also posted on my blog Bookworm Dreams in a little bit more styled edition.
October 23, 2012
Raising the bar high for epic young-adult fantasy, where your imagination will be taken on the most exciting journey; with dreams becoming reality!
The stunning, magical cover of this book that glistens under the starlight really captures your imagination before you even pluck this book from the shelf. I adore the fantasy genre and I know that Catherine Fisher’s work will be a big hit, as there are so many avid readers of the young-adult genre. What I love about this genre is that it is so diverse and you find such breathtaking, original books that are so unique and never fail to impress. The Obsidian Mirror has to be my favorite book of the year without a doubt, with the author’s creativity and inspired storyline just blowing me away; it really did send shivers down my spine it was that good. Intensely gripping, clever and detailed world building make this novel something quite special (in comparison with Phillip Pullman’s Dark Materials trilogy), as it is so believable and ‘real’. From the author of Incarceron comes another astounding book that will astonish.
The first book of the Chronoptika introduces you to Jake, who after the mysterious disappearance of his father comes to the undeniable conclusion that his father has been murdered. Whilst exploring Wintercombe Abbey Jake then finds something much stranger and more mysterious lurking within the icy, snow covered depths. A hidden diary of lost secrets that was all but forgotten and a black mirror that is both a captivating and mystifying object. There is also a tribe of supernatural beings hiding in shadow that haunt the vast woods nearby, as a girl runs through the trees; being pursued by a wolf of ice. At every turn Jake finds many life-threatening and significant choices that he must make, as he makes a choice that will determine not only his fate but that of others. By continuing his journey into the unknown, seeking out the truth you are taken on the most mesmerizing, exciting and thrilling rollercoaster of an adventure that will leave you completely breathless.
This dark and scary ride had me clutching the pages of the book so tightly as to turn my knuckles white, not dissimilar to when watching a horror film when one is so captivated as to constantly fight the urge to turn away but being unable to. I am mortified for having not read any of Catherine Fisher’s books before, for she is an incredible writer whose characters come to life off the page and although this is technically children’s fiction I would recommend it to the older reader as well. Those of you who love young-adult fiction I urge you to read this book for it is too amazing to miss, being something that stands out from all others as quite exceptional. A plot that is full of twists and turns, keeping you guessing throughout whilst you loose yourself in the quest of a lifetime to find out the truth. Poignant, captivating and totally out of this world I was inspired as a writer by the author as well as delighted as a reader, upon reading this magnificent work. I do not believe that any reader will not be overwhelmed by this book, which is like a chocolate box full of intriguing and wonderful delights just waiting to be explored and enjoyed. The aspect of time travel is fascinating and will have those of you who love anything connected with different worlds, eras and times to be sat rigid in your seat. The messages that the author conveys through the writing is so powerful, thought-provoking and emotional that I was just blown away by it and her passion. The setting of the isolated, mysterious house and the dark wood was just perfect, with the exocentric inventor and Victorian London adding that touch of Sherlock Holmes or historical element to it, taking you back in time through a magical portal.
Full of mystery, hidden secrets and clues this is a story that will remain with you forever. It is just spectacular! *I would like to take this opportunity to thank the author for having her brilliant book as a giveaway on ‘We Sat Down’ book blog, that I concider myself extremely privileged to have won.
The stunning, magical cover of this book that glistens under the starlight really captures your imagination before you even pluck this book from the shelf. I adore the fantasy genre and I know that Catherine Fisher’s work will be a big hit, as there are so many avid readers of the young-adult genre. What I love about this genre is that it is so diverse and you find such breathtaking, original books that are so unique and never fail to impress. The Obsidian Mirror has to be my favorite book of the year without a doubt, with the author’s creativity and inspired storyline just blowing me away; it really did send shivers down my spine it was that good. Intensely gripping, clever and detailed world building make this novel something quite special (in comparison with Phillip Pullman’s Dark Materials trilogy), as it is so believable and ‘real’. From the author of Incarceron comes another astounding book that will astonish.
The first book of the Chronoptika introduces you to Jake, who after the mysterious disappearance of his father comes to the undeniable conclusion that his father has been murdered. Whilst exploring Wintercombe Abbey Jake then finds something much stranger and more mysterious lurking within the icy, snow covered depths. A hidden diary of lost secrets that was all but forgotten and a black mirror that is both a captivating and mystifying object. There is also a tribe of supernatural beings hiding in shadow that haunt the vast woods nearby, as a girl runs through the trees; being pursued by a wolf of ice. At every turn Jake finds many life-threatening and significant choices that he must make, as he makes a choice that will determine not only his fate but that of others. By continuing his journey into the unknown, seeking out the truth you are taken on the most mesmerizing, exciting and thrilling rollercoaster of an adventure that will leave you completely breathless.
This dark and scary ride had me clutching the pages of the book so tightly as to turn my knuckles white, not dissimilar to when watching a horror film when one is so captivated as to constantly fight the urge to turn away but being unable to. I am mortified for having not read any of Catherine Fisher’s books before, for she is an incredible writer whose characters come to life off the page and although this is technically children’s fiction I would recommend it to the older reader as well. Those of you who love young-adult fiction I urge you to read this book for it is too amazing to miss, being something that stands out from all others as quite exceptional. A plot that is full of twists and turns, keeping you guessing throughout whilst you loose yourself in the quest of a lifetime to find out the truth. Poignant, captivating and totally out of this world I was inspired as a writer by the author as well as delighted as a reader, upon reading this magnificent work. I do not believe that any reader will not be overwhelmed by this book, which is like a chocolate box full of intriguing and wonderful delights just waiting to be explored and enjoyed. The aspect of time travel is fascinating and will have those of you who love anything connected with different worlds, eras and times to be sat rigid in your seat. The messages that the author conveys through the writing is so powerful, thought-provoking and emotional that I was just blown away by it and her passion. The setting of the isolated, mysterious house and the dark wood was just perfect, with the exocentric inventor and Victorian London adding that touch of Sherlock Holmes or historical element to it, taking you back in time through a magical portal.
Full of mystery, hidden secrets and clues this is a story that will remain with you forever. It is just spectacular! *I would like to take this opportunity to thank the author for having her brilliant book as a giveaway on ‘We Sat Down’ book blog, that I concider myself extremely privileged to have won.
March 17, 2013
** This is an ARC review.
Any excerpts and quotes included are from an unfinished copy
and may change before the final print**
In 2010, before I started blogging, I came across Catherine Fisher's book Incarceron in my local library. I remember reading the cover jacket blurb and being completely intrigued. I checked it out, took it home and totally lost myself within its pages. That book had UNBELIEVABLE world building and incredible surprises inside of it. I remember my then eight year old son asking me what the book was about and I found I could hardly describe it. It really was like no other book I ever read. It was kind of mind blowing in it's complexities and plotting. Suffice to say, I was an instant fan of this author. Having never even heard of her prior to reading Incarceron, I researched and discovered she had a whole treasure trove of books under her belt.
So, it may seem odd that other than Incarceron and the sequel Sapphique, I haven't read any other books by Fisher. I guess I started blogging, discovered more great books and authors, and she sort of fell by the wayside. UNTIL NOW. When I saw The Obsidian Mirror popping up around the blogosphere (and it IS early folks, this book does not release until October of this year) I immediately looked into it. Yes, I thought. This was what I have been waiting for. I was not wrong.
Let me start out by saying that Catherine Fisher is one of those authors. The ones that write so masterfully that they make it look EASY. It's hard for me to describe exactly what I mean, but Fisher's storytelling reminds me of a few other authors in terms of smoothness and "readability" (sorry, I'm grasping here in my definition.) I would put her in the same league with Neil Gaiman, Robin McKinley, Peter S. Beagle, and Cornelia Funke. I've never read any Philip Pullman or Garth Nix, but she is often linked with them as well. When you read her stories you feel like you are reading the works of a real and true WRITER. Does that make sense? Well, that's the best I can describe it. What's more, I never feel as if my time with her will be anything less than well spent. How many authors can you say that about, really? For me, not many. Okay, enough. You see that I am a fan. Onward.
The Obsidian Mirror could best be described as a fantasy (there are definite magical elements), science fiction (there is a time travel theme), paranormal/ supernatural (there are Fae-like beings known as the Shee), historical fiction (it's a time travel story so we get views into the past), all centered around a mystery. Whew! That, my friends, is some SERIOUS genre blending! But you know what? Somehow, it all WORKS. I don't think many writers could pull it off, but Fisher does.
There are a number of characters in The Obsidian Mirror, and a number of intersecting storylines. The book is written in third person, multiple POV. Generally this type of narration is a tough sell for me. But in rare instances, it works. Last year I read The Diviners by Libba Bray, which also featured a HUGE cast and many, many story arcs. Bray pulled it off and so does Fisher. Even with a monstrously large cast of characters, I NEVER ONCE felt confused. I never once had to turn back and look something or someone up to be sure of what was going on or who I was reading. It's seamless.
Our two central narrators are Jake and Sarah. There are a few chapters narrated by other members of the cast as well, but their two viewpoints are the main ones. Jake is the teenage son of missing scientist David Wilde. His godfather, the once world explorer, and now reclusive, Oberon Venn, was David's best friend and the last person to see him alive. Jake believes with all his heart and soul that Venn is responsible for his dad's death. He is traveling to England and Venn's family estate, Wintercombe Abbey, to confront him.
Sarah is not from the present day. What time is she from? Well, we aren't quite sure. Sarah has a mission. What is the mission? Well, we don't know that either. But we do know that she didn't cross time alone. She is being hunted by someone sinister, someone that means to stop her from fulfilling her goal.
There are a host of other characters, each just as well rounded as Jake and Sarah and each harboring their own agenda and secrets: Oberon Venn, who we have mentioned; his servant Piers; Wharton, the teacher who accompanied Jake to Venn's residence; Rebecca, a stranger who befriends Wharton and Jake; Gideon, a boy from the nearby Wood; and several others who I want to say more about but can't because it would be TOO spoilery. There are so many fascinating, mysterious, quirky, endearing people that populate this story but two in particular absolutely STOLE MY HEART: Maskelyne and Moll. It is killing me that I cannot elaborate further about these two. KILLING. ME.
Moving on. So, I mentioned time travel. How does that come into play? Well, that is precisely what ties all of these people and all of their intersecting arcs together. The Chronoptika, or the obsidian mirror, is a time portal of sorts. It is a device created centuries earlier with the ability to transport people across space and time. But there are a few hitches. The most glaring being that no one knows the exact way to use the portal and safely travel through it. Venn has come into possession of the mirror, and he has his own reasons for wanting to figure out how to use it. Jake, on the other hand, wants to use it to find his missing dad. Sarah's motivations are unclear. And the villain who chases her, Janus, wants it for his own nefarious means. Fisher deftly maneuvers between each of these alternating storylines building suspense and revealing things to the reader a little at a time.
In addition to the time travel aspect, there are things afoot in the nearby Wood. A race of beings known as the Shee inhabit the surrounding forest of Wintercombe Abbey. Although this is the most underdeveloped aspect of the book, it also happens to be one of the most beautiful in terms of imagery.
Or this:
(And I will never look at a flock of birds the same way again.)
Although their role in The Obsidian Mirror is minor and very mysterious, it is clear that Fisher has much more in mind for the Shee in future books. Like most faerie folklore, I feel that they are beings that may prove to be helpful but ultimately, shouldn't be trusted. I am very excited to see what part Summer, Queen of the Shee, and her people will play.
I have to talk a little about the setting. I would almost say that Wintercombe Abbey, where the bulk of the story takes place, is very much like those amazing manor homes and estates found in the very best Gothic horror stories. Dark, mysterious, and sprawling, Wintercombe Abbey, the home of Oberon Venn, is a character unto itself. The interior is described in great detail, the hallways, wings and rooms almost seem to breathe and add a unmistakable sense of darkness to the story.
The exterior grounds of the estate also have a dangerous and foreboding feeling, as does the entire neighboring village which is quietly encased in the ice and deep snow of a December winter.
The characters, the storyline, and the setting all work together to create a complex, multi layered, vivid story. There is quite a bit of "setting of the scene in this book", as is often the case with the first book in a series, but there are also some exciting revelations. But what I loved most about The Obsidian Mirror? You know that feeling you get after reading one of the Harry Potter books? That feeling of just experiencing something EPIC both in scale and in delivery? That is what I felt after finishing The Obsidian Mirror. I felt like I was just beginning to scratch the surface of something BIG. Having read Incarceron and Sapphique, I am fully prepared for the twists and turns that I KNOW lie ahead in this series. And I cannot wait. Bring it, Ms. Fisher:)
If you love epic fantasy tales, enjoy science fiction and time travel aspects, go crazy over well fleshed out characters that run the gamut from scary, to mysterious, to quirky and beyond, and love a fabulously plotted story then you need to check out this book. It releases this fall in time for the holiday season.
Any excerpts and quotes included are from an unfinished copy
and may change before the final print**
In 2010, before I started blogging, I came across Catherine Fisher's book Incarceron in my local library. I remember reading the cover jacket blurb and being completely intrigued. I checked it out, took it home and totally lost myself within its pages. That book had UNBELIEVABLE world building and incredible surprises inside of it. I remember my then eight year old son asking me what the book was about and I found I could hardly describe it. It really was like no other book I ever read. It was kind of mind blowing in it's complexities and plotting. Suffice to say, I was an instant fan of this author. Having never even heard of her prior to reading Incarceron, I researched and discovered she had a whole treasure trove of books under her belt.
So, it may seem odd that other than Incarceron and the sequel Sapphique, I haven't read any other books by Fisher. I guess I started blogging, discovered more great books and authors, and she sort of fell by the wayside. UNTIL NOW. When I saw The Obsidian Mirror popping up around the blogosphere (and it IS early folks, this book does not release until October of this year) I immediately looked into it. Yes, I thought. This was what I have been waiting for. I was not wrong.
Let me start out by saying that Catherine Fisher is one of those authors. The ones that write so masterfully that they make it look EASY. It's hard for me to describe exactly what I mean, but Fisher's storytelling reminds me of a few other authors in terms of smoothness and "readability" (sorry, I'm grasping here in my definition.) I would put her in the same league with Neil Gaiman, Robin McKinley, Peter S. Beagle, and Cornelia Funke. I've never read any Philip Pullman or Garth Nix, but she is often linked with them as well. When you read her stories you feel like you are reading the works of a real and true WRITER. Does that make sense? Well, that's the best I can describe it. What's more, I never feel as if my time with her will be anything less than well spent. How many authors can you say that about, really? For me, not many. Okay, enough. You see that I am a fan. Onward.
The Obsidian Mirror could best be described as a fantasy (there are definite magical elements), science fiction (there is a time travel theme), paranormal/ supernatural (there are Fae-like beings known as the Shee), historical fiction (it's a time travel story so we get views into the past), all centered around a mystery. Whew! That, my friends, is some SERIOUS genre blending! But you know what? Somehow, it all WORKS. I don't think many writers could pull it off, but Fisher does.
There are a number of characters in The Obsidian Mirror, and a number of intersecting storylines. The book is written in third person, multiple POV. Generally this type of narration is a tough sell for me. But in rare instances, it works. Last year I read The Diviners by Libba Bray, which also featured a HUGE cast and many, many story arcs. Bray pulled it off and so does Fisher. Even with a monstrously large cast of characters, I NEVER ONCE felt confused. I never once had to turn back and look something or someone up to be sure of what was going on or who I was reading. It's seamless.
Our two central narrators are Jake and Sarah. There are a few chapters narrated by other members of the cast as well, but their two viewpoints are the main ones. Jake is the teenage son of missing scientist David Wilde. His godfather, the once world explorer, and now reclusive, Oberon Venn, was David's best friend and the last person to see him alive. Jake believes with all his heart and soul that Venn is responsible for his dad's death. He is traveling to England and Venn's family estate, Wintercombe Abbey, to confront him.
Sarah is not from the present day. What time is she from? Well, we aren't quite sure. Sarah has a mission. What is the mission? Well, we don't know that either. But we do know that she didn't cross time alone. She is being hunted by someone sinister, someone that means to stop her from fulfilling her goal.
There are a host of other characters, each just as well rounded as Jake and Sarah and each harboring their own agenda and secrets: Oberon Venn, who we have mentioned; his servant Piers; Wharton, the teacher who accompanied Jake to Venn's residence; Rebecca, a stranger who befriends Wharton and Jake; Gideon, a boy from the nearby Wood; and several others who I want to say more about but can't because it would be TOO spoilery. There are so many fascinating, mysterious, quirky, endearing people that populate this story but two in particular absolutely STOLE MY HEART: Maskelyne and Moll. It is killing me that I cannot elaborate further about these two. KILLING. ME.
Moving on. So, I mentioned time travel. How does that come into play? Well, that is precisely what ties all of these people and all of their intersecting arcs together. The Chronoptika, or the obsidian mirror, is a time portal of sorts. It is a device created centuries earlier with the ability to transport people across space and time. But there are a few hitches. The most glaring being that no one knows the exact way to use the portal and safely travel through it. Venn has come into possession of the mirror, and he has his own reasons for wanting to figure out how to use it. Jake, on the other hand, wants to use it to find his missing dad. Sarah's motivations are unclear. And the villain who chases her, Janus, wants it for his own nefarious means. Fisher deftly maneuvers between each of these alternating storylines building suspense and revealing things to the reader a little at a time.
In addition to the time travel aspect, there are things afoot in the nearby Wood. A race of beings known as the Shee inhabit the surrounding forest of Wintercombe Abbey. Although this is the most underdeveloped aspect of the book, it also happens to be one of the most beautiful in terms of imagery.
The Shee wore white and silver. Jake stared at them, astounded. They were a wild army of guizers, mumers, gaberlunzies, masked and costumed with the remnants of ancient Christmases. He saw a ragged St. George, a black clad Moor, a creature tailed and spine like. A capering dragon, white fire flashing from its mouth. He saw Morris men and caparisoned knights on skeletal horses. Tall beautiful beings like women walked out of the trees and turned their emerald eyes on him.
Or this:
He saw them change. They transformed before him, shrank, glittered, shimmered. Their clothes sprouted feathers, their beaked faces shrieked. Only their eyes, bird-sharp, aslant, stayed the same. And then they were up and flying, a great swooping host of starlings, dark and furiously noisy against the starry sky, breaking and reforming in sudden bizarre patterns, the whooshing of their wings loud as they poured and split.
He stared, amazed until the last formation fractured and broke.
And then they were gone, in long streamers of darkness over the sleeping Wood.
(And I will never look at a flock of birds the same way again.)
Although their role in The Obsidian Mirror is minor and very mysterious, it is clear that Fisher has much more in mind for the Shee in future books. Like most faerie folklore, I feel that they are beings that may prove to be helpful but ultimately, shouldn't be trusted. I am very excited to see what part Summer, Queen of the Shee, and her people will play.
I have to talk a little about the setting. I would almost say that Wintercombe Abbey, where the bulk of the story takes place, is very much like those amazing manor homes and estates found in the very best Gothic horror stories. Dark, mysterious, and sprawling, Wintercombe Abbey, the home of Oberon Venn, is a character unto itself. The interior is described in great detail, the hallways, wings and rooms almost seem to breathe and add a unmistakable sense of darkness to the story.
The room had whispered.
The exterior grounds of the estate also have a dangerous and foreboding feeling, as does the entire neighboring village which is quietly encased in the ice and deep snow of a December winter.
The characters, the storyline, and the setting all work together to create a complex, multi layered, vivid story. There is quite a bit of "setting of the scene in this book", as is often the case with the first book in a series, but there are also some exciting revelations. But what I loved most about The Obsidian Mirror? You know that feeling you get after reading one of the Harry Potter books? That feeling of just experiencing something EPIC both in scale and in delivery? That is what I felt after finishing The Obsidian Mirror. I felt like I was just beginning to scratch the surface of something BIG. Having read Incarceron and Sapphique, I am fully prepared for the twists and turns that I KNOW lie ahead in this series. And I cannot wait. Bring it, Ms. Fisher:)
If you love epic fantasy tales, enjoy science fiction and time travel aspects, go crazy over well fleshed out characters that run the gamut from scary, to mysterious, to quirky and beyond, and love a fabulously plotted story then you need to check out this book. It releases this fall in time for the holiday season.
September 15, 2016
There should have been more for this than there will be, but it was lost to my falling into Someone Else's Fairytale. At this point, what I've got is the memory of feeling boredom and frustration just a few pages in, when hit by a wave of Don't Want This. "This" being the typical Catherine Fisher set-up of multiple POV characters, with all of them ranging from unlikeable to deeply unlikeable to untrustworthy. Here it was gold medal-level "this", and the POV characters kept on coming and coming and we kept being informed of their unreliability by such subtle cues as "s/he lied". And the motivation of the villain in the past was so bog-standard it wasn't funny.
Against all that I didn't enjoy, there was a beautifully depicted Faerie, which worked better than most I've read in a long while.
Against all that I didn't enjoy, there was a beautifully depicted Faerie, which worked better than most I've read in a long while.
November 30, 2018
Honestly this book was a bit forgettable. I finished it a couple days ago and the details are already starting to get fuzzy; I know there’s two female characters but I don’t remember which is which anymore, and one is already generic in my mind because her involvement felt unneeded.
It’s how I felt about the fairy folk too. They were creepy to be sure, but the Summer Queen didn’t seem to add much to the plot of time travel.
It’s the first time I’ve listened to an audiobook in a while so maybe I’m just out of practice, but I wasn’t too enthused about the plot either while listening. It just seemed like a lot of arguing in different settings.
It’s how I felt about the fairy folk too. They were creepy to be sure, but the Summer Queen didn’t seem to add much to the plot of time travel.
It’s the first time I’ve listened to an audiobook in a while so maybe I’m just out of practice, but I wasn’t too enthused about the plot either while listening. It just seemed like a lot of arguing in different settings.
September 25, 2013
Fisher writes stories you can sink your teeth into. On the one hand they offer well-paced, surprisingly original entertainment, and on the other they raise profound questions for individuals and societies. Unlike any other author I know, Fisher successfully combines time travel, historical fiction and fairy lore, and from this cultured mix draws philosophical reflections on life and happiness. That’s my ideal for a storyteller.
All of the characters are interesting but we identify most with Jake, the teenage protagonist, whose father has been missing for two years. Like us, Jake doesn’t know what’s going on, and we must both wait patiently as the clues are slowly pieced together.
As a developing mystery the story is suspenseful and intriguing, beginning in a contemporary American high school but soon relocating to British woodlands where a secretive house accommodates clues to the past and future.
Then, when Jake is sent back in time, we are confronted with the brutality of Dickensian London: the opulence of a rich and well-kept neighbourhood juxtaposed with a tangle of slums filled with the stench of suffering and disease. There’s the mystery surrounding the mirror’s hiding place, with the pentangle in the opium den a fitting symbol for the self-serving corruption of the one who hides it.
The fairies appear in the form of the Shee, the mysterious, immortal and magical beings who inhabit the enchanted grounds of the forest and who disdain mortal humanity, acting ever in their own interest.
There is much philosophising about time and mortality, power and love. A human boy, coaxed away from his family with promises of immortality and magic and captured by the Shee, finds himself still trapped in their world two centuries later. He realises that though he has eternity and everything humans dream of, he does not have love or the joys and sorrows of a real family. His world is a place where fear has no boundaries, an ageless land of summer but in the company of beautiful people who think only of themselves, their music, their cold laughter, and who have no ambition, no future and no past.
This is the first in a series and it’s not always easy to determine who is good or bad. We don’t yet know all their history, and things are not always what they appear to be. We do see the good or bad that motivates particular actions, however, which is what makes us reconsider certain characters we had thought sinister, and doubt those we presumed were on our side.
For a young teen readership Fisher’s novels are neither too long nor too short; they are an intriguing, thought-provoking stroll down a very interesting and entirely unknown path.
Reviewed for www.GoodReadingGuide.com
July 3, 2013
View this review and more at Whitley Reads
Fisher’s writing creates a sense of atmosphere that gives new life to old concepts. The plot isn’t anything we haven’t seen before (someone mucks with time to get their dead loved ones back, it goes awry), but the book isn’t plot-driven. It’s atmosphere-driven. I have to admit, I can’t remember the last time I could apply that description to a novel. It manages to mix the feel of a fantasy, a light-sci-fi, and a dystopian all in one, then sets it in a gothic abbey.
· Variety! There are so many genres and themes packed into this book, and that’s both good and bad. Nothing really has the time to be explored in depth, but it’s still interesting to see all these elements mix and coexist together.
· The characters, likewise, provide something for everyone, but not really enough for anyone. They are very much one-note characters, with little in the way of development or depth, because there are simply too many of them to get really invested. But there’s such a variety, and their notes are so fitting, that it’s easy to get sucked in anyway.
· The writing was at turns beautiful and infuriating. Some of the scenes and lines were so biting that I had to put the book down. Descriptions were concise and economical. Phrasing was beautiful. And then there were times where you wished she’d be a little less lyrical and use a few more words. I still have no idea what Venn’s lab looks like, and I’m very iffy on what goes on when the mirror is in action, because Fisher was, in a way, too careful with her words. It wouldn’t have hurt to throw a few more in there.
· There was a staggering amount of POV hopping in this book. It didn’t quite feel 3rd person omniscient to me, because we’d get some very clear 3rd person limited style narration for a while…and then a few paragraphs later it would be limited to someone else…and then it would switch again…the text could barely decide who to focus on for more than a page.
· This is another in a long list of examples of books that don’t realize that “character telling a story” and “part of the book where this character takes over narrating” aren’t the same thing. Excerpts from a character’s diary are supposed to tell us some backstory, but it’s literally written as if he is a narrator in a book, not in the manner that anyone, anywhere, would write in a diary. (Double-fail, since this wasn’t even supposed to be a diary; it was supposed to be a log of experiments and results.) A minor issue, but a major pet peeve of mine.
Fisher’s writing creates a sense of atmosphere that gives new life to old concepts. The plot isn’t anything we haven’t seen before (someone mucks with time to get their dead loved ones back, it goes awry), but the book isn’t plot-driven. It’s atmosphere-driven. I have to admit, I can’t remember the last time I could apply that description to a novel. It manages to mix the feel of a fantasy, a light-sci-fi, and a dystopian all in one, then sets it in a gothic abbey.
· Variety! There are so many genres and themes packed into this book, and that’s both good and bad. Nothing really has the time to be explored in depth, but it’s still interesting to see all these elements mix and coexist together.
· The characters, likewise, provide something for everyone, but not really enough for anyone. They are very much one-note characters, with little in the way of development or depth, because there are simply too many of them to get really invested. But there’s such a variety, and their notes are so fitting, that it’s easy to get sucked in anyway.
· The writing was at turns beautiful and infuriating. Some of the scenes and lines were so biting that I had to put the book down. Descriptions were concise and economical. Phrasing was beautiful. And then there were times where you wished she’d be a little less lyrical and use a few more words. I still have no idea what Venn’s lab looks like, and I’m very iffy on what goes on when the mirror is in action, because Fisher was, in a way, too careful with her words. It wouldn’t have hurt to throw a few more in there.
· There was a staggering amount of POV hopping in this book. It didn’t quite feel 3rd person omniscient to me, because we’d get some very clear 3rd person limited style narration for a while…and then a few paragraphs later it would be limited to someone else…and then it would switch again…the text could barely decide who to focus on for more than a page.
· This is another in a long list of examples of books that don’t realize that “character telling a story” and “part of the book where this character takes over narrating” aren’t the same thing. Excerpts from a character’s diary are supposed to tell us some backstory, but it’s literally written as if he is a narrator in a book, not in the manner that anyone, anywhere, would write in a diary. (Double-fail, since this wasn’t even supposed to be a diary; it was supposed to be a log of experiments and results.) A minor issue, but a major pet peeve of mine.
July 17, 2013
Jake has an obsession: to get to the man whom he believes murdered his father, the man who is now his guardian, Oberon Venn. He gets himself thrown out of his boarding school in Switzerland and is accompanied to Wintercombe Abbey by his former teacher, Mr. Wharton. There, we meet Rebecca from the village, Oberon himself, Piers the mysterious manservant/butler/assistant/cook/etc., and Sarah, who claims to be Piers’ niece/an escaped mental patient seeking refuge. We also eventually meet Gideon who lives in the Wood, Maskelyne, and Summer. Apparently, all of these characters are drawn together, some purposely and some by chance, because of the Obsidian Mirror of the title. This mirror seems to allow its owner to travel through time. And then there’s the whole Faerie world, as well.
This is the first book I’ve read by Catherine Fisher. All of these characters have large parts to play and the story is told from many points of view. The story is very dense with details, and the premise is interesting, but it is lacking in character development. When I finished, I didn’t really care about any of the characters, and I was left feeling that I had read a set-up for the actual story, an overly long intro, but with too many dangling threads and questions to feel at all satisfied. All of the intertwining points of view became distracting very quickly, and the many different secrets and storylines make the story confused, muddled. I’m left with very few solid pieces of information waiting for the next book. I don’t know if I’ll read it, because I won’t be able to keep enough of this story straight just to pick it up and read with a brief refresher. It will definitely require rereading this book before starting the second. Maybe I’ll just move on to the next book/series/author…
This is the first book I’ve read by Catherine Fisher. All of these characters have large parts to play and the story is told from many points of view. The story is very dense with details, and the premise is interesting, but it is lacking in character development. When I finished, I didn’t really care about any of the characters, and I was left feeling that I had read a set-up for the actual story, an overly long intro, but with too many dangling threads and questions to feel at all satisfied. All of the intertwining points of view became distracting very quickly, and the many different secrets and storylines make the story confused, muddled. I’m left with very few solid pieces of information waiting for the next book. I don’t know if I’ll read it, because I won’t be able to keep enough of this story straight just to pick it up and read with a brief refresher. It will definitely require rereading this book before starting the second. Maybe I’ll just move on to the next book/series/author…
February 23, 2017
I'll have more to say about later volumes; this series is getting better and better. Catherine Fisher is quite unique in the way she riffs on classic literature. Though her books are considered YA, the more you know about literature, the more you will get out of them. In "The Obsidian Mirror", there are echoes of both "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Hamlet", as well as celtic myths of the Sidhe and the summer land. In addition to all this, there is a mirror that can send people through time. Young Jake's father has been lost in the mirror. He blames Venn, his guardian, who has become obsessed with the mirror and wants to use it to reclaim his dead wife. In the meantime, Sarah, a girl from the future, wants to destroy the mirror in order to save her family. It's very complicated, but Fisher plays fair with her plot and characters, as always. Fascinating stuff!
September 5, 2016
Always love Catherine Fisher's eerie, spooky, Celtic-mythology-with-a-twist novels. Love the introductions to the protagonists - a girl who appears to have broken out of a high security asylum, where she was considered dangerously violent, and a boy who commits increasingly dramatic crimes until he is expelled from his elite boarding school. They both have secrets, and are heading to the same crumbling manor in the English countryside...an entertaining read.
April 19, 2013
For the record, I'm big fan of Catherine Fisher's
Incarceron
. I really enjoyed that book, and I had high hopes that this new series-opener would live up to, and/or possibly be even better than, Incarceron.
Unfortunately... it didn't, and it wasn't. If I had to describe Obsidian Mirror in one word, it would be fractured. (Hah, get it? mirror, fractured... broken glass... ugh, bad mirror joke.)
In all seriousness, though, there was just too much going on. On the surface, the blend of real-world, faery, the sci-fi of time travel, and a dystopian future sounds intriguing. I think this could have been done well. The problem is, it's told in third-person omniscient, from the perspective of no less than nine different characters.
There's Jake, who thinks his father was murdered, so he's out for answers. There's Venn, obsessed with finding a way to bring his wife back from the dead, and possibly responsible for Jake's dad's disappearance. Piers, Venn's mysterious assistant. Sarah, who's trying to save the future from being destroyed by the mirror. Gideon, a changeling who wants to escape from the Fey. (Yes! Because Venn's mansion is for some reason surrounded by the Fey... ...I don't know, don't ask me.) Wharton, one of Jake's teachers who randomly got dragged into all this. And Maskelyne, and Symmes, and Rebecca... Did I forget anyone? Probably.
As the story unfolds from the perspectives of each of these characters, we get very short glimpses into their inner thoughts, and their personal history - which, for the most part, is just confusing, because these glimpses are short, and cryptic. There's no section-breaks or alternating chapters, either - one paragraph might be from Jake's perspective, and the next from Venn's, and the next from Sarah's. Maybe it's just me (I am not a fan of the multi-POV, third-person-omniscient narrator) - but I found all the skipping around to be highly disorienting. And it felt like there was no room for actual worldbuilding or explanation, because all the energy was spent skipping around getting more fractured details about all the other characters and their own histories.
But by the end (finally), all the details and characters started to feel like the were coming together into some form of coherency - thank goodness. And I did enjoy the last couple chapters, which really upped the excitement and pace of the book. The time-travel / dystopian future / real world all come together, and you begin to see some light at the end of the tunnel. But that understanding is short-lived, because it comes way too late in the story. I feel like Fisher was trying to go for a big "the puzzle is finally coming together!!" feeling at the end; but as it is, it just feels like it took too long to come together.
But after all of that, one of the biggest disappointments for me was the inclusion of the Fey. I was actually really excited when the synopsis sounded like it would seamlessly blend time-travel, dystopian, and faery lore. I am all for blending those genres! Unfortunately, nothing about the presence of the Fey (orSidhe Shee, as they're called here) made sense to me. Why are they even there? What do they have to do with anything? The Shee may have been worked into the story and into some characters' history, but it didn't feel organic to the plot at all. There was a line somewhere about their relationship to time, but this never really figured into the main plot.
For me, their entire presence felt like a tacked-on, sort of gimmicky thing, just so the book could somehow include All The Genres! Which was super disappointing, because I do have to say, I think Gideon could have been my favorite character. A changeling who was stolen by the Shee when he was very young, he's been living with them for centuries, but all he wants is to somehow get back home to his time. I could have loved his character, but again, was given such a brief glimpse that ultimately... I'm not inclined to care. :(
I initially thought I would give this book 3 stars, but in thinking about my time spent reading it, I have to give it 2.5. The fact was, I pushed myself to finish this book, and on more than one occasion considered DNF-ing it. I'm glad I didn't, because the last few chapters were pretty good - but that payoff took way too long. Actually, overall, Obsidian Mirror felt like a really long prequel, to me. Like one of those short pre-novellas that are supposed to get you excited for the actual books that are coming out later. Maybe if it had been miles shorter, all the fractured perspectives and unanswered questions would have been intriguing rather than just confusing. I'm hoping the next book is able to continue on from where this one left off, though, without all the confusing set-up. Fingers crossed!
_________________________________________
{ This review can also be found at my blog, There were books involved... }
Unfortunately... it didn't, and it wasn't. If I had to describe Obsidian Mirror in one word, it would be fractured. (Hah, get it? mirror, fractured... broken glass... ugh, bad mirror joke.)
In all seriousness, though, there was just too much going on. On the surface, the blend of real-world, faery, the sci-fi of time travel, and a dystopian future sounds intriguing. I think this could have been done well. The problem is, it's told in third-person omniscient, from the perspective of no less than nine different characters.
There's Jake, who thinks his father was murdered, so he's out for answers. There's Venn, obsessed with finding a way to bring his wife back from the dead, and possibly responsible for Jake's dad's disappearance. Piers, Venn's mysterious assistant. Sarah, who's trying to save the future from being destroyed by the mirror. Gideon, a changeling who wants to escape from the Fey. (Yes! Because Venn's mansion is for some reason surrounded by the Fey... ...I don't know, don't ask me.) Wharton, one of Jake's teachers who randomly got dragged into all this. And Maskelyne, and Symmes, and Rebecca... Did I forget anyone? Probably.
As the story unfolds from the perspectives of each of these characters, we get very short glimpses into their inner thoughts, and their personal history - which, for the most part, is just confusing, because these glimpses are short, and cryptic. There's no section-breaks or alternating chapters, either - one paragraph might be from Jake's perspective, and the next from Venn's, and the next from Sarah's. Maybe it's just me (I am not a fan of the multi-POV, third-person-omniscient narrator) - but I found all the skipping around to be highly disorienting. And it felt like there was no room for actual worldbuilding or explanation, because all the energy was spent skipping around getting more fractured details about all the other characters and their own histories.
But by the end (finally), all the details and characters started to feel like the were coming together into some form of coherency - thank goodness. And I did enjoy the last couple chapters, which really upped the excitement and pace of the book. The time-travel / dystopian future / real world all come together, and you begin to see some light at the end of the tunnel. But that understanding is short-lived, because it comes way too late in the story. I feel like Fisher was trying to go for a big "the puzzle is finally coming together!!" feeling at the end; but as it is, it just feels like it took too long to come together.
But after all of that, one of the biggest disappointments for me was the inclusion of the Fey. I was actually really excited when the synopsis sounded like it would seamlessly blend time-travel, dystopian, and faery lore. I am all for blending those genres! Unfortunately, nothing about the presence of the Fey (or
For me, their entire presence felt like a tacked-on, sort of gimmicky thing, just so the book could somehow include All The Genres! Which was super disappointing, because I do have to say, I think Gideon could have been my favorite character. A changeling who was stolen by the Shee when he was very young, he's been living with them for centuries, but all he wants is to somehow get back home to his time. I could have loved his character, but again, was given such a brief glimpse that ultimately... I'm not inclined to care. :(
I initially thought I would give this book 3 stars, but in thinking about my time spent reading it, I have to give it 2.5. The fact was, I pushed myself to finish this book, and on more than one occasion considered DNF-ing it. I'm glad I didn't, because the last few chapters were pretty good - but that payoff took way too long. Actually, overall, Obsidian Mirror felt like a really long prequel, to me. Like one of those short pre-novellas that are supposed to get you excited for the actual books that are coming out later. Maybe if it had been miles shorter, all the fractured perspectives and unanswered questions would have been intriguing rather than just confusing. I'm hoping the next book is able to continue on from where this one left off, though, without all the confusing set-up. Fingers crossed!
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{ This review can also be found at my blog, There were books involved... }
January 31, 2013
Obsidian Mirror kept me interested, but at times a bit overwhelmed.
The premise of the story grabs you right away. Jake purposely gets thrown out of his fancy boarding school because he wants to go live with his "godfather," Oberon Venn. Venn was once famous, but now is a recluse at a remote estate. Jake's father was Venn's best friend and colleague. His father died, and Jake is convinced Venn killed him.
Wharton, one of Jake's teachers, will accompany him to Venn's estate. When they arrive, Venn knows nothing of Jake's coming. It turns out Venn's assistant, Piers, has been the one communicating with the school.
Additionally, another guest has arrived at the house. Sarah, a mysterious little girl, who is on the run from...well...someone. For some reason she knows a lot about the house.
Throughout the book, we are learning the origin of a mysterious black mirror that is now at the house. It somehow has the ability to take one back in time, but so far Venn has not been able to control it. Jake believes that his father really isn't dead, but is stuck somewhere in the past. Jake wants to use the mirror to go find his father. Venn wants to use Sarah for his experiments in time travel in exchange for keeping her hidden. It isn't clear what Sarah wants -- she is a mystery.
I really liked all of that part of the story. The part about the mirror, and its wild history is intriguing. The part that mucked it up for me was the wood. You see there's a wood around the house that no one is supposed to enter. It's filled with dangerous, fantastical creatures. Once you go in, you may never come out. And of course, some of our characters go in.
Now, some of these creatures do play a role in the eventual resolution, but so much was going on at the end of the book, and things happened very fast. Although I did understand what happened, it was a lot of characters going in a lot of different directions.
So, of course there are people (or creatures) trying to get their hands on this ancient mirror. And that's the main culmination of Obsidian Mirror.
I think the target age group for this book -- 12 and up -- is perfect. I think younger teens will have a great time with this story. Fantasy lovers will have much more tolerance for that part of Obsidian Mirror than I did.
Obsidian Mirror is the first book in a series, and some urgent issues are resolved at the end of this episode, but the "big" stuff is still out there waiting for the next book. While I found some of the details a little too complex, I still very much enjoyed Obsidian Mirror and will happily recommend it to my fantasy fans.
The premise of the story grabs you right away. Jake purposely gets thrown out of his fancy boarding school because he wants to go live with his "godfather," Oberon Venn. Venn was once famous, but now is a recluse at a remote estate. Jake's father was Venn's best friend and colleague. His father died, and Jake is convinced Venn killed him.
Wharton, one of Jake's teachers, will accompany him to Venn's estate. When they arrive, Venn knows nothing of Jake's coming. It turns out Venn's assistant, Piers, has been the one communicating with the school.
Additionally, another guest has arrived at the house. Sarah, a mysterious little girl, who is on the run from...well...someone. For some reason she knows a lot about the house.
Throughout the book, we are learning the origin of a mysterious black mirror that is now at the house. It somehow has the ability to take one back in time, but so far Venn has not been able to control it. Jake believes that his father really isn't dead, but is stuck somewhere in the past. Jake wants to use the mirror to go find his father. Venn wants to use Sarah for his experiments in time travel in exchange for keeping her hidden. It isn't clear what Sarah wants -- she is a mystery.
I really liked all of that part of the story. The part about the mirror, and its wild history is intriguing. The part that mucked it up for me was the wood. You see there's a wood around the house that no one is supposed to enter. It's filled with dangerous, fantastical creatures. Once you go in, you may never come out. And of course, some of our characters go in.
Now, some of these creatures do play a role in the eventual resolution, but so much was going on at the end of the book, and things happened very fast. Although I did understand what happened, it was a lot of characters going in a lot of different directions.
So, of course there are people (or creatures) trying to get their hands on this ancient mirror. And that's the main culmination of Obsidian Mirror.
I think the target age group for this book -- 12 and up -- is perfect. I think younger teens will have a great time with this story. Fantasy lovers will have much more tolerance for that part of Obsidian Mirror than I did.
Obsidian Mirror is the first book in a series, and some urgent issues are resolved at the end of this episode, but the "big" stuff is still out there waiting for the next book. While I found some of the details a little too complex, I still very much enjoyed Obsidian Mirror and will happily recommend it to my fantasy fans.
September 23, 2012
This novel, the first in a series focused on the Chronoptika device built around a magical obsidian mirror, features an amazing array of elements. There is magic: in the mirror, in the glamorous and dangerous Shee who live in the grounds of the Abbey; there are also sci-fi elements in the time travel and the hints of a disaster-stricken future. Finally, there is mystery and adventure in spades. As a fan of folklore, speculative fiction and magic realism, I was sure this was a book I'd enjoy and I was delighted to be proven right.
Reading this book is like working through an intricate puzzle, trying out all the pieces to see where they fit. The narrative with its cinematic feel is a key component in this, as the novel is very carefully constructed through relatively short scenes or sequences which focus on the different characters in turn. This choppy narration is skilfully done and has several effects. It makes the reading experience feel like a film experience, as though the camera shifts to follow different characters, cutting from scene to scene. It controls the tension levels perfectly, leading you to a peak before cutting to something of a much lower intensity, then building up again. And perhaps most importantly, it enables Catherine Fisher to people her novel with relatively unsympathetic characters without losing our interest. Oddly, although it's not easy (at least at first) to claim any great love for any of the main characters, it's very easy to care what happens to them.
As well as playing with generic elements and conventions, this book is quirky in terms of age range conventions. Undoubtedly too complex for younger readers, it still has something of the tone of a classic 9-12 fantasy together with more adult involvement than is typical of a teen adventure. These aspects, for me, give the novel overall a nostalgic quality, as though Catherine Fisher had combined the 'comfy blanket' elements of a much-loved children's tale with enough intrigue and mystery to satisfy an older reader. Interestingly, I wasn't aware of this explicitly when reading; it's something I only realised when planning this review.
This is the first in a series and there are still plenty of loose ends to tie up (and probably get more tangled first). I will definitely be looking out for the next instalment(s) in the adventure, and would absolutely recommend The Obsidian Mirror.
Reading this book is like working through an intricate puzzle, trying out all the pieces to see where they fit. The narrative with its cinematic feel is a key component in this, as the novel is very carefully constructed through relatively short scenes or sequences which focus on the different characters in turn. This choppy narration is skilfully done and has several effects. It makes the reading experience feel like a film experience, as though the camera shifts to follow different characters, cutting from scene to scene. It controls the tension levels perfectly, leading you to a peak before cutting to something of a much lower intensity, then building up again. And perhaps most importantly, it enables Catherine Fisher to people her novel with relatively unsympathetic characters without losing our interest. Oddly, although it's not easy (at least at first) to claim any great love for any of the main characters, it's very easy to care what happens to them.
As well as playing with generic elements and conventions, this book is quirky in terms of age range conventions. Undoubtedly too complex for younger readers, it still has something of the tone of a classic 9-12 fantasy together with more adult involvement than is typical of a teen adventure. These aspects, for me, give the novel overall a nostalgic quality, as though Catherine Fisher had combined the 'comfy blanket' elements of a much-loved children's tale with enough intrigue and mystery to satisfy an older reader. Interestingly, I wasn't aware of this explicitly when reading; it's something I only realised when planning this review.
This is the first in a series and there are still plenty of loose ends to tie up (and probably get more tangled first). I will definitely be looking out for the next instalment(s) in the adventure, and would absolutely recommend The Obsidian Mirror.
October 25, 2012
I love the idea of time travel as the possibilities really are endless, but sometimes in fiction it just doesn't work out. I am so pleased to say that Catherine Fisher has mastered the art of writing about time travel superbly, I was simply glued to this excitedly brilliant storyline! The characters are fabulously quirky, extremely interesting and never dull! There is so much to this complex book, but the thing that I found most intriguing was the introduction of Lady Summer, Lord Winter and The Shee. We don't find out the In's and outs of who they really are or their purpose but we get hints of their dangerously dark natures and it's quite chilling. This is a dark, mysterious, highly thrilling read that I really did enjoy from start to finish, the world building is fantastic even though I had some moments of confusion throughout the book, it was easily overcome. I am new to Catherine Fisher's work and it's easy to say I have been seriously missing out as she really does write compellingly, I will definitely be looking out for more of her works!
Jake Wilde's father disappeared from his friend Oberon Venn's house while working with an obsidian mirror that they are keeping a big secret. Jake doesn't know that though, he just thinks his dad has went missing and has put Oberon Venn in the frame for his murder. Jake manages to get himself kicked out of the fancy private school Oberon Venn (his guardian) is paying for, so he gets sent to Venn's mansion in Wintercombe, which is just wanted all along. He is accompanied by his tutor Mr Warton.
When he arrives at the dark, spooky mansion and confronts Venn about his suspicions he ends up finding out more than he bargained for.! His father is lost somewhere in time and Venn has no idea how to get him back out of the Chronoptika, which seems to react more when Jake is around....
The lead up to the ending is action packed, complex and mind boggingly good! I really cannot wait to get my hands on the next book. I urge everyone to pick up this book as you will easily get wrapped up in this great new world that has been crafted so brilliantly by Catherine Fisher!
4.5/5 Stars!
*Special thanks to Hodder Children's Books for the review copy*
Carly :)
http://fictionfascination.blogspot.co...
Jake Wilde's father disappeared from his friend Oberon Venn's house while working with an obsidian mirror that they are keeping a big secret. Jake doesn't know that though, he just thinks his dad has went missing and has put Oberon Venn in the frame for his murder. Jake manages to get himself kicked out of the fancy private school Oberon Venn (his guardian) is paying for, so he gets sent to Venn's mansion in Wintercombe, which is just wanted all along. He is accompanied by his tutor Mr Warton.
When he arrives at the dark, spooky mansion and confronts Venn about his suspicions he ends up finding out more than he bargained for.! His father is lost somewhere in time and Venn has no idea how to get him back out of the Chronoptika, which seems to react more when Jake is around....
The lead up to the ending is action packed, complex and mind boggingly good! I really cannot wait to get my hands on the next book. I urge everyone to pick up this book as you will easily get wrapped up in this great new world that has been crafted so brilliantly by Catherine Fisher!
4.5/5 Stars!
*Special thanks to Hodder Children's Books for the review copy*
Carly :)
http://fictionfascination.blogspot.co...
June 18, 2014
So, this book is a mess.
But not particularly in a bad way.
I was seriously doubting my choice of book when the main character in the first pages stabbed another kid in a very cold and calculating manner, seemingly for no reason at all. He couldn't care less of what he had done, and I was wondering what kind of psychopath this book was going to be about. But it kinda grew onto me.
Partially, it felt a bit random. There are many changes between charachters, and all of them has different goals and agendas, some more secret than others. Since you don't understand half of the things they talk about, and the messed up chronology, it can be quite confusing to read, as I experienced. Though, when you finally start to grasp what's going on, it becomes an exciting and original novel. It's cleverly written, I especially like the short texts in the beginning of the chapters, that reveal something about the mirror and the people that have owned it. It's one of those books that's like a puzzle - as you go on, you find yourself trying to fit the pieces you've been given. It's an exhilarating novel, full of twists, secrets and intrigues.
It left many questions though. I feel like the book created more questions than it answered (probably why it's not a stand-alone novel). Not sure if it's a bad or good thing yet, as it keeps me want to continue reading, while being a little annoyed with all it's mysteriousness.
Even if I haven't read all of the series yet, I feel like it's moral is the "don't mess with time"-kind of thing. That kind of novel that teaches children not to dwell on the past and let go of things that are out of your reach. Venn is a excellent example of this - I'm really anticipating he's getting shot down by 'fate' or whatever.
I'm surprised when I read this is a relatively new novel? It certainly doesn't feel that way. Despite the obvious technology in it, it feels quite timeless, in that way fantasy sometimes do.
This is something I would recommend to friends, though not being my first choice. Yes, it's interesting and well-written, but it doesn't really feel unique or one of a kind. But I would recommend it.
But not particularly in a bad way.
I was seriously doubting my choice of book when the main character in the first pages stabbed another kid in a very cold and calculating manner, seemingly for no reason at all. He couldn't care less of what he had done, and I was wondering what kind of psychopath this book was going to be about. But it kinda grew onto me.
Partially, it felt a bit random. There are many changes between charachters, and all of them has different goals and agendas, some more secret than others. Since you don't understand half of the things they talk about, and the messed up chronology, it can be quite confusing to read, as I experienced. Though, when you finally start to grasp what's going on, it becomes an exciting and original novel. It's cleverly written, I especially like the short texts in the beginning of the chapters, that reveal something about the mirror and the people that have owned it. It's one of those books that's like a puzzle - as you go on, you find yourself trying to fit the pieces you've been given. It's an exhilarating novel, full of twists, secrets and intrigues.
It left many questions though. I feel like the book created more questions than it answered (probably why it's not a stand-alone novel). Not sure if it's a bad or good thing yet, as it keeps me want to continue reading, while being a little annoyed with all it's mysteriousness.
Even if I haven't read all of the series yet, I feel like it's moral is the "don't mess with time"-kind of thing. That kind of novel that teaches children not to dwell on the past and let go of things that are out of your reach. Venn is a excellent example of this - I'm really anticipating he's getting shot down by 'fate' or whatever.
I'm surprised when I read this is a relatively new novel? It certainly doesn't feel that way. Despite the obvious technology in it, it feels quite timeless, in that way fantasy sometimes do.
This is something I would recommend to friends, though not being my first choice. Yes, it's interesting and well-written, but it doesn't really feel unique or one of a kind. But I would recommend it.
August 5, 2015
I was once reading the Wikipedia page about pixies and found out that apparently they are abundant in Cornwall and Devon in England. So it was interesting to read a book that was set in a mysterious Abbey in Devon, surrounded by the wood that houses fairies, kind of like a relative to pixies I guess! I found the description of the fairy world absolutely fascinating –beautiful and magical and chilling to the right degree. I read other stories that took the fairy plot in a more sensual direction to show their coldness but this book was more subtle and managed the same effect which is what I liked. Though the fairies are just one element in the story along with a time machine-like device.
But none of these things drew me to the story initially. What drew me was the smart-ass main character, Jake Wilde. It was fascinating to see him calmly plan his expulsion from his elite boarding school after believing his father has been murdered by his guardian –who is paying for his schooling. He also calmly smuggles his marmoset on the plane when he is sent home. Yeah, he’s pretty badass. But he’s not unrealistically cool all the time; there are moments when you get to see other sides to him. Like his realistic reactions to not knowing about what happened to his dad who was the only person he was close to. Nor does he take on some heroic agenda halfway through the book; he gets helped by other characters and is simply motivated by finding answers.
Jake isn’t really the overall main character though. The story takes the perspective of a variety of other characters, most of whom I found interesting. But I also got frustrated after a while because each perspective was very short and cut quickly to another character’s perspective or journal accounts from the past. Though this also made the book a page turner as I wanted to get back to what was happening to the characters I found more interesting.
I think it was a great start to the series and hope the rest contains more awesome moments from the characters.
But none of these things drew me to the story initially. What drew me was the smart-ass main character, Jake Wilde. It was fascinating to see him calmly plan his expulsion from his elite boarding school after believing his father has been murdered by his guardian –who is paying for his schooling. He also calmly smuggles his marmoset on the plane when he is sent home. Yeah, he’s pretty badass. But he’s not unrealistically cool all the time; there are moments when you get to see other sides to him. Like his realistic reactions to not knowing about what happened to his dad who was the only person he was close to. Nor does he take on some heroic agenda halfway through the book; he gets helped by other characters and is simply motivated by finding answers.
Jake isn’t really the overall main character though. The story takes the perspective of a variety of other characters, most of whom I found interesting. But I also got frustrated after a while because each perspective was very short and cut quickly to another character’s perspective or journal accounts from the past. Though this also made the book a page turner as I wanted to get back to what was happening to the characters I found more interesting.
I think it was a great start to the series and hope the rest contains more awesome moments from the characters.
December 29, 2013
What is so magical and fantastic about England and great big old houses? The Lion, the Witch, the Wardrobe. Harry Potter. Lord of the Rings. The magic that is common in each of these stories draws me like a moth to a flame. From enormous castles and decrepit abbeys I find myself wandering corridors, looking at talking paintings and gazing into dark enchanted mirrors. Obsidian Mirror is an astonishing adventure filled with this same magic.
The story focuses on an enchanted mirror that is the obsession of wanders, adventures, and time travelers (to name a few) all whom are looking for answers. Main character Jake Wilde has more than one question that he needs answers to, but just how Oberon Venn murdered his father takes front stage. Venn, the once famous recluse has questions as well but holds many more secrets which all lead directly back to the mysterious mirror that Jake's father found. Venn is not alone in wanting to unlock its secrets and capture its power. The mirror in question is housed in Venn's dilapidated estate. As the story progresses strangers interested in its power arrive with both good and bad intentions. Venn has more secrets than just the mirror, a group of elemental spirits surrounds the grounds of his ancestral home. Regardless of so many obstacles, Jake has but one mission, to find out what happened to his father.
I enjoyed author Catherine Fisher's take on what seemed a familiar storyline but is actually an original story full of refreshing ideas. Readers of many interests should take note; Obsidian Mirror is a book that transcends more than one genre and skips joyfully from Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Historical and back again. I savored the read and look forward to more!
** This is an ARC review.
Any quotes included are from an unfinished text and may change before the final print. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for my un-biased and honest review**
The story focuses on an enchanted mirror that is the obsession of wanders, adventures, and time travelers (to name a few) all whom are looking for answers. Main character Jake Wilde has more than one question that he needs answers to, but just how Oberon Venn murdered his father takes front stage. Venn, the once famous recluse has questions as well but holds many more secrets which all lead directly back to the mysterious mirror that Jake's father found. Venn is not alone in wanting to unlock its secrets and capture its power. The mirror in question is housed in Venn's dilapidated estate. As the story progresses strangers interested in its power arrive with both good and bad intentions. Venn has more secrets than just the mirror, a group of elemental spirits surrounds the grounds of his ancestral home. Regardless of so many obstacles, Jake has but one mission, to find out what happened to his father.
I enjoyed author Catherine Fisher's take on what seemed a familiar storyline but is actually an original story full of refreshing ideas. Readers of many interests should take note; Obsidian Mirror is a book that transcends more than one genre and skips joyfully from Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Historical and back again. I savored the read and look forward to more!
** This is an ARC review.
Any quotes included are from an unfinished text and may change before the final print. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for my un-biased and honest review**
January 27, 2015
Obsidian mirror is an really interesting read and one of those books I want to reread again soon as I think I'll get as much, if not more, from a second reading.
The book itself is written in such an unusual way. It switches between protagonist and between past and present alongside extracts from documents from the world in which it is set and as a reader I felt very much like I was piecing together a jigsaw puzzle as I went along working out little by little how everything fit together.
The story is set around the disappearance of Jake's father and follows his story as he moves in with his godfather who he suspects is to blame for his father's disappearance. Once he arrives at the abbey his godfather owns he finds himself drawn into a weird world of experiments with a strange mirror in a bid to locate his father.
I must admit towards the end of the book I was thinking that I wasn't sure if I wanted to worry about carrying on with the series. While I was enjoying the book I didn't know if there was enough for me to want to carry on especially after a year or more will have passed by the time I would be able to get a copy. However my mind was completely changed with the last chapter and the revelations that came with it that left me needing more
Read
August 7, 2013Wow. Beautifully written, highly imaginative, with sharply drawn characters and a twisty plot - this book is hands-down my favorite YA read of the year so far. I don't think I've ever felt jealous of an author before, but damn, I feel jealous now - if I ever wrote YA, this is exactly the sort of novel I'd want to write. Not in terms of details of story, but of brilliance of execution. I love the way Fisher creates and maintains a sense of mystery, not just with the events of the story, but with the characters. Fisher gives you enough insight into their thoughts and emotions to make them feel like very real, flawed people, yet leaves enough unspoken that each character becomes a puzzle box, waiting for the reader to unlock the truths behind their motivations and reactions as the story unfolds. (I can see how some people might find this distancing, but me? I love books that challenge the reader a little, make you look between the lines of what's said on the page to uncover the real truth of what's happening.) The only downside to Obsidian Mirror is that it's very much a first book in a series, and the second one's apparently not coming out until March 2014. (So far away! Augh! Want it now!)
March 26, 2016
Jake deliberately gets kicked out of his elite boarding school with a vow to confront his father’s killer. When he meets this supposed murderer, Venn, he learns his father has actually disappeared and is not dead. Venn’s estate is surrounded by faeries and Venn has a black mirror that can make people travel through time. Complicating the story, there’s a ghostly man with a wolf threatening people and there’s also a man with a scar trying to get to the mirror. Just who is good and who is evil is somewhat hard to determine. People don’t seem to be who they claim to be, and just what time frame they are from is also in question. The story has intensity and interesting plot dynamics however there are perhaps a few too many elements to make it all work perfectly. Time changes complicate the plot as does the switching of characters and plot lines. They do all come together in the end, but the shifts may cause confusion at times. It takes a while to make sense of what’s going on, and the multiple viewpoints makes it imperative the reader focus. Still, the story is very engaging, the characters are interesting and the twist comes at the perfect point at the end, leaving the reader salivating for the next installment.
November 12, 2014
The Obsidian Mirror has the ability to let one travel backward in time. In order to properly go through the mirror (and not take years to make it through) one must wear a silver bracelet with an amber stone at it’s center. This is set in a place called Wintercombe Abbey, in the Town of Wintercombe. It is never revealed where this truly is or if it is a real place. It is a very large old house;most likely hundreds of years old. The time in which most of our story takes place is uncertain.The protagonist in this book is a girl named Sarah. At first it seems like she just happened to be in Wintercombe at a convenient time, but she has a very mysterious aura about her. Other characters in this book are Oberon Venn, Jake, Summer (The Queen of the Wood) and various less important characters. Oberon is trying to use the mirror to get his wife, Leah ,back from the dead. Jake came to Wintercombe Abbey to accuse his godfather Oberon of murdering his father. Summer is the Queen of the Wood,where the Shee are her subjects. She has great power and is kept at bay only by the iron and magical protections that surround the house.
This book was great. I loved the action and storyline. At the end it began to be long and drawn out,but otherwise this book was fantabulous.
August 14, 2016
2.5 stars
As a longtime fan of Catherine Fisher (ever since I first read The Oracle Betrayed seven years ago, I've been hooked), I'm quite disappointed in this book. Far too many elements crammed into one novel = messy storytelling, as intriguing as those individual elements (Shee, time travel, lost parents, djinn, etc.) may be. Also not impressed with the cast of characters. None of them are very sympathetic or well-developed beyond flat archetypes (brooding male protagonist, mysterious girl, steady teacher, etc.). Usually Fisher's amazing world-building and storytelling skills make up for sometimes flat characters, but that's not the case this time. Overall, it reads like the precursor to the main event, a book written just to set the stage for the next story. I guess it's still a "page turner" in that I read it quickly just so that I would get to the end. Like I said, disappointing, but I'll still read the next installment in this series because of my loyalty to the author.
As a longtime fan of Catherine Fisher (ever since I first read The Oracle Betrayed seven years ago, I've been hooked), I'm quite disappointed in this book. Far too many elements crammed into one novel = messy storytelling, as intriguing as those individual elements (Shee, time travel, lost parents, djinn, etc.) may be. Also not impressed with the cast of characters. None of them are very sympathetic or well-developed beyond flat archetypes (brooding male protagonist, mysterious girl, steady teacher, etc.). Usually Fisher's amazing world-building and storytelling skills make up for sometimes flat characters, but that's not the case this time. Overall, it reads like the precursor to the main event, a book written just to set the stage for the next story. I guess it's still a "page turner" in that I read it quickly just so that I would get to the end. Like I said, disappointing, but I'll still read the next installment in this series because of my loyalty to the author.
May 9, 2014
I really enjoyed Catherine Fisher's "Incarceron" and "Sapphique" though I did find the conclusion a bit of an anti-climax. This book, the first part of a new series, is even better: a mixture of magic and science fiction - just my cup of tea.
A boy seeks out his guardian who he thinks killed his father. The guardian is a famous explorer, now a recluse living in an old-dark-house-in-the-woods. There are lots of mythic references here - the guardian is even called Oberon. There's a fairy queen and a stolen human child out there in the timeless forest, an ancient sorcerer/alchemist and a magic mirror (or is it a kind of black hole into the past?)
The story's set at Christmas, a white Christmas, with an evil white wolf and an evil doppelganger and seven black identicats and a genie in a bottle and lots more.
It reminded me of a childhood favourite, John Masefield's "Box of Delights" (when the Wolves were Running) and also Robert Holdstock's "Mythago Wood".
Thoroughly recommended.
A boy seeks out his guardian who he thinks killed his father. The guardian is a famous explorer, now a recluse living in an old-dark-house-in-the-woods. There are lots of mythic references here - the guardian is even called Oberon. There's a fairy queen and a stolen human child out there in the timeless forest, an ancient sorcerer/alchemist and a magic mirror (or is it a kind of black hole into the past?)
The story's set at Christmas, a white Christmas, with an evil white wolf and an evil doppelganger and seven black identicats and a genie in a bottle and lots more.
It reminded me of a childhood favourite, John Masefield's "Box of Delights" (when the Wolves were Running) and also Robert Holdstock's "Mythago Wood".
Thoroughly recommended.
January 16, 2022
A little convoluted, maybe too many character elements? It started off great with Jake being expelled from his schmancy private school in Switzerland and Sarah showing up out of nowhere at the Abby. But then there's the moody guardian, the genie (?), Summer the fairy queen, Gabriel a changling, and then all the other characters (bad and not so bad) all vying to get the Obsidian Mirror. I was entertained but not sure if I want to try the rest in the series.
January 18, 2020
Too many characters, twists, secrets, motivations. Not enough charisma, likeability, soul. A confusing, unfulfilling, tiresome mess of a novel. Like a season of a JJ Abrams TV show, rolled into one YA novel.
August 11, 2022
Not a bad story, but it seemed unnecessarily complicated and hard to follow in places
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