Magic Under Glass

Magic Under Glass

By: Jaclyn Dolamore

Nimira is a music-hall performer forced to dance for pennies to an audience of leering drunks. When wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to do a special act - singing accompaniment to an exquisite piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it is the start of a new life. In Parry's world, however, buried secrets stir. Unsettling below-stairs rumours abound about ghosts, a mad woman roaming the halls, and of Parry's involvement in a gang of ruthless sorcerers who torture fairies for sport.

 

I don't have that much to say about this book other than that it was a really engaging short fantasy. It was really cool to find a good fantasy that's also compact. Fantasy (particularly high fantasy, which this sort of is) is typically longer and more detailed. But I liked this story because it was a compact fantasy with deeper aspects disguising itself in a quieter type of story.

 

The characters were really touching, if not overly memorable. I think it stuck to the important aspects of fantasy, light versus dark, fighting for love, but in its own distinct way.

 

This book also included steampunk aspects to the story which I LOVED. The whole idea of steampunk excites me, but it's not often that I find a steampunk book. In fact, going into this one I didn't even know that it was a bit steampunk. So it was this amazing surprise while I was reading.

 

I think the plot was handled very well in this just-over-200-page book. It managed both introspection and action, as well as plot progression and character development despite its length.

 

Like I said, I don't have much else to say, but that I really enjoyed this book. I'm looking forward to reading the second one quite soon to find out what happens to Nimira and Erris.

 

Quotes:

 

"What's the good of modern progress if you haven't any gardens."

 

"Sometimes before you make any plans or resolutions, before you declare your heroic intent to persevere, you just have to cry."

 

"It isn't the place of mere men to judge who is godless, but rather, our duty to be the world's keepers and protectors..."