Reviews

The Mask of Mirrors by M.A. Carrick

patorcer's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

readwithiffy's review against another edition

4.5

Venetian inspired fantasy with masquerade balls, squabbling noble houses, a masked vigilante, and a con artist at the heart of it all..

The Mask of Mirrors weaves through the povs of multiple different characters with strong motivations and flaws which makes the story a bit more character driven. The interactions between these characters was the best part. The worldbuilding was a little intense at first because it didn’t info dump which I think was the right choice tbh. The world is gritty and dark but very immersive.

The two magic systems are very interesting and in the way they’re tied to religion. I need to know more about Numinatria because it seems to be the hard magic system of the two.

I very much enjoyed the intricate politics between the houses and seeing how Ren traverses between all of her masks, so fun. The ending gagged me, I really didn’t expect the direction this book was gonna go.  

Only nit was that random not!cousin romance plotline

The found family had me like 🥹🥹

emma_isk's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I feel like this series was tailor made for me. High fantasy, complex systems and societies, but such a lovable cast. So much fun, so immersive, I would recommend this book to any fantasy fan it is severely underrated.

cassie_books's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

avniavnipatel's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

iforgotilivedhere's review against another edition

Wasn’t feeling it and my head is still recovering from finals to focus on house names and whatnot 

beezinda's review against another edition

adventurous challenging medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I should have trusted my gut and DNF around the 12% mark. If you're around the 10% to 15% in and you're confused but excited, continue, but if you're not enjoying yourself, put it down - it's not going to get better.

I typically love books that drop you into the world, but this was executed in a way I found personally engaging. The author has a vivid command of their world, but damn was I lost. It took so much to figure who was what and what was where and important....I ended up not caring. I didn't care about the characters. I didn't care about this world. 

I didn't enjoy being in Ren perspective. It's written to make her seem complex, but I found her shallowly written. She supposed to be this morally gray con artist but she's just a Mary Sue. She beautiful and smart and did I mention beautiful and small and a really good manipulator. Everybody is so interested, and her plans always work out. There was no tension, no stakes. Everybody who doesn't like her is evil or big fat meanie. The plot conveniences drove me insane. 

I'm sitting here confused wondering why I should be rooting for her to con this decent group of people. I don't understand why the people who know her secret ain't blabbing. I get it in book, that doesn't feel like how real people work. 

Her siblings don't even feel like real people but like more plot convenience. And to make her seem sympathetic and loyal to something, but that feels fake as well. 

I didn't like Leato either. I didn't find him compelling. I know it happened in real life, but in a fantasy world, why do we have cousin-fuckers. What's the appeal? Do we as readers know they're not blood related, yes. He don't know that though. Baffled

I found Vargo and Serrato interesting. A few of the storyline. The story is overlong. I didn't enjoy my time. There is something interesting, however. Continued because a few people I trust highly recommended this book, but by the end, I was personally curious. I can't read any more this but I want the synopsis of the next one so. This is more not for me than genuinely bad. Hoping it doesn't put me in a slump.

brookesbooks96's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

lian_s's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

wwrlad's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75