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mary_soon_lee's review
4.0
Carol Berg is one of the fantasy authors whose work I find most entertaining. This book is the second in her Collegia Magica trilogy. I enjoyed it considerably, yet didn't devour it. The heroine, Anne de Vernase, is intelligent and likable, but I wasn't as caught up in her plight as I had been with Poitier in the first book. However, the last third of the book was very strong, as more of the mystery unfolded and the action escalated. I also found the prison scene particularly powerful. Two of the plot twists were very gratifying, one of which I predicted and one that I did not.
Spoiler
I hadn't guessed that Roussel was the Aspirant, but I had guessed--during the first book--that Dante was working for good all along.Even if there were ten books in this series rather than three, I suspect I would gobble them all up before the end of the summer.
mamap's review
4.0
4 years after the Spirit Lens the daughter of the man Dante and Duplais accused of being a traitor comes to the Kings city. Life has not been kind to the family members - her mother is mad, her brother has been locked up with a sadistic jailor, and her other sister has been killed... turns out, all is not as it seems. typical carol berg - an intense mystery. i can recommend it. it is a little ponderous. also like carol berg.
stilladyj's review
4.0
Not quite as good as the first, but still pretty great. The main character has quite the case of "not like other girls"-ism, and the redemption arc, though expected and somewhat desired (I'm such a sucker), was still kind of trite. All-in-all, though, as I said, pretty great and I'm looking forward to the next
hpstrangelove's review
5.0
(Audio book review) I started listening to this book as soon as I'd finished book 1. This book, because it is in a female 1st person POV, has a woman narrator.
I don't much care for women narrators and this one took some getting use to. Her reading of male characters came across as a bit gravely, and her attempt at lower-class accents made some of the dialogue impossible to understand, but overall, she did a pretty good job.
Compared to book 1, this story started off slow. In the beginning, I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't more action and that so much time was spent on explaining how the court worked. But it ended up being an effective way of giving the reader, and the main character, a false sense of security. About 1/4 of the way into the book, things began to take off - and never slowed down again.
I hate spoilers so all I will say is - I did NOT see that coming! I love it when a writer can take me by surprise, and she did it so very, very well. Or maybe I'm just easily fooled. I did guess a couple of other things towards the end, but by then I was looking for them, too.
This book was a satisfying read, and although part of a series, it ended at a good place. I'm looking forward to reading book 3.
I forgot to add - the cover art in this series is very beautiful.
I don't much care for women narrators and this one took some getting use to. Her reading of male characters came across as a bit gravely, and her attempt at lower-class accents made some of the dialogue impossible to understand, but overall, she did a pretty good job.
Compared to book 1, this story started off slow. In the beginning, I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't more action and that so much time was spent on explaining how the court worked. But it ended up being an effective way of giving the reader, and the main character, a false sense of security. About 1/4 of the way into the book, things began to take off - and never slowed down again.
I hate spoilers so all I will say is - I did NOT see that coming! I love it when a writer can take me by surprise, and she did it so very, very well. Or maybe I'm just easily fooled. I did guess a couple of other things towards the end, but by then I was looking for them, too.
This book was a satisfying read, and although part of a series, it ended at a good place. I'm looking forward to reading book 3.
I forgot to add - the cover art in this series is very beautiful.
felinity's review
4.0
This stands wonderfully on its own. I hadn't even realized it was part of a series when I picked it up. You don't need to have read book 1 to enjoy it, and I'm looking forward to reading more!
elissagator's review
3.0
Do you ever feel bad that you don't like a book as much as most reviewers loved it? Like maybe there was some secret that you just didn't get? That's how I feel about this book. I give it 3.5 stars, because I liked it. There were some good twists and great character development, but at times it was hard to understand the setting and some of the magic, especially the end. I think the end is what threw me off -- it got a little weird. Now I'm all for weird, but I didn't think the weirdness was explained very well. Or maybe I was just tired. If you like magic/fantasy/medieval type books, I do recommend it.
wynwicket's review
5.0
So flipping GOOD. Even better and more compelling than the first one. Magic, political intrigue, secrets upon secrets. I loved every moment and I'm picking up the third and final book right away!
drey72's review
drey’s thoughts:
Soul Mirror takes place after the events in The Spirit Lens, and tells the story from the viewpoint of Anne de Vernase–the daughter who named her father traitor, saw her brother imprisoned, lived with her mother’s madness, and grieves her sister’s death. So much tragedy in this young woman’s life…
When she is summoned to Merona to answer for her family’s treachery, Anne is thrust into a court filled with deadly intrigue and magical dealings. Not having magic of her own, Anne is suspicious of the Queen’s magician Dante. Of course, the gossip she hears and the goosebumps he leaves behind does nothing to lessen those suspicions.
I loved the cast of characters Carol Berg has provided in this series. Portier is a side dish here, as the main course is all Anne. Using her wits and her sister’s gifts, Anne is determined to find out what is plaguing the Queen. And while she’s at it, clear her family’s name. All by herself of course, as there’s not a single person she dares trust. Not too much for a twenty-two-year-old to take on, is it?
The intrigue is absorbing, the plot is solid, and the storytelling superb. I want friends like Ilario and Portier. The ending reveals a villain who’ll surprise you, and a willing victim of all the schemes put into play in The Spirit Lens… Loyalties are not always where they seem to lie.
drey’s rating: Excellent! I want more Portier, and I definitely want more Anne and Dante! Can’t wait for The Daemon Prism…
Soul Mirror takes place after the events in The Spirit Lens, and tells the story from the viewpoint of Anne de Vernase–the daughter who named her father traitor, saw her brother imprisoned, lived with her mother’s madness, and grieves her sister’s death. So much tragedy in this young woman’s life…
When she is summoned to Merona to answer for her family’s treachery, Anne is thrust into a court filled with deadly intrigue and magical dealings. Not having magic of her own, Anne is suspicious of the Queen’s magician Dante. Of course, the gossip she hears and the goosebumps he leaves behind does nothing to lessen those suspicions.
I loved the cast of characters Carol Berg has provided in this series. Portier is a side dish here, as the main course is all Anne. Using her wits and her sister’s gifts, Anne is determined to find out what is plaguing the Queen. And while she’s at it, clear her family’s name. All by herself of course, as there’s not a single person she dares trust. Not too much for a twenty-two-year-old to take on, is it?
The intrigue is absorbing, the plot is solid, and the storytelling superb. I want friends like Ilario and Portier. The ending reveals a villain who’ll surprise you, and a willing victim of all the schemes put into play in The Spirit Lens… Loyalties are not always where they seem to lie.
drey’s rating: Excellent! I want more Portier, and I definitely want more Anne and Dante! Can’t wait for The Daemon Prism…
egelantier's review
4.0
the narration shifted to anne, daughter of the nominal villain of previous book, which was a bit jarring, since at the beginning anne - a severely introverted, reserved, intelligent but naive woman - possesses all the survival and political instincts of a particularly depressed suicidal lemming, and also doesn't talk to anybody useful; but she's made it through, came into himself and started asking right questions and making right decisions, and so i'm liking her a lot. mid-book, will see how it plays out.
much, much happier with the second half of the book than with the first. anne grows into herselfs, kicks some serious ass and calls some unpleasant names and in general learns to do what's needed to do and to want what she wants to want, and i loved her a whole lot by the end. also in: dreadful magic! ilario keeps rocking on! ritual sacrifices are all the rage! eugenie survives two books full of bullshit! portier continues to be my shining light of sanity and loveliness and possible saintliness. dante continues to be a dick (news at eleven).
much, much happier with the second half of the book than with the first. anne grows into herselfs, kicks some serious ass and calls some unpleasant names and in general learns to do what's needed to do and to want what she wants to want, and i loved her a whole lot by the end. also in: dreadful magic! ilario keeps rocking on! ritual sacrifices are all the rage! eugenie survives two books full of bullshit! portier continues to be my shining light of sanity and loveliness and possible saintliness. dante continues to be a dick (news at eleven).
bookstuff's review
5.0
Carol Berg kept me up all night reading her all-too engrossing book! I love the intrigue and the setting of this series, and I have always liked the main character since she first appeared near the end of book one. There is twisted deviousness and devious twists, betrayal, redemption and love in this story of magic and blood.
Looking forward very much to the next book, which I am guessing will feature my favorite chevalier and one wronged and bitter brother.
ETA: I'm wrong about who the next books pov will be. Heh.
Looking forward very much to the next book, which I am guessing will feature my favorite chevalier and one wronged and bitter brother.
ETA: I'm wrong about who the next books pov will be. Heh.