Scan barcode
thebakerbookworm's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was a good thriller, with a lot of twists and turns you don't see coming and an eerie setting of an old gothic house in Edinburgh. I do think it relied a little too much on trauma for some of the twists, so please be wary of the content warnings.
It's told from the perspective Cat, who is estranged from her missing twin sister and her sister's husband. I liked how we slowly learn about what's happened in the past and the relationships between these three characters. As soon as I thought I had one thing figured out, I learned something new that threw a wrench in everything.
I enjoyed listening to the audio, especially with the narrator's Scottish accent, though I have to admit that for the first few chapters, I thought she was saying "Maryland" instead of "Mirrorland"...once I finally realized what she was saying, everything made more sense lol.
The narration does switch between present and past pretty often, and also between reality and the fantasy world of Mirrorland that the girls created. With the audio, it was sometimes difficult to notice either switch, and I found myself getting confused about what was happening when and if certain things were actually happening or just their imagination. Maybe these distinctions were clearer in the print book.
Thanks to Libro.fm, Simon & Schuster Audio, and the author for my ALC!
It's told from the perspective Cat, who is estranged from her missing twin sister and her sister's husband. I liked how we slowly learn about what's happened in the past and the relationships between these three characters. As soon as I thought I had one thing figured out, I learned something new that threw a wrench in everything.
I enjoyed listening to the audio, especially with the narrator's Scottish accent, though I have to admit that for the first few chapters, I thought she was saying "Maryland" instead of "Mirrorland"...once I finally realized what she was saying, everything made more sense lol.
The narration does switch between present and past pretty often, and also between reality and the fantasy world of Mirrorland that the girls created. With the audio, it was sometimes difficult to notice either switch, and I found myself getting confused about what was happening when and if certain things were actually happening or just their imagination. Maybe these distinctions were clearer in the print book.
Thanks to Libro.fm, Simon & Schuster Audio, and the author for my ALC!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Incest and Rape
rachclark's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Incest, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Suicide attempt
madarauchiha's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
โค๏ธ ๐งก ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ my about / byf / CW info carrd: uchiha-madara ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐งก โค๏ธ
It's a standard who dunnit mystery with plenty of plot twists and a great pay off. I greatly dislike the incest plot, but it worked well enough.
Content warnings:
medium self harm, pedophilia, incest, drug overdose,
major racism about magical non existent tribes, child abuse, mouth trauma, blood, dental trauma, scars , guns, stalking, paranoia, suicide, incest, domestic abuse, abuse, manipulation, unhealthy relationships, marital infidelity, child abuse, gaslighting, NSFW, suicide threats, suicide, medical scenarios, death, murder,
About the incest warning. Major spoilers.
the 'bluebeard' character is actually the grandfather. The grandfather is also their father, having imprisons one of his adult twin daughter and raped them off screen, impregnating her at least once. The incest / csa is not depicted explicitly but it is implied and confirmed to have happened. The plot is focus more on the current day, as the grandfather is long since dead.
It's a standard who dunnit mystery with plenty of plot twists and a great pay off. I greatly dislike the incest plot, but it worked well enough.
Content warnings:
medium self harm, pedophilia, incest, drug overdose,
major racism about magical non existent tribes, child abuse, mouth trauma, blood, dental trauma, scars , guns, stalking, paranoia, suicide, incest, domestic abuse, abuse, manipulation, unhealthy relationships, marital infidelity, child abuse, gaslighting, NSFW, suicide threats, suicide, medical scenarios, death, murder,
About the incest warning. Major spoilers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Grief, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Violence
lilacsandliterature's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Incest
kamin8882's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
WOW !! If I could give this book 10 stars I would !! When I finished this book (just a few minutes ago) my heart was beating fast, I had tears in my eyes, and I am so so so happy I received this book to read from Netgalley and Scribner books!
El and Cat are Mirror Twins, exact reflections of each other. They feel each others pain, dreams, nightmares and are always together. When they are younger, they dream up Mirrorland....a magical place with pirates, clowns, cowboys and Indians....a place to escape. Mirrorland is with them until the very end, never really leaving their hearts. Something very horrible and traumatic happens, that causes them to completely stop talking or seeing each other....until El comes up missing and Cat goes home to figure out what happened to her sister. She knows in her heart she it not dead, now she just has to prove it. Little does she know she will be going on another adventure with the help of her sister. (thats all I will say to not spoil anything- its sooo good) The twists and turns in this book are unlike nothing I've ever read !!
This book was breathtaking. I am a huge fan of thrillers- especially the ones that leave you wanting more with every page, not wanting to even put the book down to go to sleep and this was all of that!! This book made me sad, happy, anxious, nervous, relieved, all of the emotions one can experience. The whole book has you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next and then you are completely surprised!! It was such an amazing way of showing how people use their imaginations to mask the truth.
Luckily, I was also able to get my hands on the audiobook. The narrator was Scottish which was great because the book takes place in Scotland! Perfect touch to the perfect book!! If you are looking for your next favorite book this one is it!! Did I mention this is Carole Johnstone's DEBUT NOVEL!! WHATTT!!! It was incredible !! LOVE LOVE LOVED IT !!
Thank you to Netgalley and Scribner books for sending me an advanced copy of Mirrorland in exchange for an honest review. I look forward so much to reading all her books too come!!
El and Cat are Mirror Twins, exact reflections of each other. They feel each others pain, dreams, nightmares and are always together. When they are younger, they dream up Mirrorland....a magical place with pirates, clowns, cowboys and Indians....a place to escape. Mirrorland is with them until the very end, never really leaving their hearts. Something very horrible and traumatic happens, that causes them to completely stop talking or seeing each other....until El comes up missing and Cat goes home to figure out what happened to her sister. She knows in her heart she it not dead, now she just has to prove it. Little does she know she will be going on another adventure with the help of her sister. (thats all I will say to not spoil anything- its sooo good) The twists and turns in this book are unlike nothing I've ever read !!
This book was breathtaking. I am a huge fan of thrillers- especially the ones that leave you wanting more with every page, not wanting to even put the book down to go to sleep and this was all of that!! This book made me sad, happy, anxious, nervous, relieved, all of the emotions one can experience. The whole book has you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next and then you are completely surprised!! It was such an amazing way of showing how people use their imaginations to mask the truth.
Luckily, I was also able to get my hands on the audiobook. The narrator was Scottish which was great because the book takes place in Scotland! Perfect touch to the perfect book!! If you are looking for your next favorite book this one is it!! Did I mention this is Carole Johnstone's DEBUT NOVEL!! WHATTT!!! It was incredible !! LOVE LOVE LOVED IT !!
Thank you to Netgalley and Scribner books for sending me an advanced copy of Mirrorland in exchange for an honest review. I look forward so much to reading all her books too come!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, Stalking, and Toxic relationship
fictionmajorette's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Full thoughts: https://fictionmajorette.blogspot.com/2021/04/mirrorland-carole-johnstone.html
My absolute favorite part was the pacing - it was immaculate. It was the kind of book that, when I was done, I put it down and just thought back over the whole story and how everything came together at just the right pace for me to be 100% completely enthralled. The thriller beats are timed out perfectly for my taste and the pacing worked with the information we learn from the book in order to expertly ramp up the tension. This is Johnstone's debut novel and, to me, it reads like a seasoned thriller writer. I had a bit of a rough time with the first 10-15% but once I got past that part, the book just flew by. It has been a while since I've had a book where it felt like I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and this one hit that exact target for me. I think the scavenger hunt Cat goes on gives a natural cadence to the story and really helps push along the narrative.
This story has a very fantastical, some might say flowery, narrative style. The style is consistent through the book, but I found it the heaviest at the beginning and it leaned a bit too much toward the literary fiction side of prose for my personal liking. Very detailed descriptions, long paragraphs detailing Cat's feelings and thoughts and her surroundings. I know some readers will really enjoy this writing style, but it just isn't for me. However, once we got past that first 15% or so, the mystery side of the plot really picks up and it feels like the narrative has more to focus on rather than just feelings and setting. I'd say the writing style takes some time to get used to and sink into, but I really think it is a fantastic choice overall for the story and 100% worth the effort it might take getting through the first little bit of the book.
I really enjoyed the characters in this story and the way we slowly peel back the layers of characterization. Cat hasn't talked to her sister in 12 years so, in a way, we're discovering who El is right along side Cat as she tries to figure out what happened. Also, since this is the first time Cat has been back to Scotland in 12 years, she is sort of rediscovering parts of herself the longer she stays in town. I really liked how the scavenger hunt clues slowly revealed more and more information about their relationship and their upbringing in a very logical and methodical way.
I did appreciate how we get a lot of explanation and resolution after the final conflict so we can really see how Cat is doing after finding out all this information. By the end, I did find myself slightly more interested in finding out the truth about what happened in their childhood more than what happened to El but the two plot threads are connected in the end so it was satisfying on both counts. The one last twist was interesting but did feel a tad bit too convenient for my liking but I don't think it cheapened the overall narrative at all and I do think most readers will like it.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story. The narrative style was unique and really fit the overall plot and mood of the story, the characters were complex and evolved during the course of the book, and the ending was incredibly well paced and plotted. I do think the narrative style can be hard to get into at first, but I think it is worth pushing through if possible to get to the body of the story because the payoff is 100% worth it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Publication date is April 20, 2021.
My absolute favorite part was the pacing - it was immaculate. It was the kind of book that, when I was done, I put it down and just thought back over the whole story and how everything came together at just the right pace for me to be 100% completely enthralled. The thriller beats are timed out perfectly for my taste and the pacing worked with the information we learn from the book in order to expertly ramp up the tension. This is Johnstone's debut novel and, to me, it reads like a seasoned thriller writer. I had a bit of a rough time with the first 10-15% but once I got past that part, the book just flew by. It has been a while since I've had a book where it felt like I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and this one hit that exact target for me. I think the scavenger hunt Cat goes on gives a natural cadence to the story and really helps push along the narrative.
This story has a very fantastical, some might say flowery, narrative style. The style is consistent through the book, but I found it the heaviest at the beginning and it leaned a bit too much toward the literary fiction side of prose for my personal liking. Very detailed descriptions, long paragraphs detailing Cat's feelings and thoughts and her surroundings. I know some readers will really enjoy this writing style, but it just isn't for me. However, once we got past that first 15% or so, the mystery side of the plot really picks up and it feels like the narrative has more to focus on rather than just feelings and setting. I'd say the writing style takes some time to get used to and sink into, but I really think it is a fantastic choice overall for the story and 100% worth the effort it might take getting through the first little bit of the book.
I really enjoyed the characters in this story and the way we slowly peel back the layers of characterization. Cat hasn't talked to her sister in 12 years so, in a way, we're discovering who El is right along side Cat as she tries to figure out what happened. Also, since this is the first time Cat has been back to Scotland in 12 years, she is sort of rediscovering parts of herself the longer she stays in town. I really liked how the scavenger hunt clues slowly revealed more and more information about their relationship and their upbringing in a very logical and methodical way.
I did appreciate how we get a lot of explanation and resolution after the final conflict so we can really see how Cat is doing after finding out all this information. By the end, I did find myself slightly more interested in finding out the truth about what happened in their childhood more than what happened to El but the two plot threads are connected in the end so it was satisfying on both counts. The one last twist was interesting but did feel a tad bit too convenient for my liking but I don't think it cheapened the overall narrative at all and I do think most readers will like it.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story. The narrative style was unique and really fit the overall plot and mood of the story, the characters were complex and evolved during the course of the book, and the ending was incredibly well paced and plotted. I do think the narrative style can be hard to get into at first, but I think it is worth pushing through if possible to get to the body of the story because the payoff is 100% worth it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Publication date is April 20, 2021.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Incest
readergonewilde's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Death, Incest, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, and Physical abuse
soobooksalot's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Mirrorland is unsettling, through and through.
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for my eARC for review!
Cat has returned to her childhood home in Scotland after the disappearance of her "mirror twin" sister, El.
The twins haven't seen each other in 12 years for undisclosed reasons, and the house is now owned by El and husband/childhood neighbour Ross.
It's a house in which they played amidst clowns, pirates, witches and evil tooth fairies. And a secret basement area known as Mirrorland.
It's evident early on that we are to consider the house as a character of sorts. Lengthy explanations of the setting, as well as pet names for each room are referenced, and frequently.
It's disconcerting, and we are not privvy as to why. Is it the unreliable memory of childhood, or repressed events turned into fantasies for survival?
This read was uneven for me. Interesting thriller elements with layers of clues and riddles are interspersed with the childhood house imagery a bit too frequently for my liking. Do check it out if you like a unique suspense tale!
For release on April 20.
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for my eARC for review!
Cat has returned to her childhood home in Scotland after the disappearance of her "mirror twin" sister, El.
The twins haven't seen each other in 12 years for undisclosed reasons, and the house is now owned by El and husband/childhood neighbour Ross.
It's a house in which they played amidst clowns, pirates, witches and evil tooth fairies. And a secret basement area known as Mirrorland.
It's evident early on that we are to consider the house as a character of sorts. Lengthy explanations of the setting, as well as pet names for each room are referenced, and frequently.
It's disconcerting, and we are not privvy as to why. Is it the unreliable memory of childhood, or repressed events turned into fantasies for survival?
This read was uneven for me. Interesting thriller elements with layers of clues and riddles are interspersed with the childhood house imagery a bit too frequently for my liking. Do check it out if you like a unique suspense tale!
For release on April 20.
Content Warnings
Minor: Incest, Physical abuse, and Suicide attempt
thecatladybooknook_penny's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
While I really enjoyed this book, I'm not sure the typical fast-paced thriller lover will give this book enough of a shot before setting it down. It is marketed as a thriller, but it feels more like a mystery/fantastical/slow-burn story with a few thrilling elements. It's very dark and tense; very gothic in feel.
If you like dark, slow-burn stories with a few twists; if you like fantasy and imaginary play, I think you'll like this. Even those who read literary fiction may even like this if they also enjoy mystery/thrillers.
Cat and El (mirror twins) have a very vivid imagination as children, encouraged by their mother, which lends very heavily to the fantastical elements. There are even times where Cat as an adult leans in to what she knew as a child which made the house seem to take on a life of its own. When I first started reading this, I was slightly confused, but I'm used to reading 1000 page fantasy novels. I was willing to ride it out and see where this story would go. I'm really glad I did.
There were some moments in the story where Cat would be narrating the story and she goes back to a childhood memory as a flashback of sorts which can be a little confusing for some because you aren't told "this is flashback, and okay now, we're back to real time". I didn't mind that once I saw the author using that technique more and more. The writing style was simple without being overly simplistic and was easy to read and imagine what was happening within the story. A really good debut novel!
I highly recommend this book for the type reader I described above. Thank you to Netgalley and Scribner books for this free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
If you like dark, slow-burn stories with a few twists; if you like fantasy and imaginary play, I think you'll like this. Even those who read literary fiction may even like this if they also enjoy mystery/thrillers.
Cat and El (mirror twins) have a very vivid imagination as children, encouraged by their mother, which lends very heavily to the fantastical elements. There are even times where Cat as an adult leans in to what she knew as a child which made the house seem to take on a life of its own. When I first started reading this, I was slightly confused, but I'm used to reading 1000 page fantasy novels. I was willing to ride it out and see where this story would go. I'm really glad I did.
There were some moments in the story where Cat would be narrating the story and she goes back to a childhood memory as a flashback of sorts which can be a little confusing for some because you aren't told "this is flashback, and okay now, we're back to real time". I didn't mind that once I saw the author using that technique more and more. The writing style was simple without being overly simplistic and was easy to read and imagine what was happening within the story. A really good debut novel!
I highly recommend this book for the type reader I described above. Thank you to Netgalley and Scribner books for this free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Rape, Self harm, and Incest
More...