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minimicropup's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Atmosphere: ๐
You know how childhood memories can be both extremely vivid and super foggy? The writing style nailed that feeling. Set in a home with lots of nooks and crannies, it has a whimsical atmosphere with an underlying sense of danger that builds until it starts taking over.
-If you feel lost, there's a layout of the house on the author's website, because they based it on their grandparents' actual house!
-If you feel lost, there's a layout of the house on the author's website, because they based it on their grandparents' actual house!
Main POV: ๐
A twin in their 20s/30s returning to their childhood home. They were all too happy to leave behind their twin sister and hometown as a young adult to become a content creator in L.A., and returning has brought back not-so-welcome memories of their shared childhood.
Growls and Howls: ๐บ
-If you write a story but donโt give much detail, I will start filling it in with my imagination. And if you suddenly get descriptive and smash all my little imaginings to bits halfway through I will be so mad at you. Thatโs exactly what this author did BUT I was fully there for it. The fantastical and strange is gradually shaped and smashed into real life Horrors and I loved it.
-The ending wasnโt necessarily a bad one, but it was so rushed that one of the characters had to explain everything to us and the MC. And I was still confusedโฆI wish the beginning half of the book was cut down to draw out that ending so we could discover some of it out on our own.
Show'n'Tell: ๐ตโ๐ซ
Show with a sudden switch to tell just when it was getting good. Like bringing a Pokemon card in for class, then ending with โoh yeah I have two special edition ones tooโ. Flashes them up just as the bell rings.
Cred Rating: ๐๐คก
Best to go in with suspended disbelief. Like, the treasure hunt would have been over if anyone in that house ever picked up a Swiffer. Realistic police investigation and portrayals of how we process childhood abuse.
Reading Journey: ๐
You know those city walking tours on YouTube? The one for Edinburgh went through strobe-light carnivals at the base of a giant castle on a cliff, sidewalks with gothic looking structures scattered about, and house music blaring through a maze of alleyways. Thatโs what reading this felt like.
Good match if you like:
-Unreliable NarratIVES (MC is sure of their memories but also starting to doubt them, yet others are having the same troubles and we arenโt sure which one is the true version and who to trust)
-Childhood trauma and resilience themes
-"Good for her" trope
-"Good for her" trope
-Puzzles
-Dark family secrets
-Evil/psychic twin bond energy
Vibes: ๐ข๐คฏ๐ตโ๐ซ
Format: Library E-book via Libby
Format: Library E-book via Libby
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Self harm, Infidelity, Suicide attempt, Blood, Drug abuse, and Violence
Minor: Incest, Sexual content, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Mental illness rep involves dissociative disorder and repressed memories. One character is described as paranoid schizophrenic by someone, but also recognized by others as suffering from extreme lifelong abuse. Sexual content that is explicitly described in the book is consenting adults,cinderrunner's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
4.5
This book and its concepts are admittedly a little complex. It is heavy on the psychological aspect of psychological thriller. A lot of negative reviews are complaining that the concept of Mirrorland is too involved, but I think that is exactly the point. The flashbacks and convoluted nature of Mirrorland go hand in hand with Cat's mental state. The story unfolds as Cat's memories do, the reality hits us as it does Cat. This is a truly interesting and complex look at trauma and the way it impacts every aspect of a person's life (even long after the specific traumatic events are over). The mystery aspect is very well done thanks to the confussion we get as a result of Cat. I got a grasp early on about what the elements of Mirrorland stood for, but I was never fully confident on their real life counterparts until it was revealed. Everytime I thought I knew how the plot would unfold, I never felt like I could trust my instincts. Even when I was right about one plot element, something else would get thrown into the loop that i didn't see coming. This isn't a straigh forward, cut and dry mastery/thriller. You actually do have to think. That's not everyone's cup of tea and not everyone is willing to use the extra brain power it takes for a story like this. I feel awful for Mouse, she deserves justice more than Cat or El.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Grief, Incest, Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Gore, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt
odrib's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse
Minor: Murder, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Incest
stranger_sights's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
You can read my full review at: https://strangersights.com/mirrorland-by-carole-johnstone-writereads-blog-tour/
4.5 stars rounded up to 5 for goodreads.
I really, really loved this book. This is definitely one of those ones that Iโm going to probably find myself beating people over the head with (metaphorically speaking, of course) in an effort to try to convince them to read it. There is just so much here โ not just the mystery of Elโs disappearance, but the many mysteries of Mirrorland, of the bonds of sisterhood, and even of the human psyche. I feel like I could write for days about all the bits of this book that I loved.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5 for goodreads.
I really, really loved this book. This is definitely one of those ones that Iโm going to probably find myself beating people over the head with (metaphorically speaking, of course) in an effort to try to convince them to read it. There is just so much here โ not just the mystery of Elโs disappearance, but the many mysteries of Mirrorland, of the bonds of sisterhood, and even of the human psyche. I feel like I could write for days about all the bits of this book that I loved.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Incest, Murder, and Suicide
Minor: Blood, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Suicide attempt
sarabara's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Suicide
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
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