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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
I loved the characters, how they developed and their relationships, too. I was a bit confused by the politics and overall world at times, but I loved how this was so character-focused ahhh, totally my thing. <3
Full review coming soon :)
Full review coming soon :)
She may be poor and forgotten, living a life of fear, but she has her family and a secret love of poetry (that is now banned by those in power) that keeps her happy.
Then she's kidnapped by the crown, for a genetic lottery made her face look exactly like the cruel princess's, and that princess needs a body double due to all the people who want to kill her.
While perfecting the princess's bite, dismissive attitude, and overall horribleness she's known for, Amani begins to understand why the princess is who she is. She also gets to know the fiancé.
This is one of those stories that you read and wonder what you would do in the characters' positions, then watch as assumptions they have about one another (and we hold about them) unravel, challenging their opinions (and ours). Beautifully written and layered, this isn't just about perseverance, it's about friendship, letting people in, sacrifices we make (personally and politically), and love.
Definitely recommend it.
Then she's kidnapped by the crown, for a genetic lottery made her face look exactly like the cruel princess's, and that princess needs a body double due to all the people who want to kill her.
While perfecting the princess's bite, dismissive attitude, and overall horribleness she's known for, Amani begins to understand why the princess is who she is. She also gets to know the fiancé.
This is one of those stories that you read and wonder what you would do in the characters' positions, then watch as assumptions they have about one another (and we hold about them) unravel, challenging their opinions (and ours). Beautifully written and layered, this isn't just about perseverance, it's about friendship, letting people in, sacrifices we make (personally and politically), and love.
Definitely recommend it.
Probably 3.5 stars. I really liked a lot of this, although I felt the love story was really weak. It was interesting to me to see a lot of Al-Andalus in this, even though I don't think that was the author's intention, and the Vath certainly can't be compared directly to the Spanish. However, there were some things about this that seemed really slow, especially since the end seemed to come very abruptly.
It's somewhat obvious that it is a debut novel, but it is a strong one and I'm excited to see where this goes.
It's somewhat obvious that it is a debut novel, but it is a strong one and I'm excited to see where this goes.
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I really liked Mirage, but I ultimately didn't love it. The thing that really brought my enjoyment of Mirage down for me was the romance between Amani and Idris. I just couldn't get truly invested in their romance. Every other aspect of the plot of Mirage was ultimately more interesting and was the thing that I was the most invested in. This book also left me with a lot of questions throughout the book as I was reading it, such as what Amani's family thought had happened to Amani once she was taken in order to serve as a double for Maram? Was Amani compensated or paid in some way for serving as Maram's stand-in? It just didn't seem like Amani was given any kind of genuine incentive for being Maram's stand-in. Despite the fact that I ultimately only really liked this book, and I didn't love it, I still want to continue reading the rest of the trilogy as it's published.
My rating/score: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars on Goodreads / 7 out of 10 on my own scoring system.
My rating/score: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars on Goodreads / 7 out of 10 on my own scoring system.
I want to give this more stars than three, because I do think the depth of the heroine and her captor/villain/sister of sorts is worth another star, but three is safe and not a BAD rating by any means.
The reasons I knock this book down two stars is that when a romantic focus or male comes into books sometimes the lead looses sight of the mission and or the goal. While that was not the case in this book, I do think the romance was ... a little too quick?
I give praise that she developed a space opera of sorts, but at times it didn't feel like a space opera? Once in a while something technologically advanced would get thrown in (blasters, shuttle, data pad, etc.) I felt the book required more of a technological aspect and or more of space. Where is more science involved things?
I gave the three stars because I enjoyed the characters, and I do think there is a story in there and maybe by book two it will get solid. I rated Sabriel the same way (I three-starred it and then the rest I gave glowing praise). I just have a little beef when people make space-operas they don't... give it that space-feel.
I'll keep an eye out on book two.
The reasons I knock this book down two stars is that when a romantic focus or male comes into books sometimes the lead looses sight of the mission and or the goal. While that was not the case in this book, I do think the romance was ... a little too quick?
I give praise that she developed a space opera of sorts, but at times it didn't feel like a space opera? Once in a while something technologically advanced would get thrown in (blasters, shuttle, data pad, etc.) I felt the book required more of a technological aspect and or more of space. Where is more science involved things?
I gave the three stars because I enjoyed the characters, and I do think there is a story in there and maybe by book two it will get solid. I rated Sabriel the same way (I three-starred it and then the rest I gave glowing praise). I just have a little beef when people make space-operas they don't... give it that space-feel.
I'll keep an eye out on book two.
Una historia ligera y cliché, el romance no es atrayente porque es un instan-Love absoluto, llegando al punto que puede darte la sensación que la protagonista es demasiado ingenua; sumando el hecho que el interés amoroso tampoco es atrayente. Lo curioso es la princesa con rastros de villana, la que tiende a llamar más la atención.
Para mi esta historia acaba aquí.
Para mi esta historia acaba aquí.
I really wanted to like this book!! But I found myself skipping over pages at a time because some scenes were just so unnecessary, and even with all the scenes that I skipped I felt like I didn’t really miss anything. Idris was super boring to me and I really didn’t like the romance between him and Amani. It’s been about a week since I read Mirage and I’ve already forgotten most of the characters and plot, so I don’t think I’ll read the next book.
MY GOD I LOVED THIS SO MUCH.
i am loathe to compare it to a juggernaut like st*r w*rs, but it really had all that was missing and more. i loved the characters, the personal conflicts, the accidental blending of personalities while trying to stay true to oneself. i fell in love with both amani and maram, who felt so real the whole book. descriptions were fantastic, and the world building was there but not egregious instead sprinkled throughout as the plot continued. lowkey fell in love with idris...
i am loathe to compare it to a juggernaut like st*r w*rs, but it really had all that was missing and more. i loved the characters, the personal conflicts, the accidental blending of personalities while trying to stay true to oneself. i fell in love with both amani and maram, who felt so real the whole book. descriptions were fantastic, and the world building was there but not egregious instead sprinkled throughout as the plot continued. lowkey fell in love with idris...
This book was actually quite the struggle for me. I absolutely love the characters and the plotline. However there must have been something about the writing style that made it hard for me to engage with story at some points. i am really looking forward to reading the second book, so I think that says enough about the story as a whole.