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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
fast-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
emotional
sad
tense
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:
Complicated
Haunting and unsettling, there was a strong undercurrent of tension throughout the entirety of the book. The repeated refrain of 'no happily ever afters' had me wound up pretty tight; I was dreading some terrible outcomes and I really think the ending was great. A powerful and arresting read.
I read Agnes at the End of the World a while back and this was a much stronger story from McWilliams.
I read Agnes at the End of the World a while back and this was a much stronger story from McWilliams.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Death of parent
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
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
This was a heartbreaking story. Two sisters, one born passing, one not, separated shortly after birth in Jim Crow South. Their parents were murdered for their love. How do Magnolia and Charlie find each other? Can they survive the curse placed on them for things they never had control over? Read this and find out. Be ready to cry multiple times, for the love between two sisters separated by circumstances of skin color.
This was very good! I think McWilliams did a great job of mixing the magical aspects of the story with the real world issues of passing/identity/family. It was also a pretty quick read - I couldn't put it down because I wanted to know how the story would resolve.
3.9
While reading this book I kept seeing parallels between this book and The Vanishing Half. I almost felt as though it could have been a resolution of sorts for what I thought the other story lacked. I wonder if I can find another book to resolve the ending of this book... so abrupt and unsatisfying.
While reading this book I kept seeing parallels between this book and The Vanishing Half. I almost felt as though it could have been a resolution of sorts for what I thought the other story lacked. I wonder if I can find another book to resolve the ending of this book... so abrupt and unsatisfying.
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Must read required reading addition for any high school, early college literature, history, and creative writing courses. Whew! Such vast emotions. MIRROR GIRLS slammed raw experiences that provided unforgettable insight to history and its contribution to society "norms". The haunts. The ghost train. Obsidian mirrors. Mold in the mansion. Floating graves. The magical love of a people triumphing beyond evil. There' s so much that can be unpacked during an amazing book club discussion. Middle grade distinction is misleading. Adults, YA readers get this. MIRROR GIRLS is dynamic. It--like Michelle Coles' "Black Was The Ink"-- is not just history retold fictiously, it's the retelling of the horrific reality of our history ushered in by ghosts...some are angrily haunting. Whew. We are sitting with these twins beyond the last page.
I was hoping this would be spookier. It felt more like straight-up historical fiction, which is not my genre. So disregard this review if you like historical fiction! Magnolia’s voice on the audiobook was sooooo annoying 😅 The only reason I didn’t DNF is because it’s such a short book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
A Southern gothic book that isn't weirdly nostalgic about the Confederacy/antebellum South! You love to see it. It's also a powerful book about sisterhood, colorism and passing, and the untrustworthiness of white "allies" like Finch Waylon.