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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
This was completely absorbing from beginning to end, and while clearly being far from my own mixed story, had moments that made me cry from recognition. Really wonderful, not too scary, but with a nice little bit of spook.
wow, i really enjoyed this book! i was very much engaged and had a hard time putting it down at times. this book was similar to the vanishing half but more spiritual/supernatural, so in that way, i’ve never read a story quite like this one. also, as a black woman, it was certainly disheartening, but also empowering. i only wish it was a little longer and elaborated on some aspects, especially when it came to magnolia embracing her black side. overall, it was a really great read!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
fast-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
emotional
mysterious
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:
Yes
4 ancestrally rich stars
Yes! All of this yes!!
I wish we had authors like Kelly McWilliams when I was a young reader. This would have been an absolute precursor to my love of historical Black fiction with a dash of magic. If I were 30 years younger, this would have been an automatic 5 star read. As an adult, I can’t help but nit pick. My issues with this amazing novel are small and ultimately inconsequential.
Charlene (Charlie) and Magnolia are dynamic and engaging characters; twins separated at birth. I LOVED how McWilliams introduced us to them both and fleshed out their characters. It was so clear which twin we were with, by voicing, how they responded to situations and interacted with other characters. The distinctive voicing was so rich that I understood these characters.
The novel takes place in rural Georgia in the 1950s Jim Crow South. This book and it’s language is such an easy introduction for young readers into this dark and evil era with a ‘trauma lite’ feel. I appreciated the author not dwelling into trauma porn. She touched on our horrific history without glorifying it. If I were a young reader I would be clamoring for more. My only gripe, and it’s a small one, I often felt pulled outta time. There wasn’t any real connection to Jim Crow South or the 1950s. Not in description of dress or locale. Nothing to lock the reader into that time. I’m uncertain if this flaw is fully the Authors, or if times haven’t changed as much as we think. While we know this to be truth, this may have been the authors point.
The element of supernatural and ancestral ghosts was PERFECT. How our Ancestors guide us, influence us and continually teach us. And sometimes, how our ancestors and ghostly specters in general, can cause us harm. The magical realism in this book was so on point. Can we discuss that Ghost Train scene? I need to see that on the big screen!!
Yes! All of this yes!!
I wish we had authors like Kelly McWilliams when I was a young reader. This would have been an absolute precursor to my love of historical Black fiction with a dash of magic. If I were 30 years younger, this would have been an automatic 5 star read. As an adult, I can’t help but nit pick. My issues with this amazing novel are small and ultimately inconsequential.
Charlene (Charlie) and Magnolia are dynamic and engaging characters; twins separated at birth. I LOVED how McWilliams introduced us to them both and fleshed out their characters. It was so clear which twin we were with, by voicing, how they responded to situations and interacted with other characters. The distinctive voicing was so rich that I understood these characters.
The novel takes place in rural Georgia in the 1950s Jim Crow South. This book and it’s language is such an easy introduction for young readers into this dark and evil era with a ‘trauma lite’ feel. I appreciated the author not dwelling into trauma porn. She touched on our horrific history without glorifying it. If I were a young reader I would be clamoring for more. My only gripe, and it’s a small one, I often felt pulled outta time. There wasn’t any real connection to Jim Crow South or the 1950s. Not in description of dress or locale. Nothing to lock the reader into that time. I’m uncertain if this flaw is fully the Authors, or if times haven’t changed as much as we think. While we know this to be truth, this may have been the authors point.
The element of supernatural and ancestral ghosts was PERFECT. How our Ancestors guide us, influence us and continually teach us. And sometimes, how our ancestors and ghostly specters in general, can cause us harm. The magical realism in this book was so on point. Can we discuss that Ghost Train scene? I need to see that on the big screen!!
adventurous
challenging
dark
inspiring
reflective
tense
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:
Complicated
•historical fiction•twins split apart, are reunited•Jim Crow south•dawn of the civil rights movement•magical realism that borders on straight-up supernatural•multiple POVs•
•I feel like this was a bit unfocused and lacked depth. Maybe it needed to pick one genre and stick to it. It seemed to want to dip its toes into as many as possible without fully committing to one. Overall, it had elements that worked and ones that didn’t work for me.
•The narration performed by Deanna Anthony, Carmel Jewel Jones, & Robin Eller was fantastic.
•My Score 6.8/10•
This was really good! This historical fiction did a really good job of tackling segregation and racism in the 1950’s while also having a really spooky, moody and entertaining story. Plenty of ghosts.
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
hopeful
fast-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
I wasn’t sure that this was going to be my cup of tea when I impulse bought it. The story sounded good but YA has been hit or miss with me lately. After reading it I am glad I picked it up. I ended up loving the story and Charlie and Magnolia were wonderful characters. Twin girls who were raised apart because of what they look like plus the magic intertwined made a great story that I didn’t want to put down.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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:
Yes
Mirror Girls was the first horror novel I've ever read, most certainly my first Southern Gothic (here's to new things in the new year!) and I'm certainly glad it was.
Both sister had such clear voices, as I was reading I could here Charlie's Harlem accent, the stiff-backed confidence that etched itself into her narrative. And for Magnolia, her Southern Belle Drawl poured off the page. There were several moments I laughed at the way her sister described it.
Kelly McWilliams laces this book with a sense of unmooredness for the characters. Charlie returns to a home she's never known, deep in the Jim Crow South. Eureka is "a place where nothing ever changes and nothing ever dies", where her stiffed back confidence is the very thing that could get her killed. As for Magnolia, well she's a Southern Belle who's no Southern Belle at all.
Mirror Girls is a testament to Racism, dark and powerful histories, and the challenges of identity and homes that don't want you. I cried so much during the final pages of this book, it's beautiful, it's painful, I loved it all.
And I'll definitely be reading more Southern Gothics.
Both sister had such clear voices, as I was reading I could here Charlie's Harlem accent, the stiff-backed confidence that etched itself into her narrative. And for Magnolia, her Southern Belle Drawl poured off the page. There were several moments I laughed at the way her sister described it.
Kelly McWilliams laces this book with a sense of unmooredness for the characters. Charlie returns to a home she's never known, deep in the Jim Crow South. Eureka is "a place where nothing ever changes and nothing ever dies", where her stiffed back confidence is the very thing that could get her killed. As for Magnolia, well she's a Southern Belle who's no Southern Belle at all.
Mirror Girls is a testament to Racism, dark and powerful histories, and the challenges of identity and homes that don't want you. I cried so much during the final pages of this book, it's beautiful, it's painful, I loved it all.
And I'll definitely be reading more Southern Gothics.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Death, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Classism