A review by brandilovesbooks
Mirrorland by Carole Johnstone

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Mirrorland is an incredibly complex story.  Cat returns to her childhood home when her  twin sister has gone missing. She receives clues that force her to remember her life before.  Each clue not only leads her to a place full of memories, but also a page of her sister's journal.  Her memories are full of colorful imaginings.  These include people, a witch, Bluebeard the Pirate, the Toothy Fairy, a girl named Mouse, a pirate crew, clowns, and more.  "Perhaps everyone’s childhood memories are the same: part truth, part fantasy. But this house and our mother and her stories turned our imagination into a melting pot, a forge. A cauldron. And, I’m beginning to realize, I can trust nothing that came out of it."   The plot is full of unexpected twists.  

I almost stopped reading when the climax happened with 25% of the book left to read.  I'm glad I persisted.  The twists kept coming until the very end.
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