"The Other Side of the Mirror" by Dana Even is a captivating twist on classic fairytales, blending mystery, magic, and romance into an engaging narrative. The story follows Eva, who is thrust into the faerie realm seven years after the brutal murder of her family. The inciting incident—a magical creature's attack—immediately sets a thrilling tone for the adventure that follows.
What stands out in this novel is Eva's evolution as a character. Initially driven by a desire for answers about her parents' deaths, she is quickly pulled into a much larger conflict involving a world-ending Curse and her faerie soulmate. Even does a remarkable job of developing Eva's character, making her transition from a grieving daughter to a powerful figure who uncovers hidden truths both believable and compelling. Her growing relationship with Bash, her rescuer, adds an intriguing layer of romantic tension that is both heartfelt and fraught with challenges.
The world-building in "The Other Side of the Mirror" is richly detailed, creating a vivid faerie realm that feels both enchanting and perilous. Even's descriptive prose brings to life the magical landscapes and the various creatures that inhabit this world. The journey that Eva undertakes is filled with unexpected twists and turns, keeping the reader invested in her quest for truth.
One of the novel's strengths is its exploration of the theme that fairytales are often deceptive. As Eva unravels the fae's web of lies, the narrative delves into deeper questions about trust, deception, and the nature of truth. The plot is intricately woven with mystery and intrigue, maintaining a steady pace that keeps the reader guessing. Each revelation is carefully crafted, adding layers of complexity to the story and to Eva’s understanding of her own magic and heritage.
The relationship dynamics in the book are also well-crafted. Eva's interactions with Bash are particularly engaging, highlighting a blend of mutual reliance and burgeoning affection. The tension between what is expected of her—meeting her faerie prince—and what she feels adds a poignant depth to her character's journey.
Overall, "The Other Side of the Mirror" is a masterful blend of fantasy, mystery, and romance. Dana Even has crafted a story that is both enchanting and thought-provoking, challenging the traditional notions of fairytales while delivering a thrilling adventure. This novel is a must-read for fans of fantasy who enjoy strong character development, intricate plots, and a touch of romance.

The Other Side of the Mirror is an action-packed fantasy that combines magical worlds with our regular world. You never know what is on the other side of your mirror. Eva, the main character is thrust through such a mirror when danger overtakes her family. Years later, her past comes back as danger, love and heartbreak enter her life.

I enjoyed the idea of parallel worlds on either sides of a mirror. The book is obviously part of a series and ends with a cliff-hanger. It is well written and grabs the reader from the very start. I would recommend it for upper grades.

I was given an advance copy of this book, but all opinions are my own. ( )

I'm typically an audiobook person but every spare moment I found, I was reading more and not wanting to put this one down. The imagery of the faerie realm was painted beautifully and easy to see in my minds eye.

The characters developed at a good pace and both their internal monologues and conversations built the story well. While initially I was irritated with how quickly Eva would give into her apprehension when her character was being built up as strong willed but as the story progressed, this was explained. I would have liked a little more description of the different types of faerie powers and how they were assigned/inherited/Gods-given but my lack of understanding didn't take away from the story.

The plot twists weren't as predictable as I had initially suspected and there's definitely a well-written villain. While as a reader, I don't necessarily like a cliff-hanger, I'm glad the story didn't get closed out quickly at the end.

I look forward to the next installation and hope to see more about Quinn. ( )

Fantastic book, could barely put it down. Enjoyed all the build up and can't wait for the next one. I loved all the characters and the story line. The twists weren't as obvious as I thought they would be.

My only critique would be that while only a few days passed, the story would sometimes act like the characters had gained weeks of knowledge or bonding in that time. The dialogue also would occasionally be a little too obvious, or unnatural, not letting things just be inferred.

** spoiler **
Feel bad her friend in the mortal world was just kinda left behind ( )

A really great start to a trilogy; the plot kept me hooked, especially around the last third when it really picks up, the romance is passionate and the reader is left eager for the sequel. The politicking of the faerie world is interesting but not given much of a deep dive; I liked the mirrors being used like portals. The villain is an appropriate "horrible evil guy the protagonist doesn't want" type of character, and a truly loathsome bastard. The story does get a bit tropey (soulmates, fae, "there's only one horse") at times and the romance is too quick for my tastes; the ending and cliffhanger were good but a bit overly-predictable. I question why Quinn completely disappears - knowing her importance to the protagonist, the fact that she never makes an appearance after Eva goes into the fae realm, and that Eva doesn't even think about her after the first chapter or two of being there, feels completely dissonant.

As for the smut - if it's what you're looking for, you'll enjoy it, but it's not my usual choice when I'm reading books. As good as this book is, because the smut isn't my thing, I'll likely stay away from the sequels.

3.5 stars ( )