Behind the Magic Mirror The concept of a magical mirror is something that has captured human imagination for centuries. From fairy tales to fantasy novels, the idea of a mirror that can transport us to a different world or show us hidden truths has always been fascinating. But what if there is more to these magical mirrors than meets the eye? Behind the magic mirror lies a realm of enchantment and mystery. It is a place where reality blends with fantasy and possibilities become endless. The mirror serves as a portal to this realm, allowing those who dare to venture through its reflective surface to experience extraordinary adventures. In this hidden world, the laws of physics are warped, and the mundane becomes extraordinary.
In this hidden world, the laws of physics are warped, and the mundane becomes extraordinary. Time flows differently, and one moment spent in this realm can feel like a lifetime or merely a blink of an eye. It is a place where dreams come to life, and imagination knows no limits.
Review of the Day: The Magic Mirror by Susan Hill Long
The Magic Mirror: Concerning a Lonely Princess, a Foundling Girl, a Scheming King, and a Pickpocket Squirrel
By Susan Hill Long
Knopf (an imprint of Penguin Random House)
$16.99
ISBN: 978-0-553-51134-2
Ages 9-12
On shelves May 10th What do you want from a fairy tale? Magic? Romance? Derring-do? Despicable villainy? Academics and scholars have puzzled and puzzed until their puzzlers were sore over what it is about the European fairy tale genre that so enthralls us. Recently fairy tale lovers have seen the entertainment industry discover that fairy tales are still a primo source of capital. On the book side of things, I’ve seen a distinct uptick in retellings of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and more in the last five years. Classic fairy tales have it easy. It’s the newbies that have a hard time going. How do you get a foothold in a genre that’s been in existence for centuries? In The Magic Mirror by Susan Hill Long, the author decides to simplify. Merely take the elements that suit the story best (highway robbers, princesses, and just a smidgen of magic) and then weave in some surprisingly stellar writing. The result is fairy tale fare that reminds one of nothing so much as the best of Gail Carson Levine. Funny, friendly, witty and sly, this makes for perfect bedtime reading.
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Margaret (or Maggot, depending on who’s talking about her) should technically be grateful for her life. Though she sports a lame foot (an “accident of birth” she’s been told) and is an orphan, she has a roof over her head, food in her belly, and aside from avoiding Thomas, the local bully, not too much trouble in life. But of course she’s desperately lonely, and that’s a problem that’s hard to cure. When she makes the acquaintance of a man with a wooden leg, she receives in a trade a mirror capable of showing anyone their heart’s desire. But what she sees when she peers into it is a strange wild-eyed man she’s never laid eyes on before. When Minka, the woman who cares for Margaret, decides to marry her off, our heroine decides that leg or no leg she is not going to have her life decided for her. And in the course of her adventures she’ll little suspect there are royal mix-ups, a king with little in the way of fatherly feelings, a boy with a bagpipe, and a light-fingered squirrel in her very near future. Is anyone going to challenge me when I say that comparing a book, any book, to The Princess Bride is never a good idea? The Princess Bride inspires a loving fandom that jealously guards its unique storytelling. Still, there are many familiar tropes in that book/film. A princess, a pirate, giants, swordplay, you name it. When writing a new fairy tale you Harry Potter it. You take those familiar elements and weave them into something new. So when Ms. Long wrote The Magic Mirror she did exactly the same thing. Additionally, by splitting her narrative into an increasingly large cast of characters, she gives it a distinctly Princess Bride-like feel. It has humor and fights and baddies in all the same ways. When Kirkus reviewed this book they said that it was predictable and unbelievable (because of the coincidences in the plot). I’d counter that there’s nothing any more predictable or unbelievable here than you’d find in any modern fairy tale, be it Ella Enchanted or Frozen, and just as much joy. In this particular case it’s Long’s descriptions and characters that stay with a reader long after the book has been put down. Even the foulest villain has an emotional weak spot, and characters that are set up to seem like baddies at the beginning (like Minka) turn out to be pretty soft in the end. Plus you really root for these characters. Some authors think it necessary to drown their villains in a thick sauce of sadism so that when the heroes triumph it’s an even keener victory. But when writing books for 9-12 year olds there’s no need to pile on the bloodshed. In the right writers’ hands, as long as the antagonist is preventing the heroes from their happy ending, that’s all you really need to do to keep the plot moving at a sharp clip. I liked the people I met in this book, but the descriptions were probably my favorite aspect of the novel. Lines like, “Her voice climbed up the sentence like a ladder, and quavered at the top,” make me happy. Ditto wisdoms like “It’s all in the angle of the squint.” Or a description of a cathedral’s shadows where a character “shuffled away from the creeping dark so that she might escape God’s notice.” I did experience a palpable sense of relief that it was written today, though. Since Margaret has a physical disability (a foot and leg injured long ago that were never set correctly) there is a brief suggestion at one point that there might be a magical remedy to her problem. I was reminded of a similar middle grade novel Handbook for Dragon Slayers which also starred a girl with an injured limb. In that book a cure for her disability is bandied about and ultimately rejected in an excellent manner. Indeed, the book went on to win a Schneider Family Book Award given annually to books that embody, “an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences.” Reading The Magic Mirror I had the very clear sense that if this book had been written in the past an easy cure for Margaret’s leg would have been part of the story’s happy ending and that would be that. These days such endings are mildly insulting answers to what, in truth, are very real problems. Happily The Magic Mirror does not fall into such a trap (though sadly the heroine does have some unfortunate thoughts about a successful man with a hunch on his back that did not gel well with the book’s otherwise positive embrace of disability). As it happens, I did find one particular aspect of the book problematic. This is Ms. Long’s second novel so while the bones of this story are strong there are aspects to the writing that will need a bit of strengthening in the future. Specifically, the exposition. Now the art of exposition is learned, not born. Filling the reader in on a hitherto unknown back-story is no easy task. At best, back-story is woven into the dialogue so naturally the reader is hardly aware that they’re learning about what’s come before. Clunky back-story, in contrast, places huge chunks of it en masse in the same general vicinity of the novel. Alas, near the end of The Magic Mirror the author has set herself up to reveal not just the back-story of our heroine, but of at least three to four other people as well. The result is ultimately somewhat confusing, with new characters popping up (a midwife, a thief’s wife) to fill in the details out of the blue. Without a character guide (which would, admittedly, give away some of the plot) there is little to help kids distinguish between Petra vs. Minka vs. Margaret.
- Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
- Handbook for Dragon Slayers by Merrie Haskell
- The Midwife’s Apprentice by Karen Cushman
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But behind the magic mirror, danger also lurks. The boundary between the two worlds is fragile, and those who venture too far risk losing their way back. Malevolent creatures and dark forces dwell in the shadows, waiting for unsuspecting travelers to ensnare. Only the most courageous and wise can navigate this treacherous realm unscathed. Yet, behind the magic mirror, there is also profound beauty and wisdom. Ancient beings and ethereal creatures inhabit this world, possessing knowledge and secrets that have been preserved for centuries. They offer guidance and enlightenment to those who seek it, but their wisdom comes at a price. One must be willing to face their deepest fears and undergo personal transformation to truly receive their teachings. The magic mirror is a symbol of self-reflection and introspection. It represents the power of imagination and the limitless potential that lies within each of us. Behind its reflective surface, we confront our desires, fears, and innermost thoughts. It is a journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance, where we learn to embrace our strengths and confront our weaknesses. Behind the magic mirror, the world we know fades away, replaced by a landscape of wonder and mystery. It is a place where reality intertwines with fantasy, where dreams manifest into reality. It is a world of infinite possibilities waiting to be explored by those brave enough to step through the looking glass. In conclusion, behind the magic mirror lies a realm of enchantment, danger, and wisdom. It is a place where reality blurs with fantasy, and the mundane becomes extraordinary. It is a world waiting to be discovered, a world where anything is possible. So, if ever confronted with a magical mirror, dare to step through it and unearth the magic that lies within..
Reviews for "Breaking the Illusion: Demystifying the Technology Behind the Magic Mirror"
1. Angela - 2/5 stars - I was really looking forward to reading "Behind the magic mirror", but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The plot was weak and overly predictable, and the characters lacked depth. I found myself getting bored halfway through and had to force myself to finish it. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and wouldn't recommend it.
2. Michael - 1/5 stars - "Behind the magic mirror" was a complete waste of time for me. The writing style was choppy and hard to follow, and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. I also didn't connect with the characters at all, finding them to be flat and one-dimensional. The story itself failed to capture my interest and I struggled to finish it. I was left feeling unsatisfied and frustrated with this book.
3. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for "Behind the magic mirror", but unfortunately, it fell short for me. The pacing was incredibly slow, and the story dragged on without much development. The world-building was also lacking, leaving me feeling confused and disconnected from the story. While the concept had potential, it was poorly executed, and I was left feeling unsatisfied by the end. I wouldn't recommend this book to others.