Reviews tagging 'Death'

Mirror Girls by Kelly McWilliams

8 reviews

bookishgoob's review against another edition

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dark sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

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mal_reads_books's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

An engaging, easy to follow, eye-opening story. It was thought-provoking and gave me insight into Southern culture.

Seeing the bond develop between the sisters was heartwarming. I was interested in Magnolia's story and her choice in whether to continue living as "white" or to be open with her black heritage.

As much as I enjoyed this book, the ending felt too abrupt. I wish it had taken more time for character development and
to show more of Magnolia's life after she made her choice.


I recommend this book, especially for teen readers. Even as an older reader myself, I gained a lot from this. It offers plenty of themes for an engaging discussion.
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cecetomas's review against another edition

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

4.0

This was a quick, but interesting read. I think it takes on the topic slavery in a different and digestible way, but it does feel immature at times. The paranormal/fantasy element of this story was my favorite aspect, and really personified the aftermath of slavery and reality of white supremacy. 
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justurlocalspirit's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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terryegreen's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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fireinherveinzz's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.0

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thenovelmaura's review against another edition

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dark mysterious 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

4.0

A huge thank you to the NOVL for sending me an ARC of Mirror Girls in exchange for an honest review! I was excited to get my hands on this book since I really enjoyed Agnes at the End of the World by Kelly McWilliams. This is another cool genre mashup, so if you like YA authors who think outside the box, you'll probably be a McWilliams fan.

As I alluded to earlier, this book was a fascinating blend of historical fiction and paranormal elements. I also loved that the central relationship was between two estranged sisters. Although they feel an instant connection when they meet, they still clash at the beginning due to resentment around their different upbringings. It was interesting to see the pros and cons of how they were raised; is it worth it to benefit from white privilege if you were raised without love? Should you give up financial security if it means embracing who you really are?

I was kind of confused by some of Charlie's judgements of Magnolia, particularly when she judges her for planning on marrying rich instead of trying to get a good education and a job. Even in the Northeast region of the country, I'm sure many girls in 1953 were taught that their only goal in life should be marrying well and raising a family. The career paths available to women, especially women of color, would have been very limited. I also thought the sisters didn't get much in the way of character description besides their basic profiles (civil rights activist vs. plantation heiress) and I wish we learned more about their lives before they met each other.

Going back to the paranormal elements, the setting was really well done and the history of the town only served to enhance the sense of community or eeriness (depending on which side of town you were on). I don't want to spoil anything, but the curse and ghosts heavily influence the story; they're not an afterthought. If any of this intrigues you, I recommend picking up this book and exploring the mysteries of Eureka for yourself!
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amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition

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

3.5

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