A review by cakt1991
Fractured Path by J.C. Cervantes

adventurous emotional reflective medium-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

4.0

Fractured Path is the third entry in Disney’s The Mirror series, this one authored by J.C. Cervantes. It builds well on what was established in the other two books, but also works as a stand-alone, providing any necessary context for anyone who’s just picking up the series in this installment. As someone who has followed the series over all three, I love the continually expanding lore and how magic impacts each generation focused on in both similar and divergent ways. 

This story has more direct connection to book two than the first two had to each other, as in addition to a shorter gap in time between books, Blake is Zora’s granddaughter, and what happened in Zora’s story feels more relevant to what’s going on in Blake’s life. It’s also cool to get insight into what happened to Zora after the end of the first book, with her having twin girls, one being Blake’s mother Delilah, and the other being Remi, who Blake has a close relationship with. It’s quite a nice contrast to the previous two books as well for there to be a close family unit, as some of Elva and Zora’s issues stem from their lack of warm parental figures, either through blood or surrogate means. 

It’s also interesting to explore Blake’s relationship with magic and how that plays into her own journey. She’s not as powerful as others like her grandmother, but she does have these visions that she’s trying to unravel, and they somehow relate to the family’s history and their curse. It’s great to watch her come into her own and figure things out. 

This is another solid installment in the series, and I’m excited for how it will wrap up in the final book. If you enjoy historical fantasy with diverse characters, I recommend checking this one out.