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Dark Mirror

Dark Mirror
Author: M.J. Putney
Series: Dark Passage (#1)
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
How Received: ARC

Lady Victoria Mansfield, youngest daughter of the earl and countess of Fairmount, is destined for a charmed life. Soon she will be presented during the London season, where she can choose a mate worthy of her status.

Yet Tory has a shameful secret—a secret so powerful that, if exposed, it could strip her of her position and disgrace her family forever. Tory’s blood is tainted... by magic.

When a shocking accident forces Tory to demonstrate her despised skill, the secret she’s fought so hard to hide is revealed for all to see. She is immediately exiled to Lackland Abbey, a reform school for young men and women in her position. There she will learn to suppress her deplorable talents and maybe, if she’s one of the lucky ones, be able to return to society.

But Tory’s life is about to change forever. All that she’s ever known or considered important will be challenged. What lies ahead is only the beginning of a strange and wonderful journey into a world where destiny and magic come together, where true love and friendship find her, and where courage and strength of character are the only things that determine a young girl’s worth.
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Any book that mentions Merlin is a book I'll read. After all, you can't go wrong with playing with Merlin's mirrors.

I really loved reading Dark Mirror; it was the perfect story to take me away from worries about school and studying and what have you. The characters, the location and the plot are well developed and lots of fun to read about.

I absolutely adored Tory from the first moment she stepped onto the page. I connected with her character instantly, and I loved everything she did - she wasn't just some flighty girl that wanted her magic to go away so she could have a normal life; she wasn't the die hard heroine who everybody loves; she was an imperfect teenage girl who just wanted to do the best with what she had. (And fly. Flying is fun. Well, floating, really, but still.)

I loved that her friendships had more importance for most of the book than the hints at her romantic relationships with one of the characters. Figuring out her friendships with her roommate and Elspeth were just as, if not more, important than the character she was attracted to. Even if he DID play a part at the end of the story, and even if may or may not end up together, it was only after they had an entire story for a relationship to develop.

As much as I love the plot - it was very well thought out and brilliantly done - I was almost mad at Putney for taking us away from Lackland Abbey. I LOVED Lackland; I wanted to sit and read and learn more about magic and the people there. Looking back at the end of the novel, it wouldn't have been quite the same story, and the relationships wouldn't be the same, and some hints dropped at the beginning wouldn't make quite as much sense, but I do hope we get to see more of Lackland in the sequel. (I want to see more of Tory, too, but I feel like M.J. will switch to talking about Elspeth or Tory's roommate. She wrapped up Tory's plot line pretty nicely, so if she brings her back, I'll be super excited.)

Overall Rating & Final Comments: 8/10. A solid work of historical fantasy. I'm curious to see what happens next and I'll definitley pick up the sequel.
Challenges Used In: YA Historical Fiction Challenge; 2011 Debut Authors Challenge