Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

Title: Magic Under Glass

Series: Magic Under Glass

Book #: 1

Author: Jaclyn Dolamore

Pages: 240

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Reading Level: Young-Adult

Spotlight: Themes

Rating:

"Magic can surely be a funny thing."

Nimira is a music-hall performer forced to dance for pennies to an audience of leering drunks. When wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to do a special act - singing accompaniment to an exquisite piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it is the start of a new life. In Parry's world, however, buried secrets stir.

Unsettling below-stairs rumours abound about ghosts, a mad woman roaming the halls, and of Parry's involvement in a gang of ruthless sorcerers who torture fairies for sport. When Nimira discovers the spirit of a dashing young fairy gentleman is trapped inside the automaton's stiff limbs, waiting for someone to break the curse and set him free, the two fall in love. But it is a love set against a dreadful race against time to save the entire fairy realm, which is in mortal peril.

Taschima:

Magic Under Glass was a fantastic tale. It's full of lovable and also horrid characters. They aren't horrid in the way the are developed or portrayed just that they are the bad guys and oh goodness how I hated them xD

Nimira, a performer who ran away from home, is spotted by the wizard Hollins who takes her back to his home to be a singer to his automaton. But a lot of secrets roam in that house, from ghosts and spirits to a fairy prince trapped in a fate no human or fairy should ever face. Will Nimira succumb to her fears? Or will she face them head on and change her destiny, along with those of who she is close to, forever?

One thing the author is very good at is making you feel a certain way about the characters and the story. As you may well know the romance of the story is between a girl and a clockwork, and there are so many ways that could have gone awry but the author pulled it off with amazing ability. I loved the clockwork! His emotions were so powerful and real while he was in his non animated form. You could almost touch them.

Now moving to the girl. She was believable and strong. Though I didn't really connect with her as I do with other female protagonists she was a good character, they all were really, but the story for me didn't concentrate on the characters perse, it rather concentrated on the portrayal of emotion, feelings, love, sacrifice, and loss.

Favorite characters: Annalie, Linza, & The Clockwork.

Ugh I so don't wanna be a spoiler so I will talk around the edges. A thing that happens in the book I wish it didn't happen because I didn't really like how a character changed. Though its a very important thing and I knew it would happen I just think it took away the mystery, the allure, and some of the love I felt towards the book. Why? Because I didn't like what came of it.

Another thing is the book could have been longer. What's the thing with small books this days? Or maybe it's just the books I'm reading right now? xD

But maybe things will get better as the story progresses in the second installment. Yes, there is a sequel and I can honestly say I can't wait to read it.