Review: Magic Under Glass

Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

Genre: YA, Fiction, Romance, Fantasy

Rating: 5

 

Nimira is nothing more than a show girl in a cheap theatre, being paid pennies and fed food not worth eating to sing and dance for men who have nothing better to do at night. One night a mysterious man named Mr. Parry comes to Nimira and hires her to sing, accompanying an automaton—a  life size mechanical doll—who plays the piano. Every other girl who he has hired has run away screaming, saying that the doll was haunted. Nimira doesn’t believe such things… or does she? She realizes once she starts practicing with him that he is definitely more than a doll. She begins to communicate with him… and soon realizes that she loves him. But how can she set him free from his prison?

Nimira starts trying to uncover the secrets that are surrounding her in this strange house—a wife who is supposed to be dead, a sorcerer who has more control than he should, and a missing fairy prince who may just be trapped inside of a piano playing doll.

Magic Under Glass was an amazing and breathtaking adventure, a parallel universe with a story that I’d love to live in and experience again and again. I really cannot think of the words to describe how much I fell in love with this book and it’s characters!

Jaclyn has found the perfect way create a story that is both plot driven and character driven. The plot was fast, but not too fast. It was steady enough to keep up with, but fast enough to keep you reading. And the characters… goodness they were so special. Every single one of them, even the ones I hated (with a passion). The characters were instantly real people to me, and they became hugely important. The love between Nimira and her automaton is painful but sweet, and utterly romantic.

I would have read this book in one sitting if I had not been interrupted. It instantly draws you in at the first page, and holds you captive until the last.

The writing was detailed and descriptive and made all the words feel beautiful and sensual, like you’re drinking chocolate or breathing perfume while you read.

Ultimately this was a beautiful escape from reality, and I am desperate for the sequel.

Content: no sexual content, and appropriate language (not overdone or overused, I think there was one foul word used only once or twice).

Recommendation: Ages 14+ to anyone who wants a fast enchanting romance worth dying for.

 

~Haleyknitz

 

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(Paperback cover. I’m not sure which of the two I like better… So I put them both here. Which do you like?)

**edit: I found out from Katy @ A Few More Pages that the book is being re-printed with a different cover because Nimira doesn’t look like the girl in the top cover. Again, I like both. Although I did keep looking at the cover and thinking “that doesn’t look like her.” The author, however, did send me a character sketch.

So there’s Nimira (with her hair tied back ;D)