Jaclyn DolamoreRecensioni

This was a very sweet, fun adventure story that would appeal to younger YA readers and fans of Robin McKinley and Jessica Day George. I particularly enjoyed the worldbuilding.

I thought the writing, while serviceable, could have been a bit more polished - the voice was a bit generic and every so often, the "stage directions" seemed a bit off (characters would end up standing somewhere in a room that didn't make sense to me). However, it was mostly things only a fellow writer would notice.

I am hooked on the plot and definitely will pick up the next book.

Really 3 1/2 stars but I always round up. Normal plot: High-class boy meets low-class girl, takes her out of said situation, she gets nice clothes, people disapprove, etc. And then- Erris. Erris saved the paperboard cut-out plot and raised it to a new level. I had just finished watching Hugo and was enthralled with this little twist. I'm not sure what makes it "Steampunk" and I wish that her editor had been a bit more thorough with certain issues. And the nod to Jane Eyre was quite obvious. No shocker there. I felt like there was too much of the wrong dialogue and a lack of the obvious dialogue. But- Erris! He wasn't even all that fleshed out but I was entranced with the unique twist that he added to the story. So-- Read it. For Erris.

Nimara takes the opportunity to leave her life as a performer in a cheap variety show to sing with an automaton, a clockwork piano man, for a wealthy sorcerer. Rumor has it the automaton is haunted but Nim doesn’t scare easily. Secrets abound at the estate where she is taken and she must figure them out if she is to truly choose her future.

I read this in a hurry. I’d had it on my list, but put it aside for something more urgent. I am so glad I picked it back up. It covers the topic of prejudice in a way that might help some to see what slights they haven’t noticed before couched in terms of human, faerie, and gender rather than black and white. I’ll be looking for the sequel, which comes out in April of 2012.

YA, series, faeries, romance, prejudice, automaton

"I should like to forget my secrets myself," he said. "If secrets could burn, I'd be the first to light the match."

(Okay, I guess I do have things to say.)

This was a whole lot of story packed into a tiny book. I mean, a lot.

I admittedly liked the feeling that went through most of the book - that we were looking into one modest story in a world that sprawled much larger, and was much more complicated, heated, and dangerous. From other reviews I read, this point is a little divisive, but for my part I think Dolamore did wonderfully in revealing the world around our characters not like a textbook but like how someone would talk about their lives...bits and pieces of Nim's homeland were described in associations and memories, the information about the fairies and the war were from overheard conversations or sneaked into everyday discussions. I love that kind of stuff and it was done spectacularly here.

The plot is small but not simple. Character dynamics may not be the most complicated or developed of things, but they're varied and there are many. Magic is never explained but shown instead, and even if that made me a little confused, everything in this review so far came together to make a quaint little fairy tale with numerous threads and ideas and surprises. (Which is also kinda why I'm not keen on going into the second book, although you've been warned that this one NEEDS a sequel for the plot.)

It had some duller points, though. The villains were perfectly, painfully average and underdeveloped, so when they really started becoming important, my interest waned a little. I really couldn't buy Erris and Nim as a romance - that's probably my biggest hang-up. Because Erris was sorta stuck without a personality for most of the book, I could buy Nim's friendship, her need to protect and save him because hey - she has a conscience after all. But the romance? Way too much for me. I was far more interested in reading about Nim and Hollins's complicated relationship - nowhere near romance either, but it had a subtlety that Erris and Nim lacked.

So...yeah. A nice little fairy tale with a world beyond its borders and a ton of imagination. It reads like a middle-grade book (maybe it is?) but it has a ton of charm and Nim's personality carries it well.

The premise is interesting, but the book reads like a "young adult" novel with more emphasis on a teenager's self-centered psychological world view than on anything actually happening. While the world-building was interesting with potential for a greater over-arching story, the characters' shallow natures and general self-interests didn't elevate the story or enhance the telling of almost-nothing-happens. If you're looking for a *good* introspective about an artificial human, find another book.

It could have been longer and more detailed but it was still well written and enjoyable. I would have liked the ending to not have been so rushed and abrupt.

3.5 stars

Dark Metropolis has an sort of attractive yet disturbing dark feel to it; it reminded me of the darker parts of "His Dark Materials." At least my discomfort with the topics mirrored each other.

Thea lives in a 20s-esque alt-world where magic is both needed and reviled. She struggles to care for her magic-sick mother, while keeping the illness secret. When her mother is taken from her and a friend goes missing, Thea is determined to discover what is truly going on in her city.

I love that the author write zombies without calling them zombies. I love the alt-world she created. I definitely will read a second book.

What keeps me from giving this a solid 4 stars is that the books relationship, which really should be the heart of the book, are not very fleshed out. I look forward to seeing how these might develop in a second book.

Interesting premise-- the clockwork piano player was once alive and has been enchanted. Felt like this was the start of a series, but the next book by this author looks to be independent of this one. The book, itself, was kidnapped by my granddaughter to read.

I really enjoyed this novel! The characters were entertaining and showed lots of growth. Olivia and Alfred were my favourites, but I also loved Alfred's banter with George! I was torn about the drawings because they were often funny, but also bothered me because they disrupted my mental image of the characters. I would recommend that the "how this book came about" chapters be at the end of the novel since they take you out of the story. That being said, the story was creative and captivating and I look forward to reading the sequel!

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

I have to admit, it took me a while to really get into this book. Not that it wasn't interesting, I was just so confused. Miralem! Fanarlem! Daramons! The first half of the book kind of see-sawed between not enough information and too much. By the second half of the book, it really took off.

I found myself much less annoyed with the Hidden Lands' constant history lessons and lengthy descriptions when I realized this was going to be a series. The author did a fantastic job with world building and including even the smallest details, making it seem all the more believable and real. (I want to try a can of B-Bite!)

I really enjoyed that the romance remained on the back burner throughout, enough so that I was always wondering whether they were going to get together at all. (At least in the first book. It seemed obvious that at some point they would get together.) Olivia was an awesome heroine, one of my favorites in a while. She was strong, kind, and completely non-whiny. I hate whiny, self-pitying heroines. And Alfred, adorable Alfred. I really liked him. There were a few moments when I found his complacency annoying, but by the end of the book, that aspect of him was gone. I love watching characters grow, and grow he did.

Now, for the best part, the drawings! I loved them so much. I wish more books had illustrations.

I have to admit, I was not a fan of the couple of little chapters interspersed throughout the book on how the book came about. I love reading about the author's process and getting inside an author's head, just not in the middle of the book. It kind of jerked me out of the story. In my opinion, that kind of thing is best left for an intro or at the end.

All in all, a really fun read, one I truly enjoyed.

A slightly different version of this review originally appeared on my blog, In the Forest of Stories.

THE VENGEFUL HALF is veteran author Jaclyn Dolamore’s first venture into self-publishing. She’s released five novels through Bloomsbury and Disney Hyperion, but chose a different path for this her new series so she could have greater control over each volume’s release schedule, packaging, and bonus content.

The book centres on sixteen-year-old Olivia, an exile from the Hidden Lands adjoining Earth. Olivia and her mother, Adelise, live in America so’s to avoid the man Adelise cursed after he destroyed her husband, but their quiet life gets a whole lot more exciting when an intriguing boy from their homeland tracks them down.

Alfred inherited Adelise’s curse when his gangster grandfather died. He’s been blind ever since; something his parents would very much like to rectify, against Alfred’s wishes. No sooner has he voiced his request, though, than a rival faction whisks in and abducts Adelise. Desperate to help her mother, Olivia follows Alfred into the Hidden Lands--and discovers her own terrifying past in this unfamiliar world of dark magic and strange delights.

I began it the very moment it hit my ereader, other obligations be damned, and only reluctantly emerged until I’d reached the final page. It made me giggle, it made me cry, and it gave me a fascinating new sphere to explore.

I do love poking around in a well-built world.

The Hidden Lands stand adjacent to Earth, with a few long-established passages and common spells that allow those in the know to pop back and forth between the two. This creates a certain amount of overlap between each place’s cultures. Once upon a time, the Hidden Lands influenced Earth’s mythology by introducing ideas like elves, faeries, and the Grim Reaper, to name a small handful. Over the last century, though, Earth has had an even larger influence on the Hidden Lands. Contemporary technologies like cars, televisions, and cell phones operate alongside (or in concert with) magic, and there’s a huge (albeit one way) pop cultural exchange. The Hidden Lands produces its own art that springs from its own native cultures, but it also eagerly imports Earthly music and media. The well-listened Hidden Lands music aficionado is as likely to listen to the Beatles as to Cherry Doll, a popular singer whose soul happens to live inside a magically animated doll body.

Which isn’t uncommon, though the Fanarlem (as the doll people are called) have only had even rudimentary rights for a few decades. Their situation provides an egress into some fascinating political and cultural history, and their fight for equality snaps into sharp focus as Olivia realizes her ties to them are stronger than she initially thinks.

This whole setup ticks scads of my boxes. I love secondary worlds that allow magic and technology to work together, and I get super excited when I encounter a fantasy that twists mythology in new ways. I’m on board for anything that takes a firm stand against slavery and in favour of working past prejudice. And I love it when characters get excited about the same sort of pop culture I myself geek out over; comics and nostalgic children’s shows and great songs and so forth. I was more than eager to wallow in the Hidden Lands and learn about its various traditions, Earth-influenced and otherwise.

And, perhaps best of all, I’m always glad to find portal fantasies where someone from another world travels to Earth instead of the other way around. It’s a simple yet intriguing twist on an old trope, and one that Olivia’s dual outsider status allows Dolamore to twist even further. Olivia has grown up in America, but she’s always been aware of where she’s from (at a sixty-year remove, given her mother’s exile). Likewise, Alfred knows a fair bit about Earth but hasn’t spent a whole lot of time there. Olivia has plenty to explore once she makes it to the Hidden Lands, giving the reader an opportunity to dig into the place right alongside her, while the scenes where she fills Alfred in on her Earthly ways provide a separate but related thrill.

These sorts of exchanges also allow us to know the characters on a deeper level. We see who Olivia is from multiple angles; what interests her, what drives her, and what terrifies her to the point where she has to force herself to engage with it. Dolamore subtly limns the changes Olivia goes through when she enters the Hidden Lands, providing further clues not just to Olivia’s character but also to the wider plot. It’s beautifully done, and it leaves the reader with a strong emotional connection to Olivia. I cried for her, y’all.

Alfred, too, has layers upon layers. He’s caught between his own desires and what his family wants for him, romantically, professionally, and, mostly importantly, where his blindness is concerned. Because Alfred is fine with being blind. The curse took effect when he was nine months old, so it’s all he’s ever known. Yeah, he has to do some things differently than a sighted person would, but that’s not a bad thing. It’s just a thing he lives with, and is fine with living with because it’s part of who he is. Changing it would change him in a way he can't welcome.

Dolamore considers Alfred’s blindness in some depth. Many of the accommodations he uses are things earthly blind people also have access to, like tools on his phone. He also watches movies and TV in something like described video thanks to his companion, George, who also reads aloud the mouldery old print books Alfred collects from estate sales. (All people of Alfred’s social class have companions as bodyguards and general helpers. George isn’t a blindness accommodation.)

Alongside this, he can also navigate for short stretches using telekinesis to form a mental image of the world around him. Dolamore prevents this ability from being an all-out magical blindness cure by rendering it so difficult that someone with Alfred’s magical abilities can only do it for about ten minutes at a stretch, and by making it something everyone with telepathy does now and again (for example, to find the best blind box figures). It's useful, but that's as far as it goes.

Dolamore also considers how people in the Hidden Lands regard disability, allowing the reader to consider their own, earthly prejudices. One of Alfred’s biggest problems is how his family reacts to his blindness. His mother is so horrified of what other people will think that she won’t let him do really simple, useful things, like use a cane or touch objects to see what shape they are. She’d rather he use telekinesis 24/7 so no one will guess he’s blind; not a viable option even if Alfred were okay with pretending to be sighted, as discussed above. Dolamore navigates the line between Alfred’s affection for his family and the often ableist pressure they place on him to be someone he simply isn’t.

While Olivia and Alfred carry the story, Dolamore also delivers a wealth of interesting side characters, each of whom has their own inner life. The text forever acknowledges these people as people, even when they make upsetting choices or let their fear steer them down the wrong path. It’s beautifully done. No one, not even the story’s out-and-out villain, is completely awful, or completely impossible to understand.

The text also comes with plenty of great extras, including an essay on the story’s origins, history-obsessed Alfred’s take on the Hidden Lands, and a variety of illustrations and comics. These often tell related but tangential stories hinted at in the text, like Olivia’s adventures at homeschool potluck night, or Adelise and Estra’s instructions for assembling a puzzle.

And while I couldn’t test this myself as I use an ereader app aimed at sighted people, all the images should have descriptions embedded for those who use screen readers. Dolamore’s not about to pull a Netflix and deliver a story about a blind guy that blind readers can’t fully engage with.

I loved the whole thing very, very much. It’s exactly the sort of book that excites the hell out of me: beautifully constructed, character oriented, and imbued with both adorable warmth and deeply emotional drama. Dolamore works hard to do right by her characters and their world, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for everyone when the sequel releases later this year.

Summary: Nimira grew up in a palace, but is now working as a music-hall girl in a country far from her home. But she catches the eye of a wealthy gentleman, who is also a sorcerer, who hires her away from the music hall to come live at his estate, and perform duets with the piano-playing automaton he owns. At first, Nimira is somewhat hesitant around the thing - his movements are so lifelike that it's hard to believe he's nothing more than machinery, and all the servants claim that he's haunted. And that's just one of the secrets and rumors that the house seems to hold, and its master is not forthcoming, even as he begins wooing Nimira. Master Parry is not unkind, but Nimira doesn't love him in return... but when she uncovers his most dangerous secrets, she may have put them all - and the fate of the magical world itself - into deepest jeopardy.

Review: This book was... fine. It was quick and neat and not bad, but nothing about it grabbed me as particularly special, either. The jacket copy says "For fans of Libba Bray and Charlotte Brontë," and both of those comparisons are appropriate (in fact, the comparison to Jane Eyre is maybe a little TOO on the nose.) But like Libba Bray's A Great and Terrible Beauty series (which is almost certainly what's being referenced.... not her quirkier books like Beauty Queens or Going Bovine), I had a hard time getting invested in the characters or absorbed into the story, or the world it was depicting. The worldbuilding didn't feel concrete or specific enough to make me care, and since the story is limited to the POV of an outsider character who is limited in what she can know and what she can discover, it was hard to get a feel for the bigger picture - how did magic work, what was the history of the politics and how did magic fit in to that, etc. That meant that it was hard to feel the weight of most of the story events, since we didn't know enough about the world to really understand the ramifications of Nimira's decisions. I did think the romance part of the story was sweet, if predictable and kind of rushed. Overall, this felt... *young* to me, almost bordering on mid-grade rather than YA, and while sometimes that can work for me, in this case it just felt too simplified in pretty much all of its aspects to be really satisfying, and too light to leave much of an impression. 3 out of 5 stars.

Recommendation: I feel like I've read other fantasy of manners novels that do what this book attempts to, but with more life to them (Newt's Emerald comes to mind among recent reads). This one may be best for fans of Gothic novels who don't want the secrets lurking in the attic to actually be anything scary or suspenseful but do want a little clockwork mixed in.

A wealthy sorcerer's invitation to sing with his automaton leads 17 yr old Nimira, whose family's disgrace brought her from a palace to poverty, into political intrigue, enchantments, and a friendship with a fairy prince. Chaste historical fantasy romance. The first of a series.

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.

Nim is asked by Hollin Parry, a wealthy sorcerer to come live in his house and sing with an automaton. Parry tells her that previous singers have claimed the automaton haunted, but Nimira's life has been extremely difficult and she is unwilling to give up easily. The automaton isn't haunted but it isn't quite normal either, and Hollin Parry's home is not all that it seems either.

The story was interesting and fast paced, and ended on somewhat of a cliffhanger. There are a lot of strong characters that catch the attention of the reader, however I wish there had been more background on some characters, such as Miss Rashton and what the spirits had on her and how she was able to contact Mr. Smollings so quickly. I was also unable to figure out where the title came from. I am sure I just missed it some how, but if anyone knows please let me know cause it's driving me nuts.

Nim is asked by Hollin Parry, a wealthy sorcerer to come live in his house and sing with an automaton. Parry tells her that previous singers have claimed the automaton haunted, but Nimira's life has been extremely difficult and she is unwilling to give up easily. The automaton isn't haunted but it isn't quite normal either, and Hollin Parry's home is not all that it seems either.

The story was interesting and fast paced, and ended on somewhat of a cliffhanger. There are a lot of strong characters that catch the attention of the reader, however I wish there had been more background on some characters, such as Miss Rashton and what the spirits had on her and how she was able to contact Mr. Smollings so quickly. I was also unable to figure out where the title came from. I am sure I just missed it some how, but if anyone knows please let me know cause it's driving me nuts.

Nim is asked by Hollin Parry, a wealthy sorcerer to come live in his house and sing with an automaton. Parry tells her that previous singers have claimed the automaton haunted, but Nimira's life has been extremely difficult and she is unwilling to give up easily. The automaton isn't haunted but it isn't quite normal either, and Hollin Parry's home is not all that it seems either.

The story was interesting and fast paced, and ended on somewhat of a cliffhanger. There are a lot of strong characters that catch the attention of the reader, however I wish there had been more background on some characters, such as Miss Rashton and what the spirits had on her and how she was able to contact Mr. Smollings so quickly. I was also unable to figure out where the title came from. I am sure I just missed it some how, but if anyone knows please let me know cause it's driving me nuts.

Nim is asked by Hollin Parry, a wealthy sorcerer to come live in his house and sing with an automaton. Parry tells her that previous singers have claimed the automaton haunted, but Nimira's life has been extremely difficult and she is unwilling to give up easily. The automaton isn't haunted but it isn't quite normal either, and Hollin Parry's home is not all that it seems either.

The story was interesting and fast paced, and ended on somewhat of a cliffhanger. There are a lot of strong characters that catch the attention of the reader, however I wish there had been more background on some characters, such as Miss Rashton and what the spirits had on her and how she was able to contact Mr. Smollings so quickly. I was also unable to figure out where the title came from. I am sure I just missed it some how, but if anyone knows please let me know cause it's driving me nuts.

Esmerine's family has the almost unparalleled honor of having two sirens in the family, now that Esmerine has joined her sister Dosinia as a siren. The two eldest sisters in the family have always been close and enjoyed exploring land together so Esmerine has looked forward to joining Dosia in being a siren. She imagines the two of them sitting on the rocks, doing their siren duties, changing their tails into legs for short - but painful - trips onto the beach.

What Esmerine doesn't imagine is her beloved sister going missing.

With Dosia on land - possibly stuck there forever - Esmerine knows she has to find her, even if only to bring the sad news back to her family. Making the perilous journey on land, on unsteady legs, she comes across Alandare, an old friend from childhood.

Along with Alandare, who belongs to a winged race of people, Esmerine will travel in search of her sister. And discover old - and new, deeper -feelings for her old friend. Feelings that aren't limited to her home in the sea or his of the sky.


Jaclyn Dolamore has created an amazing world, full of mermaids, sirens, flying people, and regular old ordinary people in uncomfortable dresses in Between the Sea and Sky. The characters have depth and the relationships are complex.

Anyone who loved (or could even kind of stand) The Little Mermaid - in whichever form - will be enchanted with Esmerine. She's a fascinating character. The introduction of the characters, the party, and the sirens is very appealing but the more we, as readers, get to know about Esmerine, the more enjoyable she is as a character.

The Fandarsee - the winged folk like Alandare - that Dolamore created for this tale are incredibly well imagined. I'm impressed with how well thought out and developed they are and how they fit with the mermaids and sirens, They don't feel as if they appear just in this novel, but like they're an already established thing borrowed for these pages.

Sea and Sky will leave you wondering why you haven't read more mermaid books - or if you have, why they weren't as good as this one. (And if the Fandarsee can appear in anything else.)

(I also love this novel's title more and more . . )

Rating: 9/10

I can't wait for the sequel! This is jaclyn Dolamore's first published work and I couldn't put this one down. Definately a must read!

This was one of those books that seemed tailor-made for me to enjoy, and enjoy it I did! Lovely setting details, a romance I instantly bought into, and a not-all-bad bad guy (well, plus an all-bad bad guy).

Thea's mom is slowly going insane. Bound to her husband, she insists that he is not dead. Forced to make a living, Thea works at the glamorous Telephone Club. One night, Freddy comes in and they are instantly attracted to one another. Nan, Thea's best friend vanishes, Thea's Mom is taken to a mental institute and she is left alone.

The story alternates between a few different viewpoints. I don't want to give any of the book away, so I won't go into more detail. Although this was an interesting story, I felt that the characters were lacking. I typically do not like all powerful, unique, one-of-a kind magical creatures stories, and this book was no exception. I wanted to know more about the magic system and world government and felt that the author could have given us more information. Overall, this wasn't a bad book, I just wanted more.

Well, Dark Metropolis was okay. My expectations were definitely too high, having enjoyed Dolamore’s Magic Under series. This is one of those times where I’m most definitely whelmed. I don’t really have any strong feelings about this book either way, and I’m probably going to completely forget it in no time. Dark Metropolis is a decent read with a cool concept, okay characters, and a meh execution.

Read the full review at A Reader of Fictions.½

DNF'ed at 25%.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Cute and quick read with fun characters and a sweet romance.

Opening Sentence: It was not every day that a mermaid became a siren, and not every day that Esmerine attended such a party.

The Review:

Esmerine is a mermaid and she has always wanted to be a siren. The siren’s are trained to protect the sea and all its inhabitants from those that would harm them. They are given a magical belt that helps them to harness magic, but they are never to give this belt to a human. If they do their tail will turn to legs and they will never be able to return to the sea. Esmerine’s sister, Dosinia, has been a siren for a few years now and it is finally Esmerine’s turn to join the ranks of the sirens. But right after she finally gets her dream Dosinia runs away to the mainland.

Esmerine’s family is heartbroken and she decides that she will go after her sister and see if there is any way she can bring her home. She enlists the help of childhood friend, Alander. He is a part of the winged race people. When they were children he would visit her often and bring her books to read. They haven’t seen each other in years but Esmerine has many found memories of Alander. As they journey together to find her sister they not only rekindle their friendship but also start to fall in love. But they come from two very different worlds and being together may come at too high a price.

Esmerine is a sweet girl that has a lot to learn. She has lived a very sheltered life and it was interesting to watch her grow as a person throughout the story. I also loved that she really enjoyed to read and learn. In the world she grew up in there were obviously no books but she always loved when Alander would bring her something new to read. She was an easy character to like and I enjoyed being inside her head.

Alander was a very cute guy. At first he seems very distant and cold to Esmerine but as they spend more time together he starts to warm up to her. I actually really enjoyed watching their relationship develop. They had the original connection from when they were kids but they haven’t seen each other in four years so a lot has changed. They form a new bound and eventually they fall in love. I thought that Alander was adorable and he was fun to get to know.

Between the Sea and Sky was a cute, quick read. The beginning started out really slow but once things picked up it got a lot better. There were still a few places where the story lagged slightly, but overall, it flowed fairly well. The romance was well done and I could really feel the connection between the characters. The plot was very predictable and everything felt a little too convenient at times, but I still found it to be an enjoyable book. It was pretty thin so I was able to sit down and read it in one sitting, so it’s one of those books that you don’t have to invest a lot of time into it. Also, the book is not extremely memorable, but if you are looking for a light fun read, I would recommend you give this one a try.

Notable Scene:

He didn’t even recognize her!

She rose to her feet, pushing her hair back behind her ears, waiting for it to dawn on him.

He stepped closer. His eyes filled with sudden shock. Oh, thank the waters!

“Esmerine?” he said, slowly replacing his hat on the back of his head.

“Yes, It’s me.” A flutter rushed from her stomach to her throat. Oh dear oh dear. Alander. He was real. She didn’t know what else to say. She hadn’t realized how different they’d be now. Of course she hadn’t really expected to find a boy, but she also hadn’t realized she’d find a man of Sormesen with a hat to doff and a necktie. His cropped bangs clung to his forehead in the heat. He was taller than her by a good half a fin, where they had once been nearly the same height. He came very close to her, close enough that she smelled the smoke and fire of the human world on his clothes.

FTC Advisory: Bloomsbury provided me with a copy of Between the Sea and Sky. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

I, like many people I imagine, first heard about “Magic Under Glass” after the less than publicity friendly but justifiable outrage over the whitewashing of the heroine on the first cover of the book. Luckily, the publishers listened to the complaints and gave the book a lovely new cover with the appropriate cover model so remember good readers, public pressure does sometimes work! But that unfortunate incident aside, this has been a book on my radar for a while after several excellent reviews and the promise of a book with Steampunk elements that wouldn’t make me want to fall asleep.

Indeed, “Magic Under Glass” is a very sweet read, chock full of charm and imagination. It’s a book that can easily be read in one sitting, which I found to be both a good and bad thing; good because it was well paced and highly readable, and bad because the slightness of the novel left me feeling a little unsatisfied. The story and world Dolamore has created is so jam packed with potential and while the story occasionally lives up to it, I felt like there was definitely room for more. The alternative Victorian-esque universe of forbidden sorcery, fairy-human political strife and clockwork creatures was fascinating but much of it is only hinted at. I understand a sequel is in the works but as a stand-alone novel, which “Magic Under Glass” works well as, there was much opportunity for these elements to be expanded upon. Unfortunately, the ending as a result also feels a little rushed. Larger events are hinted at, ones of political complexity and cultural hostilities, which I was eager to learn more about, but were never given much time to truly develop. Dolamore writes wonderful, very readable prose, and clearly knows how to pace a story, so I firmly believe she could have easily added another 50 or so pages to this novel for such elements, as well as some extra character development, without any change to the structure of the novel.

The novel’s strengths lie mainly in the heroine Nimira, a strong, independent if occasionally stubborn and entitled young woman who has come from a life of privilege and adoration to one of decidedly less importance, where she is looked down upon both for her occupation and ethnicity. I enjoyed Nimira’s voice immensely, especially in the way she fights to be recognised as more than a trouser girl. Her interactions with most of the other characters seem a little one-sided, which is mostly down to the supporting cast being much less developed than she is. The villain is far too one-dimensional and predictable to ever be truly convincing and the potential her early discussions with Erris, the fairy prince trapped inside the automaton, have potential and a tentative charm, it quickly turns to romance with no real depth, which was a great disappointment, especially since Nimira’s interactions with Hollin, a much more complex and developed character, are much more believable as the beginnings of a possible relationship. I never truly believed the evolution of Nimira and Erris’ relationship.

While I thoroughly enjoyed “Magic Under Glass”, I do feel that it could have benefited from further character and plot development, as the potential offered in this book is truly great. The beginnings of wonderfully imaginative and varied world-building, as well as the hints of complex political intrigue, give Dolmore a great head start in creative what I hope to be a rich and enjoyable series. This world would make a wonderful Studio Ghibli movie. It’s a quick, if very slight read but it leaves the reader wanting more.

3.5/5.