 |
| Click image to purchase from Amazon |
Four years after the events of The Spirit Lens, Anne de Vernase, daughter of the hated traitor Michel de Vernase, is summoned to court. Ostensibly, she is to be a handmaiden to the Queen; in reality, she's likely to be married off to the court's political advantage. But Anne has more on her mind than court intrigue: her younger sister recently died in a magical accident, just after sending Anne some magical items.
Soon after her arrival in Merona, Anne plainly sees the court's shaky foundations. The Queen keeps the mage Dante to summon the spirits of her dead children, the king rarely sets foot in Merona, and strange lights and sounds haunt the keep and the town. Anne's family reputation makes her an outcast, but she may be developing that most dangerous of talents--sorcery--and this will make her a pawn in a deadly plot aimed at the king and queen themselves.
Carol Berg excels at worldbuilding. Although readers should be familiar with Sabria from the first book, the author continues to paint in the white areas on the map and flesh out details of previously visited places. For example, the palace and its environs can be easily visualized due to Berg's careful inclusion of detail. It would be easy to tip over into the category of "too much detail", but Berg handles her background with a deft touch.
Among these details can be counted those that describe characters. Readers learn a great deal about Anne through the course of the book, simply by her word choice, her actions, and her reactions to events. Physical description is necessary for any character to some degree, but it's often how they act and talk that truly sets the tone for their character. Of course, this can be turned around somewhat: characters that readers know from The Spirit Lens appear here in a new light, that of Anne's perceptions of them. This may be a little jarring at first, but remember that you're getting a new perspective on these characters from the point of view of someone else in the story, and it adds new dimensions to their personalities.
In a similar light, the juxtaposition of science and magic leads to new views of each of them as well. Neither is discounted in this novel, but instead they each have their place. Anne begins the book as quite the creature of scientific inquiry, but is more accepting of magic by the novel's end. Nonetheless, she doesn't abandon her love of science; instead, she allows her burgeoning knowledge of magic to supplement what she knows of the natural world.
In the end, I think that's much of what this book conveys: the fact that differing points of view can coexist harmoniously. Knowing one side of someone's nature doesn't mean that any others are invalid. Knowing one facet of the universe (at least in a fantasy setting) doesn't negate the others that may be just as valid. It's that complexity that makes the world so very interesting, and it's that same complexity that drives this novel.
As for the plot, there are a satisfying number of twists and turns, and much that was left hanging at the end of The Spirit Lens is resolved here. But there's just as much that's still left to be dealt with in the third novel, The Daemon Prism. Given the way things fall out at the end of this novel, I'll be very curious to see how the story wraps up. Admittedly, there were a couple of plot points that could be guessed at, but I don't think it ruined the story. There's enough surprises to satisfy even the most discerning reader.
Carol Berg is one of those authors whose books I pick up on faith, knowing that they'll be worth the read. The Soul Mirror is no exception. Filled with memorable characters, a meaty plot, and a lush and gorgeous setting, it's a novel to be savored.
This book was provided by the publisher.
Comments
Post a Comment