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Magic Under Glass (Magic Under #1)

by Jaclyn Dolamore (Goodreads Author)

3.62 of 5 stars 3.62 · rating details · 2,401 ratings · 561 reviews

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...more

Hardcover, 225 pages

Published December 22nd 2009 by Bloomsbury USA Children's Books

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Sep 01, 2010 Jaclyn rated it 4 of 5 stars · (Review from the author) · review of another edition

Since this book has been out a while now and some frequently asked questions pop up in reviews, I thought I'd edit my review to answer a few here.

--There will be a sequel! It's called Magic Under Stone and it should be released in 2012. As far as I know, that book will complete the story. A companion book--same world, different characters and locale--called Between the Sea and Sky will be released in 2011.
--The title "Magic Under Glass" refers to the fairies kept under glass which are also sort...more

28 likes · like · see review

Apr 03, 2012 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of middle-grade fantasy novels

Shelves: 2010-reads, 2012-reads, reviewed

Warning: You are about to read a glowing review of Jaclyn Dolamore’s debut novel Magic Under Glass.

Magic Under Glass is a book with many layers -- magic, mystery, fantasy, complicated romance, politics, mystical mayhem, and more allusions than I can name here -- but, at its heart, the story is very much like a plot where Jane Eyre met Ella Enchanted. And the combination works.

(You can tell that I was enraptured since I already devoured the book -- 225 pages -- even after having it in my hands fo...more

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Mar 03, 2010 Cara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, fantasy

I can't believe I seriously considered not finishing this book. That doesn't happen to me often, but in this case I already started disliking the main character, Nimira. She came off as a little too entitled from having royal standing where she came from, but thankfully that isn't harped on too much and we get this truly moving story.

Nimira has moved away from her homeland to find her fortune through her talent on stage. Unfortunatley she hasn't had much success, until one day Hollin Parry come...more I can't believe I seriously considered not finishing this book. That doesn't happen to me often, but in this case I already started disliking the main character, Nimira. She came off as a little too entitled from having royal standing where she came from, but thankfully that isn't harped on too much and we get this truly moving story.

Nimira has moved away from her homeland to find her fortune through her talent on stage. Unfortunatley she hasn't had much success, until one day Hollin Parry comes to see the show and offers her a job. Mr.Parry has an automaton piano player and he wants someone to sing with it and apparently he thinks Nimira can do the job. As it turns out though Hollin isn't only looking for a singer, and is hiding many secrets. You'll see a lot of Hollin in the story and turns out to be one of the most complex characters in the book. The automaton is rumored to be haunted and Nim will learn soon enough how true that is. The reader and Nimira found out that Erris (the automaton's name) is a fairy trapped into this contraption and forced to play piano. Nimira will do her best to help him, and along the way find out things that she hadn't bargained for.

Honestly I usually I'm not fond of fairies in books. There is always something that bothers me, but I appreciate how faires are depicted in this one. Not mean spirited and definitely not always tiny. We actually don't actually encounter any faires except for Erris, but he's enough to show that these are not the typical fairies we meet in other readings.

The author did an excellent job of having the character of Erris come through to you, even though he can't move or talk. No easy task, and to say some of my favorite scenes are with Nimira and Erris "talking" to each other says something. Towards the end the action kicks up a notch and with how the story ends it is just begging for a sequel! Definitely will be reading the next one (if there is one?!?!)

Later note: Thank goodness there is a sequel! Magic Under Stone (less)

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Jan 18, 2010 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: historical fiction lovers, young adults

Shelves: reviewed, on-my-shelf, favorites, finished-copies

I loved the book. I liked the romance, I liked how the good characters were genuinely good and the bad characters were bad. I liked how it ended and I loved Hollin and Erris. Beyond that, I can't think of what makes me love this story.

The ending seemed like a total cliffhanger, yet at the same time it seems like it could just end there (oh I hope not). The characters all had their flaws and didn't act all high and mighty (except for one, but he's not important to this point). I loved the author'...more

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Jan 01, 2010 Faye rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Magic Under Glass is magical and well, just AWESOME!
I loved this book!

I really enjoyed the characters, the relationship between Nimira and Erris, their friendship (soon love) was easy to see, and a joy to read. Erris...he's an interesting character, I found him to be kind of tortured, I mean he was trapped in a life like “doll” or automaton, cut off from the world. Going through all that, he ended being sweet and honest. I could see why Nimira falls for him. Nimira is not your ordinary “trouser...more

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Dec 29, 2009 Sara Grochowski rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Jaclyn Dolamore's debut novel is a quick and engaging read that left me me wanting more. Not only did the slim volume end much to quickly, Dolamore's unique plot line and characters stayed with me even after I finished the last line.

First off, I'm still a bit in awe of the cover art. I thought it was gorgeous when I first saw it on Jackie's website and when I saw the arc, but it was nothing compared to the bound version when I saw it in the bookstore. It definitely is eye catching!

I was intrigue...more

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Oct 22, 2012 Elevetha Houre rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Elevetha by: Miss Clark

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi, historical-whatnot, magic-and-other-magical-substances, steam-punkiness, characterize-please, original, images-involved-in-review, the-series-of-awesome-quest, 2011

An fairly short enjoyable debut novel with elements of steampunk and "Jane Eyre".

I decided to do a re-read as I was preparing to read the sequel, Magic Under Stone and needed a re-fresher.

Nim is a trouser girl with little to call her own and when a mysterious gentleman offers to whisk her away to a better life and a well-paying job singing alongside a fairy-made automaton, she agrees.

(view spoiler)...more

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Mar 04, 2012 Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it 4 of 5 stars

The opening chapters did not interest me immediately, and I feared that I would not care much for this book or the sequel. Then Nimira went to Parry's house and suddenly, without noticing the change, I realized that I was reading voraciously, completely wrapped up in the story Dolamore created. From that point, she didn't let me go.

Nimira is not the typical strong heroine, nor is she a shrinking violet. She lacks in physical strength and she cries several times. Still, she is a powerful girl to...more

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Apr 16, 2013 The Winter Rose rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sometimes a book just comes along which is just the right thing you needed to read at that moment in your life, and for me - "Magic Under Glass" was the perfect book at the exact right time.

Set in an original fantasy world (which is very reminiscient of Victorian England... but if fairies, unicorns and magic existed), "Magic Under Glass" tells the tale about a young foreign girl named Nimira who works in a vaudevillian act, singing and dancing as a "trouser girl". A young magician hires her to...more

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Apr 13, 2011 Novels On The Run rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

MARISSA'S REVIEW:

This book sat on my shelf for a couple of months as I played catch up with series I had been hanging out to the new releases for!!! Now that I am all caught up it's time to read all the books I purchased that looked like they could be pretty good!
Magic Under Glass is the debut novel for Jaclyn Dolamore. There is a sequel to be released in 2012, Magic Under Stone.
Overall, I enjoyed the story. It made for a quick and easy read. I liked that Erris' soul/being was trapped inside th...more

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Aug 15, 2010 Kristen "Kirby" rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviews, ya

Edited

Magic Under Glass sounded excellent. Nimira is a "trouser girl"; that is, a girl who wears trousers while singing foreign tunes. With women still engulfed in fabric from head to toe, and people blushing when the lace circling on a chair flips up to show a leg, you can understand why they were considered such a novelty. Then comes Mr. Hollin in all his flatness and top hat to stomp the story into the gravel until it could be considered bland, at best.

Okay, so Nimira needs cash, right? Sh...more Edited

Magic Under Glass sounded excellent. Nimira is a "trouser girl"; that is, a girl who wears trousers while singing foreign tunes. With women still engulfed in fabric from head to toe, and people blushing when the lace circling on a chair flips up to show a leg, you can understand why they were considered such a novelty. Then comes Mr. Hollin in all his flatness and top hat to stomp the story into the gravel until it could be considered bland, at best.

Okay, so Nimira needs cash, right? She doesn't want to be looked down upon for her career, so when Hollin offers her a job singing with an automation, she said yes without a second thought. She goes home to his estate with him and lives there, eating bonbons and joyfully standing still for gown measurements.. Yo! Nimira! Why didn't you ask how much you'd get paid, the entire story? And why'd you live with a married, I mean, "widowed" man?? Where's you're governess? We are in an early time period, right? Dunce!

Just Take it or Leave it is the author's motto it seems. In a tumble, she says, "Hollin's a sorcerer afraid of the Sorcerer's Council. This is an automation and that's it. I'm not setting up a world here. I'm just going to poke some magic in here for sport that doesn't jive with other aspects of the story." Mmmhmm, I see that. Noticed what ya did there from the very first few pages. Good job?

My major beef just so happens to be a big spoiler... try to keep up, kids.
***WARNING****
**May Ruin Story**

Is Mr. Hollins a little, shall we say, loopy? Lonely, perhaps? He must be, for he and Mr. Shullings keep his dearest wife locked up in the tower. He neglects to inform Nimira of this little detail(but obviously, she already knows this because of a little mishap earlier and some good ol' spying.) when he requests they run away from mean Mr. Shullings, head of the Sorcerer's Council and his long coming punishment for summoning the queen of the dead to help cure his once loved wife of some sickness. *clears throat" Yeah, he loves Nimira. So what if he only met her, what, two days ago? They had a picnic for goodness sake. Time to go adventuring.

Nimira is conveniently in love with someone, or something, too. That automation. How do they converse? Why, he points at a letter on an Alphabetical chart and she writes it down. Conversations consist of "I like nim., Get Kartus" etc.. She then acts similarly to Mr. Hollins, misbehaving, summoning the Queen of the Dead to release his body from the machine, give him a new life, whatever, I don't know?.

Well, it works, and once Mr. Shullings gets an earful of this, he whisks the automation away and attempts to charge Mr. Hollins for his crime. But,Get this: Mr. Hollins did the exact same thing as Nimira did, summoning this illegal queen, to save his wife from a sickness....He gets a punishment, Nimira is later free to walk around with machine man..free of charge.

There's no rhyme or reason for why anything happened. The author clearly didn't sketch out skeletal bones on paper to ensure everything made sense and had a purpose.

I gatta ask, why is there another book coming out? This was CRAP. Crap I finished, which qualified it for a 2 star rating. And I didn't pay for it. Library book. Not too big of a loss.(less)

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Feb 28, 2010 Ashlea rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Well, I have to say that the plot and characters themselves were pretty good. I liked the idea of a fairy prince, Erris, being imprisoned as an automan and the romance between himself and the main character, former trouser girl-Nimira. Yes, most of the characters were interesting...and all the authors ideas were good ones,..though they seemed incomplete.
And before I get carried away, I have to give Jaclyn props, it is a good plot. But..
The whole story seemed to be missing many details, everythin...more

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Dec 21, 2011 Arren rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: e-read

There are no words for just how amazing this story is! Oh, how I wish it was longer, so I could read some more! I was hooked right from the get go! I started reading a few chapters yesterday, and have spent most of today completing it. Such a sweet, lovely, unique story! I absolutely loved it!

I can’t tell you how beautiful this story is; the writing style is just beyond anything I can describe. I can’t say if I was more in love with the plot or the writing. It’s almost poetic. It was so easy to...more There are no words for just how amazing this story is! Oh, how I wish it was longer, so I could read some more! I was hooked right from the get go! I started reading a few chapters yesterday, and have spent most of today completing it. Such a sweet, lovely, unique story! I absolutely loved it!

I can’t tell you how beautiful this story is; the writing style is just beyond anything I can describe. I can’t say if I was more in love with the plot or the writing. It’s almost poetic. It was so easy to get lost in the sound and rhythm of the words, I would have to read passages over so I could actually take in what was happening. I just adored the writing! I may be going on a bit, but writing style isn’t something I’m all that bothered about – sorry for the sacrilege – but with Magic Under Glass, I was completely moved by it. And the descriptions! I would love to have gone to the places described in this book, they sound so beautiful!

Reading this book was almost like “coming home” in book terms for me; High fantasy is what first opened my eyes to reading, and although the world in Magic Under Glass seems resemble our own very closely, it is high fantasy with its sorcerers, fairies, and strange lands. It was just magical – pardon the pun. I loved the structure of this world, seeming like regency England, but with the politics of the sorcerers, and the possibility of war with the fairies.

The characters are also amazing! Nimirais such a strong character. Used to such a different way of life where she comes from, Nim is looked down on in Lorinar, she deals with such disgusting attitudes from some of the higher classes, but she keeps going, trying to better herself for the sake of her family at home. The along comes Hollin, a rich, handsome sorcerer who takes her into his home and treats her like a lady in return for her learning the songs and singing with the automaton. He is a nice guy generally speaking, but he is very weak, and so frustrating! Smollings Ambassador of Magic for the Sorcerer’s Council is possibly one of the most disgusting men I have come across in YA, in his attitude towards Nim and in his character as a whole, even if Nim were a high class Lorinar woman. And then there is Erris, the fairy trapped inside an automaton; a wind up, human shaped clockwork machine. Think Dick Van Dick in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang when he sings Truly Scrumptious – instead Erris doesn’t sing and dance, he plays the piano. Erris is such a great character, and you can’t help adoring him, and sympathising for the terrible life he leads.

I just love how this book ended, it was fantastic! We have our magical bit of action, we have our politics, and we have a great cliff-hanger! Not the type where you’re left hanging right at an important bit, but the type where you know where things will lead, in a round about way, from there. Magic Under Glass is a quick and beautiful read, and I know I’ve already said, but I so wish it was longer! It’s just fantastic! I can’t recommend it enough!
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Nov 15, 2011 Maria rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

You will absolutely fall in love with this fairy-tale, Cinderella-like story that has twists and turns in every page!

The story follows Nimira (Nim) - a young woman who has left her home in search of a better life - and she won't stop until she gets it. Unfortunately for her, she ends up singing and dancing for a living, with low wages and a controlling boss. It's a rotten life but Nim never complains. She's just constantly thinking of new ways to get herself out of there.

One day, Nim is asked b...more

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Nov 05, 2011 Jane rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Jaclyn Dolamore's debut novel is absolutely lovely. Simply breath-taking. Awe-inspiring. Nimira is lovable as a courageous, believable heroine. All of the characters--with the exception of one or two--are fully fleshed out with complex back stories. I can go on and on lauding Magic Under Glass, but if there is one thing I want to highlight above all others, it would be Dolamore's story-telling ability. What I mean by this is: so many people have a story to tell, but only a handful of people have...more

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Oct 25, 2011 El Templo de las Mil Puertas added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 21-eltemplo, reseñas

"Nimira trabaja en un ruinoso teatro de la ciudad como bailarina y cantante. Ella es una de las famosas “chica bombacho” de Lorinar, pero a lo que aspira es a ser una cantante tan famosa como lo fue su madre en su tierra natal, Tiansher. Resignada al tugurio donde trabaja, su vida dará un giro de 180º cuando conozca a Hollin Parry, un brujo que posee un autómata pianista y que quiere que Nimira cante junto a él. Ella aceptará el puesto, pero lo que no sabe es que en el interior del hombre mecáni...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Starla Huchton rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone who loves a true, gentle story.

Shelves: fantasy, steampunk, ya

This was a really nice choice of books for me, given that I had just read MERCY by Misty Provencher. It's well written with interesting characters, a solid story, and nicely illustrated world. Probably the best thing about this book was the details of the world itself and the subtle touches the author uses to describe the items in the scenes. Ms. Dolamore has a feather-light touch with these things and you barely notice what's being done. It's a fantastic example of showing instead of telling. S...more

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Nov 29, 2012 Beth Morrow rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: magic-shelf

I got given this book almost a year ago now, and I started to read it about four times, but didn't get very far. I think it bored me slightly, and I never properly got into the flow of it. The World in with Nimira is supposed to live in made no sense to me. At first I thought he book was based 100 years ago, then to find it was inhabited by fairies and sorcerers confused me. I did however have a go at reading it again just a couple of days ago. And for some reason I made myself push through and...more

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Jul 13, 2012 kiseuk rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3.5 stars

Like many others, I came to learn of this book after the cover controversy. In a strange way, I'm glad said incident happened because I probably wouldn't have learned of the novel otherwise.

I really like Nimira. She was a teeny bit high-strung and I liked that. It's also great to see a woman of color in a leading role. I also liked Hollin quite a bit

The main thing I didn't like was the instant love attraction between Nimira and Erris. There was little to no chemistry whatsoever. The who...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Lesley rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

File under "showed so much promise but let me down in the end." There are many great elements here, including a heroine with dark skin from a non-European-type land, despite what the infamous original cover shows. Also great: the gothic romance elements, straight out of Jane Eyre, and the idea of blending steampunk and fairies in a Victorian-England-with-magic world. It starts with a potential romance between the heroine and a flawed man with whom she doesn't fall instantly in love, but consider...more File under "showed so much promise but let me down in the end." There are many great elements here, including a heroine with dark skin from a non-European-type land, despite what the infamous original cover shows. Also great: the gothic romance elements, straight out of Jane Eyre, and the idea of blending steampunk and fairies in a Victorian-England-with-magic world. It starts with a potential romance between the heroine and a flawed man with whom she doesn't fall instantly in love, but considers a good option for getting out of her low socio-economic status. Not exactly swoon city, but very believable. But then...

...the rest of the plot kicks in and becomes confusing, less believable, and dependent on coincidences. Plus, those promising elements never come to full fruition: the only steampunk-ness is the automaton who isn't really an automaton and the only fairy-ness is a group of people at political odds with those in power. We're told about all these interesting creatures (mermen, winged people, etc.) but never see any of them. What makes the fairies different from humans, other than a "connection with the earth" that we're told about but never shown? I really wanted to know--there are a lot of creative ideas hinted about in the world-building that could have been fleshed out more.

One my biggest concerns is not having a good sense of how the magic in this world works. There are staffs and spells and orbs of light, but what are the actual rules? How do you become a sorcerer? Are there any sorceresses? There were other things I wanted to know more about, like what exactly is wrong with a certain character I won't say too much about for fear of spoilers.

Another big concern was the main romance: I liked that it wasn't instant and I liked that it had nothing to do with being destined to be together or even physical attraction. But I needed to believe that the heroine could fall in love enough to risk her life for someone she doesn't really know very well and who is made of metal.

Despite my complaints, it's a good entry in the historical fantasy genre. I'll put it on lists and might booktalk it because it's PG, but wasn't drawn in enough to want to read the sequel.(less)

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Jun 20, 2012 Alz rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, ya-mg

A good (if rather short) book that kind of resolves--for the moment--some things but definitely needs its sequel. The world-building is solid and Nimira is an interesting and complex character as well as a person of color who has to deal with racial prejudices and sexism. The book (and Nimira) deal with these issues without becoming preachy or jamming contemporary 21st-century thinking into the story, which I greatly appreciate.

The pacing was fine at first but near the end it was a bit bumpy, wi...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Seventeen-year-old Nimira left her home country three years ago to seek her fortune across the sea in Lorinar as a singer and performer. She doesn’t expect to wind up working in seedy music hall and be labeled a “trouser girl” after the native dress of her country. Then along comes Hollin Parry, a young sorcerer who offers her a position performing with a piano-playing automaton. When Nimira accepts, she soon finds herself entangled in a whirlwind of murders, fairies, and dark magic.

What I liked...more Seventeen-year-old Nimira left her home country three years ago to seek her fortune across the sea in Lorinar as a singer and performer. She doesn’t expect to wind up working in seedy music hall and be labeled a “trouser girl” after the native dress of her country. Then along comes Hollin Parry, a young sorcerer who offers her a position performing with a piano-playing automaton. When Nimira accepts, she soon finds herself entangled in a whirlwind of murders, fairies, and dark magic.

What I liked: I think I savored nearly every page of this book, in part due to the fascinating setting. The worldbuilding was really interesting. It could have been fleshed out more, but given the younger audience the story is intended for and what the story demands, it was definitely satisfactory. Plus, I get the sense that Ms. Dolamore will fill in more edges of the map in future books. Basically, Lorinar (where the story is set) is a lot like 19th century England with the mentions of corsets, elevators, and electric lights. Don’t be fooled by the automaton, though – this is definitely more fantasy than steampunk. There’s much more sorcery here than mechanical tinkering.

I also liked Nimira, who narrates the story. She hails from Tiansher, equivalent to a country in Asia in our world, and as a result, she encounters a lot of sexism and racism. However, she’s strong enough to stand up for herself, brave enough to emigrate to a strange land to look for a better life, and smart enough to see some of Hollin’s hidden characteristics.

What I was not so crazy about: The book started off very strong and was quite gripping, but the plot seemed to slightly derail after the middle. Yes, some of the characters’ goals were indeed accomplished, but then things floundered up to the last chapter. Suddenly, there’s a huge sequel hook, and then the book ends. It just felt anticlimactic, like only half a book.

I think part of the problem stems from the time when magic becomes a prominent part of the story. Something about the way it worked didn’t click for me. The author skirts a potential magical deuxs ex machina, which was appreciated….but she does borrow very heavily from Jane Eyre. It was almost a surprise when that part of the plot unfolded as it did, just because I had been waiting for Ms. Dolamore to veer away from Ms. Brontë. She doesn’t. Or at least, not enough for me!

In short: I was a bit disappointed in where the book ended up going. Nevertheless, I’ll withhold some judgment until the sequel, Magic Under Stone, is released in April. I enjoyed this book tremendously, which is why it received:

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Something similar: Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

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May 28, 2012 Diane rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mid-grade-on-up-reads

Spoiler

The imaginative plot was wonderful... a fairy prince trapped in an automaton. The main character was drawn to resemble Asian immigrants. However the characters were as one-dimensional as the automaton. They were like cardboard cut-outs being moved around in each scene. People would pop in and out to deliver a line needed to move the plot along, and vanish without a response to things said to them. The male protagonist is at first painted as a handsome young man who should be the romantic...more

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May 25, 2012 Rachel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Who wouldn’t enjoy a story that involves a piano-playing automaton who is actually a fairy prince?

Nimira originally moved to Lorinar to make her fortune but ends up singing at a theater as a trouser girl. She is offered a chance to improve her life, but she couldn’t have anticipated the world she would soon uncover. Nimira gets pulled into a world of intrigue when she is asked by a wealthy man to come to his home and sing with his recently purchased automaton.

Hollin Parry, the wealthy man, is...more

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Feb 27, 2012 Ashley rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The premise behind Magic Under Glass is wonderful and intriguing. It's a steam punk Beauty and the Beast meets Jane Eyre (kind of). Nimira, a singing and dancing 'trouser girl', is hired by the sorcerer Mr. Hollin to accompany his piano-playing automaton. Though not the first girl hired, Nim is the first not to run away in fear when the automaton shows signs of being haunted. Instead, our plucky heroine stays and investigates.

SPOILER!

Right. AWESOME idea. The follow through was disappointing. Nim...more

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Dec 20, 2011 Charlotte Phillips rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

his was a very odd and peculiar book but the story is interesting and engaging because its original and yet fresh at the same time. I seem to have really gotten into books based on fairies at the moment so It was no surprise to see that this too was based on a fairy. Yet the idea of the plot was rather engaging in the sense that it seemed to be about a fairy that was trapped within the mechanisms of a metal wind up body. The main characters were detailed and yet I still felt that there was somet...more his was a very odd and peculiar book but the story is interesting and engaging because its original and yet fresh at the same time. I seem to have really gotten into books based on fairies at the moment so It was no surprise to see that this too was based on a fairy. Yet the idea of the plot was rather engaging in the sense that it seemed to be about a fairy that was trapped within the mechanisms of a metal wind up body. The main characters were detailed and yet I still felt that there was something missing as they seemed to be roughly graxed over. There was detail and information but there wasnt a whole let that meant you could truly identify with the characters.

The book seemed to have a old sort of historical feel to it, especially with the talk of travelling over the seas in the lowest class posible on a boat. Of joining a sort of circus and becoming a source of entertainment for those who actually come to visit. Yet the characters themselves seem to have this sort of modern attitude about them for they seemed to know things that perhaps never existed back in those times. Of course I am aware that people were not truly turned into clockwork wind up people. Thats not scientifically possible as far as I am aware. I suppose what strikes me the most is the fact that the main female character was able to fall in love with someone that could not talk but merely spell out words on a piano.

In many ways this makes you question what happened behind the scenes of the book, was there more meetings that we are not told about. Yes this in many ways is a good aspect of the book because it means the reader is left to delve into their imagination, to create the background story themselves. I do feel there is a lot of potential in this book to be elaborated on, but there is also potential for this book to become a series because it leaves a lot of unanswered questions. Will he become a real human fairy again or will he always be a mechanism working wind up machine?

It wasw just engaging and yet boring at the same time. It was different and seemed to have a lot of thought behind it but could be worked on a lot more.

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Dec 14, 2011 Liyana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved this book, the story and its characters. It had such an easy-going pace and reading it was a really relaxing experience.

Nimira is a 'trouser girl'* who runs from working in a dance troupe for a better work opportunity, even though it involves a mysterious stranger and a haunted automaton. The conditions of Nimira's previous working situation isn't detailed out, but just hinted at enough so as not to scare the little kiddies.

I loved Nimira and her narration. She was very likeable, soft sp...more I loved this book, the story and its characters. It had such an easy-going pace and reading it was a really relaxing experience.

Nimira is a 'trouser girl'* who runs from working in a dance troupe for a better work opportunity, even though it involves a mysterious stranger and a haunted automaton. The conditions of Nimira's previous working situation isn't detailed out, but just hinted at enough so as not to scare the little kiddies.

I loved Nimira and her narration. She was very likeable, soft spoken and her mannerisms were very ladylike and polite. It was just so gentle compared to the narration of some other books. The supporting characters were likeable, though they weren't as fleshed out as I wanted.

Her new master Hollins, seemed like a perfect master, catering to all of Nimira's needs that at some times it became decidedly uncomfortable. It was reminiscent of adult romance books, yet without a lot of sexual tension because the love interest, Erris, hasn't gotten used to his new skin, so to speak. *snicker*

Because he's a fairy in an automaton's body! Ahh, I crack myself up sometimes. -___-"

Somehow, for all that I love about this book, it just didn't live up to its full potential. While the world building and plot were amazingly detailed, there was just so much that could have been shown rather than just hinted at. I hope that can be rectified in future books, because I really want to know more about the characters and especially the world they live in.

About the cover: There's a controversy brewing over how the cover doesn't depict the actual story. Nimira is dark/ golden skinned whereas the girl on the US cover is undeniably Caucasian, perhaps with a tan. Honestly, I support Magic Under Glass. The fact that it had that cover escaped my mind, because I was more absorbed in the story. That's not to say that I don't think it was misleading and insulting to other races, because it is.

Bloomsbury may have a point that it may sell more books if the cover depicts a white girl. However, so far it seems to be brewing some negativity for Magic Under Glass as people are choosing NOT to buy Magic Under Glass because of the cover.

While the cover plays a huge part in selling a book, I urge you. If you are interested in Magic Under Glass, buy it. Buy it for the story, not the cover. Do not fault Jaclyn Dolamore for this. Don't spam Amazon with one star reviews just to punish Bloomsbury. As she is a debut author, it is unlikely that she has the impact to request for a different cover. Honestly, I can't see a way that you can boycott Bloomsbury without boycotting Magic Under Glass and Jackie.

As the public and as the readers, we do have the impact to change this. So if you do have an issue with it, spread the word to everyone you know, maybe even Justine Larbalestier (author of Liar, published by Bloomsbury).

*A 'trouser girl' is a derogatory term used by the locals to describe foreign music hall girls, due to the fact that they wear trousers while performing.(less)

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Oct 05, 2011 Jennifer rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: no one

Recommended to Jennifer by: no one, read into the hype of the whitewashing issue. Realised this author deserved the crap handed to them!

Although I appreciate the authors attempt as a nu world creative visionary, I felt her book was an creative flop. Its limitless direction is far fetched for the young adult genre and as a whole exhibits nothing but unimaginative representation for itself, lightly putting it- its all been done before. Like many of the modern YA books of the past few years that gained momentum thanks to the popularity of modern film, harry potter, twilight, hunger games; (magic, elves, fairies, werewolves, vampire...more

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Sep 14, 2011 Annalisa rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, speculative, women-writers, young-adult, fiction-novel

:/ I was a little disappointed in this book. Dolamore has a great command of language and has a lot more to say than many other books in this genre, but overall I felt like the entire story lacked some sophistication. It was too reliant on its homage to Jane Eyre (with perhaps a little bit of Richardson's Pamela too?), while at the same time lacking some of the best aspects of that story and yet also never actually tackling some of the problematic parts of it, either. The fantasy world it was se...more

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Jul 25, 2011 Mindy McGinnis rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A love triangle, a lost prince, a madwoman in the attic, possession, dark secrets kept quiet through murder and machinations, political intrigue, brewing war... and a living soul trapped forever inside the clockwork body of an automaton. Have I got your attention?

Recently, I had a student check out MAGIC UNDER GLASS by Jaclyn Dolamore. And it had her attention - to the point that I had to say her name three times to get her to look up at me.

BBC: Didn't you check that book out yesterday?
Student:...more A love triangle, a lost prince, a madwoman in the attic, possession, dark secrets kept quiet through murder and machinations, political intrigue, brewing war... and a living soul trapped forever inside the clockwork body of an automaton. Have I got your attention?

Recently, I had a student check out MAGIC UNDER GLASS by Jaclyn Dolamore. And it had her attention - to the point that I had to say her name three times to get her to look up at me.

BBC: Didn't you check that book out yesterday?
Student: *glassy eyed, still stuck in BookLand* Huh? What?
BBC: That book - you just checked it out yesterday, now you're like, three-quarter's done.
Student: *clearly wishing I would stop talking to her so she can be ALL the way done, but is too polite to say so* Yeah, it's really good.
BBC: OK I'll leave you to it.
Student: *already back in BookLand* K

Well, you know what they say about curiosity and cats... so six hours later I was 1) done with the book and 2) completely understanding her reaction.

Dolamore's eerily familiar world - part Gothic Victorian, part Faerie - pulls the reader in and won't let you go. I don't know if a lyrical novel has even been termed a tour de force, but I'd like to apply that here. With deft touches the reader is in love with Nimira's voice - our female main character, a strong noble-blooded girl from the land of Tassim, who fate has cheated of a life of ease. Forced to play upon her skills as a dancing "trouser girl" in a second rate show, Nim catches the eye of Hollin, a man of money and an accomplished sorcerer who looks to fill the hole in his heart left by the death of his wife.

Nim agrees to his proposition that she come with Hollin to his estate, presumably to sing alongside an automaton he has recently purchased at an estate sale, and from whom other singers have run from in panic, claiming that it is haunted... or possessed. Nim stifles her own fear the first time she sings with the automaton and it looks at her with intelligence, and attempts to speak. Using the piano keyboard, she works out a way to communicate with the automaton, or rather - Erris, the faerie prince whose spirit is trapped within, bound by dark magic. Her own alienation and captivity serves as a cornerstone for their relationship, which blooms into the impossible.

Nim would risk all - losing her position and safety alongside Hollin, exposing herself and Erris to the roaming eye of a political figure whose scheming brought about the deaths of Erris entire noble family years ago, calling forth the spirits of dark magic - in order to bring Erris true life, or at least, a true death to escape his mechanical prison.
(less)

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About Jaclyn Dolamore

Jaclyn Dolamore was homeschooled in a hippie sort of way and spent her childhood reading as many books as her skinny nerd-body could lug from the library and playing elaborate pretend games with her sister Kate. She skipped college and spent eight years drudging through retail jobs, developing her thrifty cooking skills and pursuing a lifelong writing dream. She has a passion for history, thrift s...more

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“Sometimes, before you make any plans or resolutions, before you declare your heroic intent to persevere, you just have to cry.” — 29 people liked it

“I furrowed my eyebrows."Are you looking at my bosom, sir?"

The eyes snapped back up. "At such a serious moment? What do you take me for?"

"A rogue, I believe." I tried not to smile.” — 16 people liked it

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