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Dark Mirror (Dark Mirror #1)

3.7 of 5 stars 3.70 · rating details · 1,460 ratings · 287 reviews

Lady Victoria Mansfield, youngest daughter of the earl and countess of Fairmount, is destined for a charmed life. Soon she will be presented during the London season, where she can choose a mate worthy of her status.

Yet Tory has a shameful secret—a secret so powerful that, if exposed, it could strip her of her position and disgrace her family forever. Tory's blood is taint...more

Paperback, 304 pages

Published March 1st 2011 by St. Martin's Griffin (first published February 17th 2011)

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Sep 14, 2011 oliviasbooks rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of the Gemma Doyle Trilogy (Bray)

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, witches-sorcerers-magic, historical-fiction, e-version, historical-fantasy, sequel-no-thank-you, time-travel, read-2011, love-story-romance

This could have been so good - and the beginning was indeed extremely promising: A young English Lady born into an alternative version of the Georgian era who is able to fly! A society which has chosen to shun gentryfolk with magical abilities, but embraces the "tainted blood" in commoners out of convenience. A gothic, prison-like boarding-school that is meant to un-magic the rich boarders, who represent a burden and a genetic embarrassment for their families. And finally ... a club of secret ma...more This could have been so good - and the beginning was indeed extremely promising: A young English Lady born into an alternative version of the Georgian era who is able to fly! A society which has chosen to shun gentryfolk with magical abilities, but embraces the "tainted blood" in commoners out of convenience. A gothic, prison-like boarding-school that is meant to un-magic the rich boarders, who represent a burden and a genetic embarrassment for their families. And finally ... a club of secret magic users, romance and time travel!
My high-flying hopes plummeted pretty quickly to the ground like a stone ... or rather like Lady Victoria Markham, who - in the couse of the whole story floats only four times altogether. Think of the wasted possibilities! Who wouldn't have loved a hidden, female superwoman in stays and laces instead of ill-fitting spandex? Alas, our overtly nicey-nice, goody-goody heroine opts not to talk about her elating gift at all and – after finding out that she possesses the more commmunity-friendly and boring skill of channeling other mages' energy and taping into other peoples' magical ressources on top, she concentrates solely on promoting that one. Maybe because she shrewedly noticed the match-making potential of hand-holding within a circle. (The reader shall not begrudge her since her value on the matrimonial market is pitiful.)
Certainly there were additional aspects that often peeve me – like the obligatory rich, bitchily mean roomate -, but they would have been forgivable, if the heroine and the majority of the supporting cast were life-like and interesting characters who constantly kindled my interest. In the case of „Dark Mirror“ the muscles operating my eye-balls felt well-trained quite soon.
As far as the girly part of the storyline is concerned, I feel rather cheated and not really taken seriously as a regular reader. I had always thought that the average author roughly sketches the main turning points / important landmarks before plunging into a wild scribbling marathon. Apparantly I guessed wrong. I imagine Mrs. Putney inserted the first hint at a later budding romance when intruducing the love-interest; then she was distracted by all the action in her head and wrote and wrote and wrote about lady Tory’s adventures. When the the story started to reach the climax (after about three quarters oft he plot), she suddenly remembered promising her publisher a paranomal romance and broke out in panic. That resulted in a rushed, melodramatic I-cannot-live-without-you-and-am-about-to-ruin-you-since-you-are-my-sun-and-my-moon historical soap opera. B.t.w. the narrator speaks oft he love-interest like of a healthy horse – admirable pedigree and all.
I really had to force myself to finish reading „Dark Mirror“. That was not what I had expected after the first one or two chapters. If you like historical, paranomal teen-romances like „A Great and Terrible Beauty“ (Bray), you might enjoy Dark Mirror“ as well. So inspite of my ranting I do not want to un-recommend it in general.
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Mar 22, 2011 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Historical fiction.... magic... and time travel... and a love story! Is there anything this novel doesn't have!?!? Dark Mirror was a historical fiction, inside of a historical fiction!

The thing that I loved about this novel was the descriptions..... talk about being transported back in time, wow, I absolutely felt like I was there, in both instances. Even more interesting was the strangely similar parallels between Tory's own world and the Napoleonic war and the World War II battle she faces in...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Nan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, historical-fiction, nook, romance, young-adult

As the book opened, I wasn't certain that I'd enjoy it. As an adult reader of YA books, I tend to like my books to have a certain level of sophistication in writing. Roughly, I tend to like books aimed at older teens. This book was clearly set for younger audience than I'm used to.

However, once the plot got moving, I got sucked into the story. It's a fairly straightforward plot--a young noblewoman is identified as a magic user. Magework is socially unacceptable, so her father sends her away to a...more

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Feb 19, 2011 Small Review rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, historical-fantasy, macmillan

I had been anticipating this book all the way back to when it had a different cover, so I was very happy when I was asked if I would like a copy for review. I did enjoy this book and I do recommend it, but I did not love it.

As a character girl, I had to subtract some stars because I just could not connect with the characters. They weren’t bad or annoying, but they never felt alive to me. When I did the WWMCD test (that’s the What Would the Main Character Do? Test) I find these characters did no...more I had been anticipating this book all the way back to when it had a different cover, so I was very happy when I was asked if I would like a copy for review. I did enjoy this book and I do recommend it, but I did not love it.

As a character girl, I had to subtract some stars because I just could not connect with the characters. They weren’t bad or annoying, but they never felt alive to me. When I did the WWMCD test (that’s the What Would the Main Character Do? Test) I find these characters did not score high. Unfortunately, these are not characters I will carry with me in my heart for years to come.

Outside of that, the story itself was actually a lot of fun. I love time travel books, and Dark Mirror did things a little different than what I’m used to. Instead of going back in time, Dark Mirror begins in Regency England and then travels forward in time to WWII. Watching the characters react to all of the new (and now old to us) technological advancements made for a fun twist.

The story had a light feel to it that I enjoyed, but it was also appropriately serious. The characters all faced decisions between what is easy and what satisfies duty, honor, and sacrifice. I really liked the patriotism and strong female characters that made up the backbone of the book.

The first half of the book moves along at a good pace, following Tory as she acclimates to her new school. For a while I thought I had been misinformed about the time travel aspects, thinking this was instead a boarding school book. The time travel comes about midway through the book and at that point the pace really picks up.

I like fast paced books, but I thought things moved almost a little too fast. The characters jumped around from one task to another, accomplishing each one with relative ease. I think I would have enjoyed this more if I had connected with the characters. As it was, I followed the events happily enough but I never felt invested.

The romance was nicely paced and I think will be received well by both fans and detractors of insta-love. The two characters do have an instant connection, but there is a forbidden love aspect that keeps them at a distance. Their connection is never explained, but maybe an explanation will be explored in the sequel.

Though this book does have a sequel, it works well as a standalone. All of the main events are tied up cleanly, so you need not fear any cliffhangers. There also aren’t a ton of little details to worry about having to remember.

Originally posted at Small Review (less)

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Jan 23, 2012 Jacob Proffitt rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, wouldn-t-give-a-pig

I hesitate to rate the book because I didn't make it past the first chapter. For what it's worth, here's what ruined the book for me.

I am a fan of Regency-era books and the author seems not to have considered the period at all when setting her story in 1803 (just prior to Regency, really, but close enough for throwing hand grenades). Examples:
- Long-term fashions dictated by a secret cabal of nobles (secret cabals dictated fashion all the time, but never long term—this is how fads came to be so...more I hesitate to rate the book because I didn't make it past the first chapter. For what it's worth, here's what ruined the book for me.

I am a fan of Regency-era books and the author seems not to have considered the period at all when setting her story in 1803 (just prior to Regency, really, but close enough for throwing hand grenades). Examples:
- Long-term fashions dictated by a secret cabal of nobles (secret cabals dictated fashion all the time, but never long term—this is how fads came to be so common in noble circles).
- 24 year-old eligible (and beautiful) sisters just now getting married (without any reasons given—reasons that would have been deeply discussed in the time period).
- Two noble girls from different families taught together by the same tutors—um, no, not unless they were sisters.
- But worst of all, a heroine who is named Victoria (not at all a common name 15 years before the eventually famous queen) who shortens the name to Tory—a name shared by a not-generally popular political party at the time that had been around for at least a century.

But period errors aside, the characters of this story are cardboard beyond acceptance. A young nephew obviously exists merely to put himself into a danger that will reveal Tory's shunned powers (I didn't get that far in the book, but I'm sure enough of it that I'll pretend that's what happened—my guess is the nearby cliffs but failing that an upper window or attic of the large house will serve). A handsome crush down from school who will end up scorning her once her powers are publicly revealed (by said nephew—oh the heartache!). A best friend—remember the sharing of tutors—who will not stick up for her, but will eventually provide some key access or piece of information later on in the novel when really needed.

And Tory herself is merely a projection of every virtue to be downtrodden by a cruel world only to triumph eventually because such virtue must, eventually, overcome all the dread obstacles in her path. There's no actual personality there and not much prospect of one developing.

In short, things exist because the author wants them to and not for any logic or reason. There's no depth to the setting or characters, and expecting a coherent story to congeal from the mess is more hope than I could muster.
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Nov 29, 2011 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, magic, romance, teen

In this fantasy take on Victorian England it is shameful for a member of the aristocracy to have magic abilities. So when it is discovered that Tory has magic, she is shipped off to a reform school that will “cure her.” If she is lucky she will be able to return to society and her family. At the school she discovers that not everyone is disgusted by their magic and some want to embrace their abilities for the good of England, not suppress them. [return][return]This was an interesting take on mag...more In this fantasy take on Victorian England it is shameful for a member of the aristocracy to have magic abilities. So when it is discovered that Tory has magic, she is shipped off to a reform school that will “cure her.” If she is lucky she will be able to return to society and her family. At the school she discovers that not everyone is disgusted by their magic and some want to embrace their abilities for the good of England, not suppress them. [return][return]This was an interesting take on magic in England. Tory was a likeable character. Her struggles to reconcile her magic against what society says were very real. The secondary characters had some depth. They don’t get a lot of attention but they had distinct personalities. The romance was a little underdeveloped, but fit well with the storyline.[return][return]SPOILER. My problem was I was reading along enjoying it and wham Tory time travels. If after the first event the story had returned to Victorian England that would have been okay, but the entire second half of the book was spent in another time completely. It was jarring and it gave the story a cut in half, feels like I’m missing something vibe. Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed it, it just wasn’t what I was expecting[return][return]On the technical side the magic was not explained very thoroughly. There were lots of general statements about certain characters having a lot of power but not much info on their abilities. I’m still not sure how Tory was the one who could time travel. There was not much explanation about how her ability to float was connected or if it was an additional ability entirely. And aside from weather working none of the other talents get hardly any description, so that was disappointing. So mostly this turned out to be a teens with powers time travel and save the day sort of book, not a fully realized Victorian world with magic. So as long as you don’t expect too much, this was an enjoyable, if slightly disjointed, ride.(less)

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Mar 09, 2011 Reading Vacation's Mom rated it 5 of 5 stars

It would be so great to have a Merlin’s Mirror that lets you travel through time. In Dark Mirror, Tory gets to live that dream. Let me explain.

Tory is a royal in the 1800’s with the power of floating. I know that sounds really cool and all, but the royals look down on things like this. Tory is sent to Lackland, a school where she is taught to control her power. While I think the royals had good intentions, all the kids at Lackland seem to want out. Some want out right away, some want all the att...more
It would be so great to have a Merlin’s Mirror that lets you travel through time. In Dark Mirror, Tory gets to live that dream. Let me explain.

Tory is a royal in the 1800’s with the power of floating. I know that sounds really cool and all, but the royals look down on things like this. Tory is sent to Lackland, a school where she is taught to control her power. While I think the royals had good intentions, all the kids at Lackland seem to want out. Some want out right away, some want all the attention, and others sneak around to hone their magical skills. Some of their abilities are telekinesis, healing, fire power, and (my favorite) weather control. Can you imagine!?!

At Lackland, Tory is one of the nice girls. She is positive on the outside, yet concerned about her situation on the inside. Basically, she is trying to find peace. Tory’s roommate, Cynthia, comes off as very snobby, but I think she has a soft side too. We round out the trio with Elspeth. She is Tory’s best friend at Lackland. Elspeth is a REBEL who is not afraid to speak out about not wanting to suppress her magic. I liked how the relationship between these three was written.

There is a bit of a romance brewing between Tory and one of the Lackland boys. I really liked that it was portrayed so innocently. I think that stays true to the time frame of the story. It is not a huge part of the story, but more of a side-story.

What about that Merlin’s Mirror? Well, Tory comes upon the mirror and uses it to time travel to Britain’s future in the time of World War II. M.J. Putney does a wonderful job of creating the scenes in both time periods. Tory is involved in several adventures while time traveling back-and-forth.

For me, Dark Mirror had a fabulously unique plot and likeable characters. It is definitely worth a read.

RATING

5 Loved

COVER COMMENTS

The mirror is featured in such a pretty way. Tory looks just as I pictured in both real-life and in her reflection. The darkish background adds a little mystery. Love it(less)

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Oct 26, 2012 Tiffany rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-historical

Set in the 1800’s, Dark Mirror tells the story of an aristocratic young girl gifted with magic. Victoria (Tory) Mansfield saves the life of her nephew and outs herself for having magic in her blood. Soon after Tory is sent off to Lackland Abbey so she can learn to suppress her magic. At Lackland Tory soon learns that there are three types of students, the snobs, the girls that want to blend in, and the girls that embrace their talents. Tory just wants to blend in so she can go home sooner, but i...more Set in the 1800’s, Dark Mirror tells the story of an aristocratic young girl gifted with magic. Victoria (Tory) Mansfield saves the life of her nephew and outs herself for having magic in her blood. Soon after Tory is sent off to Lackland Abbey so she can learn to suppress her magic. At Lackland Tory soon learns that there are three types of students, the snobs, the girls that want to blend in, and the girls that embrace their talents. Tory just wants to blend in so she can go home sooner, but it’s hard when your roommate is a snob and your magic is too tempting and natural to resist. Tory finds a small group of students and teachers who call themselves the Irregulars. The Irregulars learn to embrace and control their magic because soon they will be able to help serve their country better. Allarde, a fellow Irregular and student from the neighboring boy’s school sparks Tory’s interest and she in return. Once Tory passes through a magic mirror that transports her to the year 1940 Tory knows that she was sent there for a reason. Soon Tory and a small group of Irregulars head to the future to save their countrymen with their magic. Tory and her friends soon find that being accepted by society is less important than saving their country, even if it is in the future.

I have to say that I’m a little disappointed by this book. This one sat on my shelf for years. I started reading this book because I was short on money and decided to read the books I didn’t start yet. Let me say that I am glad that I waited. This book started out a little interesting. It wasn’t a page turner but I didn’t want to stop reading it after the first chapter either. It wasn’t until half the book that I knew that the story just wasn’t going anywhere. Don’t get me wrong, the book wasn’t that bad but I was bored where I shouldn’t have been. I felt like none of the characters developed, or were well written for that matter. I didn’t get a sense of who any of them were, not even Victoria. I actually feel like I like the mean girl better than Tory herself. The romance was very bland and I feel like one minute they had an attraction and the next they were in love. That’s one of my pet peeves, when a romance moves too quickly. The climax made me feel blah and I am not satisfied at all, other than the fact that I’m glad that I finished.
Fail!(less)

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Sep 23, 2012 E. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, paranormal, historical

An intriguing look at two different eras in history seen through the eyes of youngsters who have extraordinary powers. Lady Victoria (Tory) Mansfield is unfortunately ostracized when it is discovered that she has magical powers but she eventually learns that the division between the aristocracy and the commoners extends to their perception of magic. Joining a group which styles itself as Merlin's Irregulars teaches her that magic is not constrained to a specific class of people and she learns ho...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Arthur Pengerbil rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reading Level: Grade 7-9

16-year-old Lady Victoria Mansfield is looking forward to being presented at court and beginning her life as an eligible young lady. She already has her eyes on Edmond Harford, the heir to a large estate. Yes, Victoria has a wonderful future ahead of her...if she can keep her newly emerged ability to fly a secret.

Victoria's world crashes around her when her two-year-old nephew Jamie falls off the edge of a cliff during a large party on her family's estate. Caught half way...more

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Dec 16, 2011 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Let me count the ways!

Tory was an amazing protagonist. She’s smart, strong, and yet still vulnerable. In the beginning she was so brainwashed by her society, that she didn’t even consider the idea that magic could be good.
The main idea of high society considering magic as disgraceful was very creative. I loved the short prologue that revealed why magic was decided to be a lower class thing. In most any book concerning magic, it is usually the coveted thing. If peo...more I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Let me count the ways!

Tory was an amazing protagonist. She’s smart, strong, and yet still vulnerable. In the beginning she was so brainwashed by her society, that she didn’t even consider the idea that magic could be good.
The main idea of high society considering magic as disgraceful was very creative. I loved the short prologue that revealed why magic was decided to be a lower class thing. In most any book concerning magic, it is usually the coveted thing. If people get grumpy about magic, it’s usually because they’re jealous or something, but here, magic was looked down upon. It was considered a complete curse, even though the kid couldn’t help having the different talents.

The time-traveling aspect. I loved that the mirror wasn’t considered something “cool”, it was scary and frustrating, but sadly needed. Time-travel is always fun, and I loved watching the characters have to get used to the clothing styles, the technology, and everything. :)

Cynthia, Elspeth, Nick, Polly, Miss Wheaton, Mrs. Rainford and all the supporting characters were each unique and fascinating. Cynthia was a bit annoying, but you got used to her. Elspeth has this amazing quiet strength, Nick and Polly are so darn brave, and the two women are so loving towards these kids they love.

There is one little-itty-bitty thing I didn’t completely love: Allarde.
Before you freak out on me, let me explain myself.
I think the synopsis thingy sets up their relationship very differently than it truly is. It’s more of a “oh that guy is hot” thing on her side, and then for him, he’s just distant, aside from showing more interest in her than any other girl (when I say “interest”, I mean talking to her like twice). Then later on he reveals his “secret” too her. I don’t really know what I’m trying to say about this except that I feel the last couple sentences of the synopsis set their relationship up like a star-crossed lovers thing, and it isn’t. I like him, I like her, I like them together. But it isn’t some CRAZY romance. It’s just normal.

All in all, it was rather great, and I hope to get the sequel, Dark Passage, soon.

Content Warnings: Mild language, kissing.(less)

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Nov 13, 2011 Suzy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read DARK MIRROR by M.J. Putney. I have never been a huge fan of fantasy but I loved this book. This book definitely fits the definitions of fantasy. It has magic, the characters are true to themselves once they reveal and found out that they have magic, and the motivation to learn more about their magic makes sense in the context. I found myself flying through this book, I just had to know what happens next. It is set in 1803 where anyone who is in high society can not let their magic leak o...more

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Jul 27, 2011 Coranne (The Best Books Ever) rated it 2 of 5 stars

I have been reading about this book for months, and I finally sat down to read it. Dark Mirror has gotten great reviews online. After the last historical paranormal book I read and the disappointing experience I had, I was excited to redeem myself. This book didn't start well for me. The first two chapters were incredibly rushed and I felt as though I was being told things that happened the character rather than reading a story. I stuck with the story, hoping it would turn around. It did turn ar...more

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Jul 13, 2011 Aubrey rated it 1 of 5 stars

Well, I picked this book up at Sam's Club thinking "Good price AND if it's being sold mass-market it must be pretty good right?"

Wrong.

It's not like this was the worst thing I've ever read before, certainly not, I just didn't like it. Which in truth is a shame because the concept is just so intriguing. It was hard to finish, and even harder to enjoy. There characters felt two dimensional and shallow, there wan't nearly enough description setting up the time period, and when the setting did a fli...more

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Jun 06, 2011 Christy And Danielle rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a great YA read.

Tory grew up just about as privileged as one can get, her parents were the most known and respected pair in all of her English countryside, until it is revealed that Tory possess evil within her. Tory has magic running through her blood, since magic runs in families Tory knows she received it from her mother.

Being sent away to Lackland Abbey seems like the end of the world for Tory. She has to leave everything she knows behind, given almost everyone she knows and cares...more This is a great YA read.

Tory grew up just about as privileged as one can get, her parents were the most known and respected pair in all of her English countryside, until it is revealed that Tory possess evil within her. Tory has magic running through her blood, since magic runs in families Tory knows she received it from her mother.

Being sent away to Lackland Abbey seems like the end of the world for Tory. She has to leave everything she knows behind, given almost everyone she knows and cares about has disowned her. No one wants to be associated with a mage, unless the mage is working for them. No one of worth is related to a mage.

Once at the abbey, her new roommate and many of the other students at the abbey aren't exactly the friendliest. Even though families send their children to the abbey for one reason only, to be cured of their wickedness, that doesn't mean they all want to go about it the same way.

Luckily Tory is friendly enough to get along, despite her rotten roommate. But when she learns that not all the students really want to get rid of their magic, she becomes tempted. Some of these students embrace their inner mage, and want to use it for the better.

When a raid almost destroys everything she is building at the abbey, Tory manages to flee through a dark mirror that places her in another time period. It may actually be her same England, but it is nothing like the one she knows. If it wasn't for Nick, Tory might not have made it through her small trip.

When threats that can't be prevented bring not only Tory, but her counterparts in magical abilities back through the mirror, Tory and her friends must find not only the strength but also the courage to do things they have only spoke about before.

As things begin to get better by the day, Tory can't help but fall in love. The handsome Allarde catches Tory's heart, but it may be a short lived love match. Allarde has foretelling abilities, and he may just not make it back to thier world.

Excellent read, and I can't wait for the sequel this coming fall!!

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Mar 20, 2011 Felicia rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was immediately interested the moment I first saw the blurb of this book-fantasy, history, romance all in a YA novel? Of course I had to read it! It has one of my favourite premises, where the girl, Tory (Lady Victoria) has an exceptional gift (except, well, in this case magic is frowned upon and known by all instead of being a secret), gets sent to a new boarding school away from home, where she meets new people, gaining friendships and love, and also discover the extents of her own magic. I...more

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Mar 16, 2011 Novel Novice rated it 3 of 5 stars

Early 19th century British society, a magical school and time travel combine in M.J. Putney’s Dark Mirror – the story of a society lady sent away to a school for mages, after her power is exposed and shames her high ranking family in 1800s England. But what Tory discovers at this school — meant to “cure” her of her magic — is more than she ever could have imagined.

At Lackland Abbey, Tory discovers that this reform school for mages may actually hold the key to embracing her power — and using it t...more

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Mar 14, 2011 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars

BEST BOOK RATING!

“And gentlemen in England now abed / Shall think themselves accursed they were not here.”

Sixteen year old Lady Victoria “Tory” Mansfield had dreams of her debut, meeting and dancing with eligible gentlemen and making a worthy match like her brother and sister before her. In one brief moment of courage she couldn’t regret, all those dreams came crashing down. What could it have been like for such a young and innocent lady to suddenly lose everything that was supposed to matter a...more BEST BOOK RATING!

“And gentlemen in England now abed / Shall think themselves accursed they were not here.”

Sixteen year old Lady Victoria “Tory” Mansfield had dreams of her debut, meeting and dancing with eligible gentlemen and making a worthy match like her brother and sister before her. In one brief moment of courage she couldn’t regret, all those dreams came crashing down. What could it have been like for such a young and innocent lady to suddenly lose everything that was supposed to matter as well as the connection to everyone who had been her anchor in a single afternoon? Thanks to a gift she didn’t know she possessed and certainly never asked for, Lady Victoria would be reduced to an undistinguishable Miss upon entering the grounds of Lackland Abbey.

You won’t have to wonder how it felt if you are reading M.J. Putney’s first young adult work of fiction, Dark Mirror. As a New York Times Best Selling author, Ms. Putney is well known for her historical books and rightly so. But, if you are looking for a typical Regency romance of balls, dresses and carriage rides through Hyde Park, you will be sorely disappointed. If instead, you are looking for a book with emotion, energy, vivid writing, clever dialogue, engaging characters, a storyline that will have you gladly losing sleep, patriotism, magic and lastly the beautiful beginnings of a young romance…then you’ve picked the perfect book.

Being an American student, the details of World War II were always explained beginning with the US being tragically forced into the war. I knew who we were allied with and against and why, but my patriotism was decidedly pro-American and it was our efforts that secured the ultimate victory against Hitler. Ms. Putney’s story has given me a whole new perspective on this dark time in our history but from the POV of several British youth. Her quotes from PM Winston Churchill, the amazingly graphic language describing war torn England and talk of flying the Union Jack had me cheering right along with my distant cousins across the pond as the soldiers in Dunkirk were rescued. You may be wondering how I went from Regency England to WWII England. Well, Tory and her friends manage it through a Merlin’s Mirror; I simply traveled along with them!

I started this review with a quote from Henry V that is also used in the book. Think about that quote as you read this incredible story. I believe you will see the deeper meaning that transcends place and time that even King Henry himself could not have anticipated on that fateful St. Crispin’s Day.

Dark Mirror may be listed as young adult literature but it will be enjoyed by older adults as well. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Dark Mirror today. Ms. Putney is already hinting about a follow-up book or possibly two and this reviewer will be anxiously waiting for those releases. Dark Mirror was a terrific story and well-earned the Best Book rating.

Originally posted at http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...(less)

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Mar 12, 2011 Nina rated it 4 of 5 stars

(Disclaimer, I got this for free)
I LOVED this. I literally read it in about 3 hours. I love the protagonist, who feels very real. She goes through a remarkably sympathetic journey from hating her gifts to slowly embracing them and I feel like I understand her motivations along the way. At no point did I want her to stop whining, which is unusual for me:)

Meanwhile the world M.J. Putney builds is truly FANTASTIC. Both the regency era and the 1940s worlds are beautifully and sparsely described - j...more

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Mar 09, 2011 Sarah BT rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was interesting. There were things I liked and things I didn't like, which made reading it a bit annoying because I kept going back and forth on how I felt about it.

I liked that the summary on the back really only covers the first few chapters, but at the same time this bugged me a bit. We're thrown right into the story without much world building or character development and in just a few chapters Tory has discovered her magic powers, revealed them and is being shipped off to school....more This book was interesting. There were things I liked and things I didn't like, which made reading it a bit annoying because I kept going back and forth on how I felt about it.

I liked that the summary on the back really only covers the first few chapters, but at the same time this bugged me a bit. We're thrown right into the story without much world building or character development and in just a few chapters Tory has discovered her magic powers, revealed them and is being shipped off to school. What I did like about this is that it leaves a lot for the readers to discover without knowing too much of the story. Because of this I sort of hesitate to talk about further plot points because I don't want to ruin the surprises.

Since the cover kind of hints at this, I will mention that I was very pleased that there was a time travel element to the story. I'm a sucker for time travel and I always enjoy a good time travel story. The book was a bit of a slow start for me, but once Tory got to Lackland and things started to pick up, I started to like it more. I really started to like it more when the time travel is thrown in. At first I wasn't sure how the author would tie everything together, but she worked it all out and it made me like the book more.

The biggest thing that had me frustrated about this book was that I felt it was lacking a lot in character development. Hopefully this changes as the series goes on. I never really knew Tory and found her a bit hard to relate to. We don't get a lot of background story for her and she just felt sort of flat. I would have liked all the characters to be fleshed out more-I never really felt like we got to really know any of them. I also got a bit frustrated about how accepting everyone was of everything. It was very convenient and everyone trusted everyone. Even if someone got upset or made a mistake, they were quick to apologize. Also, when Tory does travel through time, the family she meets are all very quick to accept her story and accept magical powers-pretty much with no questions asked. It felt a bit cheesy and Mary Sunshine at times.

I did like reading it though and I'm interested to see what adventures Tory and her friends come across next. There's a bit of a romance that's beginning in this book, so I hope that continues to develop as the series progresses. The book blends fantasy, history, romance and time travel, so readers who like books with a nice mix of genres should pick this one up.

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Mar 01, 2011 Chibineko rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: amazon-vine

I'd picked this book out of the vine options because it sounded interesting, but I'll be honest and say that I wasn't expecting to be all that wowed by it. I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself getting quickly drawn into the world that M.J. Putney created here.

The book is set in a world where magic exists, but it's only for the commoners. It's considered unthinkable for a person of noble birth to have magic "tainted" blood & any who are discovered with it are quick...more I'd picked this book out of the vine options because it sounded interesting, but I'll be honest and say that I wasn't expecting to be all that wowed by it. I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself getting quickly drawn into the world that M.J. Putney created here.

The book is set in a world where magic exists, but it's only for the commoners. It's considered unthinkable for a person of noble birth to have magic "tainted" blood & any who are discovered with it are quickly shuttled off to a special school where they're taught to repress their magic. Lady Victoria "Tory" Mansfield is one such noblewoman, having revealed her magical abilities after a horrible incident forces them out of her. Once inside of the special school named Lackland Abbey, Tory assumes that it'll only be a matter of time before she proves that she can live properly but she didn't plan on the strange events that would not only have her beginning to embrace her magic but to also travel through time itself!

This really was an incredibly fun book to read. I'll admit that it isn't the deepest read & that at times I felt things moved along faster than I'd have liked, but overall this was an awesome read. I really liked the character of Tory & Putney manages to make her rather easy to associate with. I was also happy to see that although there is romance in this book, it isn't the main focus- the main focus is magic, its use, & how it can be used to help.

The only drawback of the book is that it felt like it was only part of a bigger story, so if Putney doesn't plan to make this part of a bigger series then many readers will feel a little frustrated that they didn't get to see more of everything. I don't know if there's enough here to warrant making it a 15 book series, but there's enough story here for at least another book or two.

Overall I really did like this book & if this ended up being a series, I'd probably read further adventures. I'm fairly certain that this will probably end up being some teen's favorite book.

(ARC provided by Amazon Vine)(less)

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Feb 22, 2011 Elizabeth rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was a very good start to a new series. The story is a coming of age novel set in England in the 1800's with a special twist there is magic a foot and not everyone is supposed to use it. The English nobles are strictly forbidden to use magic. It has been set that any noble child caught using magic will be sent to Lackland Abbey to be cured and have all magical taint removed from them. Tory (Lady Victoria) the heroine of this book finds out that she has magic and must be sent to Lackland...more

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Feb 09, 2011 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I won this book on Goodreads First Reads, so I was totally psyched. Hopefully, that didn't disrupt my judgement of the book. I quite enjoyed the plot as I haven't read anything about mages and the like in a while. Putney did a good job of creating a magical England. I felt that sometimes the book moved too fast for it's own good, but other times it felt sluggish. I was surprised by some of the twists in the plot, as I felt she had a strong plot line without some of the other things (I won't say...more

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Feb 01, 2011 Jan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: teenbooks, romance

I'll confess up front that I was a bit worried that this new YA novel from romance writer M. J. Putney would be full of bodice ripping, rippling pecs and other romance novel tropes. But I was pleasantly surprised to encounter a satisfying romance/fantasy that kept the pages turning.

The novel toggles back and forth in time between the early 1800's and the beginning of WWII. It is set in the town of Lackland, home of a boarding school for wayward sons and daughters of the British aristocracy. Thes...more I'll confess up front that I was a bit worried that this new YA novel from romance writer M. J. Putney would be full of bodice ripping, rippling pecs and other romance novel tropes. But I was pleasantly surprised to encounter a satisfying romance/fantasy that kept the pages turning.

The novel toggles back and forth in time between the early 1800's and the beginning of WWII. It is set in the town of Lackland, home of a boarding school for wayward sons and daughters of the British aristocracy. These students are not guilty of moral turpitude, as you might expect. Instead, they are guilty of having the ability to practice magic, which has been outlawed by the aristocracy. Lady Victoria Mansfield is one of those students. Her only hope of returning to society rests upon whether the school can successfully teach her to completely repress her powers forever. But Tory finds that some of the teachers who are expected to help her accomplish this goal are, in fact, members of a secret magic society that meets in the tunnels under the school to practice their craft. Their hope is to use their magic to protect England from an invasion by Napoleon. Tory joins the group and discovers a silver mirror that whisks her to 1940, at the beginning of WWII. There she finds that her magic is also needed, as the Allies have been forced to retreat to the beaches of Dunkirk, France and the success of an evacuation plan, Operation Dynamo, depends on the weather. Tory enlists her friends to help and discovers a passionate love for a fellow student as they struggle together to use their magic to save Britain.

Except for a few plot holes here and there, this novel was satisfyingly constructed. The romance and magic are nicely balanced, without one overpowering the other. The romance is limited to passionate embraces, which makes it appropriate for younger teen readers. The characters and plot are fairly stock but comfortably recognizable, rather like a fast food meal at McDonalds. All in all, this is a solid debut YA novel for Putney and it should have lots of appeal for teen fans of both romances and fantasy. (less)

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Aug 11, 2011 Rai rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

I'm torn. I either love this book... or I hate it. I can't decide.

At first I really enjoyed it. It puts a great spin on alternative history, where magic is common... which is detrimental to the upper class who have condemned magic for being so common.

Unfortunately, Lackland introduced some annoying inconsistencies. Without going through them all, I became most saddened by that. Our main character, who was at first interesting, became rather one dimensional and GREATLY exceeded her abilities on m...more

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Jun 09, 2011 Liza rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, bfya2012

3.5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this story which, although written by Mary Jo Putney, was more time travel than romance. As a fan of Connie Willis I never tire of time travel concerning England in the early 1940s, and Putney did not disappoint.

The complaints I have are not very serious, and since the novel was just plain fun to read, I forgave a lot of them. For example, Putney never explains why magical teenagers are called upon to save England when surely there are magical adults who could have...more

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May 02, 2011 Lacey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Hmm, this was a very interesting book, the concept itself was unique and kept me interested throughtout the entire book. Though there were some slow parts there were alot more fast paced parts to make up for it. I'm glad I took a chance on this book because if I hadn't I would have never met Tory, who is one heck of a girl, she's everything I strive to be...perhaps more journeys with her will rub off on me? Huh? Guess not it was worth a shot...

Summary:

This is about a girl who lives in 1803, her...more Hmm, this was a very interesting book, the concept itself was unique and kept me interested throughtout the entire book. Though there were some slow parts there were alot more fast paced parts to make up for it. I'm glad I took a chance on this book because if I hadn't I would have never met Tory, who is one heck of a girl, she's everything I strive to be...perhaps more journeys with her will rub off on me? Huh? Guess not it was worth a shot...

Summary:

This is about a girl who lives in 1803, her name is Tory and she is Lady Victoria, she is expected to uphold her wealthy family name but soon she learns of her familes past, tainted blood. She was magic in her and in this time period and even though it isn't a death sentence it is something much worse. If found out she could be sent to a school far away where they will teach her about how to compress her powers and once deemed well would be fixed permantely. So she decides to keep it hidden to be everything her family wants her to be.

But one day she is forced to reveal herself when her nephew is hanging by a hand from dropping totally off the cliff, she uses her magic to float down and save him and therefore issues herself the boarding pass to the school.

Once there she soon learns a secret soceity where they use their magic and they are trying to fight against the war that is taking place, without them Napolean would be sure to win...so she soon joins them and learns more about what she can do and what they are all meant for...she soon though stumbles upon Merlin's mirror in a dire situation and gets sent to the year 1940 where she is thrown in the midst of WW2 and there she meets people who need as much help as them.

Tory and her team are throwned into the midst of not only helping their own people but the people from 1940.

Last Thoughts:

This was fun and fast read for me, one sure to keep you interested throught the story. There is even some romance thrown into the midst. I cannot wait till "Dark Passage" the second book in this series comes out this fall. Be sure to give this one a try and do not give up on the first chapter of this book, it gets better. (less)

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Mar 03, 2011 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

As a fan of both young adult fiction and historical fiction, I absolutely love it when the two genres find the opportunity to come together. Dark Mirror by M.J. Putney is one such opportunity and, from beginning to end, this enchanting novel manages to deliver exciting action, great character development and a twisty, unexpected plot that offers multiple layers.

Dark Mirror tells the story of young Lady Victoria (or, Tory) Mansfield, the daughter of a noble British family. All she's ever wanted...more As a fan of both young adult fiction and historical fiction, I absolutely love it when the two genres find the opportunity to come together. Dark Mirror by M.J. Putney is one such opportunity and, from beginning to end, this enchanting novel manages to deliver exciting action, great character development and a twisty, unexpected plot that offers multiple layers.

Dark Mirror tells the story of young Lady Victoria (or, Tory) Mansfield, the daughter of a noble British family. All she's ever wanted is to live a normal life, get married to a man of excellent connections and, most importantly, to be treated befitting of her station. But Tory has magic, which the nobles have long found disgusting and common. When this is discovered, Tory is sent away to the prison-like school Lackland Abbey to get rid of her magic. But the school holds more secrets than Tory could ever imagine. After discovering a strange mirror, she is hurled forward in the future to World War II area-Britain, at a time where things are the most bleak for England.

Dark Mirror took me to different places than what I expected. I never thought I'd end up with a time-traveling historical fiction novel that's got so much amazing action. The plot is fast-paced and easy to follow, as well as enjoyable, and there's plenty of action. Author M.J. Putney also does an excellent job merging two very different time periods together while still keeping each period true to itself.

I was most impressed by Putney's ability to create a fascinating and compelling main character that readers just want to root for. While there is a romance element to the story, Dark Mirror focuses more on Tory's transformation from a somewhat spoiled lady of leisure to a strong, determined and hard-working young woman who couldn't care less about titles.

Probably the only tiny issue with this book is that it feels a little too rushed at certain points, most particularly the middle, when Tory spends time training others in magic. I just feel as though so many things happened "off camera" here (character relationships being developed, Tory experiencing more growth, etc.) that I was missing something. Would have liked to have seen a little more of this.

Overall though, a great YA offering. Definitely recommended -can't wait for the next book!
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Jan 21, 2011 Krystal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, alternate-world, fantasy, fiction, historical, young-adult

A friend received an ARC at ALA midwinter and sent this book my way. I am glad that she did. Lady Victoria Mansfield is exiled from her family when it is discovered she is a mage. At Lackland, the school nobles send their mageling children for the "cure," Tory learns that her magic just might not be a curse but a tool given to her to help save Britain for invading forces, both in her time and beyond.

Tory is spunky and likable; she both loathes the fact that she has magic, since it makes her an o...more

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Mar 29, 2011 slayra rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, in-english, ya-uf-and-pnr, historical-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. "What did you think?", asks Goodreads at the top of the review box. "I really can't say", I answer. I have noticed a distinct lack of interest in reading (which scares me a bit... after all, I am a sort-of compulsive reader), nothing seems to interest me much and I only manage a few chapters (sometimes pages) before I get bored. This weird "funk" may very well be the reason why I thought this book... average. I distantly liked the story, but I didn't think it was anything special.

Lady Victoria M...more "What did you think?", asks Goodreads at the top of the review box. "I really can't say", I answer. I have noticed a distinct lack of interest in reading (which scares me a bit... after all, I am a sort-of compulsive reader), nothing seems to interest me much and I only manage a few chapters (sometimes pages) before I get bored. This weird "funk" may very well be the reason why I thought this book... average. I distantly liked the story, but I didn't think it was anything special.

Lady Victoria Mansfield, 16, is the daughter of an earl. She kind of knows how her life will play out: she will be presented to society, find an eligible husband and marry. But all her hopes and dreams are shattered when she learns she can do magic! Yes, magic is recognized in England and it's all well and good that commoners use it, but nobles of pure blood shouldn't be tainted by such... vulgar things as magic. So her parents send her to Lackland, an eerie school for aristocrats who were unfortunate enough to be "afflicted" with magic. At first, Victoria (or Tory) just wants to be "cured" but as she gets in touch with her magical powers she realizes she wants to learn more about them... not suppress them.

This book started rather weirdly: at the end of the 18the century magic was widely used by everyone... but then a noble used said magic to seduce thee wife of another noble or cheat at cards or whatever and everything went downhill. A group of nobles decided (in a shadowy cafe, no less) that they would "ban" magic from polite society. And that completely ridiculous reason is why, a few years later our heroine is shunned by all when they learn she is a mage.

Ridiculous prologue aside, I really liked the general story. A group of Lackland students and some rebel teachers decide to learn magic instead of suppressing it in order to be useful in case Napoleon invades. I liked learning about the different powers (weather mages and healers and scryers and "general mages") and how they all could share energy (because magic here is energy). I thought the discovery of the mirror was a bit "random" but also liked when the Irregulars travelled in time and used the skills they had been training to defend against Napoleon to protect the English in WWII.

The part where they all sat around and controlled the storm was a bit boring, but the part with the boat has action and suspense enough to compensate.

Most characters were very likable although not particularly well-developed: Tory was cute and determined, Elspeth was awesome and Cynthia was great, probably my favorite and the one that had more character development. Jack was funny and likable as well. The only one I didn't really like was Allard. The author was probably going for dark and mysterious, but he was always... not there and therefore what little I read of him I didn't like. Too much of a stereotype.

Another thing I didn't like: the romance. I didn't get the whole Tory and Allard thing, first they barely spoke and next they were in love? Not realistic. I guess I expected more from a veteran historical romance writer like Putney. The romance in this book seemed hollow and I really didn't see the chemistry between the two characters.

Still, overall this book was a quick, entertaining read with likable characters and some points in the story were really compelling. If you like historical fantasy in the vein of "A Great and Terrible Beauty" you'll like this book, although it's not as richly descriptive and intricate in terms of plot.(less)

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About Mary Jo Putney

She writes young adult fiction as M.J. Putney.

Mary Jo Putney was born in Upstate New York with a reading addiction, a condition for which there is no known cure. After earning degrees in English Literature and Industrial Design at Syracuse University, she did various forms of design work in California and England before inertia took over in Baltimore, Maryland, where she has lived very comfortably...more She writes young adult fiction as M.J. Putney.

Mary Jo Putney was born in Upstate New York with a reading addiction, a condition for which there is no known cure. After earning degrees in English Literature and Industrial Design at Syracuse University, she did various forms of design work in California and England before inertia took over in Baltimore, Maryland, where she has lived very comfortably ever since.

While becoming a novelist was her ultimate fantasy, it never occurred to her that writing was an achievable goal until she acquired a computer for other purposes. When the realization hit that a computer was the ultimate writing tool, she charged merrily into her first book with an ignorance that illustrates the adage that fools rush in where angels fear to tread.

Fortune sometimes favors the foolish and her first book sold quickly, thereby changing her life forever, in most ways for the better. (“But why didn't anyone tell me that writing would change the way one reads?”) Like a lemming over a cliff, she gave up her freelance graphic design business to become a full-time writer as soon as possible.

Since 1987, Ms. Putney has published twenty-nine books and counting. Her stories are noted for psychological depth and unusual subject matter such as alcoholism, death and dying, and domestic abuse. She has made all of the national bestseller lists including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USAToday, and Publishers Weekly. Five of her books have been named among the year’s top five romances by The Library Journal. The Spiral Path and Stolen Magic were chosen as one of Top Ten romances of their years by Booklist, published by the American Library Association.

A nine-time finalist for the Romance Writers of America RITA, she has won RITAs for Dancing on the Wind and The Rake and the Reformer and is on the RWA Honor Roll for bestselling authors. She has been awarded two Romantic Times Career Achievement Awards, four NJRW Golden Leaf awards, plus the NJRW career achievement award for historical romance. Though most of her books have been historical, she has also published three contemporary romances. The Marriage Spell will be out in June 2006 in hardcover, and Stolen Magic (written as M. J. Putney) will be released in July 2006.

Ms. Putney says that not least among the blessings of a full-time writing career is that one almost never has to wear pantyhose.(less)

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Quotes from Dark Mirror

“My brother said that at Eton, students were told caning builds character. I suppose girls are caned less because we aren't thought to have much character."
"Which is the sort of thing males say when they don't know any women.” — 7 people liked it

“If death is inevitable, one should try to die well.” — 6 people liked it

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