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Eyes in the Mirror
Dee I always thought it would be cool to escape into another world. I never believed I'd find one in my reflection. But there I was, falling through the mirror into a parallel life-Samara's life. And she needed me. The cutting, the dead mom, no friends...She was hurting, and I knew it was up to me to fix it. She needed me to fix her. She'll thank me... Samara I never had a friend until I met Dee, at least not a real friend. But then she's my reflection, so maybe I'm just crazy. When she suggested we switch places, it seemed like the perfect answer.
So I let her live in my world, and I lived in hers.
With her mom, her boyfriend, her friends-her perfect life...I don't belong here. But how can I go back after what she's done? Two girls, one reflection, and a startling discovery about what really lies beyond the bathroom mirror...
So I let her live in my world, and I lived in hers.
With her mom, her boyfriend, her friends-her perfect life...I don't belong here. But how can I go back after what she's done? Two girls, one reflection, and a startling discovery about what really lies beyond the bathroom mirror...
214 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
6 people are currently reading
364 people want to read
About the author
Julia Mayer
3 books2 followersJulia Mayer is always searching for fascinating stories and has built a career on asking people to share theirs. Fred Terna’s is one of the most fascinating stories Julia has heard, and is captured in her latest book, Painting Resilience: The Life & Art of Fred Terna (November 2020, JBJ Vision). She also enjoys learning about the experiences of both young adults and philanthropists in her role as Director of Philanthropy at Year Up, a nonprofit that provides workforce development training for 18-24 year olds. Julia pursues opportunities that enable her to build trust with interesting people so she can ask the questions other people don’t.
Julia’s first book, the young adult novel Eyes in the Mirror, was published in 2011 by Sourcebooks. Julia has a Masters in Management from Harvard University, a BA in Philosophy and Psychology from Boston University, and is a graduate of Bard High School Early College. An avid swimmer and kayaker, she lives in Boston, MA with her husband.
Julia’s first book, the young adult novel Eyes in the Mirror, was published in 2011 by Sourcebooks. Julia has a Masters in Management from Harvard University, a BA in Philosophy and Psychology from Boston University, and is a graduate of Bard High School Early College. An avid swimmer and kayaker, she lives in Boston, MA with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
September 15, 2015
Obwohl ich für das Buch nur wenige Cents bezahlt habe, kann ich euch nicht empfehlen es mir gleichzutun. Es ist eine Verschwendung und mir ist es ein Rätsel wie ein zwar kleiner aber ernst zu nehmender Verlag wie Sourcebooks Fire es veröffentlichen konnte.
In der Biographie am Ende kann man nachlesen, dass der erste Entwurf des Romans in der High School Zeit der Autorin entstand. Das sagt leider im schlimmsten Sinne alles über die Geschichte. Sie liest sich genau so wie viele 16jährige Mädchen eine Geschichte schreiben würden. Der Schreibstil ist so unausgereift und holprig, dass ich beinahe angefangen hätte die besonders schlimmen Stellen zu markieren. Viele der Gedankengänge und Reaktionen kamen mir unlogisch und nicht nachvollziehbar vor. Hat da überhaupt mal ein Lektor raufgeguckt oder funktioniert mein Gehirn einfach komplett anders?
Es gibt dämliche inhaltliche Fehler (der Ventilator läuft, obwohl es draußen schneit), aber auch Ungenauigkeiten im Charakteraufbau. Samara redet z.B. mit niemandem in ihrer Schule, aber so ziemlich jedem Mädchen, das sie außerhalb kennenlernt, vertraut sie sofort (obwohl sie dann enttäuscht wird und nie wieder jemanden an sich heranlassen möchte).
Die Idee mit dem Spiegel und der Parallelwelt ist keine schlechte Basis, aber theoretisch hätte das ganze auch ein Contemporarybuch über zwei Mädchen sein können. Letzteren konnte ich nichts abgewinnen. Samara ist durch ihre weinerliche, egoistische Art und dummen Handlungen unsympathisch, während Dee mit ihrem Vorzeigeleben ausschließlich langweilt. Die Geschichte wird abwechselnd aus den Perspektiven der beiden erzählt und wiederholt dabei am Anfang jedes Kapitels erst mal alles aus dem vorherigen Kapitel aus der anderen Sicht. Manchmal hat das etwas gebracht, meistens wurde dadurch die Handlung unnötig wiedergekäut.
Julia Mayer spricht in ihrem Buch viele Problemthemen an. Wie die Figuren damit umgehen, kam mir komplett unrealistisch vor. Samara verletzt sich beispielsweise selbst, aber ich konnte ihr das nicht abkaufen. Es las sich als hätte die Autorin nicht gut recherchiert und es einfach in ihre Geschichte eingebaut, weil es passt und ihr Handlungsstoff bietet. Der Knüller ist dann aber, Ab da hat das Buch einen gewissen Unterhaltungsfaktor gewonnen. Wie blöd kann es noch werden? Da ging noch was! Schön fand ich z.B. die Reaktion ihrer Mutter darauf. Die Tochter sagt “I’m so sorry, Mom. But I really need you” und die Mutter antwortet: “You got yourself into this, [Dee]. I don’t know what you want from me.”. Später macht die Mutter ihr dann noch ein ganz tolles Geburtstagsgeschenk: “Listen, I’m still not sure that this is the right thing to do. I know that I’ve been behind you and I trust you and I hope you know that I will always support you, but you’ve got to understand that this is hard for me. But as my birthday present to you, I’m going to stop bringing this up and stop having this discussion with you.” Woah, danke Mom!
Kompletter Griff ins Klo. Dank der übertriebenen Wendungen manchmal unterhaltsam, aber ganz ehrlich: lasst die Finger davon.
In der Biographie am Ende kann man nachlesen, dass der erste Entwurf des Romans in der High School Zeit der Autorin entstand. Das sagt leider im schlimmsten Sinne alles über die Geschichte. Sie liest sich genau so wie viele 16jährige Mädchen eine Geschichte schreiben würden. Der Schreibstil ist so unausgereift und holprig, dass ich beinahe angefangen hätte die besonders schlimmen Stellen zu markieren. Viele der Gedankengänge und Reaktionen kamen mir unlogisch und nicht nachvollziehbar vor. Hat da überhaupt mal ein Lektor raufgeguckt oder funktioniert mein Gehirn einfach komplett anders?
Es gibt dämliche inhaltliche Fehler (der Ventilator läuft, obwohl es draußen schneit), aber auch Ungenauigkeiten im Charakteraufbau. Samara redet z.B. mit niemandem in ihrer Schule, aber so ziemlich jedem Mädchen, das sie außerhalb kennenlernt, vertraut sie sofort (obwohl sie dann enttäuscht wird und nie wieder jemanden an sich heranlassen möchte).
Die Idee mit dem Spiegel und der Parallelwelt ist keine schlechte Basis, aber theoretisch hätte das ganze auch ein Contemporarybuch über zwei Mädchen sein können. Letzteren konnte ich nichts abgewinnen. Samara ist durch ihre weinerliche, egoistische Art und dummen Handlungen unsympathisch, während Dee mit ihrem Vorzeigeleben ausschließlich langweilt. Die Geschichte wird abwechselnd aus den Perspektiven der beiden erzählt und wiederholt dabei am Anfang jedes Kapitels erst mal alles aus dem vorherigen Kapitel aus der anderen Sicht. Manchmal hat das etwas gebracht, meistens wurde dadurch die Handlung unnötig wiedergekäut.
Julia Mayer spricht in ihrem Buch viele Problemthemen an. Wie die Figuren damit umgehen, kam mir komplett unrealistisch vor. Samara verletzt sich beispielsweise selbst, aber ich konnte ihr das nicht abkaufen. Es las sich als hätte die Autorin nicht gut recherchiert und es einfach in ihre Geschichte eingebaut, weil es passt und ihr Handlungsstoff bietet. Der Knüller ist dann aber, Ab da hat das Buch einen gewissen Unterhaltungsfaktor gewonnen. Wie blöd kann es noch werden? Da ging noch was! Schön fand ich z.B. die Reaktion ihrer Mutter darauf. Die Tochter sagt “I’m so sorry, Mom. But I really need you” und die Mutter antwortet: “You got yourself into this, [Dee]. I don’t know what you want from me.”. Später macht die Mutter ihr dann noch ein ganz tolles Geburtstagsgeschenk: “Listen, I’m still not sure that this is the right thing to do. I know that I’ve been behind you and I trust you and I hope you know that I will always support you, but you’ve got to understand that this is hard for me. But as my birthday present to you, I’m going to stop bringing this up and stop having this discussion with you.” Woah, danke Mom!
Kompletter Griff ins Klo. Dank der übertriebenen Wendungen manchmal unterhaltsam, aber ganz ehrlich: lasst die Finger davon.
October 5, 2011
When I was approached about reviewing Eyes in the Mirror, the initial description really grabbed me. Pairing that with the cover it was given, and I was all set for a good paranormal adventure. Reading the actual novel was somewhat of a disappointment on that front because the story is less paranormal and more realistic, but with a fantasy twist. Make sense? So, I suppose I should say that my disappointment didn’t come from Julia Mayer’s writing, but rather the way I thought this was proposed to me.
The novel is told from dual points of view—Dee and Samara, who eventually switch places in the mirror and experience the other half’s life. Both personalities are different enough that there is no confusing them (a blessing when the novel keeps shifting back and forth between them), and it was fascinating to see how each interpreted the same situation. Samara seemingly has it all on the surface, but is falling apart. Dee, on the other hand, comes from a family struggling financially, but has a great group of friends and a mom that loves her.
I felt the story kind of stalled in some places, but then shot forward out of a cannon at others. The cadence of it didn’t flow all the time, but the overall story was still entertaining and kept me interested. Some if the dialogue felt off and stilted, but it was something I eventually got used to. I cannot praise Mayer enough for addressing the issue of cutting. So few YA novels have the guts to tackle issues that many teens face. I felt this was especially important to me because I knew a cutter in high school.
While the premise and other parts of Eyes in the Mirror are far-fetched and unbelievable, it’s a good, fun escape-ish novel that I breezed through in an afternoon. I recommend you check it out for yourself. I highly doubt you’ll be sorry you did.
The novel is told from dual points of view—Dee and Samara, who eventually switch places in the mirror and experience the other half’s life. Both personalities are different enough that there is no confusing them (a blessing when the novel keeps shifting back and forth between them), and it was fascinating to see how each interpreted the same situation. Samara seemingly has it all on the surface, but is falling apart. Dee, on the other hand, comes from a family struggling financially, but has a great group of friends and a mom that loves her.
I felt the story kind of stalled in some places, but then shot forward out of a cannon at others. The cadence of it didn’t flow all the time, but the overall story was still entertaining and kept me interested. Some if the dialogue felt off and stilted, but it was something I eventually got used to. I cannot praise Mayer enough for addressing the issue of cutting. So few YA novels have the guts to tackle issues that many teens face. I felt this was especially important to me because I knew a cutter in high school.
While the premise and other parts of Eyes in the Mirror are far-fetched and unbelievable, it’s a good, fun escape-ish novel that I breezed through in an afternoon. I recommend you check it out for yourself. I highly doubt you’ll be sorry you did.
November 20, 2011
I'm not sure what I was expecting from this book, but it was definitely not what I got. It's an interesting book dealing with real world issues with a touch or paranormal. While I did enjoy it overall, I felt it was really light-hearted for the subjects broached.
I liked Dee but didn't really care for Samara. For the longest time, I actually wondered if they were really the same person and that the other was created as a way to deal with their problems. Dee seemed like a genuine person although I never really understood her obsession with the idea of another dimension. Samara seemed entirely selfish. It seemed like her problems stemmed from her own desire to be aloof and standoffish.
As they mingle their lives across the two dimensions, the story takes an interesting turn. And this is were the story lost me a little bit. It just doesn't feel like it's as serious as it should be. Especially considering the topics and what happens. It also feels like the story just drops you a little. So little time passes in the beginning. And then large chunks of time pass with no idea what has happened in the lapsed time. It felt disconnected.
Overall, the book was ok for me. It didn't really leave a lasting impression.
I liked Dee but didn't really care for Samara. For the longest time, I actually wondered if they were really the same person and that the other was created as a way to deal with their problems. Dee seemed like a genuine person although I never really understood her obsession with the idea of another dimension. Samara seemed entirely selfish. It seemed like her problems stemmed from her own desire to be aloof and standoffish.
As they mingle their lives across the two dimensions, the story takes an interesting turn. And this is were the story lost me a little bit. It just doesn't feel like it's as serious as it should be. Especially considering the topics and what happens. It also feels like the story just drops you a little. So little time passes in the beginning. And then large chunks of time pass with no idea what has happened in the lapsed time. It felt disconnected.
Overall, the book was ok for me. It didn't really leave a lasting impression.
September 13, 2024
I’m going to be honest - I love books, I never like thinking of them getting damaged. But this book? This book was the worst book I have ever read in my life so far.
I was so absolutely irritated with the horrendous writing and completely inaccurate portrayals of human emotion that I used a sharpie to correct it. I was honestly disgusted at the thought of someone else having to waste time/brain power reading this slop, so I ended up using it as fuel for a campfire.
I have no idea how horrendous things like this get approved or past editors - is everyone blind? Illiterate?
I’m sorry - I know I’m not perfect, and I don’t condone being nasty online, but this is the only book that has made me so mad with how awful it is. Every copy is a waste of paper.
I was so absolutely irritated with the horrendous writing and completely inaccurate portrayals of human emotion that I used a sharpie to correct it. I was honestly disgusted at the thought of someone else having to waste time/brain power reading this slop, so I ended up using it as fuel for a campfire.
I have no idea how horrendous things like this get approved or past editors - is everyone blind? Illiterate?
I’m sorry - I know I’m not perfect, and I don’t condone being nasty online, but this is the only book that has made me so mad with how awful it is. Every copy is a waste of paper.
October 2, 2011
The concept of Eyes in the Mirror by Julia Mayer is really fascinating to me. The idea that your reflection in the mirror is not a reflection but another person staring back at you from an alternate reality is curious but also frightening. I couldn't help but be intrigued by this book.
Eyes is the Mirror is told from two points of view. The first is Samara. Samara is grief stricken over her mother's death. She's also a loner. Her relationship with her dad is basically non existent. All this has resulted in her need to cut herself to feel anything. Samara doesn't think life will get any better until she meets her alter-ego, Dee. Dee is the opposite of Samara. She's popular at school, she has a boyfriend and a good relationship with her mother. Dee seems to be everything that Samara is not. After attending a party where Dee over hears some pot heads talking about alternate universes, she decides that there might be something to their theory. So Dee decides to test it. Dee gets more than she bargained for. I really like the characters in this book. Julia Mayer did a great job in creating Samara and Dee. My heart broke for Samara. She is in so much pain and my heart broke for her. Dee is like a breath of fresh air for Samara. She is everything that Samara wants to be.
The story line in this novel is compelling. Dee and Samara agree to switch places. As the saying goes, the grass is always greener in someone else's yard. Samara feels right at home in Dee's world. She even finds herself enjoying Dee's life. She even finds herself enjoying Dee's mom and boyfriend. Why would she want to go back to her old life? Things don't go so well for Dee in Samara's life. Dee discovers all sorts of things about Samara. Dee tries to help Samara with some of her problems including telling Samara's father about the cutting. Dee's efforts blow up in her face. I got wrapped up in this story line. Dee's part of the story is good but it was Samara's story that I was mostly interested in. Her journey throughout the book is inspiring for anyone who is hurting and feels lost. The way the author describes the grief, emptiness and loneliness that Samara experiences really created empathy in me for Samara.
Overall I thought this book is good. It was a quick and easy read. The story is not that long at only a little over 200 pages. I did have some questions left unanswered and I felt the ending was a bit rushed. However for the most part this is a book I would recommend. I thought the author did an excellent job exploring what it would be like to have an alter ego. I also like the way that Julia Mayer deals with the difficult situations in this book. She doesn't ice over everything and give it an easy fix. She does a good job focusing on the struggle and the difficulty in making hard decisions.
Eyes is the Mirror is told from two points of view. The first is Samara. Samara is grief stricken over her mother's death. She's also a loner. Her relationship with her dad is basically non existent. All this has resulted in her need to cut herself to feel anything. Samara doesn't think life will get any better until she meets her alter-ego, Dee. Dee is the opposite of Samara. She's popular at school, she has a boyfriend and a good relationship with her mother. Dee seems to be everything that Samara is not. After attending a party where Dee over hears some pot heads talking about alternate universes, she decides that there might be something to their theory. So Dee decides to test it. Dee gets more than she bargained for. I really like the characters in this book. Julia Mayer did a great job in creating Samara and Dee. My heart broke for Samara. She is in so much pain and my heart broke for her. Dee is like a breath of fresh air for Samara. She is everything that Samara wants to be.
The story line in this novel is compelling. Dee and Samara agree to switch places. As the saying goes, the grass is always greener in someone else's yard. Samara feels right at home in Dee's world. She even finds herself enjoying Dee's life. She even finds herself enjoying Dee's mom and boyfriend. Why would she want to go back to her old life? Things don't go so well for Dee in Samara's life. Dee discovers all sorts of things about Samara. Dee tries to help Samara with some of her problems including telling Samara's father about the cutting. Dee's efforts blow up in her face. I got wrapped up in this story line. Dee's part of the story is good but it was Samara's story that I was mostly interested in. Her journey throughout the book is inspiring for anyone who is hurting and feels lost. The way the author describes the grief, emptiness and loneliness that Samara experiences really created empathy in me for Samara.
Overall I thought this book is good. It was a quick and easy read. The story is not that long at only a little over 200 pages. I did have some questions left unanswered and I felt the ending was a bit rushed. However for the most part this is a book I would recommend. I thought the author did an excellent job exploring what it would be like to have an alter ego. I also like the way that Julia Mayer deals with the difficult situations in this book. She doesn't ice over everything and give it an easy fix. She does a good job focusing on the struggle and the difficulty in making hard decisions.
September 2, 2011
Eyes in the Mirror ended up being nothing like I expected. At all.
I was expecting more of a psychological storyline, but apparently I should have taken the description a bit more literally than I did. Which ends up with the book being an extremely unique, creative vaguely contemporary fantasy story.
I was so pleased to see Julia Mayer tackling such difficult issues head on; and she captured the emotions and struggles with self-mutilation perfectly. Self-mutilation (and cutting in particular) can be treated as such a taboo and touchy subject, that few properly deal with it and it's particularly difficult to convey but Mayer accomplishes this beautifully. The background and descriptions of this are poignant and quite moving.
As well, Mayer writes the story from two points of view, which are the complete opposite of one another and yet she does this quite well. Samara and Dee come across as two very different people, and Mayer writes them with different voices. However, there were times at first when it was difficult to understand the chronology while trying to follow the two POV because of where they would overlap. As confusing as this could be, it also lended a better well-rounded understanding of the events taking place and it became easy to see how two girls could view the same action very differently.
I found some of the dialogue to be somewhat awkward and forced, but that was only occasionally throughout the book. It didn't take away from the overall theme or ambience of reading the book as a whole. What I found challenging was trying to figure out what there was to take away from the book at the end of it, besides the contrast of the differing perspectives. The beginning was strong, but the ending felt like it was lacking in a satisfying culmination of events. To be honest, I simply failed to see what all the drama was worth in the end since many of the issues remained unsolved. I just wasn't convinced that everything was okay, but perhaps that's my need for a neat little ending where I feel like everything's been tied up nicely.
Parts of it were just so unbelievable, in particular the very premise that the novel was based on, yet none of the characteres questioned the events going on. They simply accepted it and tried to move on, ignoring the bizarre events occuring. And while I enjoy reading about strange, fanciful stories I like to hear more explanation of what's going on and why that's happening.
I received a copy of this book from Sourcebooks in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was received.
I was expecting more of a psychological storyline, but apparently I should have taken the description a bit more literally than I did. Which ends up with the book being an extremely unique, creative vaguely contemporary fantasy story.
I was so pleased to see Julia Mayer tackling such difficult issues head on; and she captured the emotions and struggles with self-mutilation perfectly. Self-mutilation (and cutting in particular) can be treated as such a taboo and touchy subject, that few properly deal with it and it's particularly difficult to convey but Mayer accomplishes this beautifully. The background and descriptions of this are poignant and quite moving.
As well, Mayer writes the story from two points of view, which are the complete opposite of one another and yet she does this quite well. Samara and Dee come across as two very different people, and Mayer writes them with different voices. However, there were times at first when it was difficult to understand the chronology while trying to follow the two POV because of where they would overlap. As confusing as this could be, it also lended a better well-rounded understanding of the events taking place and it became easy to see how two girls could view the same action very differently.
I found some of the dialogue to be somewhat awkward and forced, but that was only occasionally throughout the book. It didn't take away from the overall theme or ambience of reading the book as a whole. What I found challenging was trying to figure out what there was to take away from the book at the end of it, besides the contrast of the differing perspectives. The beginning was strong, but the ending felt like it was lacking in a satisfying culmination of events. To be honest, I simply failed to see what all the drama was worth in the end since many of the issues remained unsolved. I just wasn't convinced that everything was okay, but perhaps that's my need for a neat little ending where I feel like everything's been tied up nicely.
Parts of it were just so unbelievable, in particular the very premise that the novel was based on, yet none of the characteres questioned the events going on. They simply accepted it and tried to move on, ignoring the bizarre events occuring. And while I enjoy reading about strange, fanciful stories I like to hear more explanation of what's going on and why that's happening.
I received a copy of this book from Sourcebooks in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was received.
September 7, 2011
Samira hated her life. She cut herself to make her emotional pain cease, if only temporarily. Since her mother died, she doesn't have anyone left to talk to. To help her. Until she meets Dee. Dee is her reflection, and has come through the mirror. Dee thinks her own life is boring and decides she would much rather be Samira. Switching lives is never a good idea though and they may end up breaking things that can not be fixed in the other's life.
So I was quite disappoint by the fact that this book wasn't even a little creepy. The cover and the tagline "Who is it looking back at you?" makes this book seem like it would have some creepy paranormal aspects to it. Instead it's simply about different dimensions. I felt like we never really learned about Dee that much. There isn't much to learn about Samira, except her past with her mother, so that was fine. Dee was supposedly in love with this boy though, but we hardly see anything much between them at all. I just felt like maybe the story was rushed a little too much. I was also a little distraught about how well the characters took being able to walk through mirrors into each other's world. Isn't that strange? Do we not find that odd? Apparently not. It was a fast read though and I did enjoy the concept of alternate dimensions, and there was actually quite a bit about how it worked with the mirrors in such which was interesting. I wished this book was a lot better than it was, but it still wasn't bad. I will probably pick up another book by this author when it comes out, because I did like how realistic Samira was, and the information about the mirror/dimensions.
First Line:
"I couldn't stop staring at the razor on the rim of my bathtub."
Favorite Line:
"I loved how restless his hands were when he talked."
Read more: http://www.areadingnook.com/#ixzz1XHb...
So I was quite disappoint by the fact that this book wasn't even a little creepy. The cover and the tagline "Who is it looking back at you?" makes this book seem like it would have some creepy paranormal aspects to it. Instead it's simply about different dimensions. I felt like we never really learned about Dee that much. There isn't much to learn about Samira, except her past with her mother, so that was fine. Dee was supposedly in love with this boy though, but we hardly see anything much between them at all. I just felt like maybe the story was rushed a little too much. I was also a little distraught about how well the characters took being able to walk through mirrors into each other's world. Isn't that strange? Do we not find that odd? Apparently not. It was a fast read though and I did enjoy the concept of alternate dimensions, and there was actually quite a bit about how it worked with the mirrors in such which was interesting. I wished this book was a lot better than it was, but it still wasn't bad. I will probably pick up another book by this author when it comes out, because I did like how realistic Samira was, and the information about the mirror/dimensions.
First Line:
"I couldn't stop staring at the razor on the rim of my bathtub."
Favorite Line:
"I loved how restless his hands were when he talked."
Read more: http://www.areadingnook.com/#ixzz1XHb...
August 30, 2011
Eyes in the Mirror has a completely unique, totally fascinating concept. The idea of everyone having their own double on the other side of a mirror is brimming with possibilities. Though Julia Mayer didn’t take the story in a direction I expected, she did do a great job of keeping me hooked. Eyes in the Mirror is full of surprises, from the way the characters act, to how the story eventually ends.
Eyes in the Mirror was apparently first drafted when Mayer was sixteen, which is very impressive. The story has most likely been re-worked, and it doesn’t feel young at all; I know teenage authors can be a turn-off to some readers, but Eyes in the Mirror doesn’t show it. The only manner in which Eyes in the Mirror felt somewhat immature was the characters. Dee and Samara are silly and childish, and though they do grow a bit over the course of the novel, I was ultimately unsatisfied with their decisions. I suppose one could say that Eyes in the Mirror adapts a more realistic worldview (teenagers can be stupid), but I just expect a bit more out of my characters.
Despite my gripes with the characters, Eyes in the Mirror is an enjoyable read. It focuses more on realism than the paranormal (though the initial explanations of traversing through the mirrors is fascinating); it incorporates themes of letting go, forgiveness, and taking responsibility. Julia Mayer explores a variety of issues, and she handles them all fairly well. Eyes in the Mirror wouldn’t be considered an issue book per se, but it gets close. Fans of realistic or contemporary YA will enjoy the more serious aspects of the book, and those who are fond of fantasy (like me) will be captivated by the idea of an alternate dimension.
Eyes in the Mirror was apparently first drafted when Mayer was sixteen, which is very impressive. The story has most likely been re-worked, and it doesn’t feel young at all; I know teenage authors can be a turn-off to some readers, but Eyes in the Mirror doesn’t show it. The only manner in which Eyes in the Mirror felt somewhat immature was the characters. Dee and Samara are silly and childish, and though they do grow a bit over the course of the novel, I was ultimately unsatisfied with their decisions. I suppose one could say that Eyes in the Mirror adapts a more realistic worldview (teenagers can be stupid), but I just expect a bit more out of my characters.
Despite my gripes with the characters, Eyes in the Mirror is an enjoyable read. It focuses more on realism than the paranormal (though the initial explanations of traversing through the mirrors is fascinating); it incorporates themes of letting go, forgiveness, and taking responsibility. Julia Mayer explores a variety of issues, and she handles them all fairly well. Eyes in the Mirror wouldn’t be considered an issue book per se, but it gets close. Fans of realistic or contemporary YA will enjoy the more serious aspects of the book, and those who are fond of fantasy (like me) will be captivated by the idea of an alternate dimension.
September 6, 2011
To be posted on Page Turners Blog:
Samara and Dee are reflections of each other, but rather than being identical, they exist largely as "what-could-have-beens." If things had gone differently in the lives of one or the other, they may have turned out very much the same. Dee is pretty happy with her life: she's very close with her mother and has a best friend. Samara, on the other grows grows more and more distant from her father and has isolated herself from her former friends after her mother's death. She not only cuts but engages in other self-destructive behavior.
The girls switch places for a day and when Dee discovers the cutting she does what she thinks is best for Samara. Samara, on the other hand, is enraged and gets back at Dee the best way she can think of.
This book was not quite what I expected it to be. I suppose I expected it to be more of a psychological thriller. Or for one of the personalities (namely Dee, from the description) to be sort of... well, evil. But on the contrary, Dee is pretty much a good girl and Samara is simply very, very troubled.
I grew to the appreciate the characters and the trials that they found themselves in. But the mirror universe (travel and otherwise) was very confusing and not always believable. There were several questions that the story brought up for me that it seemed like we would get to explore as they were recurring images and stories, but my questions were left unanswered.
Ultimately, Eyes in the Mirror was an engaging and surprisingly quick read, though I wish the author had gone a bit further in her world-building and taken care not to leave her readers wondering.
Samara and Dee are reflections of each other, but rather than being identical, they exist largely as "what-could-have-beens." If things had gone differently in the lives of one or the other, they may have turned out very much the same. Dee is pretty happy with her life: she's very close with her mother and has a best friend. Samara, on the other grows grows more and more distant from her father and has isolated herself from her former friends after her mother's death. She not only cuts but engages in other self-destructive behavior.
The girls switch places for a day and when Dee discovers the cutting she does what she thinks is best for Samara. Samara, on the other hand, is enraged and gets back at Dee the best way she can think of.
This book was not quite what I expected it to be. I suppose I expected it to be more of a psychological thriller. Or for one of the personalities (namely Dee, from the description) to be sort of... well, evil. But on the contrary, Dee is pretty much a good girl and Samara is simply very, very troubled.
I grew to the appreciate the characters and the trials that they found themselves in. But the mirror universe (travel and otherwise) was very confusing and not always believable. There were several questions that the story brought up for me that it seemed like we would get to explore as they were recurring images and stories, but my questions were left unanswered.
Ultimately, Eyes in the Mirror was an engaging and surprisingly quick read, though I wish the author had gone a bit further in her world-building and taken care not to leave her readers wondering.
February 26, 2012
Don't let the creepy cover fool you - this book packs a good contemporary punch. It weaves an interesting tale of two girls opposite lives and blends it together with lots of heart!
Eyes in the Mirror is told through the viewpoints of Dee and Sam - girls who's lives are polar opposite. I didn't quite connect with Dee as much as I did with Sam. Both girls were developed and their friendships with others were well thought out. Their friendship together was touching and it tore me to shreds when they fought. The only thing I found very hard to believe were their reactions to finding out about the parallel universe thing. Seriously, no one batted an eye at it. They just went with it.
Julia Mayer did something incredible.... she weaved a fantasy sort of experience (travelling through a mirror to a another world) with some hard core teenage issues. She handled the issue of cutting very well, the actions that were taken to help Sam were reasonable and are what others should do. It wasn't fast paced but it held my interest and even made me hit a wall once
(I did not expect that to happen). The ending was ok, although it lacked something, I don't know what but it did.
Overall, this was a very interesting read that dealt with issues which deserve some attention. I would recommend it to those who enjoy fantasy/paranormal (just transporting to another world kind of paranormal) mixed in with a little contemporary. I certainly enjoyed it.
Eyes in the Mirror is told through the viewpoints of Dee and Sam - girls who's lives are polar opposite. I didn't quite connect with Dee as much as I did with Sam. Both girls were developed and their friendships with others were well thought out. Their friendship together was touching and it tore me to shreds when they fought. The only thing I found very hard to believe were their reactions to finding out about the parallel universe thing. Seriously, no one batted an eye at it. They just went with it.
Julia Mayer did something incredible.... she weaved a fantasy sort of experience (travelling through a mirror to a another world) with some hard core teenage issues. She handled the issue of cutting very well, the actions that were taken to help Sam were reasonable and are what others should do. It wasn't fast paced but it held my interest and even made me hit a wall once
(I did not expect that to happen). The ending was ok, although it lacked something, I don't know what but it did.
Overall, this was a very interesting read that dealt with issues which deserve some attention. I would recommend it to those who enjoy fantasy/paranormal (just transporting to another world kind of paranormal) mixed in with a little contemporary. I certainly enjoyed it.
February 3, 2023
.More reviews like this one on my blog Snapdragon Alcove
The pose is nice and the two main characters voices are distinct enough to tell them apart. I enjoy reading about the girls friendship blossoming. Until it falls apart.
Serious issues are addresses in this book. Stuff like self harm and teen pregnancy. These topics are handle with care. There are consequences that goes with Dee and Samara poor decisions making. However all is not doom and gloom. The story ends with everything looking to be hopeful.
On GoodReads their are some reviewers that went to this book thinking it going to be paranormal. Well I kind of get that vibe with the cover. However, the story would be along the lines of a thriller. If the story was written in a way that keep the reader guessing Then I can place it in to the thriller genre.
Dee and Samara both felt like real people. After everything Samara has gone through she pushes people away yet doesn’t realizes it. The relationship between Dee and Jamie is sweet. I like how he stay with Dee when she got pregnant. Jamie wants to be in the baby’s life when he could just run away from that responsibility.
Eyes in the Mirror is an interesting book that tackles some serious life issues and take a look of how their two sides to a person.
There some other teen books that do talk about serious themes but, don’t handle them well.
The pose is nice and the two main characters voices are distinct enough to tell them apart. I enjoy reading about the girls friendship blossoming. Until it falls apart.
Serious issues are addresses in this book. Stuff like self harm and teen pregnancy. These topics are handle with care. There are consequences that goes with Dee and Samara poor decisions making. However all is not doom and gloom. The story ends with everything looking to be hopeful.
On GoodReads their are some reviewers that went to this book thinking it going to be paranormal. Well I kind of get that vibe with the cover. However, the story would be along the lines of a thriller. If the story was written in a way that keep the reader guessing Then I can place it in to the thriller genre.
Dee and Samara both felt like real people. After everything Samara has gone through she pushes people away yet doesn’t realizes it. The relationship between Dee and Jamie is sweet. I like how he stay with Dee when she got pregnant. Jamie wants to be in the baby’s life when he could just run away from that responsibility.
Eyes in the Mirror is an interesting book that tackles some serious life issues and take a look of how their two sides to a person.
There some other teen books that do talk about serious themes but, don’t handle them well.
September 7, 2011
I cried reading Eyes in the Mirror partially because I cry easily and partially because it was such a sad story. Dee and Samara look exactly alike, but all they have in common is their face. Samara’s family has money, but her mom committed suicide, her Dad is never around, and she is incredibly lonely. Dee’s family struggles to make ends meet, but she loves school, has lots of friends, and a mother devoted to taking care of her.
When the two switch places and Dee decides she can’t let Samara’s cutting problem go unaddressed, the book really starts to pick up. There was one plot test twist that really surprised me (I love being surprised), and we got to see both of their characters grow and become more independent.
What really makes this book special is not romance, action, or adventure, it is the struggle to deal with unanticipated life events and find the strength to grow and assert your independence. I’m certainly looking forward to more books from Julia Mayer.
When the two switch places and Dee decides she can’t let Samara’s cutting problem go unaddressed, the book really starts to pick up. There was one plot test twist that really surprised me (I love being surprised), and we got to see both of their characters grow and become more independent.
What really makes this book special is not romance, action, or adventure, it is the struggle to deal with unanticipated life events and find the strength to grow and assert your independence. I’m certainly looking forward to more books from Julia Mayer.
February 20, 2012
Wow! What a fantastic premise. An alternate universe you can enter by stepping through a mirror. Though it can only be achieved when your alternate self is present on the other side.
This was a challenging book to read because of the subject matter. One character is severely depressed and cutting herself. One is happy and eager to help her alternate twin. The extremes the characters go to, both good and bad, elicit emotions from the reader, at least this reader. I can relate to the depression, not the cutting.
Eyes in the Mirror is a well-crafted book that gives a whole new meaning to stepping through the looking glass. Julia Mayer has created an intriguing world with complex characters.
I will warn potential readers that the cutting scenes are a bit disturbing and a teenage pregnancy plays a huge role. Keep that in mind when deciding whether or not to read it. If you can deal with intensity, taboo situations and huge does of reality, I recommend this book.
August 15, 2013
3.5 but i went ahead and bumped it up to a 4. this was a very different and unique YA and i think that's part of why i liked it. it wasn't dystopian or even a typical paranormalish really and while i do love those types of books sometimes it's nice reading something that's not. all in all this was a creative book and a good little read. i'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA.
July 12, 2011
Reviewed for Library Media Connection.
August 23, 2011
Interesting concept. Wasn't the biggest fan of the storyline. That's just me.
October 10, 2011
It was okay. I was confused by the characters at first and unable to connect with either. It was also predictable. I finished but wouldn't recommend it.
October 8, 2011
I was generally interested in what was going on with the characters of the book, though not overly impressed with the writing; though to be fair, she wrote the book at a young age.
September 23, 2014
This book had huge potential and was a fascinating idea but it ended with such a fizzle. I was really annoyed.
October 10, 2012
So predictable, I had to force myself to read it, and even then I couldn't finish it.
October 15, 2013
this is another one I would give 2 in a half stars if i could. It was not bad it was just okay. I think it could have been a tad longer a whole bunch of stuff was thrown in the last few chapters.
February 25, 2014
LOVE IT
September 10, 2012
The most amazing book ever!!!
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