Tag: Mirrors

Susan Hill – The Mist in the Mirror | Review

Title: The Mist in the Mirror

Author: Susan Hill

Type: Fiction

Page Count/Review Word Count: 298

Rating 4.5/5

 

 

I’ve had this book for a while now, but for some reason I’d never got round to picking it up. I think part of the reason for that is that a few of my friends have independently met her in person and both said that she wasn’t very likeable. A pretty dumb reason for not picking it up, really.

That’s particularly true because it turned out to be excellent, and while there were some similarities to The Woman in Black (such as the time setting and the fact that it’s about a young man looking into the buried past), it didn’t feel as though she’d just had a go at duplicating a winning formula.

The focus on mirrors got to me in particular because I’ve always had a little bit of a fear of mirrors and reflections for some reason. When I was a kid and my mum went on holiday, I used to cover all of the mirrors in the house with bedsheets so that I didn’t get too creeped out while she was away.

All in all then, if you’re looking for a creepy little read that’ll give you some chills without taking too much of your time, this is a good place to look. I got my copy pretty cheap from a charity shop and so that made it a no-brainer, but it’s also worth the full RRP if you only buy new. It’s also made me want to read some more of Hill’s work. I’ll get there eventually, I just have so much other stuff on my list.


 



 

Click here to buy The Mist in the Mirror.


Liam Brown – Real Monsters | Review

Title: Real Monsters

Author: Liam Brown

Type: Fiction

Page Count/Review Word Count: 186

Rating: 9/10

 

Liam Brown - Real Monsters

Liam Brown – Real Monsters

 

Disclaimer: While I aim to be unbiased, I received a copy of this for free to review.

The copy of Real Monsters that I received was an uncorrected proof, but it was already of a higher standard than most manuscripts, and whilst I did pick up on a couple of typos here and there, they didn’t detract from the story.

Loosely speaking, Real Monsters is a sort of political allegory which takes a look at our modern wars with extremists and reflects it, as if you’re looking at it through one of those weird mirrors that you get at carnivals. It’s also a love story, presented in the format of two first-person narratives, one of which comes in the form of a letter from a soldier to his loved one back home.

Eventually, the two worlds collide, with serious consequences – Brown is making a statement on war here, but I’m not sure what it actually is. The beauty is that it forces you to decide for yourself.

 

Liam Brown

Liam Brown

 

Click here to buy Real Monsters.