Magic Under Glass
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`Magic Under Glass is a stunning blend of paranormal intrigue, doomed love, secrets in the attic, and a clockwork man with a hidden past. Jaclyn Dolamore expertly captures the essence of the perfect gothic romance on every page' --Carrie Ryan author of The Forest of Hands and Teeth
`A whimsical, smart novel that is sort of like a cross between Howl's Moving Castle and Jonathan Strange and Mister Norrell.'
--Maggie Steifvater author of Shiver
`A memorable, delicate and ethereal fairytale romance'
--The Bookseller
`A dark, florid vigour runs through it'
--Financial Times
'Fast moving and well written' --School Librarian
'Precise and picturesque, this is a sterling debut' --Literary Review
`A whimsical, smart novel that is sort of like a cross between Howl's Moving Castle and Jonathan Strange and Mister Norrell.'
--Maggie Steifvater author of Shiver
`A memorable, delicate and ethereal fairytale romance'
--The Bookseller
`A dark, florid vigour runs through it'
--Financial Times
'Fast moving and well written' --School Librarian
'Precise and picturesque, this is a sterling debut' --Literary Review
Product Description
Nimira is a music-hall performer forced to dance for pennies to an audience of leering drunks. When wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to do a special act - singing accompaniment to an exquisite piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it is the start of a new life. In Parry's world, however, buried secrets stir. Unsettling below-stairs rumours abound about ghosts, a mad woman roaming the halls, and of Parry's involvement in a gang of ruthless sorcerers who torture fairies for sport. When Nimira discovers the spirit of a dashing young fairy gentleman is trapped inside the automaton's stiff limbs, waiting for someone to break the curse and set him free, the two fall in love. But it is a love set against a dreadful race against time to save the entire fairy realm, which is in mortal peril.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
In MAGIC UNDER GLASS by Jaclyn Dolamore, Nimira is a "trouser girl" who is used to singing and dancing for pennies. Until the day Hollin Parry watches her perform and decides that he wants her to sing with a piano-playing automaton. But the automaton is not just a machine - he is really Erris, a fairy gentleman trapped in a clockwork body.
When Nim discovers this, she falls in love with him and vows to set him free. But first she must overcome several obstacles, including finding a way to get Erris an actual body and discovering a way past a scheming Ambassador of Magic who dislikes fairies.
The premise of MAGIC UNDER GLASS immediately caught my attention. A girl who falls in love with an automaton who is really a fairy gentleman trapped in a clockwork body is right up my alley!
I do have to say that I couldn't quite connect with Nimira. I'm not sure if it was because it was set in a different time/country or what, but I just didn't get as much from her as I would have liked. I did fall for Erris (the automaton), though. Right from the beginning, when he and Nim started their connection, I found him endearing and so badly wanted him to be set free. And I couldn't decide about Hollin - sometimes I found him to be a villain, but at other times I found him wanting so badly to be a hero and do the right thing. Did he? You'll just have to read the book to find out!
The premise was a great story. I think it could have been longer and I would have continued to enjoy it. I think (and hope) the ending was set up for there to be a sequel and will definitely be looking to read it if there is one!
This is a story about magic, and about fighting for the ones you love.
Reviewed by: Andrea
When Nim discovers this, she falls in love with him and vows to set him free. But first she must overcome several obstacles, including finding a way to get Erris an actual body and discovering a way past a scheming Ambassador of Magic who dislikes fairies.
The premise of MAGIC UNDER GLASS immediately caught my attention. A girl who falls in love with an automaton who is really a fairy gentleman trapped in a clockwork body is right up my alley!
I do have to say that I couldn't quite connect with Nimira. I'm not sure if it was because it was set in a different time/country or what, but I just didn't get as much from her as I would have liked. I did fall for Erris (the automaton), though. Right from the beginning, when he and Nim started their connection, I found him endearing and so badly wanted him to be set free. And I couldn't decide about Hollin - sometimes I found him to be a villain, but at other times I found him wanting so badly to be a hero and do the right thing. Did he? You'll just have to read the book to find out!
The premise was a great story. I think it could have been longer and I would have continued to enjoy it. I think (and hope) the ending was set up for there to be a sequel and will definitely be looking to read it if there is one!
This is a story about magic, and about fighting for the ones you love.
Reviewed by: Andrea
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
There are no words for just how amazing this story is! Oh, how I wish it was longer, so I could read some more! I was hooked right from the get go! I started reading a few chapters yesterday, and have spent most of today completing it. Such a sweet, lovely, unique story! I absolutely loved it!
I can't tell you how beautiful this story is; the writing style is just beyond anything I can describe. I can't say if I was more in love with the plot or the writing. It's almost poetic. It was so easy to get lost in the sound and rhythm of the words, I would have to read passages over so I could actually take in what was happening. I just adored the writing! I may be going on a bit, but writing style isn't something I'm all that bothered about - sorry for the sacrilege - but with Magic Under Glass, I was completely moved by it. And the descriptions! I would love to have gone to the places described in this book, they sound so beautiful!
Reading this book was almost like "coming home" in book terms for me; High fantasy is what first opened my eyes to reading, and although the world in Magic Under Glass seems resemble our own very closely, it is high fantasy with its sorcerers, fairies, and strange lands. It was just magical - pardon the pun. I loved the structure of this world, seeming like regency England, but with the politics of the sorcerers, and the possibility of war with the fairies.
The characters are also amazing! Nimirais such a strong character. Used to such a different way of life where she comes from, Nim is looked down on in Lorinar, she deals with such disgusting attitudes from some of the higher classes, but she keeps going, trying to better herself for the sake of her family at home. The along comes Hollin, a rich, handsome sorcerer who takes her into his home and treats her like a lady in return for her learning the songs and singing with the automaton. He is a nice guy generally speaking, but he is very weak, and so frustrating! Smollings Ambassador of Magic for the Sorcerer's Council is possibly one of the most disgusting men I have come across in YA, in his attitude towards Nim and in his character as a whole, even if Nim were a high class Lorinar woman. And then there is Erris, the fairy trapped inside an automaton; a wind up, human shaped clockwork machine. Think Dick Van Dick in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang when he sings Truly Scrumptious - instead Erris doesn't sing and dance, he plays the piano. Erris is such a great character, and you can't help adoring him, and sympathising for the terrible life he leads.
I just love how this book ended, it was fantastic! We have our magical bit of action, we have our politics, and we have a great cliff-hanger! Not the type where you're left hanging right at an important bit, but the type where you know where things will lead, in a round about way, from there. Magic Under Glass is a quick and beautiful read, and I know I've already said, but I so wish it was longer! It's just fantastic! I can't recommend it enough!
I can't tell you how beautiful this story is; the writing style is just beyond anything I can describe. I can't say if I was more in love with the plot or the writing. It's almost poetic. It was so easy to get lost in the sound and rhythm of the words, I would have to read passages over so I could actually take in what was happening. I just adored the writing! I may be going on a bit, but writing style isn't something I'm all that bothered about - sorry for the sacrilege - but with Magic Under Glass, I was completely moved by it. And the descriptions! I would love to have gone to the places described in this book, they sound so beautiful!
Reading this book was almost like "coming home" in book terms for me; High fantasy is what first opened my eyes to reading, and although the world in Magic Under Glass seems resemble our own very closely, it is high fantasy with its sorcerers, fairies, and strange lands. It was just magical - pardon the pun. I loved the structure of this world, seeming like regency England, but with the politics of the sorcerers, and the possibility of war with the fairies.
The characters are also amazing! Nimirais such a strong character. Used to such a different way of life where she comes from, Nim is looked down on in Lorinar, she deals with such disgusting attitudes from some of the higher classes, but she keeps going, trying to better herself for the sake of her family at home. The along comes Hollin, a rich, handsome sorcerer who takes her into his home and treats her like a lady in return for her learning the songs and singing with the automaton. He is a nice guy generally speaking, but he is very weak, and so frustrating! Smollings Ambassador of Magic for the Sorcerer's Council is possibly one of the most disgusting men I have come across in YA, in his attitude towards Nim and in his character as a whole, even if Nim were a high class Lorinar woman. And then there is Erris, the fairy trapped inside an automaton; a wind up, human shaped clockwork machine. Think Dick Van Dick in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang when he sings Truly Scrumptious - instead Erris doesn't sing and dance, he plays the piano. Erris is such a great character, and you can't help adoring him, and sympathising for the terrible life he leads.
I just love how this book ended, it was fantastic! We have our magical bit of action, we have our politics, and we have a great cliff-hanger! Not the type where you're left hanging right at an important bit, but the type where you know where things will lead, in a round about way, from there. Magic Under Glass is a quick and beautiful read, and I know I've already said, but I so wish it was longer! It's just fantastic! I can't recommend it enough!
Format:Paperback
Nimira has been working in a music hall and earning a very low wage so when she is offered a well paid job by sorcerer Hollin Parry she jumps at the chance. He wants her to sing along with an automaton who plays the piano, she isn't the first person he has offered the job but the others have always left believing the automaton is haunted. When Nimira first sees the lifelike automaton she can understand why the girls who came before her were nervous but she doesn't believe it could really contain a ghost. However, she soon discovers that a fairy prince is trapped inside and as they find a way to communicate she becomes determined to find a way to set him free. All is not as it seems in Hollin Parry's mansion but is there anyone who would be willing to help her and how does she decide who she can trust?
Magic Under Glass is one of those novels that had huge potential and could have been brilliant but unfortunately didn't quite live up to my expectations. That isn't to say it's all bad though, I loved the descriptions of Lorinar and especially Tiansher where Nimira grew up. Jaclyn Dolamore has a beautiful way with words that makes it very easy to picture the places she is describing and she has created a world I wanted to know more about. However, although I can picture the world I don't feel like I know very much about it's inhabitants. I wanted to know more about both the fairies and the sorcerers, there is a lot of background politics going on but I never felt like I had the full story which was disappointing. I know there is going to be a sequel and I will definitely be reading it but I can't help feeling that if this novel had been fleshed out a bit more I would have loved it. The ending felt rushed to me and we weren't given enough of an ending for me to feel satisfied. In some ways it felt like my copy was missing half of it's pages.
Nimira was a likable main character, she is treated very badly by the locals because she is different and I liked the way she was prepared to stand up for herself. She knew what she wanted and was determined to get it and it made a nice change to read a story where the girl gets to rescue the guy and not the other way around. I felt for bad for Erris - it must have been awful for him being stuck inside the automaton - but because of his limited communication I didn't really feel much of a connection with him and didn't get to know him very well. I wanted more of his history and to know how he ended up trapped but we didn't get an explanation for that. I have high hopes that we'll get to know him much better in the sequel though and from what I saw towards the end of the book I think I'll really like him. I guess because we don't get to know Erris well I found it difficult to believe that he and Nimira had fallen in love within such a short space of time. I could understand her wanting to help him but I just didn't believe they were madly in love, I would have liked a stronger romance between them.
I will definitely be reading the sequel but I wish I'd waited until Magic Under Stone was available before I read this one. I think I'd have been less disappointed by the ending if I could have gone straight on to the next book. Like I said at the beginning of my review this story has a lot of potential and I'm sure a lot of people would really enjoy it, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the next book will be even better!
Magic Under Glass is one of those novels that had huge potential and could have been brilliant but unfortunately didn't quite live up to my expectations. That isn't to say it's all bad though, I loved the descriptions of Lorinar and especially Tiansher where Nimira grew up. Jaclyn Dolamore has a beautiful way with words that makes it very easy to picture the places she is describing and she has created a world I wanted to know more about. However, although I can picture the world I don't feel like I know very much about it's inhabitants. I wanted to know more about both the fairies and the sorcerers, there is a lot of background politics going on but I never felt like I had the full story which was disappointing. I know there is going to be a sequel and I will definitely be reading it but I can't help feeling that if this novel had been fleshed out a bit more I would have loved it. The ending felt rushed to me and we weren't given enough of an ending for me to feel satisfied. In some ways it felt like my copy was missing half of it's pages.
Nimira was a likable main character, she is treated very badly by the locals because she is different and I liked the way she was prepared to stand up for herself. She knew what she wanted and was determined to get it and it made a nice change to read a story where the girl gets to rescue the guy and not the other way around. I felt for bad for Erris - it must have been awful for him being stuck inside the automaton - but because of his limited communication I didn't really feel much of a connection with him and didn't get to know him very well. I wanted more of his history and to know how he ended up trapped but we didn't get an explanation for that. I have high hopes that we'll get to know him much better in the sequel though and from what I saw towards the end of the book I think I'll really like him. I guess because we don't get to know Erris well I found it difficult to believe that he and Nimira had fallen in love within such a short space of time. I could understand her wanting to help him but I just didn't believe they were madly in love, I would have liked a stronger romance between them.
I will definitely be reading the sequel but I wish I'd waited until Magic Under Stone was available before I read this one. I think I'd have been less disappointed by the ending if I could have gone straight on to the next book. Like I said at the beginning of my review this story has a lot of potential and I'm sure a lot of people would really enjoy it, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the next book will be even better!
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Clockwork and magic
There's a clockwork man who plays the piano, a dancing girl, and a web of forbidden magic that ties them to the highest sorcerers in the land. Read more
Published on 16 May 2010 by E. A Solinas
Misleading Title
I read a lot of reviews about this book before getting it myself so my expectations were rather high. I adore the cover but find it slightly misleading after reading the book. Read more
Published on 12 Mar 2010 by Book Angel Emma
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