Magic Under Glass
by Jaclyn Dolamore
Release Date: December 22, 2010
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 240
Source: Publisher
Interest: Debut Author
Challenge: 2010 Debut Author Challenge
Nimira is a foreign music-hall girl forced to dance for mere pennies. When wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to sing with a piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it is the start of a new and better life. In Parry's world, however, buried secrets are beginning to stir. Unsettling below-stairs rumors swirl about ghosts, a madwoman roaming the halls, and Parry's involvement with a league of sorcerers who torture fairies for sport. Then Nimira discovers the spirit of a fairy gentleman named Erris is trapped inside the clockwork automaton, waiting for someone to break his curse. The two fall into a love that seems hopeless, and breaking the curse becomes a race against time, as not just their love, but the fate of the entire magical world may be in peril.
(Description from Amazon.com)
Was I the only person that didn't know what an automaton was?
From the Merriam Webster Dicionary:
Automaton
Main Entry: au·tom·a·ton
Pronunciation: \ȯ-ˈtä-mə-tən, -mə-ˌtän\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural au·tom·atons or au·tom·a·ta \-mə-tə, -mə-ˌtä\
Etymology: Latin, from Greek, neuter of automatos
Date: 1645
1 : a mechanism that is relatively self-operating; especially : robot
2 : a machine or control mechanism designed to follow automatically a predetermined sequence of operations or respond to encoded instructions
3 : an individual who acts in a mechanical fashion
Now that's interesting! And even more so an automaton that is housing the spirit of a fairy prince! That sounds like one heck of a story!
The premise was fantastic, but that is about as far as fantastic went for me and this novel. The story was enchanting, especially the first half of the novel, where we are introduced to Nimira, her past and follow her onto a new adventure to Hollis's estate.
That being said, I just didn't connect with Nimira as a character, and not only that but I didn't seem to witness the the relationship between Erris, the fairy prince, and Nimira develop into love. It seemed unbeliveable that a few strained conversations could result in such deep feelings. I could understand Nimira wanting to help Erris, because it was the right thing to do, not because she was in love with him.
The story was beautifully written, but the last quarter of the novel flew by rather too quickly. The ending doesn't give the reader much closure but leaves it open for another novel.
Overall, an enchanting story, but lacking on characterization and substance. Hoping to see this story develop into something fantastic in the next novel, the potential is there, I really hope it is reached!