Customer Reviews

The Dark Mirror: Book One of the Bridei Chronicles (Bridei Trilogy)

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Marillier, as usual, presents an interesting view of life in the dark ages, ranged side by side with magic tied closely to the earth. Book has alot of ambiance, and her hero is engaging. Somehow, tho, I'm not as riveted as I was in her first several books. I'm a little worried that her talents are becoming diluted with publishing contracts and schedules. Her hero is maybe a little too perfect. Her heroine is a cipher, and THAT I never thought I'd see. There's some meddling by supernatural forces which is downright annoying! The romance in this one is hardly developed at all, and that's very disappointing. In each of her other books, even the ones I don't consider my favorites, you can see love and affection grow between the main protagonists. In this one, it seems only proximity is required. Compared to 99.9% of the books out there, of course, this is a masterpiece. Compared to the author's own works, it's a little weak. Hope she does better on the next.

I don't often read Juliet Marillier, but this one looked intriguing so picked it up. I'm glad I did. It's just a gorgeous book.

"The Dark Mirror" follows Bridei's life as he grows up from an adopted druid's son to the hope and future of their country. Everything that happens to him and his foster sister Tuala serves a purpose in shaping who they are, how they view the world, and who they will become. The characters all have their reasons for their actions, and even with the best and noblest intentions, things don't always proceed the way they should. Every character in "The Dark Mirror" is three-dimensional and well-developed. There's good and bad in them and they all have to make hard choices and deal with what happens as a result.

I can often get through books quickly, but this one makes you want to slow down, take your time and just get lost in the novel.... An excellent book to pick up and savor.

Juliet Marillier begins what seems to be a promising new series with "The Dark Mirror." For fans of the Sevenwaters trilogy, the only aspect that you might not have liked with those is not going to happen here (can't say for those who haven't read it).

This story was so deftly told, I kept forgetting that this was based on a true story. Marillier weaves fact and fiction so well that she'd make Dan Brown shake in his boots. The description is vivid and lush, and the plot is exciting and moving.

The best feature by far are the two main characters: Tuala and Bridei. Bridei at first may seem one sided, so devoted to his studies as well as stoic in his behavior. But he is well balanced with Tuala, who is more wild and ethereal. I found it perfectly reasonable that this pair were two halves of a whole.

From the popularity of her previous books and the amazing manner this book was written in, I think its safe to assume that this whole series will captivate and entrance readers. But since there's a while til "Blade of Fortrui" will be released, I'll settle with everyone giving this first book a read.

I am devoted fan of Juliet Marillier's book. And because I've loved all her previous books (especially her Sevenwaters Trilogy)I decided to shell out the $28 for THE DARK MIRROR in hardcopy and not wait as I usually do for the paperback. I should have followed my custom and waited for the paperback. The first 200 pages of this book were a real chore to read. It's never taken that long before in any of Marillier's book for any of her stories to take off. This one lacked the subtle craftsmanship I've come to expect of Marillier. I can't help agreeing with the other reviewer who suggest that this book felt like it was motivated more by contract deadline than by a fully developed story line.

All three main characters -- Bridei, fosterling to the king's druid, Broichan, the great druid himself, and Tuala the beautiful orphan girl, a gift from the Fair Folk, -- were cardboard, one dimensional characters that deserved far more depth for all the suffering and angst Marillier put them (and her readers) through. At the heart of Marillier's books is usually a great story about such things as freedom vs. duty, choice vs. fate, the pain of impeded love, love that is tried and tested, characters who grow and mature through immense suffering and harsh fates. THE DARK MIRROR has all of these things, and there are vintage moments when Marillier manages to make the reader ache with her characters. But emotions can not replace a good story. The fine needlework one usually associates with Marillier's work of skillfully developing her characters, crafting a story filled with complex emotions and competing loyalties, and stitching together a tale that leaves the readers as changed as her characters is pretty much lacking in THE DARK MIRROR.

I remain a devoted Marillier fan, but after this disappointment I'll resume my custom of waiting for the paperback when the time comes to purchase her next book.

I am not sure where to start with this amazing book, the first in the Bridei Chronicles. I myself have studied the Picts a bit and Juliet Marillier seems to hit the nail right on the head with her depictions of their lives and times. Many of the people and situations in this book are absolutely real - based upon historical documentation. The remainder is based upon her best guesswork and imagination and she does a bang-up job.

Somewhat akin to the story of Arthur and Merlin, Bridei is raised by a foreboding Druid in the forest. Unknown to Bridei, he is meant to be the future king of Fortrui, which comprised much of modern-day Scotland. Her descriptions of Druidic teachings, their overall lifestyle, the courts and the rituals of their religion ring true in all their splendor and (in some cases) horror.

Of course there is a twist - there is always a twist. A child of the Good Folk - the faeries - is left on their doorstep at Midwinter when Bridei is young. He takes her in, much to everyone's dismay. They all know it is dangerous to have anything to do with the Good Folk, who are at their best capricious. However, Bridei firmly believes that the child, whom he names Tuala, was left for him by the Shining One (Goddess and moon) and vows to care for her. Eventually he wins over everyone except his foster father, the druid. She is accepted into the household and loved almost universally - until the year Bridei goes off to his first war and she matures. . .

There is not much else I can say without ruining a great deal of the story for you. However, I heartily endorse this book, being a fan of historically based fiction, especially that doing with ancient cultures and their clashes (and eventual destruction) by "tolerant, loving" Christians. But . . . such musings are for another day. For this one, if you do not have this book yet, run - don't walk - to your nearest bookseller and find a copy. You won't regret it.

While details are usually Marillier's good, strong points, the details in this book where practically bursting out of the book cover like a pig in fishnet tights. It got to the point where I was actually skimming the pages, skipping dozens of them at a time because of the overwhelming BOREDOM those details expelled. And, to put the finishing touch on the already rotten cake, these details seemed to be the cover-up for an underlying structure of a semblance of a story. The book itself had an acceptable plot. On the other hand, I absolutely hated the characters, and my vision of them wasn't redeemed at all by the end of the book. Tuala, the main character, simply irritated me with her endless angst, as did Bridei, the second protagonist. Their "romance" was nothing but carnal lust, very badly developed. Of course, it COULD be possible to develop a relationship over a period of years you don't even see the person, but it's highly unlikely, and not what I expected from this romance book. Bridei and Tuala part company and during this time, they somehow start to crave each other, suddenly and without any development whatsoever. And of course crisscrossed throughout all this is the history of pre-celtic Scotland, which is interesting in itself but not as a background to this story.

Definitely not one of her best books.

Having read all 4 of the Sevenwaters books, I eagerly picked up The Dark Mirror and expected to plunge head first into a riveting tale. I was rather surprised at how long it took me to get invested in this book. The first 150 pages took me forever to read as they were quite bland. I found it difficult to read the day to day life of Bridei as a child, and had to force myself through that part of the book. Had it not been for reading the Sevenwaters books, and knowing what this author is capable of, I would never have finished. But I pressed on, and about 200 pages in I was finally hooked.

Once I was hooked, I found all the elements I expected of Ms. Marillier...emotional, well drawn characters, intrigue, romance, and attention to detail. I will say that I wish that Marillier had spent 100 pages less at the beginning of the book and added those 100 pages to the end, so the reader could get a more satisfying conclusion to the story. While I was happy that things worked out for Tuala and Bridei, I would have loved to have had more of their romance as "adults" (if you can call teenagers adults) and less of their interaction as children. Knowing that her sequels typically shift the focus from one set of characters to another, I felt a little hollow that I missed out on Bridei and Tuala's budding romance.

In terms of characterization, Bridei and Tuala are not quite as richly drawn as some of the Sevenwaters characters, but I loved them nonetheless.

I highly recommend fans of Marillier read this book, but keep in mind that those first 150-200 pages are killers.

The Dark Mirror is an interesting, readable, and capably written fantasy romance by Juliet Marillier, who is near the top of fantasy's best writer list, on par with Robin Hobb, Tad Williams, and Ursula Le Guin. The story is modeled after the Arthurian blueprint, with Bridei being a Pictish Arthur fostered by a Merlin-like druid, Broichan. Two elements separate the story from the classic Arthurian legend: First, Bridei's conflict is primarily internal and second, Broichan has his own agenda and cannot tolerate variables in his plan for Bridei's future, namely the influence of Tuala, a fairy-like girl.

Marillier made me care about Bridei and Tuala to the extent that I immediately picked up the second volume, Blade of Fortriu, after I finished The Dark Mirror. Bridei is a likable character, similar to Tavi in Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series and Inda in Sherwood Smith's Inda series: young, capable, and inspirational. Marillier excels at creating a memorable supporting cast: Donal, Ana, Wid, Fola, Brother Suibne, and Uist stand out despite being secondary characters.

The Dark Mirror is first and foremost a romance, so fans of George R.R. Martin and Steven Erikson should be aware that there is little swordplay or magic. The romance is predictable, with misunderstanding and events conspiring against the main characters' love for each other, but overall Marillier's skillful writing compensates for the cliché.

The novel lacks a primary antagonist; and I believe that Bridei's primary obstacle is internal, as he has to come to grips with his destiny and his feelings for Tuala. Structurally, I question some of Marillier's approaches. Particularly, she conveys Bridei's triumph with the Mage Stone and subsequent tragedy through the perspective of Tuala, which I believe saps the events of emotion and significance. Bridei exhibits strong leadership qualities, but we only see them displayed through exposition, as Tuala watches him after the Mage Stone expedition. Maybe these events should have been shown in Bridei's perspective; however I understand Marillier's approach--she's trying to balance Bridei's and Tuala's story arcs.

Bridei, son of Maelchon is taken from his home as a child and fostered by the Priteni (also known as Picts) king's druid, Broichan. Raised in the druid's home at Pitnochie, Bridei has many teachers and grows into a young man who reveres the Priteni gods, becomes a skilled warrior and learns the mysterious ways of men's minds. Though of royal blood through his mother's line, he has no idea that he is being groomed to take the dying king's, Drust the Bull's, place as lord of Fortriu and king of the Priteni.

Tuala is a daughter of the Shining One and one of the Fair Folk. As a baby, she ends up on Broichan's doorstep on Midwinter's Eve. Bridei finds her and takes her in even though it is against Broichan's rules. As she grows older, it is apparent that she has the gift of visions, which are both a blessing and a curse to her. Tuala and Bridei grow up together and form a strong bond.

Bridei leaves Pitnochie to earn his warrior marks in his first battle, a first step in gaining respect among the Priteni. Leaving Tuala behind, he soon becomes aware of his destiny. What he does not know is that Broichan, realizing the close bond between Bridei and Tuala, tries to keep them apart. For some reason, Broichan senses that Tuala is a threat even though she has not done anything to confirm his suspicions. While Bridei is away, the household servants turn against Tuala, fearing her now that she is a young woman of the Fair Folk. Broichan offers her in marriage to a stone carver, but Tuala realizes that it is Bridei she loves and refuses the offer, but knows she cannot wed Bridei who she knows from her visions is meant to be king. Instead, she joins the school for wise women at Banmerren, which is near the court of Fortriu at Caer Pridne. Bridei suffers his own personal demons through his first battle and then with the death of his close friend, who dies after drinking poisoned mead that was meant for Bridei. He realizes that he needs Tuala and when he discovers she has left Pitnochie, he is brokenhearted, but he continues on to Caer Pridne where he will be a candidate for king. Through many tests and trials, some earthly, some otherworldly, the two try to find each other again.

I really enjoyed this story, which I felt was well researched. Ms. Marillier did an excellent job of combining history with myth. The descriptions of the Priteni lands were breathtaking, her characters well drawn, their experiences touching. I plan to read more of her books and am excited to have found another author whose work I enjoy. My only criticism would be that a couple of modern sounding words made their way into the story, but this was a minor annoyance and did not prevent me from continuing onward as the story was so compelling. One other point I want to add, and this is my personal opinion, is that I felt Bridei to be too good of a character. I prefer my heroes to have faults and he was a little too perfect for my taste. That being said, I highly recommend this book to readers who love fantasy mixed with history.

This book as the first of the Bridei Chronicles was mediocre at best. I love Juliet Marillier's voice, but her characterization of Tuala and other main characters seemed lacking. Tuala was not a strong heroine, like Liadan or Sorcha in the Sevenwater's Trilogy. She was mostly a whiny, sullen character for most of the book, pining for Bridei. The vibrant, fey-like girl that occupied Bridei's visions contrasted with the actual Tuala as she was growing up.

The book jacket cover had said that Bridei saw his foster-sister "blossom" into a lovely woman that stirred his blood, but he was gone during Tuala's transformation for 1-2 years. Bridei finally realized his feelings a month before the elections for King, when they reunited at a secretly planned meeting which lasted for around 5 minutes. Bridei has to choose between the Kingship and Tuala, and then in the end, it turns out he can have both.

The romance was underdeveloped, and it seemed to be a smaller part of the plot than Bridei's preparations to be King. Bridei seemed almost a flat character, a perfectly groomed candidate; the king's assassin Faolin was more interesting. The next book will be about Faolin, and hopefully that installment won't drag on like torture. I recommend Hero's Crown by Robin McKinley for its strong heroine that goes through character improvements.