THE MIRRORSTONE [Paperback]

Michael. Illustrated by Alan Lee and Richard Seymour. Palin (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Jonathan Cape. (1986)
• ASIN: B000P8TGZ2
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars A gorgeous, gorgeous volume, December 29, 2008

By 

Misti A. Delaney (Ann Arbor, Michigan USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: THE MIRRORSTONE (Paperback)

The Mirrorstone is a visually stunning book. The moody imagery, rich and finely detailed and with the addition of "holographic" images evokes a wonderful, eerie world of fantasy and promises a chilling, exciting story.

It's a pity the story can't keep that promise.

Paul, a young boy of indeterminate 'modern' times (mickey mouse comb and all) is at the local pool, drying off from his play. He glances into the mirror and is shocked to see not himself, but another boy.

"For the face he saw looking back at him was not his own. It wasn't very different, but something was wrong. The hair was a bit longer, the cheeks were a bit thinner."

This happens several times over the next few days until finally, Paul is drawn into the mirror and off on a weird adventure in a strange land. The adventure, sadly, is sketchy in comparison to the elaborate and intricate drawings, and the use of language is clumsy in comparison to the elegant and refined art work.

The story isn't terrible, but one gets the impression that a very talented artist had a concept and was left to fend for himself for the story.

If you're looking for a gorgeous, visually compelling coffee table book, this is a fantastic find.

If you're looking for a story to share with a child, this may not be your best bet. You might prefer Dinotopia, another deeply visual fantasy in which the story is told only briefly, but rather more competently.