The Mirror [Paperback]

Marlys Millhiser (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: The Rue Morgue Press (2003)
• ASIN: B000VRHIU2
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (178 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

147 of 150 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting tale, don't miss it!, November 16, 2000

By 

Schtinky "Schtinky" (California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Mirror (Paperback)

On the eve of her wedding, Shay looks into a very ugly mirror that is a family heirloom, and finds herself waking up on the floor of her room. But wait, it's her room but where is the carpet? She finds herself trapped in the body of her Grandmother, Brandy, on the eve of Brandy's wedding. To all else she is just crazy Brandy, and the differences between Shay and Brandy (like Shay loving milk where Brandy always hated it) go unnoticed or written off to Brandy's unstable character. Brandy/Shay is promptly wed and sent away from the only familiar place Shay knows, to a small cabin in a remote town. Here she starts her new life as Brandy, living with Thora K., one of the books most endearing characters.

Shay must adjust to a world almost 100 years in the past, and adjust to her life as Brandy, while still trying to coax the mirror into returning her back to her modern life and self. That the mirror is evil becomes apparent, but that doesn't stop Brandy from trying until she realizes finally that she belongs where she is.

The book has 3 basic parts: Shay living her life as Brandy, the life of Rachel her mother/daughter, and Brandy living her life as Shay.

I first read this book a long time ago, and I still have my original copy. I have re-read it many times, each time as enjoyable as the first. This is an excellent book, wonderfully written. It has a lot of humor in it which I found refreshing. I definately enjoyed the first part of the book, Shay as Brandy, better than the latter half which was Brandy as Shay. The characters in the latter part lost a lot of the luster and depth that her characters from the past had. Still, an excellent read. I recommend it.

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Two Great Time Travel Novels in One, July 5, 2006

By 

Ken Roberts "social historian" (Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Mirror (Paperback)

I just now finished this novel after only two days of reading - quite a feat to read a 383 page book in such a short time! As one who has a passion for social history, genealogy, and re-enacting, this work by Marlys Millhiser was right up my alley. I mean, to have the opportunity to travel back in time to meet one's ancestors, to experience life "as it was," and to know what the future would hold not only for this person but for the world, well, it tends to make the imagination run. The trouble is, in `The Mirror,' Shay Garrett had absolutely no interest in the past, much less wanting to live there. She all but ignored her mother's family history stories, and could have cared even less about the way folks lived 78 years earlier. But, due to a mysterious mirror, Shay - the very up-to-date modern girl of 1978 - unwittingly finds herself living the life of her grandmother, Brandy McCabe, 78 years earlier, in 1900.
The author did an absolute tremendous job in her social history research, giving very accurate accounts of what life was like in the year 1900, from slow travel and modes of dress to tools, furniture, bed sheets, sicknesses (like consumption, of which Shay has no idea what it is), and types of foods, as well as slow speech patterns and language usage. And poor Shay (now as Brandy) must conform to that life as well as the mores and morals of a very different time, a time when females had very little say in their lives. Miss Millhiser has used her words and research to paint a veritable picture of the past. No easy task and pretty much a rarity from many authors.
Part two of this novel shows the new life that Brandy McCabe - Shay's grandmother - must live. Since her granddaughter, Shay, has inhabited her body 78 years earlier, Brandy has now entered Shay's body 78 years into her future, in 1978.
This second part of the book is a bit disconcerting - many different and unexpected avenues are taken that, at times, I questioned where the author was going. But, what Miss Millhiser did very well once again was to describe in vivid detail the awe and wonder that the 20 year old "antiquated" Brandy (now in Shay's body) feels in this futuristic world with talking picture boxes, disco bars, automobiles, electric blankets...heck, she even learned (through a TV commercial) that she should shave her underarms and legs!
But Brandy, like her granddaughter counterpart now hopelessly living in the past, is not fond of this new (to her) world, especially with its lack of morals (as she knew them to be), scanty clothing styles (bare arms and legs!), and tasteless food.
Brandy definitely has a tougher time accepting her new role as Shay with its freedoms in 1978 than her granddaughter does in her new role as Brandy in 1900 with its constraints, which is surprising. But, I feel it is probably more realistic - morals and mores in the past were much stronger and deeper than today and I feel that Brandy would not so readily accept becoming the modern woman of today, like many others might feel she should have.
Another interesting aspect to the two stories are the way the author intertwines the two girls lives through the mysterious mirror - their visions of each other's events and reactions fit like a puzzle. While reading Brandy's story I was constantly referring back to Shay's story during the mystery mirror scenes (you'll understand once you read the book).
And finally, the middle interim for daughter/mother Rachael became a vital connection to the two stories.
Marlys Millhiser did a remarkable job spinning this time-travel tale. Considering that this is not your average historical/modern novel, I would love to know how long it took her, from her initial idea through historical research to penning and then finally to publishing. Truly amazing.
I must give thanks to Cindy who works in the Adams House at historic Greenfield Village, Michigan for `turning me on' to this story. You were right!

49 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who could possibly not love this fantastic yarn!, April 22, 1998

By 

Jackie Tortorella - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Mirror (Paperback)

This has to be one of the best books I've ever read, and I read incessantly! The characterization is excellent, as is the story line. I hated for the book to end. I'd enjoy hearing from other readers who loved this book. For those who felt as I did, you might also try Time And Again by Jack Finney. - Jackie Tortorella