Customer Reviews

Mirror Mirror: A Novel

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(32)
3 star:		(36)
2 star:		(23)
1 star:		(17)

 

 

In early sixteenth century Italy, seven-year-old Bianca de Nevada lives happily with her widowed father. But when a caravan arrives at her home in Montefiore, bearing the famous Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia, her life is turned upside down. Her father sent away, Bianca is left in the hands of Lucrezia, who plans the girl's murder. Escaping into the woods, Bianca soon discovers a group of seven magical dwarfs...

I am rather of two minds with this book. On the one hand, the author does an excellent job of retelling the story of Snow White, placing it in Renaissance Italy, peopled with fascinating characters. On the other hand, the story starts out slow, and never seems to pick up the pace. Indeed, the story seems to drag along from start to end as if the author had a great idea for a story, but couldn't think up all of the details it needed. He obviously knows a great deal about Renaissance Italy, but he cannot combine the two elements of his story into the really fascinating story that it should be.

Overall, I found the book to be good, at times even very good, but it is not the great story it should be. I give it a guarded recommendation.

What I admire about the Gregory Maguire books I've read so far is his subtle way of entwining the fantastic with the mundane in such a way that it is completely believable. His books are strange dreams in which stags can be gondoliers and rocks can speak and walk.

I read two of Maguire's books before attempting Mirror, Mirror, and it took two aborted attempts at this book in question before I got past the first few chapters of laborious, slow description of Montefiore and Vicente de Nevada's behaviour. Twice, in disgust, I closed Mirror, Mirror and vowed never to return to its grindingly slow narrative. Snow White was one of my least favorite fairy tales, anyway.

Over the weekend, I decided I'd give this book another shot. It's not a thick, cumbersome book, and the illustrations are pretty, and I remembered that although I was hooked on Wicked from the first word, it took some real effort on my part to become engaged in Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. So I ground my way through the description of Montefiore and Bianca and Vicente and the two most prominent players in the supporting cast of crazies, Primavera Vecchia and Fra Ludovico. This time I found the descriptions less cumbersome and full of things to look at, especially with Primavera Vecchia, whose first name means "spring" and her last name means "old" and she herself is older than dirt. She is larger than life and at the same time completely human, approachable.

Before I knew it, Maguire and his band of characters had me hooked. The Borgias showed up, bringing with them danger so real it could be tasted. I worried for the population of Montefiore. I forgot I was reading a Snow White tale, and was surprised by the hunter in the woods, the strange stone beasts, the sacred poisoned apple. I was surprised to find myself at the end, because it is not a typical fairy tale ending with chirping birds and singing, dancing dwarves.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to be told a story. Gregory Maguire is a consummate storyteller. One moment the storyteller is like a camera, reporting the comings and goings of Montefiore and its tenants. The next, the storyteller is Bianca, old Primavera, Fra Ludovico, dangerous Lucrezia, a stone beast, and idiot gooseboy. The sliding consciousness would be confusing if Maguire weren't such a master of giving each character his or her own distinct syntax, mood, voice, and posture within the narrative.

This story is worth the time it takes to let it unfold.The three-hundred pages did not even last me the weekend. So once the first few chapters are read, the story picks up and takes off. It's up to you to let it take you with it.

Gregory is back and it is wonderful!!! It had to be after that awful dribble LOST came out 2 years ago. I bought this book yesterday (I still had faith in GM) and I could put it down until I finished it. It held me in thrall and I just couldn't read it fast enough.The only complaint..it wasn't long enough!!! I don't want to give any of it away but this Snow White is no Disney cartoon. And man oh man these dwarfs are very strange and there's one extra one that we never knew about(?!). Get this book and have a wonderful time reading it. Gregory is back and its so good to have him back writing something great once again!!!!

Years ago I read and loved Maguire's excellent book "Wicked." Since then I have read each of his subsequent novels and have been horribly disappointed by every one of them. "Lost" was awful, but I didn't even manage to finish the supremely sucky "Mirror Mirror." I always finish books. I can't remember the last time I didn't finish one. I was so irritated and bored that after 150 pages or so I chucked the book across the room. However, "Wicked" was so good that I will probably continue to attempt to read his books. I'm a fool.

I read both Wicked and Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. I had to force myself to get through this one and it wasn't worth it. The story switched perspective every chapter and I really didn't care about what happened to Bianca (Snow White). It simply isn't as interesting or as well-written as his other work. I wouldn't bother buying this book.

I've been looking forward to the newest Gregory Maguire novel for quite some time. I loved Wicked and Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister but this one left me wanting something more from this story. I never felt any connection with any of the charaters and I didn't find amusement at a clever turn to a familiar story. This had all the elements to tell the old tale of Snow White from a different view point but there was never a firm grasp of one person as the main story teller; the story was too fragmented. I thought it was a great idea to put Lucrezia Borgia in the wicked stepmother role but there wasn't enough done with it. The view point of the dwarves also had great potential that was never fully developed too. All in all I was disappointed in this novel but it was still an interesting take on the story. If you haven't read any of Maguire's work I would suggest reading Wicked instead.

A marvelous book, a 300-page temptation, an invocation to the reader to plunge headlong and feetfirst into a tarantella of political intrigue, old magics, subtle loves, and unsubtle appetites...

Maguire does not simply take the age-old tale of Snow White and set in in early Renaissance Italy, as others have done in their retellings of the classics. Intriguingly, he finds the place where it fits best, where it lodges, and roots, and grows...and so the story of the beautiful young Bianca becomes tangled with the history of Lucrezia Borgia, her poisons and her passions, and the resulting tapestry is rich, subtle, frightening, and revelational...and no one has EVER explained the dwarves as Maguire has done here, as strange, earthy entities caught somewhere between timeless torpor and true humanity. Lovely, and strange, and highly-recommended.

Gregory Maguire has made a name for himself with his revisionist versions of classic tales. My previous exposures to him were with Wicked (his prequel to the Wizard of Oz, with a far less malevolent "Wicked" Witch), and Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister (with his version of Cinderella). Mirror, Mirror - as indicated by the title - is a retelling of Snow White.

Bianca de Nevada (whose name roughly translates to Snow White) is seven years old as the book opens, living with her father in an isolated Italian estate. It is 1502 and the Borgias are in power. Cesare Borgia forces Bianca's father to go on a quest for the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, a search that will take years. Cesare's sister, Lucrezia - who has more than a sisterly love for her brother - eventually grows jealous of Cesare's lust for Bianca and has her sent off to the forest to be killed, although this plan does not work as intended.

All the basic elements of the Snow White story - most well-known from the Disney movie - are here. There is (as just mentioned) the abandonment in the forest, the poison apple and the seven dwarves (actually eight, although one is separate from the rest). And, of course, there is the magic mirror. On the other hand, this story is also quite different from the familiar fairy tale, most particularly with the historical backdrop of sixteenth century Italy. The dwarves are quite different from Doc, Dopey, et al, instead being semi-divine or alien creatures.

My initial mistake with Gregory Maguire was assuming that his alternate takes on fairy tales would be funnier, as they are at least superficially parodies. I was therefore disappointed at first with Wicked, which, while not completely devoid of humor, certainly had few laugh-out-loud moments. Now I know what to expect with Maguire and - approaching Mirror, Mirror with the right mindset - I found it to be a good book, a fast, intelligent read.

Gregory Maguire's "Mirror, Mirror" is another of his reimagining of classic tales. This time he focuses on "Snow White" and comes up with a breathtakingly original idea: cast Lucrezia Borgia in the role of the evil queen.

By the time you finish you may even convince yourself that the fairy tale was in fact a parable about the Borgia Duchessa (it wasn't of course), and you'll pick up some knowledge about the historical period too.

"Mirror" is more sophisticated than Maguire's most famous novel, "Wicked," his version of "The Wizard of Oz" from the point of view of the wicked witch. It requires more from the reader too--a knowledge of the Borgias, and of the historical moment when the late Middle Ages became the early Renaissance.

Mr. Maguire is clearly less interested in the character of Snow White herself, here called Bianca de Nevada (beautiful but dull more than somewhat) than in Lucrezia Borgia herself. And his rendition of the eight (yes eight) dwarves is playful (MuteMuteMute is talkative, Heartless is sensitive, etc.).

This should appeal to Mr. Maguire's legions of fans and to admirers of Umberto Eco as well.

Gregory Maguire states in his most recent adult fable; Mirror, Mirror, that the 'light catches our eyes, but shadows offer more'. Perhaps he should have pulled his story from the shadows, because this one is certainly lacking.

Don't get me wrong, I really love this man's writing style, and his prose....his imagination is incredible; his ability to re-tell an age old story and breath fresh life into it is amazing. Snow White; Renaissance Italy; the Seven Dwarves, and all the lore that goes along with them;...a magic mirror, poisoned apples, and Lucrezia Borgia as the Wicked Queen of this tale? WOW!!!!!

So; why is it less than 300 pages long?

I loved every word of this book...I loved the concept...I loved the twist on the Snow White tale...I loved the literary liberties Maguire took....it isn't what IS there that I didn't love...it's what ISN'T there....

Bianca De Nevada is the consummate Snow White...innocent, beautiful, obedient...Lucrezia Borgia as the 'wicked queen' is perfectly cast....and the supporting characters are equally as likeable...there just isn't enough of them...

I don't think it necessary to take up space with a 'synopsis' of the Snow White story...it's been around for years...and I highly recommend further reading on the Borgias...there is a wonderful study of them called 'The Fall of the House of Borgia' by E.R. Chamberlain if you can get your hands on it.

But Maguire's re-telling has left a lot to be desired...granted it is his story, not mine, but....with such a wonderful cast to work with, and so much story...this is a feeble offering at best.

HOWEVER...if you are a Maguire fan...read this book...his story-telling capabilities are in full bloom...just hope that next time he gives you a little more of what you love.