Customer Reviews

The War of Mirrors

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Written by English professor E .J. Stewart and illustrated with a handful of simple drawings by William Stewart, The War of Mirrors is a novel for older children and young adults, set in the fantastic land of Larkwood, populated by talking animals ruled by a human king. When pride and envy cause upheaval among the animals, some of the creatures discover the dangerous and destructive power of mirrors. Different animals take different sides; some remain neutral, but all are devastated by fallout from the terrible war. At last, the noble Prince Acorn shames the creatures into concluding peace. A strong allegorical tale, written to evoke compassion and promote contemplation of serious matters and encourage young people to look at the world rationally, and see things for how they really are. Highly recommended.

The War of Mirrors takes place in a fictional kingdom called Larkwood, whose creatures like to look at themselves in mirrors. When they are forced to look in a mirror, they see themselves as they really are! The chief weasel sells fancy titles to the wealthy, but those who can't pay become jealous. War breaks out, and they use mirrors as weapons.

In this tightly written novel, the plot, the characters and the action fit together like the gears of a finely crafted timepiece. Students of political science, history, strategy, religion, all have a lesson or two to learn from The War of Mirrors. As readers, we cry with the underdogs, yet we understand the temptation to dress ourselves in fancy clothes and give ourselves fancy titles. We are filled with compassion for the homeless. We experience the sense of justice that has developed during the brief history of the kingdom. From time to time we even see things from the point of view of a foreigner, as the ambassador from another kingdom takes up residence in the castle.

This is a great book, with a great message! It makes us stop and think about who we are, and how to get along with each other!