The Wrong Reflection [Paperback]

Gillian Bradshaw (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 26, 2003

Paul Anderson has no memory of working for Stellar Research, except flashes from a secret-and terrifying-project that threatens to tear his sanity apart...

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Gillian Bradshaw's father, an American Associated Press newsman, met her mother, a confidential secretary for the British embassy, in Rio de Janeiro. She was born in Washington DC in 1956, the second of four children. They didn't move around quite as much as one might expect after such a beginning: Washington was followed merely by Santiago, Chile, and two locations in Michigan. Gillian attended the University of Michigan, where she earned her BA in English and another in Classical Greek, and won the Hopwood Prize for fiction with her first novel, "Hawk of May," She went on to get another degree at Newnham College, Cambridge University, England in Greek and Latin literature, and she sold her first novel while preparing for exams.
She decided to stay in Cambridge another year to write another novel and think about what to do for a Real Job. However, while there, she discovered she could live on her income as a novelist and also met her husband, who was completing his doctorate in physics. Between books and children she never did get a Real Job, and she's been writing novels ever since.
She and her husband now live in Coventry. They have four children and a dog.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Ace; Reprint edition (August 26, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441010970
• ISBN-13: 978-0441010974
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,373,129 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born 1956 in Arlington, Virginia (i.e., Washington DC); grew up there, in Santiago, Chile, and in East Lansing and Mount Pleasant Michigan; educated University of Michigan (Classics and English) and Newnham College, Cambridge (Classics). I published my first novel while I was supposed to be revising for my final exams; the exams suffered, but I still managed a 2.1. I decided to take another year in Cambridge to work on the next novel, and Met a Man, like many a woman before and since. We got married in Paris, where he had a post-doc position and I had discovered an urgent need to learn French. He continued research and teaching, first in Santa Barbara, then back in Cambridge, and finally at the University of Warwick; I continued writing. A lot of my work has used my background in classical Greek and Latin, but I've occasionally branched out into the high middle ages, contemporary, and sci-fi. We have four kids, now grown up, and so far one grandchild.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The face in the mirror is not mine..., January 31, 2004

By 

David Roy (Vancouver, BC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Wrong Reflection (Paperback)

One of the most basic traits of our humanity is our identity. Our identity is made up of our history, our memories, our personality and our relationships. But what would happen if you woke up one day and all of that was gone? You look in the mirror and you don't recognize the face that is staring back at you? You're in a hospital but you don't know how you got there?

The Wrong Reflection, by Gillian Bradshaw, is a science fiction thriller that begins dealing with this issue. Bradshaw is primarily known for writing historical fiction using her classical background. Whatever possessed her to try her hand at science fiction, I have no clue. However, she succeeds brilliantly using the talents that her previous genre no doubt taught her (I have not read any of her other books). She creates vivid characters and ties them into a tight thriller that makes you keep turning the page as you wonder what's happening. Unfortunately, the ending can't keep up the steam, and she uses a grammatical conceit that becomes increasingly aggravating.

The first half of The Wrong Reflection is a brilliant mystery, with Paul knowing even less than the reader. This makes the book even more enjoyable as you try to unravel what's going on before Paul can. The tension mounts as Sir Philip keeps trying to get Paul to check into a medical facility run by Stellar, and Paul knows that something is going on. But every time he starts to remember, he doubles over in pain and has a severe bout of nausea. I found myself wanting to read "just one more chapter" when I should have been going to bed. It was engrossing, and I really felt sorry for Paul and his predicament. Sandra was an intriguing character as well, feeling obligated to find out how the man she rescued is doing, and then sensing a kindred spirit, a man who wears his logical mind as a badge, and a man who is scared of everything around him. She becomes his anchor to the world, and also his lifeline. His memory is strange as he can remember many scientific things, but he can't remember how to put on pants (I found that part a little illogical, though it's slightly explained once the secret is revealed).

As the mystery is revealed, it becomes a standard "misunderstood alien is used and abused by an evil corporation for fun and profit" story with a scientific twist, lessening the impact. The villains are rather stereotypical, with Lloyd being the worst of the bunch. He believes his heart's in the right place but can't see why what he's doing is wrong. Other characters are less so, being far more interesting. There's a Michael Moore-like documentary director (though more honest) named Rod, and his lover and cameraman, Dave. Thankfully, nothing is made of the fact that they are gay, becoming just part of their characters rather than an agenda. Malcolm, the black home-nurse who is initially brought in to take care of Paul, suffers from this a little bit more. He is a well-rounded character, but his race becomes an issue when he asks Sandra if the fact that he's black is why she won't be with him (despite the fact that she's obviously already in love with Paul). This bit is just thrown in there and batted aside by Sandra, making the reader wonder why it was even there in the first place.

Bradshaw's writing is excellent, drawing the reader in with her words and making even the slower second-half of the book seem much better than it really is. Her prose is really well done and she writes with great economy. There's only one problem, and it may be a personal issue with me. I found the constant movement from one viewpoint to the other very annoying. Bradshaw moves from Paul's viewpoint to Sandra's and then back again, all within the same section of the book. Thankfully, these are the only two viewpoint characters she uses, or it would get even more confusing. I found it very discombobulating when I was reading Paul's thoughts and then all of a sudden I'm reading Sandra's. I know expert writers can break the rules, and that this can even be effective, but I don't think it was this time. It was distracting, and it really detracted from the book. Considering how great the rest of her writing was, I found it even more disappointing.

I can't say much about the science aspect of the novel, as I don't know a lot about magnetic fields and singularities. It sounded good enough to suspend my disbelief, which is all I ask for in a science fiction novel. It doesn't get very technical, so if hard science turns you off, you don't need to worry about it. Bradshaw explains it well enough so that you can understand it

The Wrong Reflection will keep you reading, despite the fact that it limps to the finish line after a wonderful start.

David Roy

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars and now for something completely different, January 8, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Wrong Reflection (Hardcover)

Gillian Bradshaw is best known for her works of historical fiction/fantasy, and especially for novels set during the Roman Empire. For Bradshaw fans looking for more of the same, this could be a disappointment: "The Wrong Reflection" is a sci-fi thriller set in the present day. That said, the book is still one of her best -- exciting, suspenseful, and, as usual, written with grace and clarity.

The novel begins with a bang -- a young woman's attempt to save the life of a man apparently seriously injured in a car wreck, and keeps on at a stimulating pace, as the man awakens in the hospital, convinced he is not the man whose identification he carries and whose reflection appears in the mirror. Aided by the young woman and a crew of characters including a British/West Indian art student and a gay investigative reporter, the mystery man attempts to discover his identity, or the cause for his amnesia.

This was a page-turner from start to end. My only complaint was a rather contrived romance at the end. While the novel is radically different (sort of a Dick Francis thriller minus the horses crossed with elements of science fiction)from Ms. Bradshaw's previous works, it is every bit as good, and as enjoyable as her historical novels. Highly recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Departure for Gillian Bradshaw, March 23, 2002

By 

Daksi-usdi (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Wrong Reflection (Hardcover)

I have not yet finished reading this book, but have a few thoughts about it. First, it is quite a departure for Gillian Bradshaw. It is the only one of her novels I know of that is set in modern day. I believe it is also her only science-fiction novel (though I could certainly be wrong about that.) It reminds me strongly of C.S. Lewis' forays into science fiction in style, title, and story (the use of "not-Anderson" is very "Lewis") and I wonder if this similarity is intentional. Also, I borrowed this book from the library, and it is categorized as a Christian book; although, so far, I don't see why! I'm sure it will become apparent. Surely this also hearkens to Lewis.

A bit of the plot reminds me of a novel I read about 7 years ago called THE DONORS. I believe it was by Gerald Et Al Harris ...The element of plot to which I believe Gillian Bradshaw may have referred in this novel was absolutely brilliant. I have never seen it used since.

All in all, I am finding this a very good book. I'm eager to find out how it turns out. I think Gillian Bradshaw is more at home and more skilled with historical and historically based novels, but this is definitely a fine book!