I picked up this book because I liked the cover. I enjoyed the beginning of the story, even though the 'orphan sent to be an apprentice at a scary shop' wasn't the most original setup. There were intriguing bits to the story (I liked the mirrors and the stone lions) however, as the story progressed I felt like there were too many things pulling for my attention. There was the water queen and the mermaids, there was the competition between the mirror maker and the dress maker, there were the stone lions, there was a war, there was the devil and the underworld, there was too much. I was relieved when I was done with the book because it meant I didn't have to try to keep so many things straight. I think the story is not bad, it just needs a lot of the clutter pulled away to let it shine. ( )

There is something alluring about Meyer’s text that keeps me wanting to keep reading. The mysterious nature to the story and the fantasy, often riding the fence between the dark and the mystical continually draws the reader deeper into the world. However, as is often with original or semi-original fantasies, there is not enough emphasis on the description of the various elements that Meyer is naming to create an accurate picture of this world and how it appears. As a reader, I find it confusing and difficult to follow some of the action because I have no context for what’s going on in the story.Overall, I was expecting a little more from the read, but the new and recreated elements of the mythology, especially the obsidian lion named Vermithrax, are engaging and make it fun to see what new creature or fantasy element may pop up. It is refreshing to see something that’s out of the vampire and magic vein, but the world needs more description and explanation to really take hold. -Lindsey Miller, www.lindseyslibrary.com ( )

Kids book, but interesting images. ( )

Different from other fantasies as it merges mermaids, sphinx, and magic into an exciting adventure. ( )

www.yasarah.blogspot.com ( )

Set in an enchanted Venice that has been held under siege for years by the Egyptians, Merle and Junipa are taken from an orphanage to apprentice with Arcimboldo, owner of a magical mirror workshop. Although the girls are not sure why they have been chosen, it is clear that they both possess some gifts. Junipa, blind since birth, is given mirror eyes that allow her to see. Merle is entrusted to save the life of the Flowing Queen, a goddess of the water. Complete with stone lions, mermaids, and mirror spirits, there are a host of magical creatures that coexist with the human characters. The political situation is coming to a head with war threatening and a messenger from Hell entreating the Venetians to form a pact.
The book, translated from the German by Elizabeth D. Crawford, tries to do too many things at once and what seems to be key information is divulged when the book is about to end with no development. The book reads as a first chapter, as the main characters are all left in disparate situations and the reader must wait for the next installment of the series to discover their fates. It is an ambitious attempt to cover an expansive array of fanciful creatures, war, political intrigue, and even a little romance. Series readers would enjoy this book which develops an increasingly fast pace as the volume progresses, others may well find it an interesting but ultimately unsatisfying read. ( )

The Water Mirror is set in an alaternate Venice of the late 1800 filled with magic, mermaids, and an evil Egyptian empire. Merle is an orphan and is apprenticed to a magic mirror maker. When she and Serafin - the magic weaver's apprentice - overhear a plot to allow the Egyptians to conquer Venice, they find themselves in the midst of danger.

A well told story, especially with the audio narrator. It was quite different from other plots and I look forward to the next book. My only complaint is that the story ends on a cliff hanger and should have gone on for a bit more. ( )

http://6impossiblethings.wordpress.co... ( )