Mirror Mirror

You know, I liked Wicked a LOT, but I had this weird feeling after reading it that I wasn't too interested in Maguire's other work because the endless "alterna-tales" shtick seemed tiresome ... which doesn't make a lot of sense now that I think about it, because I never sat around and thought things like "oh Dorothy Sayers, if she's just going to keep writing books about Peter Wimsey solving murders, then why even bother?" But regardless, I was reluctant.

I ended up loving this. He's not a perfect writer, but he's crafted this rich, rich story that feels like a completely legitimate foundation for Snow White. In his version, the events are taking place in renaissance Italy, and Lucrezia Borgia takes the role of wicked stepmother, show more although she more like a wicked guardian. And I just loved her by the end ... she is wicked, but so captivating. And maybe the best part was the treatment of the deer killed by the huntsman to provide evidence of the heart, which as a child I always thought was the most horrific part of the Snow White tale. show less

I never remember how much Maguire's writing bothers me until I stupidly pick up another of his books.

Why do weird (and kinda creepy) sexual undertones appear (often smugly) in Maguire's books? What did having Bianca practically explode with menstrual blood onto the floor and the dwarves add to the story? And did Lucretia really need to have a penis strapped to her head? I just don't see what that added to the story. No, I'm not against sex or sexuality in novels, but Maguire's just seems so contrived.

And my major issue is that he writes almost as if he's better than everyone, including his readers and characters (granted he usually is better than the characters, but still).

Oh well, I've got another one of his books right here, so I'll show more be annoyed again soon enough. show less

The original Snow White is my favorite story about beauty mandates, child murder, and necrophilia. Maguire's retelling is instead a sloppy mess featuring dwarves as farting boulders and a cook who has had sex with a squid. When Bianca first wakes up after having slept through puberty, she pees in detail and then menstruates probably a gallon of blood all over the floor. Were parts of this book ghostwritten by Piers Anthony?

Shoehorning Lucrezia Borgia into the evil (step)mother role is a lazy and transparent trick to avoid creating motivation within the plot; why bother when she comes intact with a scandalous, sensationalized history? Maguire shows no restraint in ramping up her cartoonish cruelty and vanity. The reader knows she is a show more bad bad lady because she'll fuck anyone--her father, her brother, her mentally retarded incest child--as long as it's naughty enough. Truly, I clutched my pearls. show less

I was thrown off balance for most of the book because I was expecting it to be a retold fairy tale. Instead it might be a fictionalized biography of Lucretia Borgia. Or maybe it's both.
In this version, one can almost sympathize with her. In our times we'd say she was molested, tho we are never made to feel pity for her: she is strong and determined and seemingly has bought into what fate has brought her.
Bianca is barely a person, more a pawn or an object. Her life is stolen from her over and over.
I really liked Maguire's imagined dwarves: slow thinkers, undifferentiated at first but changing.

This novel is far more sophisticated and thoughtful, and a more demanding read than Wicked, with its primitive, politically correct concepts that really amount to nothing new or original. Mirror, Mirror is not a story of Snow White -- we all know by now that Maguire concentrates on peripheral characters, not the traditional heroes -- it focuses on the misery and self-hatred that motivates the Wicked Stepmother -- in this story, Lucrezia Borgia, with whom, of course, the author took liberties, as he would with any historical character. This novel is a complex, intricate portrait of what seems like an unforgivable person, yet she can break your heart without making you want to forgive her. Through the dwarves subplot, Maguire also show more examines humanity and self-identity that sometimes can be achieved only through the eyes of another. If you *loved* Wicked, just rent the Disney version of Snow White; it'll make you happier. Mirror, Mirror is for well-read grownups with functional attention span. show less

This is an adult re-telling of Snow White. Set in Montefiore, Bianca de Nevada is 7 at the beginning of the tale living as an only child with her father after her mother died. Keeping her company are a potty mouthed cook Primavera Vecchia and not so holy Priest Far Ludovico. One day a noble couple come to visit, brother and sister Cesare Borgia and Lucrezia. There has been much speculation that Lucrezia had an inapprioriate relationship with their father, the Pope, and she has definitely had/is having one with her brother despite them both being married.

Cesare sends Bianca's father off to retrieve a sacred branch from the original Tree of Knowledge said to have 3 apples still growing upon it. They will make sure Bianca is ok while he is show more gone. He has no choice but to leave her behind and is followed unbeknownst to him by a dwarf. Lucrezia finds a beautiful mirror that Bianca's father found and uses it to see other people and places. She is upset with Cesar makes a pass at Bianca and feels her looks are fading, so sends Primavera's son out to the woods to kill Bianca and bring back her heart. He lets her go and she wakes up years later in a cave surrounded by dwarves.

This was a great tale. The dwarves were my favourites, they were so inhuman and well described. Definitely not the Disney versions with the more appealing names, these have names like Bitter, Nextday and Heartless. Like I said, it's definitely not intended for children. There was a really interesting section at the very end where Maguire talks about some of the history of the real Cesar and Lucrezia and where he got his ideas from which was fascinatinb. Definitely recommended. show less

I read this book quickly - I had a bit of time while travelling by train - and I really enjoyed it. Even more so than Wicked and Son of a Witch.
I thought it was brilliantly placed in Renaissance Italy and I love the weavings of the historical references. Lucrezia Borgia was perfectly cast as the wicked stepmother - she exudes evil and corruption, along with her vile brother Cesare.
While I knew the story, obviously, and how it would turn out, there were enough surprises to keep up my curiosity. The (eight) dwarves are beautifully described, nothing more than lumps of rock until Bianca's thoughts describe personalities for them, and I laughed over Next's doglike appearance.
This is a long, long way from Disney, whose version I also adore, show more but this is a much more sadistic tale, and completely unsuitable for children.
Delicious! show less