Obsidian Mirror

The many characters in The Obsidian Mirror are all drawn together by one thing – the mirror’s amazing ability to bend time and space, allowing the user to travel forward or backward in time. Jake desperately wants to find out what happened to his father, who he believes was murdered by the mysterious recluse currently in possession of the mirror. Others want to own the mirror to gain power, others to destroy it, and others for reasons yet undiscovered. Unfortunately, they can’t all get what they want…

It took me a little while to get into this book and even after the mystery had me hooked, I didn’t feel like there was a protagonist I could relate to. All of the characters but Jake were simply enigmas, too poorly understood for me to empathize with them. And Jake, while understandable, is too selfish in pursuit of his own goals for me to like him much. Fortunately, the plot and the fascinating setting made this still a very enjoyable and engaging read.

Without a main character to root for, I couldn’t stop reading for other reasons. I couldn’t wait to find out who everyone was; where (and when!) they came from; and what exactly was going on with the mirror and the supernatural creatures that started showing up. Everyone had their secrets and it was often difficult to tell who was telling the truth. There was constant action and adventure. And the book ended with some great potential for a sequel, in which we’ll hopefully find out more about all of the awesome characters introduced in this one.

This review first published on Doing Dewey.

I tried, but just couldn't get into this one. I couldn't connect with the characters or become invested in the plot.

I received this ARC free from the author.
This book was a fun, light read with interesting characters and a well-paced, engaging plot. Though time travel is a major element in this book, I felt it was more of a fantasy genre than science fiction. I'm definitely looking forward to further installments of this series.

Hmm. Not sure that I really enjoyed this one. I had a hard time figuring out what was going on and it didn't hold my interest very well. I will probably still get it for those who are Catherine Fisher fans.

NOTE: I received this book from Netgalley to review.

I'd heard lots of awesome things about Catherine Fisher, so I requested this book, all excited and full of great expectations. But to be honest, I was a bit disappointed.

Firstly, until about half way through, nothing really interesting happened. We were just introduced to the characters and some of the circumstances. Nothing special, nothing to grab my attention. Perhaps that's why it took me an entire week to finish this novel. It just didn't do it for me.

Secondly, the mysteries around which everything was revolving, weren't something absolutely out of the blue. No one really behaved outside of their character, which bored me. I mean, I would've wanted to see someone growing out of themselves by the end of the story, but no.

Venn was still the same guy, who cared about no one else and nothing else but getting his wife back.

Jake was the same rash boy who only cared about his father.

Sarah was perhaps the only mysterious character, who we didn't know anything about until the very last page.

And Gideon is my favorite of the lot. I hope they manage to find a way to help him out.

In conclusion, I want to say that the writing style was good, but the story isn't all that original. Also, the characters didn't really make an impression on me, so I can't say I'm thrilled by The Obsidian Mirror.

Having been an avid fan of Incarceron and Sapphique, I was excited and delighted to purchase a copy of Obsidian Mirror by Catherine Fisher. I read 200 pages in one sitting, and then it slowed considerably from there, bogged down by numerous characters. If a few of the characters were cut out, I think the novel wouldn't have suffered so much. The premise of the novel is fascinating (a mirror through which to travel in time, seemingly only backwards, though -- how to fix *that* problem?), but the addition of magical Shees seems a bit odd.

In 2010, before I started blogging, I came across Catherine Fisher's book Incarceron in my local library. I remember reading the cover jacket blurb and being completely intrigued. I checked it out, took it home and totally lost myself within its pages. That book had UNBELIEVABLE world building and incredible surprises inside of it. I remember my then eight year old son asking me what the book was about and I found I could hardly describe it. It really was like no other book I ever read. It was kind of mind blowing in it's complexities and plotting. Suffice to say, I was an instant fan of this author. Having never even heard of her prior to reading Incarceron, I researched and discovered she had a whole treasure trove of books under her belt. So, it may seem odd that other than Incarceron and the sequel Sapphique, I haven't read any other books by Fisher. I guess I started blogging, discovered more great books and authors, and she sort of fell by the wayside. UNTIL NOW. When I saw The Obsidian Mirror popping up around the blogosphere, I immediately looked into it. Yes, I thought. This was what I have been waiting for. I was not wrong.Let me start out by saying that Catherine Fisher is one of those authors. The ones that write so masterfully that they make it look EASY. It's hard for me to describe exactly what I mean, but Fisher's storytelling reminds me of a few other authors in terms of smoothness and "readability" (sorry, I'm grasping here in my definition.) I would put her in the same league with Neil Gaiman, Robin McKinley, Peter S. Beagle, and Cornelia Funke. I've never read any Philip Pullman or Garth Nix, but she is often linked with them as well. When you read her stories you feel like you are reading the works of a real and true WRITER. Does that make sense? Well, that's the best I can describe it. What's more, I never feel as if my time with her will be anything less than well spent. How many authors can you say that about, really? For me, not many. Okay, enough. You see that I am a fan. Onward.The Obsidian Mirror could best be described as a fantasy (there are definite magical elements), science fiction (there is a time travel theme), paranormal/ supernatural (there are Fae-like beings known as the Shee), historical fiction/fantasy (it's a time travel story so we get views into the past), all centered around a mystery. Whew! That, my friends, is some SERIOUS genre blending! But you know what? Somehow, it all WORKS. I don't think many writers could pull it off, but Fisher does.There are a number of characters in The Obsidian Mirror, and a number of intersecting storylines. The book is written in third person, multiple POV. Generally this type of narration is a tough sell for me. But in rare instances, it works. Last year I read The Diviners by Libba Bray, which also featured a HUGE cast and many, many story arcs. Bray pulled it off and so does Fisher. Even with a monstrously large cast of characters, I NEVER ONCE felt confused. I never once had to turn back and look something or someone up to be sure of what was going on or who I was reading. It's seamless. Our two central narrators are Jake and Sarah. There are a few chapters narrated by other members of the cast as well, but their two viewpoints are the main ones. Jake is the teenage son of missing scientist David Wilde. His godfather, the once world explorer, and now reclusive, Oberon Venn, was David's best friend and the last person to see him alive. Jake believes with all his heart and soul that Venn is responsible for his dad's death. He is traveling to England and Venn's family estate, Wintercombe Abbey, to confront him.Sarah is not from the present day. What time is she from? Well, we aren't quite sure. Sarah has a mission. What is the mission? Well, we don't know that either. But we do know that she didn't cross time alone. She is being hunted by someone sinister, someone that means to stop her from fulfilling her goal. There are a host of other characters, each just as well rounded as Jake and Sarah and each harboring their own agenda and secrets: Oberon Venn, who we have mentioned; his servant Piers; Wharton, the teacher who accompanied Jake to Venn's residence; Rebecca, a stranger who befriends Wharton and Jake; Gideon, a boy from the nearby Wood; and several others who I want to say more about but can't because it would be TOO spoilery. There are so many fascinating, mysterious, quirky, endearing people that populate this story but two in particular absolutely STOLE MY HEART: Maskelyne and Moll. It is killing me that I cannot elaborate further about these two. KILLING. ME.Moving on. So, I mentioned time travel. How does that come into play? Well, that is precisely what ties all of these people and all of their intersecting arcs together. The Chronoptika, or the obsidian mirror, is a time portal of sorts. It is a device created centuries earlier with the ability to transport people across space and time. But there are a few hitches. The most glaring being that no one knows the exact way to use the portal and safely travel through it. Venn has come into possession of the mirror, and he has his own reasons for wanting to figure out how to use it. Jake, on the other hand, wants to use it to find his missing dad. Sarah's motivations are unclear. And the villain who chases her, Janus, wants it for his own nefarious means. Fisher deftly maneuvers between each of these alternating storylines building suspense and revealing things to the reader a little at a time.In addition to the time travel aspect, there are things afoot in the nearby Wood. A race of beings known as the Shee inhabit the surrounding forest of Wintercombe Abbey. Although this is the most underdeveloped aspect of the book, it also happens to be one of the most beautiful in terms of imagery."The Shee wore white and silver. Jake stared at them, astounded. They were a wild army of guizers, mumers, gaberlunzies, masked and costumed with the remnants of ancient Christmases. He saw a ragged St. George, a black clad Moor, a creature tailed and spine like. A capering dragon, white fire flashing from its mouth. He saw Morris men and caparisoned knights on skeletal horses. Tall beautiful beings like women walked out of the trees and turned their emerald eyes on him."Or this:"He saw them change. They transformed before him, shrank, glittered, shimmered. Their clothes sprouted feathers, their beaked faces shrieked. Only their eyes, bird-sharp, aslant, stayed the same. And then they were up and flying, a great swooping host of starlings, dark and furiously noisy against the starry sky, breaking and reforming in sudden bizarre patterns, the whooshing of their wings loud as they poured and split.He stared, amazed until the last formation fractured and broke. And then they were gone, in long streamers of darkness over the sleeping Wood."(And I will never look at a flock of birds the same way again.)Although their role in The Obsidian Mirror is minor and very mysterious, it is clear that Fisher has much more in mind for the Shee in future books. Like most faerie folklore, I feel that they are beings that may prove to be helpful but ultimately, shouldn't be trusted. I am very excited to see what part Summer, Queen of the Shee, and her people will play.I have to talk a little about the setting. I would almost say that Wintercombe Abbey, where the bulk of the story takes place, is very much like those amazing manor homes and estates found in the very best Gothic horror stories. Dark, mysterious, and sprawling, Wintercombe Abbey, the home of Oberon Venn, is a character unto itself. The interior is described in great detail, the hallways, wings and rooms almost seem to breathe and add a unmistakable sense of darkness to the story. The exterior grounds of the estate also have a dangerous and foreboding feeling, as does the entire neighboring village which is quietly encased in the ice and deep snow of a December winter. The characters, the storyline, and the setting all work together to create a complex, multi layered, vivid story. There is quite a bit of "setting of the scene in this book", as is often the case with the first book in a series, but there are also some exciting revelations. But what I loved most about The Obsidian Mirror? You know that feeling you get after reading one of the Harry Potter books? That feeling of just experiencing something EPIC both in scale and in delivery? That is what I felt after finishing The Obsidian Mirror. I felt like I was just beginning to scratch the surface of something BIG. Having read Incarceron and Sapphique, I am fully prepared for the twists and turns that I KNOW lie ahead in this series. And I cannot wait. Bring it, Ms. Fisher:) Fisher has announced that book #2 in the series will be entitled The Box of Red Brocade. If you love epic fantasy tales, enjoy science fiction and time travel aspects, go crazy over well fleshed out characters that run the gamut from scary, to mysterious, to quirky and beyond, and love a fabulously plotted story then you need to check out this book.

The Obsidian Mirror resists easy classification.It begins with Jake deliberately getting himself expelled from boarding school, hoping he'll consequently be sent to his godfather at Wintercombe Abbey - he wants to confront his godfather, whom he believes is responsible for the death of his father. It begins as if it's a Gothic Young Adult novel.However, it ultimately seems less a story about teenagers and more a story which just happens to involve a couple of them - not exactly my definition of YA.And I'm not sure if it's fantasy or science-fiction... it's a Gothic SF mystery with faeries, teenage protagonists, Hamlet references and time-travel. (And quotations from various in-world documents about certain key figures.) Which makes an already-confusing story even more confusing and unpredictable. Not knowing exactly what this is makes it harder make predictions about how the pieces fit together. There is also a remarkable amount of ambiguity in regards to which villain actually is the villain.However I'm reasonably hopeful about the sequels, which will potentially be less confusing; I might like this more when I have a better grip on what is going on. Maybe this will appeal to those who loved Incarceron? Personally, I'd only recommend it to those who have read enough Catherine Fisher to have well-informed expectations. Everyone else, I recommend that you read Corbenic, The Snow-walker's Son or The Lammas Field...

Jake Wilde knows his father is dead. And he’s positive his godfather, Venn, killed him. So he gets himself kicked out of school in order to confront Venn and find out the truth about his dad’s disappearance. The book started out really strong for me and sucked me in. But once we start to learn more about Venn and the mysterious mirror that allows people to time travel, I had a hard time staying interested. There are far too many characters and they all, well, suck. Starting out, it seemed that Jake was the main character but there are so many side stories happening that we never really get to know any of the characters very well. And they all seem so angry and unpersonable – I just didn’t connect or care about any of them. With the addition of the magical Woods outside the house filled with Fey, nothing seemed cohesive. It was a bizarre addition to the story that didn’t fit at all. I don’t have any interest in continuing this series. I don’t really care what happens to any of these characters, except maybe for the minor character of Moll.

Background: Jake Wilde’s father is missing and there is nothing he can do about it while in boarding school, thanks to his godfather Venn, but he is determined to figure out what happened and to do so he must go to his godfather’s home. Venn is an eccentric, hermit of a man, who lives by himself, aside from one servant and some cats; here he works on mysterious projects which Jake believes to be the reason for his father’s disappearance. Little does Jake know that Venn has been working on something spectacular; crazy enough even to change history for the worse and some people will stop at nothing to prevent him while others will stop at nothing to steal his prized contraption. Review: Catherine Fisher’s Obsidian Mirror is jam packed with characters that all play important roles in the plot of this novel and probably the coming books in the trilogy. Jake your average teenage boy, full of loathing, angst, and revenge for his father’s death/ disappearance, while Venn is just a sad, sad old man, wrapped up in something he cannot change but will stop at nothing to try. These two characters really pull the plot forward, the science fiction and fantasy aspects are all centered on these two and how they react to events. The elements of fantasy were very confusing at first, there are fae and Wood dwellers and wolves that may be supernatural, and all the while there is science fiction and time travel and a magical mirror that determines the travel. All of these aspects rolled into one book were delightful, mysterious, confusing, intriguing, and entertaining all at once. I was happy to continue to read, the more that was revealed the more I wanted to know and learn more about, the only problem that I had was that with so many characters if was hard to keep track of everyone’s intentions. Another issue was that this is the first in a trilogy, so there was a lot left to the next installment.Either way, the writing was beautiful; Fisher captured the characters and their emotions, Victorian England and speech, and descriptions of the settling like I could have been there. It was a wonderfully written book.

I had read Fisher’s Incarceron series and enjoyed it, so I was eager to read this latest book by her. Thanks to Dial and Librarything for the chance to review this book. There were some interesting ideas in here and the book starts out as intriguing. As the story continued though there were too many POVs and the story became fractured and a bit confusing.Jake is convinced that his strange Godfather Oberon Venn has something to do with Jake’s father’s disappearance. When Jake journeys to Wintercombe Abbey, he finds the truth is much stranger than even he could have guessed. Sarah is a strange runaway who is not exactly what she appears and she also ends up at Wintercombe Abbey in hopes of finding a mysterious mirror.This is one of those books that is hard to explain. It involves a lot of people, a mysterious time travel inducing mirror, and a bunch of fey. Initially we mainly hear from Jack and Sarah, but as the book continues the story and the number of POVs kind of spin out of control. Trying to figure out how all these little threads are tied together is tough and maybe something that will become clearer in future books in this series.I always have a bit of trouble with time travel books because you start thinking about how past and previous activities affect current ones and the whole thing gets a bit convoluted and confusing. This holds true for this book as well.I also had some trouble with the characters. I didn’t really care for any of them all that much. As the reader you don't really get to spend enough time with any of them to fully engage with them.I also found the inclusion of the Fey with time travel to be a bit confusing. It is definitely a creative twist to time travel, but by the end of the book I still didn’t understand why the Fey were involved. Again maybe future books in this series will reveal more about this.The book started out as an excellent read. As the story continued it spiraled out into a million different POVs that ended up fracturing the story, slowing the pace, and making it difficult to follow. By the end I felt that what had started out as an interesting premise was kind of a let down.Overall an okay read, but not great. The premise is interesting and creative and the book starts out as intriguing. As the story continues the addition of more and more story threads and more and more points of view made things confusing. The jumping through time and jumping from character to character fractured the story and made it hard to follow. I never really engaged with any of the characters and by the end of the book found the plot to be a bit of a drag. This could end up being an interesting series, but I disliked this book enough that I won’t be reading any more of it.I definitely think Incarceron was a better book by Fisher. I wouldn’t really recommend this book to anyone unless you are a huge fan of Fisher’s work and really want to read something else by her.

After reading and enjoying Catherine Fishers other novels, Incarceron and Sapphique, I was eager to get my hands on another one of her books. So, I didn't hesitate when I had the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Obsidian Mirror.We meet Jake, a rebel-without-a-cause looking to escape the confines of his oppressive boarding school. He is the ward of an eccentric godfather, Oberon Venn, after Jake's father died under mysterious circumstances. Jake believes that Venn killed his father, though he quickly finds that Venn harbors many secrets, many of which are hidden away in Wintercombe Abbey, his reclusive home. As Jake starts to dig into the secrets at Wintercombe, he finds that what he knows and believes about his father and godfather are certainly not what they seem.Obsidian Mirror is a wonderfully fast-paced and enjoyable novel from Fisher filled with fascinating characters and fascinating secrets that fans of her other novels are sure to enjoy. Though there is a stronger fantasy element here than in Incarceron, I thoroughly enjoyed her use of the supernatural against the almost historical gothic-esque British backdrop. it helped to give the novel something a of mystique and a fascination that made it just feel right.Recommended for fans of Fisher's other novels and teen fantasy novels. A fun and worthwhile read.

I simply loved this book. It was amazing from start to finish. I have read 2 of her other books, Incarceron and Sapphique. This book was just as good. I cant wait to read the next one!

Jake Wilde had done everything in his power to escape from boarding school so he can confront the man he believes, killed his father. He travels with one of his teachers to Wintercombe Abbey to take on Oberon Venn, his Godfather. What Jake doesn't realize is that there is always more to every story and this one is filled with many twists and turns. This is the first time I have read a title by Catherine Fisher. I am familiar with her other work and have heard quite a bit of praise. This book did not disappoint. I was wrapped up in the story from the first chapter. However, it is a very rich and complex world and I found myself taking notes! There are so many characters and storylines going in this book that sometimes it's a bit much to keep them all sorted out. I found myself rereading a few parts to keep them all straight. I feel that this book is an introduction of sorts into what will happen in the rest of the series. Eventually everything all came together more or less and I was for the most part satisfied with the story. This story has many elements of friendship, love, betrayal, sadness, fear and intrigue. It also blurs the lines between genres by having a mix of Science fiction, Mystery, Fantasy and Historical fiction. I did enjoy this book despite all the twists and turns. I would recommend this to teens and adults looking for a complex story that takes you on a twisty adventure. It's not your typical quick read!

Jake Wilde is in trouble at boarding school again -- and this time, it's bad enough to get him kicked out. Of course, that was Jake's plan all along. This time, instead of being shuttled off to the next school, Jake will be sent to Wintercombe Abbey to confront Oberon Venn, his reclusive guardian and the man Jake is convinced killed his father. Accompanied by one of the teachers from the school, Jake travels to Venn's remote estate, where he finds that Venn is more than just a legendary explorer turned recluse, and there's more to Jake's father's disappearance than Jake could possibly have guessed.I definitely was pulled into the world of the story, though not all of the elements came together perfectly. It seemed like there were several stories going on -- a dystopian one about a girl traveling back through time to prevent the end of the world, a mystery about Jake's missing father, a tale of a changeling boy trapped among the fey, and a piquant, surreal little love story about a girl and her imaginary friend. It was almost too much, through somehow they all worked together, more or less, by the end of the book. For me, this is bound to be a problematic series -- I want to know what the next book will bring, but I'll never remember all of the characters and events from this book, but I didn't love it so much that I will really relish a reread when the next book comes out. So, I suppose my recommendation is to read this book, but read it when the sequel is also available.

I really like Catherine Fisher as an author, and this one didn't disappoint. It was really good, intriguing, mysterious, and keeps you guessing. I enjoyed the characters and the plot, and will be waiting for the sequels to see what happens next.

After yet another incident at his posh boarding school in Switzerland, Jake Wilde is sent home to his godfather for good, accompanied by one of his teachers. Jake believes that his godfather, an explorer and adventurer named Oberon Venn, is responsible for the death of his father while conducting some secret experiments involving a strange mirror at Venn’s secluded residence, Wintercombe Abbey. Unbeknownst to Jake, others are also making their way to the Abbey at the same time: a young woman called Sarah, who claims to have escaped from a high-security psychiatric unit nearby, a man purporting to be a police inspector trailing Sarah and a mysterious scarred man. Add to the mix Venn’s friendly factotum to whom there’s more than meets the eye, an ice wolf hunting Sarah and the host of the Shee, a group of faeries residing in the wood on the Wintercombe estate, and you’ve got the ingredients for a gripping and intelligent page-turner that will appeal to young adults and their parents alike. The novel deals with timeless topics like love, loyalty, friendship and betrayal, and there are echoes of Doctor Who and even Harry Potter, but it is also quite unique and ambitious in its scope. The first in a series, it leaves more questions than answers at the end of the book, and I for one eagerly anticipate the publication of the next volume. The reason the book only gets four and a half stars is the rather unlikely event that Jake was able to smuggle his pet marmoset through airport security.(This review was originally written as part of Amazon's Vine programme.)

I received a copy of this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program. I was very excited to read this story, having seen the popularity of Fisher's Incarceron series in the high school library. I thought the beginning was fantastic. I enjoyed the opening chapters introducing Jake and Sarah. Unfortunately this book did not continue to live up to my expectations, however. I wanted the characters to grow and develop through the course of the story, and they really didn't. I found it highly unlikely that Wharton would follow Jake and stay with him as long as he did. I wasn't sad about Venn's wife and so never felt his motivation was believable. The inclusion of the fey in the woods surrounding the Wintercombe estate seemed superfluous. Perhaps there will be answers as the series continues, but I just didn't feel invested enough to want to read more.

I have heard of Catherine Fisher before, and I was interested in reading her work, but this is the first book I've read of hers. And boy, did I love it. Now I have to get my hands on the rest of her books! I received this book from the Early Reviewers program on Librarything in exchange for an honest review.The Obsidian Mirror by Catherine Fisher is an amalgam of different genres, but she does it seamlessly-- we have some paranormal elements with fantasy and faeries as well as some science fiction thrown in. It's hard to say who exactly is the star in this book as we get a multitude of perspectives in third person, but that is also well done. We start with Jack, a young boy, who is determined to find out what happened to his father who has "disappeared." He travels to meet with his father's best friend, Oberon Venn, a recluse who used to be a star climber, who now holes up in Wintercombe Abbey. A host of other people come into the picture and the legendary Obsidian Mirror, which has some interesting aspects to it, plays a central role. I know I'm not telling you much, but there are a lot of plot twists and jaw dropping reveals, and I just don't want to give any of that away.I loved this book! I loved the old timey feel of the piece, the characters, and the elements of those different genres all combined so effortlessly. I loved the great plot twists, the eerie scenery and backdrop of Wintercombe Abbey, and the Agatha Christie whodunit feel of the novel. The pacing was terrific-- I blazed from cover to cover in a few hours, and wanted to immediately devour the sequel-- which, WHEN is that coming out! Must have!Overall, a stunning start to a trilogy with a terrific and intriguing set of characters, scenery, and plot twists.

Jake Wilde is convinced that his guardian, Oberon Venn killed his father. He has decided to go back to Wintercombe Abbey and confront him, however things are never what they seem and there's time-travel, mysteries, the fey and a lot of complications.It just missed something to grab me, I'm not sure what but it didn't grab me and made me want to continue reading the series. Some day I'll read book two but I'm not champing at the bit. It was interesting but the characters didn't really come to life or click with me.