Hi there! I’m back again to talk about another giveaway win, this time from Fierce Reads.**And as always, the work to support the Black community is not done, whether there is media coverage for it or not, so here is the link to click in order to support the Black Lives Matter movement in any way you can, and thank you to StarlahReads for compiling these resources. You can also visit the description of this video by booktuber Jess Owens, which has links to several additional resources about global events.**
I think I’ve expressed many times on this blog that sometimes when I enter giveaways, I end up forgetting about it until I get a message asking for my shipping address because I’ve won, or receive an email with links to advanced copies through NetGalley. And this time is no exception, as I wasn’t quite expecting to get a message from Fierce Reads saying I’d won copies of books through their “Emotional Must-Reads Sweepstakes.” The only title I had recognized from the list had been The Mirror Season, a YA magical realism novel by Anna-Marie McLemore. I have read one book by this author before, Miss Meteor (also co-written by Tehlor Kay Mejia), which I loved, and was interested to see what magical aspects they would weave into this novel. To say I was blown away would be an understatement.
*a major theme of this novel is sexual assault at a party, so please proceed with caution if it is something that can be triggering for you, as moments from the attack are mentioned and sometimes detailed throughout the story*
from the synopsis on StoryGraph: “Graciela Cristales’ whole world changes after she and a boy she barely knows are assaulted at the same party. She loses her gift for making enchanted pan dulce. Neighborhood trees vanish overnight, while mirrored glass appears, bringing reckless magic with it. And Ciela is haunted by what happened to her, and what happened to the boy whose name she never learned. But when the boy, Lock, shows up at Ciela’s school, he has no memory of that night, and no clue that a single piece of mirrored glass is taking his life apart. Ciela decides to help him, which means hiding the truth about that night. Because Ciela knows who assaulted her, and him. And she knows that her survival, and his, depend on no one finding out what really happened.”
I don’t think I quite have the words to express how incredible I found this book to be. I’ll be honest, I do tend to stay away from novels discussing sexual assault, as the content can be a bit triggering if handled in certain ways, by McLemore’s beautiful writing and balance of heart and seriousness had me feeling so many emotions on every page. I made the mistake of reading this on the NetGalley app while at work, and let’s just say I’m glad I was in a secluded area because otherwise I think my coworkers would have been a bit concerned. Ciela is grappling with the guilt of remembering every single thing about that night, feels, in some way, responsible, and takes it upon herself to protect Lock from the truths, even if to her [and his] detriment. She loses her abilities to make enchanted pan dulce, and detect exactly what kind a customer walking into her family’s shop would need, after the assault, but through helping Lock and dealing with her own feelings in the process, she slowly starts to gain them back. Ciela is also protective to a fault, collecting up all the glass shards she can find and keeping them in her closet so they can’t harm anyone else (after a shard becomes lodged in her eye when she dropped Lock off at the hospital), and has trouble asking for help because she needs to feel in control of the situation, but also doesn’t want to feel like a burden to her loved ones. This book is tough to read at times, as Ciela and Lock are both relentlessly bullied by their attackers, who are able to make them relive some of the worst moments of that night on a daily basis while spinning the narrative so everyone at their school seems to view the night differently. Reliving those moments alongside Ciela was difficult to get through, but it highlights just how focused your mind can be on events you never want to remember. The main characters and their families were lovely, and I appreciated the support system Lock and Ciela developed in and around each other, so by the end neither of them feel like they’re trying to face this alone. The underlying message of hope and freedom and liberation once you reclaim the self that was once taken away was absolutely beautiful to see.
I would also really encourage you to read this article from We Need Diverse Books. It was included with the cover reveal for The Mirror Season and in this interview with Anna-Marie McLemore, they talk about the magic system, dealing with trauma from sexual assault, and other books they want to be included in similar conversations. It’s a great read and highlights some of their insights while crafting this novel, and I think the discussion behind it is incredibly important.
To be honest, I’m not sure any of what I’d written makes sense. All I know is that I sat with my phone on the table next to me, staring at a blank computer screen at work, for a solid twenty minutes after I finished and read through the author’s note, and as soon as March came around I asked if this could be my book choice as an LGBTQReads patron – I could not stop thinking about this book. I think it could be so much more impactful for me upon a reread, so I’m looking forward to it – plus the finished copies are STUNNING, as A.M. shared some pictures on their twitter last week leading up to release day. The Mirror Season is set to be released on March 16th, 2021 (which is today, if everything goes well), so please join me in wishing it a happy book birthday, and consider picking up a copy if you are able. I cannot wait to see what Anna-Marie McLemore has in store for us next.
Where to find The Mirror Season:
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Anna-Marie McLemore’s site
Macmillan
Thoughts About Things 