'The Mirror' by Marlys Millhiser is a captivating time travel tale that follows the story of Shay Garrett, a young woman from the 1970s who mysteriously switches lives with her grandmother, Brandy McCabe, from the year 1900. As Shay navigates the challenges of living in the past, she must adapt to a different era's societal norms and historical events, including the Great Depression and World War II. Meanwhile, Brandy finds herself in Shay's modern world of 1978, struggling to understand the advancements and changes that have occurred over the decades. The narrative weaves together the lives of these two women through a magical mirror, exploring themes of family history, love, and the consequences of altering the past.

Characters:

The characters include a modern young woman, her traditional grandmother, and their mother, illustrating the complexities of generational expectations and personal identity.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style combines vivid descriptions with a narrative that intertwines historical and personal elements, producing an engaging and immersive reading experience.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot features a time travel narrative where a young woman swaps lives with her grandmother through a cursed mirror, exploring themes of identity and family.

Setting:

The setting alternates between early 1900s and 1970s Boulder, Colorado, highlighting contrasting social norms and lifestyles.

Pacing:

Pacing fluctuates, with sections offering deep character exploration while others feel rushed, particularly towards the end.

The streetlight pinpointed wet speartips on the ornate fence, made dancing leaves sweep shadows across the gate swinging in the wind. A hollow clang sounded over the noise of the storm as the gate ret...

Notes:

The novel The Mirror by Marlys Millhiser combines elements of time travel, fantasy, and historical fiction.

The story revolves around a twenty-year-old woman named Shay Garrett who gets transported back to the year 1900.

Upon looking into an antique mirror given by her mother, Shay switches bodies with her grandmother, Brandy McCabe.

Brandy is also twenty but lives in a very different society with strict beliefs about marriage and roles of women.

As Shay navigates life in Brandy's body, she attempts to avoid a forced marriage arranged by Brandy's father.

Shay maintains a diary to document her experiences in the past, hoping to find a way back to her original time.

The story unfolds in three main parts, focusing on Shay's life in 1900, her mother Rachael's struggles in 1978, and Brandy's experiences in the modern world.

The novel explores themes of family history, identity, and the clash between modern ideas and traditional values.

The mirror is depicted as a cursed object with its own ominous history and ability to change lives.

The book highlights the challenges faced by both women as they adapt to significantly different lifestyles across generations.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Triggers may include themes of forced marriage, mental health struggles, and pregnancy complications.

Has Romance?

While there are romantic elements, they are intertwined with larger themes and character development rather than being the focal point of the story.

implied steam level

From The Publisher:

In this twisting time-travel thriller, a woman faints on the eve of her wedding-and awakens at the turn of the century in her grandmother's body . . . The night before she is supposed to get married, Shay Garrett has no idea that a glimpse into her grandmother's antique Chinese mirror will completely transform her seemingly ordinary life. But after a bizarre blackout, she wakes up to find herself in the same house-but in the year 1900. Even stranger, she realizes she is now living in the body of her grandmother, Brandy McCabe, as a young woman. Meanwhile, Brandy, having looked into the same mirror, awakens in Shay's body in the present day-and discovers herself pregnant. As Rachael-the woman who links these two generations, mother to one and daughter to another-weaves back and forth between two time periods, this imaginative thriller explores questions of family, identity, and love. Courageous, compassionate Shay finds herself fighting against the confines of a society still decades away from women's liberation, while Brandy struggles to adapt to the modern world she has suddenly been thrust into. The truth behind this inexplicable turn of events is more complex than either woman can imagine-and The Mirror is a tribute to the triumph of the female spirit, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. "What happens will surprise you. In the meantime, settle down for a good read." -The Denver Post

Ratings (1)

Loved It (1)

Reader Stats (6):

Read It (1)
Want To Read (4)
Not Interested (1)

What can you read after
The Mirror?

See the list (33 books)

About the Author:

Marlys Millhiser was an American author of fifteen mysteries and horror novels. Born in Charles City, Iowa, Millhiser originally worked as a high school teacher. She served as a regional vice president of the Mystery Writers of America and was best known for her novel The Mirror and for the Charlie Greene Mysteries

Meet New Books is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products and services on amazon.com and its subsidiaries.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.

The Mirror

Marlys Millhiser