Decent story, easy enough to follow. I would read more books by this author. Overall, I liked the characters, the plot, the dialogue, and the wrap up.

3/5 Stars

As a child, the city betrayed Ren in many ways, and now she’s back to exact revenge: by conning her way into the nobility, only to find out there’s a deeper game afoot and she somehow plays a role.

I’ll be honest and say the cover was a big reason why I wanted to read this book. The masks had me dreaming of Carnevale in Italy, but, after reading the book, I’m pretty sure I read somewhere one time that there were Slavic influences woven through the world, and I kept getting an Eastern European feel to it with tarot cards thrown in for good measure. It was kind of a dizzying world and something of a slog to get into, what with being thrown into a completely foreign world and having to wade through almost incomprehensible titles, families, places, and terms. It was confusing and I just gave up on trying to keep everything straight, hoping it would become clearer the longer I read on, which it did as the story picked up and took quite a few terms to become one of my favorite reads.

The Plot: Where Games Come to be Played
Ren was orphaned as a young child when her mother was killed and robbed. She ended up being raised alongside Tess and Sledge by their knot leader Ondrakja, but the city once again betrays her as Ondrakja kills Sledge as punishment to Ren. So Ren poisons Ondrakja, committing an unforgivable betrayal of her knot, and runs from Nadezra with Tess.

Years later, Ren and Tess are back. Aiming to take revenge on a city that has stolen everything from her by conning her way into the noble Traementis family, Ren poses as Renata Viraudax, the daughter of a woman struck from the Traementis register, with Tess as her maid. She makes waves as she ensures everyone in the city knows her name so the remaining Traementis family can’t ignore her. She also draws the attention of a masked vigilante known as the Rook and reformed criminal named Vargo who has eyes on joining the nobility himself.

Ren is drawn into a web, a dizzying game being played around her without her being aware of it while she plays her own, that has her reaching into her Vraszenian roots and playing both sides of the city, the Nadezran half and the Vraszenian half as the two clash in a class war around her.

The Mask of Mirrors is, as I’ve mentioned, dizzying. The reader is tossed whole body into a completely foreign world where nobles aren’t even lords and ladies, but altans and altas. There’s a handy cast of characters and a glossary that I found myself referencing throughout the book, but I found it easier to figure out by simply shrugging it off and hoping it would make sense and the pieces would fall into place as I read along. But it was often confusing and slow going as story and world building wound so tightly around each other. It was difficult trying to understand one piece without the other. So, the beginning was kind of a dizzy mess and will likely merit some re-reading. But I did like getting to know Ren as both Ren and Renata and the history that drove her to doing what she was doing. It was fascinating to read about how she worked to con the nobility of Nadezra.

The middle both disappointed and thrilled me. At its start, I couldn’t help rolling my eyes at a too common device used in fantasy. It felt like an easy way out to transition from the story of Ren conning her way into the Traementis family to the story of a disgruntled woman from Ren’s past and the story of a larger con game afoot throughout the city. Really, it’s quite a lot packed into this book, and I’m a little surprised it, more or less, flowed. But that middle part, as much as it had me rolling my eyes and feeling a little letdown, really did come through and add a little more to the story. Though it also bloated the story to near bursting.

The second half of the book was kind of a roller coaster. I found it impossible to put down. There was so much going on, so many events, so many different disparate parts coming together into a whole. I loved that control slipped from Ren and an entirely more sinister plot brewed to throw the city into chaos, chaos that maybe only Ren could help temper. It was an incredible ride and, at the end, I was mad that it ended and I would have to wait for the next book to be published because, by then, I’d gotten a good grasp on the world and was so pulled into the games being played that I wanted to read more. I don’t think I’ve ever been so indignantly angry at a book before.

The Characters: Focused on a Core Group
Like most fantasies, The Mask of Mirrors comes with a large cast of characters, but not so large as the dramatis personae list would have you believing. There are quite a few minor characters that do carry some importance, but the reader doesn’t really get to meet or interact much with them. Instead, the story is focused on a handful or so people, making it much easier to keep track of them and where in the world and the story they belonged.

There’s Ren and Tess who are sisters and have spent years together. Ren is the con artist while Tess plays her role as a lady’s maid and is quite a wizard with a needle. They’re a lovely pair that balance each other and I adore the close, sisterly bond they share. Tess is more of a shrinking violet, always unsure of herself when not playing Ren’s maid. Ren was, essentially, three faced as she portrayed herself, Renata the noblewoman, and Arenza the Vraszenian pattern reader. It was a lot of fun reading how she managed to pull them all off and keep them all separate. I thought Ren was much more boring than Renata, though, and Arenza didn’t do much but dutifully play her role. I liked that she was able to pull off all three, but I find I don’t really know Ren herself.

Then there’s Vargo and the Traementis family and the Rook. Each portrays a different part of Nadezran society. Vargo is the reformed crime lord trying to edge his way into the nobility, and he will play anyone and every game to do so. But there’s something suave about him, something that’s both oily and alluring. The Traementis family is rapidly diminishing, both in size and wealth. With the arrival of Renata, they number four. The matriarch is, of course, suspicious, but her children, Leato and Giuna welcome her as a long-lost cousin. There’s both distrust and desperation in the once prominent noble family. The Rook is a symbol for the Vraszens. A shadowy, unknown figure that has endured for 200 hundred years, the Rook exacts revenge for the lower classes, but seems to have a separate vendetta of it’s own.

Put together, the characters alone, with how diverse they are, hints at a huge story. Each is a different cog in a plot the reader only starts to learn of in the latter half of the book. There’s much at stake for each of them, but bonds also grow that will likely be tested over and over before the story is concluded.

The Setting: Focused on a City, but Complex
The Mask of Mirrors presents a fascinating, yet confusing world. As the reader is simply dropped into it and the authors don’t take a moment to introduce anything, it feels like a crazy mass of made up words that only slowly spin into a cohesive world. Instead, all the explaining is left to the glossary, requiring much flipping back and forth.

But I do have to admit that, as ambitious as it is, it somehow works. Once I was as fully oriented as I could be, or could at least keep altas and altans separate. I kept expecting Venice to pop up, especially with the prevalence of masks and all the canals, but Poland kept invading my thoughts. I definitely got more of an Eastern European feel than Italian, which just made things more muddled in my mind.

As I read on, though, I adjusted to the world unfolding before me to the point where I was fully drawn into it. I loved how it depicted a city full of the people native to Nadezra, the Vraszenians, and the descendants of the invaders. It’s a classic class story of the conquerors shoving down the people who were there first. But now things are becoming heated as cogs begin to turn, creating a city of unrest and distrust.

On another level, there’s a more mystical component at play. The magic is in the form of numinatria, designs that, when drawn a certain way, induce different kinds of behavior in the people caught up in it. But there’s also pattern magic, accessible only to Vraszenian pattern readers who take what are, essentially, tarot cards, and tell someone’s fortune and misfortune and that which is neither. The magic is subtle, but strong, and I get the feeling there’s more yet to be unraveled about how, exactly, it all works considering how strong the pattern magic of the Vraszenians are and how predominant the numinatria of the Nadezrens are.

Overall: Amazing After a Shaky Start
While The Mask of Mirrors started on shaking footing for me, I’m glad I stuck with it. It was absolutely slow going, but, by going as slowly as I needed to, I was better able to absorb the story and the world to the point where I really didn’t want it to end. As confused as I was at first, I found myself angry that I would have to wait for the next book to be published to find out what was going to happen next. I was not ready to stop reading, especially since the real story of the series was just starting to gear up. I wasn’t a fan of how the story seemed to evolve from one thing to another, but it all made sense and, thinking back, I can see wisps of the overarching story reaching all the way back to the first pages. Overall, an almost too bloated and ambitious story, but fascinating enough for me to eagerly anticipate the next book.

Thank you to Angela Man and Orbit for electronic and physical ARC copies. All opinions expressed are my own.
Link to post: https://thelilycafe.com/book-review-the-mask-of-mirrors-by-m-a-carrick/

2.5 stars

Con artists, nobility, and crime lords are the main factions in this novel, delivering a collectively intricate plot reminiscent of a fantastical Venetian opera. With ten houses of the nobility and their main characters raging political intrigue - over 20 additional characters will mix into this multifaceted, dynamic plot and keep the reader on their toes.

Arenza Lenskaya, aka Ren, aka Renata Viraudax, was raised in the slums of Nadezra and is learning to gain acceptance into the House Traementis as their long-lost kin hoping for all the wealth and social benefits it will bring. The truth however is, she is a con artist and willing to form beneficial alliances in her alias to achieve what she seeks. What she does not know is that other forces are tugging from every side.

While we follow Ren and her thoughts, she interchanges her name, depending on who she deals with and what she can benefit from the most. With changing garments, going to balls, and going as far as to change her skin color, we follow her upturning and plotting against and for nobility, while being partially open to rather shady business.

In an ever-changing plot and povs, some of the other elements of the novel are introduced. While we meet Oskana Ryvcek, a legendary swordswoman, we are also learning of The Rook, a feared and charming outlaw.

As Ren is thrown into the dangers of the different houses, magical forces sweep her off her feet and she has to sort out friends from foe.

In this story that sounds absolutely intriguing and fabulous, I found myself lost at times for a lack of explanations or connections. A swift change between chapters, characters, and an upending conspiracy, was beyond my ability to fully follow. The parts that worked for me, which were moments that I actually understood the circumstantial connections (keep in mind, there were 52 characters – so listed in the back of the book plus a glossary guide of terms) that were quite enjoyable. I loved some of the darker magic in there and the feistiness of the characters. At a page count of almost 700 pages, and from what I gather took over 2 years to plot-out in regards to the regal houses, alliances, and characters, it was just a bit beyond my complete comfort or delight but certainly commendable.
I am sure there are other readers that will absolutely love this book. Unfortunately, it didn’t work as well for me.

Con artists and heists have always been a weakness for me and when I realised The Mask Of Mirrors deals with something similar, I was very very excited to read it. The book didn’t disappoint but it wasn’t a full five star read either.
Ren is a con artist who’s pretending to be a long lost cousin of the House Traementis in the hopes of getting added to their register and finally being safe. But little does she realise that trying to align with house Traementis might have brought her more danger than she bargained for.
The story moves forward with multiple povs and tackling multiple parallel plot lines that all converge at the end. I enjoyed all the different povs and as is usually the case, I didn’t find myself wanting to be done with certain povs and skimming to reach others. Every character was well fleshed out and full of so much intrigue and mystery even while showing some astonishing depth that I find myself missing them eventhough I have only just finished the book.
The world was interesting and very elaborate. Loved loved loved the queer rep and how straight was not the norm as far as sexuality was concerned in this fictional world. There were a lot of things I loved about the world but I was disappointed to see so little actual world building. Only need to know facts for plot advancement were shared and I wish the authors hadn’t shown quite so much restraint and wish there was more info dumping along the way. A glossary was provided but flipping back and forth on the app was very difficult and that greatly affected the first half of the book. The slow pace, although expected, didn’t help matters either.
The magic system, again, although intriguing, suffered the same fate. With little to no info given in the course of the story, I am only left with half an understanding of how exactly it’s supposed to work.
A high fantasy’s success relies on the uniqueness of its world and magic system, but if it’s not explained properly to the readers, it does take away some of the joy. This is in fact my only major problem with the book. My investment in the characters were the only thing that pulled me through the lacklustre first half.
The second does a better job with the pace and provides more insight into the world and the magic system. Just enough to keep you hooked. I hope we get more in the future instalments.
Parts 3 and 4 are action packed and full of surprises. We finally see all the different plot lines connecting to each other and the twists were all pretty well executed. I could predict some of them but some came out of nowhere. The second half had me completely gripped and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
I cannot wait to read on further because even with the rocky start, this book definitely made its mark on me. I would definitely recommend it to readers who are patient enough to get through a slightly confusing first half. It definitely pays off at the end.

Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Rook & Rose series. I got a copy of this book to review through NetGalley.

Story (4/5): This is a well done epic fantasy but is very long and at points you can really feel that length. The plot is a very political/intrigue driven plot. The beginning of this book is a confidence scheme of sorts but things get a lot more political and magic gets involved as you get deeper into the book. There are a lot of story threads to keep track of, they are well woven together but can be a bit hard to keep straight if you aren’t really concentrating.

Characters (4/5): I liked all of the characters in this book and thought they were well done. Many times in epic fantasies there are character POVs I just dread reading, that was not the case in this book. I enjoyed Renata/Arenza, enjoyed the Rook, and many others. They were all very well filled out characters with a lot of depth and dimension to them. I did struggle some with the names of all of the nobility, but despite this I didn’t find myself confused about who was who. So, good job on keeping all the characters distinguishable in a book that has a lot of complex characters. I do wish the index of characters had been at the beginning of the book rather than the end, I didn’t even know it was there until the end and would have loved to read it before or at least be able to reference it while reading this story.

Setting (4/5): While I ended up enjoying this very magical Venician feeling world, I struggled with it in the beginning. You really feel like you are just dropped in this world and are left struggling to figure out what is what with very little explanation. The world is intricate and has a lot of depth and is beautifully created. Some of this is explained in the index at the end, which I wish I had known was there at the beginning of the book.

Writing/Drawing Style (4/5): I liked this but it wasn't the easiest book to read. The character names can be hard to keep track of and there are a lot of intricacies to the plot, a lot of the magic is left up to the reader to stumble through (I figured out how the magic worked by reading the index at the end, again wish this had been at the beginning). This was an interesting read and kept me engaged. It was good that I read it over vacation because it took some concentration and effort to get through. I wish the index and list of families had been at the beginning of the book; I didn't realize that was there since I read this as an ebook and as a result didn't get this information until after I had read the story.

My Summary (4/5): Overall this is a well done epic fantasy with a lot of interesting characters, an amazing world, and an intricate and complex plot. This is mainly a confidence scheme type of story but the story broadens to include politics and magic as it continues. This book would have been much more approachable if the world and magic system had been better explained (rather than just explained in the index at the end of the book). This lack of explanation left me struggling to understand the world and magic for most of the beginning of the book. This took a lot of concentration and effort to read, and although I enjoyed it in the end, I am not sure the payoff was worth the effort to read. This book probably took me 10-11hrs to read (I normally read about 100 pages an hour) and I really had to push through it. I probably don’t plan on continuing the series unless I am in the mood for high-effort reading material.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Orbit Books for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book...was incredible. M.A. Carrick (a collaborative pen name between Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms) clearly put so much thought and effort into this worldbuilding, and in my opinion, it paid off. The world and the city this plot takes place in is lush and full of description. The political system and conflict between groups of people is intricate and given a detailed history. I would say that the first 40 to 50 percent of this book is spent mostly trying to set all of that up so that the last half could move along so quickly and the reader wouldn't be confused.

The magic system (or systems, because they seem to differ depending on the religion of the practicer) was complex, in my opinion. I would definitely not call it a hard magic system, as whatever was needed seemed to be able to happen for the most part through the use of the numinatria. This wasn't explained in depth but this aspect of the magic system seemed to be both religious and scientific in nature, as the desired effect was achieved through a series of exactly drawn lines and patterns, but the patterns were based on different aspects of their religion. Meanwhile, the other type of magic was called pattern reading and was essentially tarot readings.

What I loved the most was the characters. Ren and Derossi Vargo, in particular were so fleshed out as characters, with real fears and moral issues that they struggled with throughout the plot. The Rook was a fascinating character that was kind of reminiscent of a mixture of Robin Hood and the Dread Pirate Roberts, from The Princess Bride. The Traementis family was equally fascinating, and I loved all of them as my heart kept breaking for them. And Grey....well, Grey was my favorite and I need more of him in any following books. Tess and Sedge were both so sweet and I was absolutely living for their family bond.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. Yes, the beginning is quite slow, but not boring by any means. If you enjoy adult fantasy that takes its time to build up the world, complex characters, LGBT rep that just exists as an accepted part of this world, and prose that is as dreamlike as the city it takes place in, you would enjoy this too.

I can't WAIT for book two!

The Mask of Mirrors is filled with political intrigue, deception, and a wonderfully detailed world. It should have been everything I love in a book. However, with so many characters, places, and conflicts, I found it difficult to hold onto the threads. Nothing felt explained enough, I kept losing track of the plots and characters, and after finishing I couldn't say much of what happened in the plot or world. I often read detailed fantasy with large casts, so I was surprised to have felt this way.

The Mask of Mirrors is filled with political intrigue, deception, and a wonderfully detailed world. It should have been everything I love in a book. However, with so many characters, places, and conflicts, I found it difficult to hold onto the threads. Nothing felt explained enough, I kept losing track of the plots and characters, and after finishing I couldn't say much of what happened in the plot or world. I often read detailed fantasy with large casts, so I was surprised to have felt this way.

I want to start with the positives of this book because it was filled with intriguing mysteries that I thoroughly enjoyed. Firstly, I appreciate how rich the world is. You can tell that the authors know every detail of the setting they've constructed. The city feels alive, bubbling with different groups, rivalries, conflicts, and alliances. Morally grey characters are the best, and no one can convince me otherwise. I loved that this book was stuffed full of them. I love that every character has something to hide. They sneak around behind their families back, manipulate people into doing their bidding, and hold their enemies close. The political intrigue aspect was by far my favourite part of the book, and it remains the reason why I want to continue with this series.

The complexity of the book is one of the reasons I enjoyed it, but it was also why I struggled. Every single thing in this book is named with a proper noun. The places they visit, every minor character, every faction, every family, all of it had specific names. I couldn't keep track of what I was supposed to be remembering and what was irrelevant, especially when you mix in characters being referred to as either their first name, family name, title, or secret identity. There were so many named characters I'd struggle to remember them usually, let alone when they each have three or four names. Sometimes large events would happen, and I'd be so caught up trying to understand what was going on I'd miss major parts. I managed to completely miss a character death because I couldn't figure out what was happening. I enjoy books that thrust you straight into the world to figure it out for yourself, but you shouldn't have to be completely blind. Information dumps aren't your enemy if used in moderation to explain complex points that are difficult to understand alone. It was only at the very end that I began to understand how the world functioned, and by that point, I was tired of trying.

Overall, this book had a lot of my favourite features, but the complexity wasn't handled in a way that was easy to understand. Regardless, I'll be picking up the next book as I can't help but be intrigued by what's going to happen next.

In the land of Nadežra, there is a constant power struggle, whether it be within high society or the slumps. Renata, a former street thief, goes into the House of Traementis posing as a lost cousin. During this ruse, Renata becomes the talk of Nadežra and befriends the questionable businessman, Vargo. This new fascination from Nadežran high society results in her becoming a pawn in a bigger game.

This book, to put it mildly, was a disappointment. The story had so much potential, but towards the end, it felt sloppy. Our villain, a forgettable elite, has this "elaborate" plan to rid the lower class city. It is a pretty generic villainous ploy, 'I'm a rich elite annoyed by poor people, so I'm just going to wipe them out.' Unfortunately, there is so much going on in this book with so many side plots that I'm not entirely sure of the main villain's true intentions. The ending was a real disappointment as one character revealed as the protagonist's "true enemy."

One of the downsides of this book is the world-building. In this story, the world-building is so dense as characters talking about the city's previous history and the caste system's inner workings. The story focuses on two people, Renata Viraudax and Derossi Vargo. These two are the same person, two con artists wanting to further themselves in Nadežran society. In the end, these two con artists decide to team together to further their agendas. The partnership between Renata and Vargo is the best element in this story; since Renata is a clever woman overlooked due to her pretty image, she finds herself appreciated by Vargo for her cleverness. Renata begins to soften towards Vargo as he helps her financially and emotionally. Vargo is the central mystery within this story. There isn't much backstory to Vargo, and given in small snippets throughout the book. Even this impressive complex relationship between Vargo and Renata, which could be its own story, ends up ruined.

Thank you so much for this review copy of MASK OF MIRRORS. Unfortunately, I've struggled to focus on e-books lately, and between that and current events that also make reading difficult, I just couldn't get through this. It looks like an amazing and intriguing tale I'll be keeping my eye on, though, and I truly thank you for getting an early copy into my hands.

"The Mask of Mirrors is the unmissable start to the Rook and Rose trilogy, a darkly magical fantasy adventure in which a con artist returns to the city that betrayed her, determined to have her revenge - only to find that her fate might be to save it.

This is your past, the good and the ill of it, and that which is neither...

Arenza Lenskaya is a liar and a thief, a pattern-reader and a daughter of no clan. Raised in the slums of Nadezra, she fled that world to save her sister.

This is your present, the good and the ill of it, and that which is neither...

Renata Viraudax is a con artist recently arrived in Nadezra. She has one goal: to trick her way into a noble house and secure her fortune.

This is your future, the good and the ill of it, and that which is neither...

As corrupt nightmare magic begins to weave its way through the city of dreams, the poisonous feuds of its aristocrats and the shadowy dangers of its impoverished underbelly become tangled - with Ren at their heart. And if she cannot sort the truth from the lies, it will mean the destruction of all her worlds."

M. A. Carrick is the joint pen name of Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms you say? No need to tell me more, I adore the delightful and talented Marie Brennan! Haven't read Alyc Helms yet but am so excited to!

In this book we mainly follow Ren, a con artist. She plans to con a noble family into adding her to their family register. That’s where it begins, but she soon starts to care for the family and ends up entangled in the city’s corruption. We also follow several other POV characters, but none of them get near the page time that Ren does.

There are plenty of things that I typically like in books: multiple POV characters, magic, deceit, mystery. There were also some things that I didn’t like. I didn’t like the long chapters or the length of the book. I was loving the first 50-60% of this 672 page book, but towards the end I was just wanting it to be over.

I would recommend this book if you like slower paced fantasy. The Venetian-like setting, tarot, and rune magic are a few of the things that made this truly enjoyable and different from the type of fantasy that I usually read.

***ARC Review***

This epic fantasy is truly epic. The authors have created a beautifully complex world with an incredible magic system and deep and twisted politics. One thing I really loved was that in a lot of fantasy stories it’s difficult to tell what’s going on or to really understand the world you’ve been dropped into but while this story is extremely intricate, it’s understandable. I also loved the casual queerness in this world and the diversity of the characters. The characters themselves are very interesting, there are many morally gray characters and getting into their heads and seeing their motives and perspectives is really unique. Something like didn’t like was the inter-character relationships. The romances seemed to change every single chapter and it felt a bit like the author’s didn’t know what direction they meant to go in themselves. There was also a scene in which a person kissed someone that they thought was their cousin at the time and it was entirely unnecessary to the plot so it was just gross and kind of threw me off for the rest of the book. The political structure that played into the familial relationships and friendships was also very interesting but the actual relationships weren’t developed very well. The plot is full of twists and turns that kept me guessing and so many “whoa” moments when things finally came together as well as excitement at guessing some things right. The mystery of it all makes it so much fun to read. I enjoyed the authors’ writing styles but there were a few too many cliches for my liking. Overall, The Mask of Mirrors is a unique and stunning story that will keep you hooked for hours on end.

🎭 NA Fantasy 🎭

“Fortune favors the bold. Magic favors the liars.”

📚 Arenza is a street kid, a thief, and a gang member — that is until she poisons her leader and runs from the city of Nadezra with her sister Tess in tow. Years later, she returns under the name Renata Viraudaux. Her goal? Infiltrate a noble house and secure a future for herself and Tess through any means necessary. Along the way she tumbles headfirst into more intrigue, political machinations, and corruption than she bargained for.

👍🏻 The Good: Give me any book that features a con and I’m already suckered in. “The Mask of Mirrors” is an extremely smartly written book and, likewise, Ren is a wicked smart character willing to risk it all. The entire story is well and intricately plotted out and I loved the depth of the schemings and mysteries. The world, which is both Slavic inspired and reminiscent of Venice, is lush and vibrant. It is bustling and moving all around the main characters — it really is alive. I also adored the relationship between Ren and Tess, who are so loyal and protective of each other.

👎🏻 The Meh: This is a very long, complex book, and at times it feels very overwhelming. There’s so many names, places, new words, and side plots to keep track of that it dragged down the pace at points, and left me a bit confused. I also didn’t notice until about midway that there is a glossary in the back of the book! This would have been so helpful in the beginning, as there are way too many new/made-up terms to keep track of, so I definitely recommend checking that out first.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
World Building: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing: ⭐️⭐️.5

Pick up this book if you like gangs, politics, feuds, morally grey characters, magic, and a richly woven world that feels real and lived in. I would definitely describe this one as a sweeping epic!

BOOK AND AUTHOR: The Mask of Mirrors (Rook and Rose #1)/M.A.Carrick
GENRE: Sci Fi - Fantasy
RATING: 3.5, rounded to 4
NETGALLEY ARC: Yes;
RELEASE DATE - 19 Jan, 2021

SUMMARY: This is a political high fantasy drama about an orphan and a con artist, Renata who teams up with her sister Tess, and travel to a city that once betrayed her, with only one goal - con a noble family, take their riches and secure her and her sister's future. However, we slowly find out that Ren is just one piece of the puzzle in this story filled with secrets, ulterior motives, lies, and betrayals.

THEME - Love; Betrayal; Magical; Adventure

WHAT I LIKED: I am simply in love with the authors who have brought an amazing representation of LGBTQ+. And yes, M.A. Carrick is the pen name of two authors. The writing is smooth and so seamless that it didn't feel like the story was written by two people. Also, the intense ending is superb! The start was slow but the ending just blew my mind! I am all set for Book #2.

WHAT I DISLIKED: There are too many characters in this story, doesn't matter how long or short their roles are. Keeping track of them and their names was tedious, especially when the book is 672 pages. Also, there are at least 40 characters' POV chapters, which to me, weakened the quality of the story.

READ THIS BOOK IF YOU LIKE: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo;

I will recommend if you are into fantasy, and ready to commit to reading a 600+ pages book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4 stars.

This book is EVERYTHING on my checklist: political intrigue, a unique magic system, countless LGBTQ rep and FULL of twists. Seriously, I didn't see half of these surprises comings, even when i was looking for clues. I think the book was too smart for me, so I just buckled up and went along for the ride as wild as it was.

Only 4 stars because I found the pacing to drag in the beginning unevenly. But this book is nearly 700 pages so get ready for a big read. I couldn't put the book down, and i need the next book already! It gave me serious Six of Crows vibes except darker. Everyone is a con artist rather than heists. I felt as helpless and confused as Ren sometimes.

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The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is TWISTY. I have a lot of thoughts, but this plot unfolds like a spiderweb; I’m sure I’m going to be sorting through the threads for some time to come. That being said, this is a beautiful book. The feeling within its pages are captured brilliantly by the cover art, so definitely feel free to judge this book in particular by its cover. The world that’s been built here is a piece of art in its own right, and the characters are diverse, complex, and endlessly interesting. Before you decide whether or not this is for you, some points to consider:

1. This book is GAY AS HECK. I counted at least one character for every letter in LGBTQIA, and I loved it. Sexuality and gender identity is so casual in this book, and it’s glorious. None of the characters really question anyone else’s sexuality; all differences are accounted for and accepted as a regular part of society. I want more books like this. And, honestly, I want more reality like this.

2. This is NOT A YA BOOK. It seems for some reason that it’s being pushed into that category, but it is without question an adult fantasy novel. The plot is complex, the writing is complex, the themes are definitely more mature than a typical YA read, and I imagine those who are used to reading YA would feel like they’re slogging through mud. The terminology and in-world language use alone make this a tough book to get into. I was almost 50% through the book before I felt like I was mostly familiar with it. The authors do NOT hold your hand here—you’ve just got to keep going and figure it out along the way (or I guess use the glossary in the back, but if you’re anything like me, you probably got to about the 65% mark before you even realized it was there). While I certainly don’t think young readers are incapable of figuring it out or being able to handle the violence, sex, and language that goes along with the adult label, I wouldn’t suggest it to someone who isn’t already an avid reader.

3. POV jumps around a lot. There is seemingly no limit to whose mind we could end up in next. Each chapter is broken into sections, and each section is another POV. Sometimes it’s the same character two sections in a row—usually it’s our main character when this happens, who goes by several different names and is just delightful—but if this is the case, it’s usually a difference of time and/or setting that separates the sections. The sections aren’t labeled with whose head we’re in, just the date and location—again, in the in-world language, so this labeling system means absolutely nothing to you at the beginning of the book.

If you’re okay with all of that, definitely give this book a try. It’s a little slow going at first, which I attribute mostly to trying to get your bearings in-world with very little help from the authors, but once you find them it’s hard to put down. There are a lot of themes within this book that apply very heavily to the present day real world, and you certainly won’t feel like you’ve wasted the time spent with your nose in this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review!

Right off the bat this book reminded me of Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, mixed with House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas. This is one of those books where you will either LOVE it or HATE it. My rating is somewhere in between. This is a MONSTER book. It took me two days to read with dedicated reading. This is also one of those books where the category is mucky. It is NOT YA, but female authors tend have books put into YA that should be in the Adult section. So if you are looking for a non-complicated light YA read, this is not it. I cannot stress this enough. This novel is complicated and the threads weave everywhere.
This novel takes place in a fantasy city named Nadežra. I would say it takes place in a time period equivalent to our 19th century. There is high nobility, minor nobility and a lower class, but no tech. Messages are through runners and paper and there are Masquerade Balls There is different cultures and peoples who are distinctly different from each other. This aspect runs through the whole book. Ren, while trying to get into the House Traementis, has found herself in the web of political drama and trying to navigate her way through it without blowing her cover. On top of the political drama, there is the magic system which could do with a lot more explaining (rather than showing). I am still not entirely sure how it works. A masked vigilante who pits himself, or herself, against the nobility and a mysterious drug that is causing mayhem in the lower class This book is complicated and not easy to follow with lots of details. It's one of those books were you have to be paying attention to and cannot skip anything, lest you miss something. So, don't be reading this while having a person talk to you, or having the tv in the background; you WILL miss something important.

Other than the complication of the details of the plot, the characters are well written. Ren is fascinating, but i find at times she gets caught up in her con and forgets her family. She is cunning and clever. She uses the skills her mother had taught her through the Pattern Cards and life on the wrong side of the track to her advantage, and she thinks she is cleverer than everyone else. Her sworn sister, Tess, is often forgotten in the moment and I feel that Ren sometimes takes advantage of Tess. Tess is sweet, caring, and unsuspecting, but will on the other hand destroy anyone who messes with her family. Vargo is an interesting character. I have not figured out his motivation or magic yet. But he and Ren will no doubt be linked throughout the rest of the series Grey is a hawk. A member of the city's police force. He is definitely not someone to mess around with and has been set on Ren by House Traementis to see if she is the real deal, or not.

I rated this three stars because while it keep me interested I feel like there was A LOT of details and it was hard to track who was doing what and when and where in the city. I loved the book but at some parts I struggled through, especially with all the details and world building and plots within plots. The character's POV switched without much notice, but their stories all wove together nicely. The events felt far apart, but enough details were spilling out of the book that it felt like you were racing to catch up to what the characters knew. The ending battle was a great finish to the book. However, the last parts of the book, including the reveal of who The Rook was, felt anti-climatic after the battle scene with all our characters in it. Overall, If you liked House of Earth and Blood and Six of Crows, you will like this book. I will definitely be picking up the second book in this series to see where all those threads go and to see if Ren ever figures out who The Rook is.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Orbit Books for sending me a free copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Within the slums of Nadežra, Arenza Lenskaya is a liar and a thief, determined to leave that world behind to find her sister. Renata Viraudax is a con artist looking to find a comfortable future. Corrupt magic is snaking through the city, and the different classes are feuding. Ren is at the center of it, and may not be able to stop the destruction of her world.

The Mask of Mirrors is the first book in the Rook and Rose trilogy. There is exquisite world-building here, with different nations wielding influences over the people, and accurate ways of showing how mixed heritage can help or hurt peoples' goals. We have varying levels of nobility, the poor in the slums forming gangs to take control of the underbelly, the myths, and legends that the different cultures have. This comes across in how they treat each other, the things that matter to the characters, clothing choices, masks, language for directions and time, and even the curse words that they use. I love this in books, and this novel makes me want to pull out the chef's kiss meme images.

I was drawn into Ren's story, how she built up the Renata persona as well as Arenza. All she wanted was to be safe, but there are too many dangers in the city and each of her personae know different facets of the same problems. Her main loyalty is to Tess, her bonded sister, and the memory of her bonded brother that had died and led her to escape the slums with Tess. The magic of the numina, numbers, and sacred geometry, butts up into the patterning, or card reading magic that is reminiscent of Tarot cards. Astrology falls somewhere between the two magic systems, and Ren's conception, birth and lies all come into play as she tries to make a name for herself in the noble house she chose to infiltrate. It's in decline and has enemies that become hers, and using the Arenza persona to gain more information brings temporary reprieve. I grieved along with the characters when we hit the halfway point in the novel, and I wasn't sure what other surprises were in store for them.

The mystery of the Rook is partially answered by the very end, and we see the Lady Rose of the trilogy title. This novel is complete, but I made whiny noises and have mental grabby hands for the next two novels. So much happened in this book and so much will happen in the next two, and I want to read them all right away!

I received a copy of this from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I want to start off by saying I absolutely loved the first third of this book. The characters were interesting and I wanted to know how the con would play out. The world was set up cool and I wanted to learn more about it. And there seemed to be a mysterious Rook that I couldn't wait to find out who it was. I thought I knew right at the beginning but that twist was just one of about a bazillion that took place in this book.

I hate to say it, but the pacing of this book was so slow. Once we got to know the characters a bit, I wanted something to happen but instead the characters spend so much time in one place or another just talking. It was overly descriptive of the setting, while somehow at the same time lacking in any real worldbuilding. I love giant worlds with complicated rules, but instead of building on what we see in the beginning, you never really get a deep dive into the setting. I may totally have glossed over where the world was described, but that's because the pacing took me completely out of the book at times. It's almost like the authors tried to do too much with it.

There was tarot cards, there was the Rook, there was Ren who was pulling the long con, there was a sleeping sickness that was killing people. There was just SO MUCH GOING ON that I got lost a couple times. Now that being said, the characters were amazing. Each and every one of of them seemed realistic and fleshed out. There was some good representation throughout the book. I was a bit confused because the society seemed to be so forward thinking in some aspects but behind in others.

Overall it was a good book but I just felt that it could have been wrapped up at multiple times but then I saw there was still 20% left. I didn't know until the end that there was a glossary and character list, which definitely would have been helpful while reading.

As much as I wanted to love The Mask of Mirrors, and as much as I really liked pieces of it, I'm afraid it has to go down as my first disappointment of the year. Make no mistake, Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms, writing as M.A. Carrick, have written a beautiful book, full of sumptuous details, complete with fascinating characters, but there's just so much of it all that it becomes overwhelming.

Every character who crosses the page has a name, and never just one, but first names, last names, family names, nicknames, and secret names, not to mention titles, and there's no pattern to how they're used. With so many characters coming and going, I kept losing track of who was who, whether we'd met them before, and if they were important. Places are the same, with seemingly every building, alley, and plaza getting a proper name, a slang name, and a directional name. Maybe with an easily accessible glossary in the finished physical copy this might become an easier read, but as an ebook it was more frustrating than entertaining.

On top of that confusion, I found the pacing of this very slow, with the characters themselves having no apparent sense of urgency. Maybe if things had happened quicker, maybe if there'd been pivotal events to which we could attach characters, this might have been an easier read, but by the time anything did happen, I was already frustrated that one thread seemed to have been neglected, and lost track of how the new one connected to anything.

It's a shame because The Mask of Mirrors has a lot of potential. When it works, when it's shining brightest, it reminded me of authors like Guy Gavriel Kay and Sebastien de Castell, but those positives were outshined by the struggle of reading. I didn't hate it. In fact, I'd love to give it another try when I can sit down, flip back-and-forth in a paperback, and maybe make a few notes in the margins, but the reading experience here was sorely lacking.