Review: Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn DolamorePub. Date: December 22, 2009
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Format: Hardcover, 240pp
Age Range: Young Adult

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Nimira is a trouser girl who singed and danced for pennies after moving from her home country to Lorinar in hopes of a better opportunity to change her status after some unfortunate problems at home. She finally gets a chance to accomplish her dreams when wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry offers her a job to sing along with the accompaniment of an automaton. Soon Nimira is in over her head when said automaton starts to make sounds and she’s convinced the rumors are true of the automaton being haunted by a fairy prince. Nimira is then left with a decision to risk the chance of losing everything she’s worked hard for or take a chance on breaking the curse to rescue the fairy prince from an underlying plan that could cause war for both fairy and human worlds.

Magic Under Glass had some interesting characters. I didn’t know what to expect reading this book but I found myself thoroughly entertained with the originality of Magic Under Glass. Dolamore had no problems grasping my attention - Doomed love always seems to pull at my heart strings. Nimira is looked down upon in Lorinar with her dark skin and occupation as a trouser girl, but back in her country she would have been viewed with high esteem for her singing and dancing. So, her disadvantage in succeeding in Lorinar and breaking Erris, the fairy prince’s curse only made this novel more compelling with all the odds seemingly stacked up against her.

I was quite surprised with the unexpected ending of Magic Under Glass and I’m assuming it was left open for a sequel. I would love to see what adventures Nimira will have to in the light of everything they’ve been through.

Magic Under Glass is exquisitely written with a great mix of magic, romance, and suspense that is sure to appeal to readers of any age.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars