''Mira, Mirror'' is a 2004 young adult fantasy novel written by

Mette Ivie Harrison Mette Ivie Harrison (born 13 September 1970) is an American novelist. She writes young adult fiction and in 2014 began publishing an adult mystery series. Her background as a Mormon has influenced her topics of interest as a writer, especially i ...

. The story of the novel is told from the viewpoint of the magic mirror from the

fairy tale A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the folklore genre. Such stories typically feature magic (paranormal), magic, incantation, enchantments, and mythical ...

" Snow White". "Mira" is a main character.

Plot

A young girl, Mira, becomes an apprentice to a witch. The witch's other apprentice, Amanda, adopts Mira as a sister. Betraying their friendship, Amanda changes Mira into a magic mirror. The story refers to Amanda becoming the wicked queen of the "Snow White" fairy tale. Mira serves the wicked queen until her usefulness runs out and she is abandoned. Several years pass when Ivana, a peasant girl running away from her cruel father, stumbles upon Mira. Mira manipulates Ivana into becoming friends with a wealthy merchant's daughter named Talia. Mira does this in hopes of gaining her human form back. Mira uses her magic to change the girls' appearances so each resembles the other. Unexpectedly, Talia is quite happy with her new form as she is trying to escape an arranged marriage. Mira works with Ivana and Talia for each of them to achieve their goals.

Characters

*Mira: The story's

protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...

and point-of-view character. A witch's apprentice trapped in a mirror, she possesses a number of magical abilities, particularly the ability to change the appearance of people. *Zerba: A witch who purchases Mira at the start of the book. *Amanda: A witch's apprentice who the author alludes to being the wicked queen in the Snow White fairy tale. *Ivana: A peasant girl who runs away from her family and encounters Mira. *Talia: The daughter of a merchant who is engaged to be part of an

arranged marriage Arranged marriage is a type of marital union where the bride and groom are primarily selected by individuals other than the couple themselves, particularly by family members such as the parents. In some cultures a professional matchmaker may be us ...

. *Merchant Minitz: The biological father of Talia, and adopted father of Ivana.

Reception

''Mira, Mirror'' received mixed reviews. ''

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' (or ''Kirkus Media'') is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus (1893–1980). The magazine is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fic ...

'' gave an unfavorable review stating: "Purporting to explore weighty issues between sisters, of magic, power, and love, this weakly executed and excruciatingly tedious tale falls short." Praising the book for its story and writing, author and critic, Orson Scott Card said of the book: "I cannot recommend this novel highly enough." The New England Science Fiction Association reviewed the book as "enjoyable".

References

{{Snow White

Mira, Mirror ''Mira, Mirror'' is a 2004 young adult fantasy novel written by Mette Ivie Harrison. The story of the novel is told from the viewpoint of the magic mirror from the fairy tale "Snow White". "Mira" is a main character. Plot A young girl, Mira, ...

Works based on Snow White American fantasy novels Novels based on fairy tales