science fiction

Gregory Maguire states in his most recent adult fable; Mirror, Mirror, that the 'light catches our eyes, but shadows offer more'. Perhaps he should have pulled his story from the shadows, because this one is certainly lacking.

Don't get me wrong, I really love this man's writing style, and his prose....his imagination is incredible; his ability to re-tell an age old story and breath fresh life into it is amazing. Snow White; Renaissance Italy; the Seven Dwarves, and all the lore that goes along with them;...a magic mirror, poisoned apples, and Lucrezia Borgia as the Wicked Queen of this tale? WOW!!!!!

So; why is it less than 300 pages long?

I loved every word of this book...I loved the concept...I loved the twist on the Snow White tale...I loved the literary liberties Maguire took....it isn't what IS there that I didn't love...it's what ISN'T there....

Bianca De Nevada is the consummate Snow White...innocent, beautiful, obedient...Lucrezia Borgia as the 'wicked queen' is perfectly cast....and the supporting characters are equally as likeable...there just isn't enough of them...

I don't think it necessary to take up space with a 'synopsis' of the Snow White story...it's been around for years...and I highly recommend further reading on the Borgias...there is a wonderful study of them called 'The Fall of the House of Borgia' by E.R. Chamberlain if you can get your hands on it.

But Maguire's re-telling has left a lot to be desired...granted it is his story, not mine, but....with such a wonderful cast to work with, and so much story...this is a feeble offering at best.

HOWEVER...if you are a Maguire fan...read this book...his story-telling capabilities are in full bloom...just hope that next time he gives you a little more of what you love.

Gregory Maguire has put a most clever twist on this incredibly rich and creative retelling of the classic story of Snow White. In a seamless blending of history and fairy tale, the story takes place in 16th century Italy. Snow White is personified as Bianca, the beautiful and naive daughter of a Spanish expatriate who manages the Montefiore farm. Lucrezia Borgia, the decadent, beautiful, and manipulative murderess, replaces the role of the wicked stepmother as Bianca's caretaker. The seven dwarves are creatures far stranger than any I have ever seen depicted before. Part man, part rock, and wholly surreal, they move through their own dimensions of time and space. The poisoned apple is plucked from the fabled tree of knowledge.

The language is lyrical and evocative of far away times and places. Objects ranging from the mirror to the dwarves' cottage are painted with detail so realistic yet magical that the reader is immersed in the off-kilter and eerie world of fantasy. Colorful secondary characters such as the cook, priest, and gooseboy add humorous contrast to the evil machinations of the Borgias. Take a trip to Montefiore and revisit a fairy tale reflected in a mirror of history, myth, and magic.

This novel is far more sophisticated and thoughtful, and a more demanding read than Wicked, with its primitive, politically correct concepts that really amount to nothing new or original. Mirror, Mirror is not a story of Snow White -- we all know by now that Maguire concentrates on peripheral characters, not the traditional heroes -- it focuses on the misery and self-hatred that motivates the Wicked Stepmother -- in this story, Lucrezia Borgia, with whom, of course, the author took liberties, as he would with any historical character. This novel is a complex, intricate portrait of what seems like an unforgivable person, yet she can break your heart without making you want to forgive her. Through the dwarves subplot, Maguire also examines humanity and self-identity that sometimes can be achieved only through the eyes of another. If you *loved* Wicked, just rent the Disney version of Snow White; it'll make you happier. Mirror, Mirror is for well-read grownups with functional attention span.