Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

Summary:

Nimira is a music-hall performer forced to dance for pennies to an audience of leering drunks. When wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to do a special act - singing accompaniment to an exquisite piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it is the start of a new life. In Parry's world, however, buried secrets stir. Unsettling below-stairs rumours abound about ghosts, a mad woman roaming the halls, and of Parry's involvement in a gang of ruthless sorcerers who torture fairies for sport. When Nimira discovers the spirit of a dashing young fairy gentleman is trapped inside the automaton's stiff limbs, waiting for someone to break the curse and set him free, the two fall in love. But it is a love set against a dreadful race against time to save the entire fairy realm, which is in mortal peril.

Review:

Magic Under Glass was a magical and enthralling novel that was easy to get lost in.


From page one, you are introduced to Nimira, a girl that went from lavish everything to barley getting by day by day. Though she is given the chance of a lifetime when Holin Perry hires her. Nimira was a likable character from the start because she just brought such a fun light to the story and I loved seeing her friendship with Erris develop over time. Holin Perry, on the other hand, was someone I didn't like a whole ton because of the fact that he was weak and just an overall pushover who needed to get in control of his life. Moving on, Smollings was simply the definition of a perfect villain and while I did loathe him much because of the fact that the ruined many things, I still found it interesting to see just how far he would go to make Nimira, Hollin, and Erris' lives a living nightmare.
 
The whole premise was intriguing and fully original. I mean faires and characters falling in love with a person locked in an automaton? How could you go wrong? Plus, as said briefly above, Jaclyn Dolamore writing was up to par and the world she created was easy to get lost in.

My only complaint? Well, I felt the ending could have tied things up a bit better. Though, maybe that lack of tying things up means a sequel is coming soon. :)

In all, Magic Under Glass is yet another debut book that introduces you to a fab new author that you should definitely be keeping an eye out for.

I suggest this to fans of Libba Bray's Gemma Doyle Trilogy.
 
Grade: B+
 

Magic Under Glass is now out in the U.S. and will be released February 1st in the UK, with the cover shown to the left!
 
Source: Publisher. Thanks Anna!