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Through a Clouded Mirror
Inspired by The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and set in a magical imperial Japan, this is a breathtaking fantasy adventure from the acclaimed author of The Pearl Hunter.
Yuki Snow wishes she were anywhere but here.
She hates Santa Dolores, where her mom and stepdad just moved the family. Her BFF back home, Julio, has already forgotten his promise to stay in touch—and worse, he like likes Yuki’s mortal enemy. At her new school, the kids think she’s either invisible or a know-it-all nerd.
The only friend she’s made so far is the shopkeeper at a Japanese antiques store. Among the treasures there is an ancient brass mirror supposedly once owned by celebrated Japanese writer Sei Shonagon. It’s also rumored to be a portal to Shonagon’s world, which opens every hundred years. So when a woman with long jet-black hair and flowing silk robes appears in the glass, beckoning, Yuki knows there’s only one thing to do—step through to the unknown�.
Yuki Snow wishes she were anywhere but here.
She hates Santa Dolores, where her mom and stepdad just moved the family. Her BFF back home, Julio, has already forgotten his promise to stay in touch—and worse, he like likes Yuki’s mortal enemy. At her new school, the kids think she’s either invisible or a know-it-all nerd.
The only friend she’s made so far is the shopkeeper at a Japanese antiques store. Among the treasures there is an ancient brass mirror supposedly once owned by celebrated Japanese writer Sei Shonagon. It’s also rumored to be a portal to Shonagon’s world, which opens every hundred years. So when a woman with long jet-black hair and flowing silk robes appears in the glass, beckoning, Yuki knows there’s only one thing to do—step through to the unknown�.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published May 28, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
November 16, 2024
The biggest drawback for me was how much I did not like the main character. It did make me want to go reread the Japanese authors it discussed though.
December 26, 2024
3,5 👘 Eine schöne, unterhaltsame und spannende Geschichte, die mir gut gefallen hat. Vor allem die Popkultur-Anspielungen und die Verflechtungen mit Realem waren eine tolle Idee. Mir sind am Ende etwas zu viele Fragen offen geblieben und einiges hätte ich mir detaillierter gewünscht aber im Großen und Ganzen ein gutes Buch.
Shelved as 'dnf'
June 3, 2024Perfect case of "it's me, not you." Through the Clouded Mirror is a cute story inspired by , but it's not for me. I didn't quite buy the fantastical-yet-seemingly-historical Imperial Japan portrayed in the book, and contest storylines are very hit-or-miss for me. There are readers who will eat this book up, but it will remain barely nibbled on my plate.
January 14, 2025
Early in... ~50 pages I was borderline not planning to finish. I didn't love the racist undertones of describing Yuki's mother as having an origami crane face with sharp points and angles. I don't think it added anything to the story. Similarly, Yuki's teacher mispronouncing "shonagon" as "polygon". I powered through though. Some cute aspects and an interesting twist at the end. I did like how as the book progressed, the author incorporated aspects acceptance or appreciation for the things in Yuki's like that she was annoyed about and running from.
I think my 10 year old self would have REALLY liked this book. But my grown up self struggles to give this book more than a 2.5.
I think my 10 year old self would have REALLY liked this book. But my grown up self struggles to give this book more than a 2.5.
March 29, 2025
(Actual rating: 3.5)
A unique and intriguing take on classic fantasy tropes! I don't see many historical fantasy books like this one, especially in the middle grade range, so this made for a pretty refreshing read in that sense. As someone who is also not familiar with historical Japanese literature and poetry (beyond the basics like haikus), I feel like I learned a lot about what traditional Japanese writing was like, and it's definitely a topic I want to keep looking into in the future!
Another thing I appreciated about this book was its representation. From my understanding this book was inspired by classic fantasy stories like The Wizard of Oz and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. While I can definitely see the influence, I enjoyed that this book wasn't just a flat-out retelling of either of those stories and used its Japanese setting as a basis for creating something new and different that could stand on its own. And as a mixed Asian person myself, I always appreciate stories like this that center mixed protagonists and Asian cultures in the narrative.
However, while I did enjoy this book overall and what it was trying to do conceptually, I found that the writing was not as strong as it could have been. The tone of the story did not always feel consistent with how characters were written, and some worldbuilding elements and characters felt underdeveloped.
For one, many of the characters' names felt overly cartoonish and unrealistic, and didn't mix well with the more serious plot. The main character's name, Yuki Snow, is probably the one I had the most trouble suspending my disbelief for, since it literally translates to 'Snow Snow'. I know it's acknowledged within the story as being silly, but it still felt like too much to me. Some of the teachers and students also had similar 'quirky' names as well.
Speaking of Yuki, her stubborn, irritable personality in the beginning of the story felt almost too exaggerated, and her reactions to certain things didn't make much sense. For instance, the only reason she's been holding this years-long grudge against Suzie is for stealing a couple Pokemon cards from someone when they were in third grade. It just feels like a really small incident that doesn't really justify Yuki hating her, which I know is sort of the point - Yuki is supposed to be unreasonable and flawed in the beginning of the story, but even in that sense it feels like an overreaction. I also didn't really understand why Yuki started calling her mother by her first name? I get that she's sort of having this conflict with her mom because of her new relationship and them moving, but it's strange to me that her mom doesn't react to this at all.
I felt that some other characters were also underdeveloped. Jun and the regent in particular felt like they were made out to be really important characters, but they never really went anywhere and disappeared from the story shortly after the trial ended. I wish we'd been able to learn more about Jun and the circumstances that led her to entering the mirror, since her story especially felt unresolved.
The mirror world itself was super interesting to me, but ultimately left me with more questions than answers. Yuki returned to her world so quickly that we never got to find out what happened with the crack in the sky or the Tedium or the political tensions between the three rulers. I also wish it was made more clear whether Yuki traveled directly to the past or an alternate, magical version of history.
I still definitely enjoyed this book and appreciate it for what it was trying to do, but for a book about writing I think it's ironic that the writing was not its strongest factor.
A unique and intriguing take on classic fantasy tropes! I don't see many historical fantasy books like this one, especially in the middle grade range, so this made for a pretty refreshing read in that sense. As someone who is also not familiar with historical Japanese literature and poetry (beyond the basics like haikus), I feel like I learned a lot about what traditional Japanese writing was like, and it's definitely a topic I want to keep looking into in the future!
Another thing I appreciated about this book was its representation. From my understanding this book was inspired by classic fantasy stories like The Wizard of Oz and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. While I can definitely see the influence, I enjoyed that this book wasn't just a flat-out retelling of either of those stories and used its Japanese setting as a basis for creating something new and different that could stand on its own. And as a mixed Asian person myself, I always appreciate stories like this that center mixed protagonists and Asian cultures in the narrative.
However, while I did enjoy this book overall and what it was trying to do conceptually, I found that the writing was not as strong as it could have been. The tone of the story did not always feel consistent with how characters were written, and some worldbuilding elements and characters felt underdeveloped.
For one, many of the characters' names felt overly cartoonish and unrealistic, and didn't mix well with the more serious plot. The main character's name, Yuki Snow, is probably the one I had the most trouble suspending my disbelief for, since it literally translates to 'Snow Snow'. I know it's acknowledged within the story as being silly, but it still felt like too much to me. Some of the teachers and students also had similar 'quirky' names as well.
Speaking of Yuki, her stubborn, irritable personality in the beginning of the story felt almost too exaggerated, and her reactions to certain things didn't make much sense. For instance, the only reason she's been holding this years-long grudge against Suzie is for stealing a couple Pokemon cards from someone when they were in third grade. It just feels like a really small incident that doesn't really justify Yuki hating her, which I know is sort of the point - Yuki is supposed to be unreasonable and flawed in the beginning of the story, but even in that sense it feels like an overreaction. I also didn't really understand why Yuki started calling her mother by her first name? I get that she's sort of having this conflict with her mom because of her new relationship and them moving, but it's strange to me that her mom doesn't react to this at all.
I felt that some other characters were also underdeveloped. Jun and the regent in particular felt like they were made out to be really important characters, but they never really went anywhere and disappeared from the story shortly after the trial ended. I wish we'd been able to learn more about Jun and the circumstances that led her to entering the mirror, since her story especially felt unresolved.
The mirror world itself was super interesting to me, but ultimately left me with more questions than answers. Yuki returned to her world so quickly that we never got to find out what happened with the crack in the sky or the Tedium or the political tensions between the three rulers. I also wish it was made more clear whether Yuki traveled directly to the past or an alternate, magical version of history.
I still definitely enjoyed this book and appreciate it for what it was trying to do, but for a book about writing I think it's ironic that the writing was not its strongest factor.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2024
Yuki hat es im Moment nicht leicht. Sie ist mit ihrer Mutter umgezogen und muss sich nun an die neuen Umstände gewöhnen. Neue Schule, neuer Mann an der Seite ihrer Mutter und keinen besten Freund mehr um sich herum. Als sie für eine Schulaufgabe jemanden interviewen soll, wendet sie sich an Momo, die Besitzerin eines Antikladens. In dem Laden findet sie einen Spiegel und in diesem erscheint eine Frau, die sie zu sich winkt und Yuki geht hindurch.
Yukis Entwicklung im Verlauf der Geschichte hat mir gut gefallen. Anfangs hat sie jeden abgeblockt, weil sie sich einreden wollte, dass alles schlecht ist. Mit der Zeit sieht sie aber ein, dass das so nicht ist. Es gibt Leute und Situationen, auf die man sich erst einlassen muss, um dann zu merken, dass alles nicht so schlimm ist wie gedacht.
Es gibt viele interessante Charaktere in diesem Buch. Meine Liebsten sind hierbei Doug, Nobu und Izumi. Doug ist der Freund ihrer Mutter, der sein bestes gibt, um Yuki aufzuheitern, während die letzteren beiden ihre Freunde sind, die sie unterstützen.
Die Handlung ist sehr vielversprechend. Yuki gelangt mithilfe eines Spiegels in eine andere Welt, genauer in das mittelalterliche Japan. Dort nimmt sie an einem Wettstreit teil, um eine hohe Position im Palast zu bekommen. Und währenddessen findet Yuki heraus, dass nicht immer alles so ist, wie es scheint. Mir persönlich hat der Anfang und das Ende der Geschichte gefallen, während der Mittelteil sich für mich gezogen hat. Das liegt vor allem an dem Wettstreit und die Vorbereitung auf diesen. In dem Buch und somit auch in dem Wettstreit geht es viel um Gedichte und Lyrik, was mich nicht wirklich begeistern konnte. Zum Ende hin wurde es aber ziemlich spannend und da hat mich das Buch auch wieder gepackt.
Der Schreibstil ist gut. Man kann die Geschichte flüssig lesen und die aufgebaute Welt ist toll. Auch kommen die Empfindungen von Yuki gut herüber.
Das Cover finde ich richtig schön. Es passt perfekt zur Geschichte und zeigt Yuki und Shonagon.
Ich kann das Buch jedem empfehlen, der eine von Alice im Wunderland inspirierte Geschichte mit japanischem Setting lesen möchte. Die Charaktere sind toll, genauso wie die Charakterentwicklung von Yuki.
Yukis Entwicklung im Verlauf der Geschichte hat mir gut gefallen. Anfangs hat sie jeden abgeblockt, weil sie sich einreden wollte, dass alles schlecht ist. Mit der Zeit sieht sie aber ein, dass das so nicht ist. Es gibt Leute und Situationen, auf die man sich erst einlassen muss, um dann zu merken, dass alles nicht so schlimm ist wie gedacht.
Es gibt viele interessante Charaktere in diesem Buch. Meine Liebsten sind hierbei Doug, Nobu und Izumi. Doug ist der Freund ihrer Mutter, der sein bestes gibt, um Yuki aufzuheitern, während die letzteren beiden ihre Freunde sind, die sie unterstützen.
Die Handlung ist sehr vielversprechend. Yuki gelangt mithilfe eines Spiegels in eine andere Welt, genauer in das mittelalterliche Japan. Dort nimmt sie an einem Wettstreit teil, um eine hohe Position im Palast zu bekommen. Und währenddessen findet Yuki heraus, dass nicht immer alles so ist, wie es scheint. Mir persönlich hat der Anfang und das Ende der Geschichte gefallen, während der Mittelteil sich für mich gezogen hat. Das liegt vor allem an dem Wettstreit und die Vorbereitung auf diesen. In dem Buch und somit auch in dem Wettstreit geht es viel um Gedichte und Lyrik, was mich nicht wirklich begeistern konnte. Zum Ende hin wurde es aber ziemlich spannend und da hat mich das Buch auch wieder gepackt.
Der Schreibstil ist gut. Man kann die Geschichte flüssig lesen und die aufgebaute Welt ist toll. Auch kommen die Empfindungen von Yuki gut herüber.
Das Cover finde ich richtig schön. Es passt perfekt zur Geschichte und zeigt Yuki und Shonagon.
Ich kann das Buch jedem empfehlen, der eine von Alice im Wunderland inspirierte Geschichte mit japanischem Setting lesen möchte. Die Charaktere sind toll, genauso wie die Charakterentwicklung von Yuki.
January 16, 2025
Yuki Snow’s life is over. Against her wishes, her mom and stepfather have moved her to a new city hundreds of miles from her hometown and best friend. When she gets the chance to travel through an antique magic mirror to another world, she leaps at the chance. She lands in an imperial Japanese court, where she is told she’s a contestant to become the next Priestess of Poetry. What could be more delightful—especially when she learns a literary idol of hers will be her mentor? But the costs of losing the contest are high, and more lurks beneath the glamorous surface of this world than meets the eye.
Beck writes a convincing tween protagonist. 12-year-old Yuki’s strengths and weaknesses flow naturally from the same source: a firm sense of self. This means she is able to assert her opinions and pursue her “uncool� interests with confidence, but it also means that she is blunt and unwavering in her distaste for things and people she doesn’t like. Yuki isn’t one for change, compromises, or reassessments� a trait which she is forced to confront as the narrative progresses.
The first � of Through A Clouded Mirror takes place in the real world, with the next ½ covering Yuki’s introduction to the portal world and all three rounds of the poetry contest. The remaining pages are dedicated to the book’s climax and perhaps too-rapid conclusion.
Slight pacing issues aside, the emotional core of the book rings true, and fans of topsy-turvy style portal fantasies such as Through the Looking-Glass will enjoy visiting this unique fantasy world.
There are two pages of sources at the end of Through A Clouded Mirror that list titles the author used for research, and give information about historical characters that appear in the text. However, this back matter would have been improved by an additional page or two with explanations about sentence diagramming and the poetry forms used in the book.
Recommended as an optional purchase for ages 8-12.
[Note: Yuki is Japanese-American and her mother is Japanese. Julio reads as Latino, while the inhabitants of the portal world all read as Japanese.]
S.P.
Children's Librarian
Beck writes a convincing tween protagonist. 12-year-old Yuki’s strengths and weaknesses flow naturally from the same source: a firm sense of self. This means she is able to assert her opinions and pursue her “uncool� interests with confidence, but it also means that she is blunt and unwavering in her distaste for things and people she doesn’t like. Yuki isn’t one for change, compromises, or reassessments� a trait which she is forced to confront as the narrative progresses.
The first � of Through A Clouded Mirror takes place in the real world, with the next ½ covering Yuki’s introduction to the portal world and all three rounds of the poetry contest. The remaining pages are dedicated to the book’s climax and perhaps too-rapid conclusion.
Slight pacing issues aside, the emotional core of the book rings true, and fans of topsy-turvy style portal fantasies such as Through the Looking-Glass will enjoy visiting this unique fantasy world.
There are two pages of sources at the end of Through A Clouded Mirror that list titles the author used for research, and give information about historical characters that appear in the text. However, this back matter would have been improved by an additional page or two with explanations about sentence diagramming and the poetry forms used in the book.
Recommended as an optional purchase for ages 8-12.
[Note: Yuki is Japanese-American and her mother is Japanese. Julio reads as Latino, while the inhabitants of the portal world all read as Japanese.]
S.P.
Children's Librarian
May 28, 2024
I loved diving through the mirror with Yuki into a dreamlike world which reminded me of Alice's adventures and Dorothy's journey to Oz. There is something so refreshing about picking up middle grade and YA reads when I get the opportunity. It gives me a glimpse into the mindset of the younger generations and reminds me the mental turmoil they can struggle with that as adults we often forget or minimize.
When I was young, my family moved from one city to another and it felt like the edge of the earth. I felt so separated from the people and friends I knew and transitioning into a new school can be overwhelming for a kid or young adult who is self conscious and going through troubles in their home life. I understood why Yuki was angry and belligerent and obstinate when it comes to interacting with her mom and step-dad.
With all of that being said, I did find Yuki to be angry at the world and with a lot of good reason and with a lot of stubborn, resentful reasons as well. She only sees her own pain and doesn't really seem to understand the struggles other people may be going through. I would say that particular aspect was a bit frustrating. She is also incredibly confident in herself which can be both positive and negative, but there are points where it's grating on the nerves.
Nevertheless, I did enjoy this story, It was a very fun fantasy journey for middle grade and there is a good bit of character growth as well. I'm glad I gave it a chance . I might need to do a video on my YouTube to talk more in depth about the things I liked.
When I was young, my family moved from one city to another and it felt like the edge of the earth. I felt so separated from the people and friends I knew and transitioning into a new school can be overwhelming for a kid or young adult who is self conscious and going through troubles in their home life. I understood why Yuki was angry and belligerent and obstinate when it comes to interacting with her mom and step-dad.
With all of that being said, I did find Yuki to be angry at the world and with a lot of good reason and with a lot of stubborn, resentful reasons as well. She only sees her own pain and doesn't really seem to understand the struggles other people may be going through. I would say that particular aspect was a bit frustrating. She is also incredibly confident in herself which can be both positive and negative, but there are points where it's grating on the nerves.
Nevertheless, I did enjoy this story, It was a very fun fantasy journey for middle grade and there is a good bit of character growth as well. I'm glad I gave it a chance . I might need to do a video on my YouTube to talk more in depth about the things I liked.
January 29, 2024
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Yuki Snow moves to Santa Dolores, leaving behind her best friend Julio. Yuki's father passed away, but was a professor who taught philosophy classes based on Alice in Wonderland and put together a poetry event for the local schools. Yuki's mother, Hana, has remarried a kind man named Doug, who gets Yuki a "magic mirror" with a tiger on it from a local store. She is so enthralled with it that she visits the shop to buy one for Julio, and meets the owner, Momo Fujita, who tells her the story of Sei Shōnagon, famous poet and author of The Pillow Book. Since Yuki is also fond of making lists, she is intrigued, and interviews Ms. Fujita for a school project, spending some time in the shop. When Yuki has a falling out with Julio, she has to deal with a mean teacher, Ms. Ghosh, and she finds out that her mother is pregnant at 41, Yuki escapes into the magical world of the mirror, where she meets Sei Shōnagon and finds out that even though she is from the Land of A Merry Cat, she is in the running to become the next priestess of poetry.
This was an interesting twist on Japanese folklore and would be a good choice for readers who enjoy portal fantasies like Bedard's The Egyptian Mirror, Giles's The Last Mirror on the Left, or Abu-Jaber's Silverworld.
Yuki Snow moves to Santa Dolores, leaving behind her best friend Julio. Yuki's father passed away, but was a professor who taught philosophy classes based on Alice in Wonderland and put together a poetry event for the local schools. Yuki's mother, Hana, has remarried a kind man named Doug, who gets Yuki a "magic mirror" with a tiger on it from a local store. She is so enthralled with it that she visits the shop to buy one for Julio, and meets the owner, Momo Fujita, who tells her the story of Sei Shōnagon, famous poet and author of The Pillow Book. Since Yuki is also fond of making lists, she is intrigued, and interviews Ms. Fujita for a school project, spending some time in the shop. When Yuki has a falling out with Julio, she has to deal with a mean teacher, Ms. Ghosh, and she finds out that her mother is pregnant at 41, Yuki escapes into the magical world of the mirror, where she meets Sei Shōnagon and finds out that even though she is from the Land of A Merry Cat, she is in the running to become the next priestess of poetry.
This was an interesting twist on Japanese folklore and would be a good choice for readers who enjoy portal fantasies like Bedard's The Egyptian Mirror, Giles's The Last Mirror on the Left, or Abu-Jaber's Silverworld.
November 10, 2024
Die Gestaltung des Covers gefällt mir außerordentlich gut. Die Illustration ist einfach wunderschön, passend zum Thema und ich mag die vielen Details. Ich durfte das Buch mit einem passenden Farbschnitt lesen, diese Ausstattung ist wirklich hochwertig und auch die Haptik des Hardcover Buches spricht mich sofort an.
In der Geschichte geht es um die fast dreizehnjährige Yuki. Auf der Suche nach einem passenden Geschenk für ihren besten Freund Julio landet sie in dem japanischen Antikladen "Rising Sun Emporium". Yuki fühlt sich einsam und allein, sie musste mit ihrer Mutter zu deren neuen Freund ziehen und auch auf ihrer neuen Schule läuft es nicht gut. Die Besitzerin Momo zeigt Yuki etwas ganz außergewöhnliches, einen alten Messingspiegel, der einst im Besitz der berühmten Schriftstellerin Sei Shonagon gehört haben soll. Es soll wohl alle 100 Jahre möglich sein durch diesen Spiegel in alte Japan zu gelangen. Yuki erblickt im Spiegel eine Frau mit langen, schwarzen Haaren und tritt durch den Spiegel. In dieser alten Welt lernt Yuki Gleichgesinnte kennen, die Freude an Wörtern und Gedichte haben. Sie lernt auch Sei Shonagon kennen, sie glaubt an Yukis Talente und möchte sie zur Hohenpriesterin der Dichtkunst machen. Wird sie es schaffen den Dichterwettstreit zu gewinnen? Und gibt es einen Weg nach Hause?
Der Schreibstil des Buches hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Yuki Entwicklung innerhalb der Handlung war total überzeugend, die Beschreibung der Orte und Szenen war sehr detailliert und so konnte man der Handlung leicht folgen und sie war unglaublich spannend. Mir hat das Buch sehr gut gefallen und ich empfehle es auf jeden Fall weiter.
In der Geschichte geht es um die fast dreizehnjährige Yuki. Auf der Suche nach einem passenden Geschenk für ihren besten Freund Julio landet sie in dem japanischen Antikladen "Rising Sun Emporium". Yuki fühlt sich einsam und allein, sie musste mit ihrer Mutter zu deren neuen Freund ziehen und auch auf ihrer neuen Schule läuft es nicht gut. Die Besitzerin Momo zeigt Yuki etwas ganz außergewöhnliches, einen alten Messingspiegel, der einst im Besitz der berühmten Schriftstellerin Sei Shonagon gehört haben soll. Es soll wohl alle 100 Jahre möglich sein durch diesen Spiegel in alte Japan zu gelangen. Yuki erblickt im Spiegel eine Frau mit langen, schwarzen Haaren und tritt durch den Spiegel. In dieser alten Welt lernt Yuki Gleichgesinnte kennen, die Freude an Wörtern und Gedichte haben. Sie lernt auch Sei Shonagon kennen, sie glaubt an Yukis Talente und möchte sie zur Hohenpriesterin der Dichtkunst machen. Wird sie es schaffen den Dichterwettstreit zu gewinnen? Und gibt es einen Weg nach Hause?
Der Schreibstil des Buches hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Yuki Entwicklung innerhalb der Handlung war total überzeugend, die Beschreibung der Orte und Szenen war sehr detailliert und so konnte man der Handlung leicht folgen und sie war unglaublich spannend. Mir hat das Buch sehr gut gefallen und ich empfehle es auf jeden Fall weiter.
April 2, 2025
"Through a Clouded Mirror" is a really cute, fun story and I think kids would enjoy reading it a lot. It's definitely a good way to get kids interested in traditional Japanese female writers and introduce them to ancient Japanese culture. My main conplaint, however, is that I felt the author relied too heavily and made too many references and comparisons to The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland (there were a couple other throw out references like Spirited Away and Harry Potter, but they were more name drops than comparisons). I get that those stories are really important to Yuki, the main character, but from a technical point of view it felt overdone and discredited Miya Beck's own ideas. Her ideas felt obviously unoriginal when she almost immediately provides a comparison to other stories. It's ok to reuse ideas, but at least try to rebrand them as your own or use your own words to describe what is happening instead of giving us the original reference... but, to be fair, I am also way over the age of the targeted audience for this book, so I could just be over-critial on this.
In any case, "Through a Clouded Mirror" had its flaws but it was a fun book that I would recommend to kids and I would be interested in reading Miya Beck's other/future work. I would give a 3.5 if I could.
In any case, "Through a Clouded Mirror" had its flaws but it was a fun book that I would recommend to kids and I would be interested in reading Miya Beck's other/future work. I would give a 3.5 if I could.
June 14, 2024
Look I'm not going to be too harsh on a literal book for children.
3.5 rounded up.
As a former academic student of Japanese culture I really enjoyed all the references in this book. Obviously as the author has stated, it's a quite liberal take on things, but it has enough (respectful) references to real people and situations with a wonderfully whimsical blend of magic that I think both provides entertainment and some actual interesting facts to the kids who will read this. Personally I think this would be a really fun book to recommend to pre-teens or more mature children.
I found the writing enjoyable and liked Yuki enough as a character! My only issue with the book is that I felt the ending was a bit rushed/unsatisfying, but I concede that may just be because... Well, it's a book for children.
I also think naming your child Snow when your surname is already Snow is unhinged but in a funny way. Good for Hana I guess ???
Fun for older folks who want a light introduction to Japanese historical fantasy too!
3.5 rounded up.
As a former academic student of Japanese culture I really enjoyed all the references in this book. Obviously as the author has stated, it's a quite liberal take on things, but it has enough (respectful) references to real people and situations with a wonderfully whimsical blend of magic that I think both provides entertainment and some actual interesting facts to the kids who will read this. Personally I think this would be a really fun book to recommend to pre-teens or more mature children.
I found the writing enjoyable and liked Yuki enough as a character! My only issue with the book is that I felt the ending was a bit rushed/unsatisfying, but I concede that may just be because... Well, it's a book for children.
I also think naming your child Snow when your surname is already Snow is unhinged but in a funny way. Good for Hana I guess ???
Fun for older folks who want a light introduction to Japanese historical fantasy too!
June 14, 2024
A delightful follow-up to "The Pearl Hunter" by an author of proven skill and imagination. Congratulations to Miya T. Beck, who again draws on Japanese folklore and myth to weave a captivating tale for middle-grade readers and beyond.
Her protagonist, 12-year-old Yuki, leaves behind her California middle-school angst, the loss of her father and fights with her mother when a magic mirror transports her to the Japanese imperial court of a thousand years ago. There she meets Sei Shonagon, a real-life court lady who is the author of "The Pillow Book," an acclaimed work of observations and musings about court life.
Shonagon needs Yuki to help her in a poetry contest, but all is not as it seems ...
"Through a Clouded Mirror" introduces Yuki to an array of magical creatures and sturdy friends who slowly help her come to terms with her life back home in California. But can she get back? And at what cost? By turns spiky (the first third), stately (the second) and frenetic (the finale), "Through a Clouded Mirror" is a gripping read.
Her protagonist, 12-year-old Yuki, leaves behind her California middle-school angst, the loss of her father and fights with her mother when a magic mirror transports her to the Japanese imperial court of a thousand years ago. There she meets Sei Shonagon, a real-life court lady who is the author of "The Pillow Book," an acclaimed work of observations and musings about court life.
Shonagon needs Yuki to help her in a poetry contest, but all is not as it seems ...
"Through a Clouded Mirror" introduces Yuki to an array of magical creatures and sturdy friends who slowly help her come to terms with her life back home in California. But can she get back? And at what cost? By turns spiky (the first third), stately (the second) and frenetic (the finale), "Through a Clouded Mirror" is a gripping read.
March 31, 2024
A mixture of Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz, the story follows a girl who goes on an adventure through a mirror and is transported into a magical imperial Japan! Yuki is forced to move schools and start over, she misses her best friend and isn't having a good time fitting in. When she befriends a shopkeeper at a Japanese antique store the last thing she expects is to fall into a magical mirror and land in a magical imperial Japan! Yuki will now have to find a way back home before it's too late. This was a cute take on the classic story and a fun spin on it. The adventure was nice and I love the touch of magical Imperial Japan in it!
*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books|Balzer + Bray for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*
*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books|Balzer + Bray for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*
June 15, 2024
This was an excellent book. I love stories with time travel, alternate realities, portals to other worlds and this one had it all!
I loved the references to Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz and other well-known stories.
Very interesting to learn about Sei Shonagon and The Pillow Book.
One thing I liked about this book was that the time/portal travel was recognized by the characters in the story, they were aware of it and there were consequences because of it (instead of being ignored or brushed off as a dream).
I loved the references to Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz and other well-known stories.
Very interesting to learn about Sei Shonagon and The Pillow Book.
One thing I liked about this book was that the time/portal travel was recognized by the characters in the story, they were aware of it and there were consequences because of it (instead of being ignored or brushed off as a dream).
August 4, 2024
The mix of Western children's classics "The Wizard of Oz" and the Alice stories with Japanese literature is seamless in "Through a Clouded Mirror" by Miya T. Beck.
This action-packed page turner is full of relatable characters and is a wonderful blend of two cultures and fantasy, making this a must read.
Added bonus: If you currently or have ever lived in the Los Angeles area and know about The Valley. This story has wonderful hidden gems.
This action-packed page turner is full of relatable characters and is a wonderful blend of two cultures and fantasy, making this a must read.
Added bonus: If you currently or have ever lived in the Los Angeles area and know about The Valley. This story has wonderful hidden gems.
January 26, 2024
I had the pleasure of receiving this as an ARC through NetGalley. It's a wonderful fantasy that's reminiscent of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland but set in imperial Japan. It contains poetry, classic Dad jokes, friendships (both old and new), fighting with a parent, losing a parent, and running away. The pace is steady, and it has great imagery in it. Definitely a great MG recommendation.
April 11, 2025
Very unexpected and different from other middle grade myth books, I really enjoyed this. If you like Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, this is the book for you. I could see there being a sequel and more adventures for Yuki. Some details made me wonder if Yuki could also be seen as neurodivergent (blunt, know-it-all, just one friend).
June 18, 2024
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. I’ve always enjoyed mythology books and thus was another great read. I liked the references to several of literary classics. I like that Yuki never hides up even if that means she might lose her friends.
Want to read
November 23, 2023[Written before release]
Any book with Sei Shonagon is bound to catch my interest, and the blurb has me excited! I'll replace this review with a real one once I have the pleasure of reading.
Any book with Sei Shonagon is bound to catch my interest, and the blurb has me excited! I'll replace this review with a real one once I have the pleasure of reading.
July 16, 2024
This was a good fantasy story and I especially late the time and space travel to Japan.
August 22, 2024
Long chapters made this seem slow. The synopsis doesn't tell you that there's a very large focus on writing short poems, which I unfortunately found pretty boring.
November 30, 2024
Felt like a children's book from the 90s. Also briefly jarring because I think of Shonagon from the Ewan McGregor erotic movie.
February 26, 2025
The adventure and suspense really pick up on the end, but I wish it was longer.
April 29, 2025
Just fine. Never really connected with the main character.
A background knowledge of Japanese mythology and classic authors would definitely increase enjoyment.
A background knowledge of Japanese mythology and classic authors would definitely increase enjoyment.
May 4, 2025
I loved that the time travel mirror was explicitly to an alternate universe not just the past. ended a bit suddenly.
October 10, 2024
Hinter dem Zeitenspiegel ist ein wunderbar geschriebenes Jugendbuch, das vor allem Fans asiatischer Fantasy begeistern wird. Miya T. Beck überzeugt mit einem sehr schönen, atmosphärischen Schreibstil, der es leicht macht, sich in die magische Welt des mittelalterlichen Japan hineinzuversetzen. Die Geschichte rund um Yuki und ihre Reise durch das Portal ist spannend und voller Abenteuer.
Besonders gelungen sind die Charaktere, die authentisch und sympathisch wirken. Yuki, die zu Beginn einsam und unsicher ist, wächst im Verlauf der Geschichte sichtbar über sich hinaus. Auch die mysteriöse Momo und die Frau im Spiegel verleihen der Geschichte eine faszinierende Tiefe.
Allerdings könnte es für Leser, die sich nicht so sehr für japanische Kultur oder Fantasy interessieren, etwas schwer sein, in die Handlung hineinzufinden. Wer jedoch Geschichten mit magischen Portalen und abenteuerlichen Reisen liebt, wird definitiv auf seine Kosten kommen.
Insgesamt ein tolles Buch für jüngere Leser, das an Klassiker wie Alice im Wunderland und Der Zauberer von Oz erinnert, aber einen eigenen, frischen asiatischen Touch mitbringt.
Besonders gelungen sind die Charaktere, die authentisch und sympathisch wirken. Yuki, die zu Beginn einsam und unsicher ist, wächst im Verlauf der Geschichte sichtbar über sich hinaus. Auch die mysteriöse Momo und die Frau im Spiegel verleihen der Geschichte eine faszinierende Tiefe.
Allerdings könnte es für Leser, die sich nicht so sehr für japanische Kultur oder Fantasy interessieren, etwas schwer sein, in die Handlung hineinzufinden. Wer jedoch Geschichten mit magischen Portalen und abenteuerlichen Reisen liebt, wird definitiv auf seine Kosten kommen.
Insgesamt ein tolles Buch für jüngere Leser, das an Klassiker wie Alice im Wunderland und Der Zauberer von Oz erinnert, aber einen eigenen, frischen asiatischen Touch mitbringt.
January 11, 2025
Yuki Snow’s life is over. Against her wishes, her mom and stepfather have moved her to a new city hundreds of miles from her hometown and best friend. When she gets the chance to travel through an antique magic mirror to another world, she leaps at the chance. She lands in an imperial Japanese court, where she is told she’s a contestant to become the next Priestess of Poetry. What could be more delightful—especially when she learns a literary idol of hers will be her mentor? But the costs of losing the contest are high, and more lurks beneath the glamorous surface of this world than meets the eye.
Beck writes a convincing tween protagonist. 12-year-old Yuki’s strengths and weaknesses flow naturally from the same source: a firm sense of self. This means she is able to assert her opinions and pursue her “uncool� interests with confidence, but it also means that she is blunt and unwavering in her distaste for things and people she doesn’t like. Yuki isn’t one for change, compromises, or reassessments� a trait which she is forced to confront as the narrative progresses.
The first � of Through A Clouded Mirror takes place in the real world, with the next ½ covering Yuki’s introduction to the portal world and all three rounds of the poetry contest. The remaining pages are dedicated to the book’s climax and perhaps too-rapid conclusion.
Slight pacing issues aside, the emotional core of the book rings true, and fans of topsy-turvy style portal fantasies such as Through the Looking-Glass will enjoy visiting this unique fantasy world.
There are two pages of sources at the end of Through A Clouded Mirror that list titles the author used for research, and give information about historical characters that appear in the text. However, this back matter would have been improved by an additional page or two with explanations about sentence diagramming and the poetry forms used in the book.
Recommended as an optional purchase for ages 8-12. Thanks to HarperCollins for the copy via the Southeast Ohio Young Adult Media Group.
[Note: Yuki is Japanese-American and her mother is Japanese. Julio reads as Chicano/Latino, while the inhabitants of the portal world all read as Japanese.]
Beck writes a convincing tween protagonist. 12-year-old Yuki’s strengths and weaknesses flow naturally from the same source: a firm sense of self. This means she is able to assert her opinions and pursue her “uncool� interests with confidence, but it also means that she is blunt and unwavering in her distaste for things and people she doesn’t like. Yuki isn’t one for change, compromises, or reassessments� a trait which she is forced to confront as the narrative progresses.
The first � of Through A Clouded Mirror takes place in the real world, with the next ½ covering Yuki’s introduction to the portal world and all three rounds of the poetry contest. The remaining pages are dedicated to the book’s climax and perhaps too-rapid conclusion.
Slight pacing issues aside, the emotional core of the book rings true, and fans of topsy-turvy style portal fantasies such as Through the Looking-Glass will enjoy visiting this unique fantasy world.
There are two pages of sources at the end of Through A Clouded Mirror that list titles the author used for research, and give information about historical characters that appear in the text. However, this back matter would have been improved by an additional page or two with explanations about sentence diagramming and the poetry forms used in the book.
Recommended as an optional purchase for ages 8-12. Thanks to HarperCollins for the copy via the Southeast Ohio Young Adult Media Group.
[Note: Yuki is Japanese-American and her mother is Japanese. Julio reads as Chicano/Latino, while the inhabitants of the portal world all read as Japanese.]
March 28, 2024
I loved the Pearl Hunter and was excited to see a new novel appear. Seing the mirror on the cover I understood that this was going to be a portal adventure, but it's alright because this author creates unique and fantastic journeys with out-of-the box themes. This time, a contest of poetry in ancient Japan with Asian inspired culture, even yokais. An Alice/Oz kind of story.
I love the character's love for lists, I too love lists, they bring order and calm to my world. The main character goes through her own journey to understand the truth and where she belongs and in the process she unmasks evil.
Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher for this e-arc.
I love the character's love for lists, I too love lists, they bring order and calm to my world. The main character goes through her own journey to understand the truth and where she belongs and in the process she unmasks evil.
Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher for this e-arc.
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