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Summary and Reviews of The Water Mirror by Kai Meyer

The Water Mirror by Kai Meyer

The Water Mirror

by Kai Meyer
  • BookBrowse Review:
  • Critics' Consensus (4):
  • Readers' Rating (3):
  • First Published:
  • Oct 1, 2005, 256 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Aug 2006, 272 pages
  • Rate this book

About This Book

Book Summary

A bold, original fantasy that conjures up a land of magic and menace as Merle and Serafin begin a journey to unimagined realms in the extraordinary world of Dark Reflections. Ages 12+.

In Venice, magic is not unusual. Merle is apprenticed to a magic mirror maker, and Serafin -- a boy who was once a master thief -- works for a weaver of magic cloth. Merle and Serafin are used to the mermaids who live in the canals of the city -- beautiful creatures with hideous mouths that split their faces from ear to ear -- and to the guards who patrol the streets on living stone lions. Merle herself possesses something magical: a mirror whose surface is water. She can reach her whole arm into it and never get wet.

But Venice is under siege by the Egyptian Empire; its terrifying mummy warriors and flying sunbarks are waiting to strike. All that protects the Venetians is the Flowing Queen. Nobody knows who or what she is -- only that her power flows through the canals and keeps the Egyptians at bay.

When Merle and Serafin overhear a plot to capture the Flowing Queen, they are catapulted into desperate danger. They must do everything they can to rescue the Queen and save the city -- even if it means getting help from the Ancient Traitor himself.

Kai Meyer's bold, original fantasy conjures up a land of magic and menace as Merle and Serafin begin a journey to unimagined realms in the extraordinary world of Dark Reflections.

Translated into English by Elizabeth D. Crawford.

Chapter 4: Phantoms

Have you ever looked into it?" Junipa asked next morning, after they'd awakened to the sound of Eft's ringing the gong in the hallway.

Merle rubbed the sleep from her eyes with the knuckle of her index finger. "Into what?"

"Into your water mirror."

"Oh, sure. All the time."

Junipa swung her legs over the edge of the bed and looked at Merle. Her mirror fragments flared golden from the sunrise behind the roofs.

"I don't mean just looked in."

"Behind the water surface?"

Junipa nodded. "Have you?"

"Two or three times," Merle said. "I've pushed my face in as far as possible. The frame is pretty narrow, but it worked. My eyes were underwater."

"And?"

"Nothing. Just darkness."

"You couldn't see anything at all?"

"I just said that."

Thoughtfully Junipa ran her fingers through her hair. "If you want, I'...

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Reviews

BookBrowse Review

BookBrowse

Set in a mythical late 19th Century Venice, this is a series that would appeal to readers aged about 12-years or more, who are able to keep track of multiple story threads and enjoy books by the likes of Diana Wynne Jones, Tamora Pierce or Philip Pullman (His Dark Materials etc)...continued

Full Review (334 words)

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(Reviewed by BookBrowse Review Team).

Media Reviews

KLIATT - Paula Rohrlick
A thrilling, sinister adventure; readers will be eager for the next in the series. Recommended for junior high school students.

Kirkus Reviews
Mermaids and obsidian flying lions are as natural to this world as the canals and the philosophy. Merle, Junipa and Serafin will need to puzzle out who's good and who's bad as this flowing, offbeat tale continues. (Fantasy. 11-14).

Publishers Weekly
A complex work of high fantasy....Like the work of Diana Wynne Jones, this novel requires a sophisticated reader to follow its many threads, and one with patience, since most of the tying up is left for subsequent volumes. Ages 12-up.

Reader Reviews

Troy Rothman

O my gosh
This book kept me at the edge seat and almost nibbling the pages eager to discover what was going to happen next. I recommend this book for thrill seekers, adventure seekers and fantasy reader. This book is appropriate for all age levels and I had ...   Read More
connie

it rocks
i really don't enjoy reading but this was great.
Sarah

Erg...uh...
This book is really weird....Its all about mermaids, flying talking marble lions, messengers from Hell, queens made out of water, magic mirrors and their makers, mirror eyes, thieves, betraying council members....it just has a weird story line to it.   Read More

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Beyond the Book



Kai Meyer has published many books in Germany (I believe his total is in the region of 45 titles, some for adults, some for children), but his most successful have been the three volumes about the orphan girl, Merle, which have been translated into 16 languages, most recently English.  In Germany, all three volumes have been on sale for a number of years and there are even plans to make a 26-part TV series based on the books; but an English translation of the first volume was not available until last ...

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Read-Alikes

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