The Obsidian Mirror by Catherine Fisher

  Summary from Goodreads

Jake's father disappears while working on mysterious experiments with the obsessive, reclusive Oberon Venn. Jake is convinced Venn has murdered him. But the truth he finds at the snow-bound Wintercombe Abbey is far stranger ... The experiments concerned a black mirror, which is a portal to both the past and the future. Venn is not alone in wanting to use its powers. Strangers begin gathering in and around Venn's estate: Sarah - a runaway, who appears out of nowhere and is clearly not what she says, Maskelyne - who claims the mirror was stolen from him in some past century. There are others, a product of the mirror's power to twist time. And a tribe of elemental beings surround this isolated estate, fey, cold, untrustworthy, and filled with hate for humans. But of them all, Jake is hell-bent on using the mirror to get to the truth. Whatever the cost, he must learn what really happened to his father.

Paperback, 400 pages

Published October 4th 2012 by Hodder Children's Books
 

My Review

I love the idea of time travel as the possibilities really are endless, but sometimes in fiction it just doesn't work out. I am so pleased to say that Catherine Fisher has mastered the art of writing about time travel superbly, I was simply glued to this excitedly brilliant storyline! The characters are fabulously quirky, extremely interesting and never dull! There is so much to this complex book, but the thing that I found most intriguing was the introduction of Lady Summer, Lord Winter and The Shee. We don't find out the In's and outs of who they really are or their purpose but we get hints of their dangerously dark natures and it's quite chilling. This is a dark, mysterious, highly thrilling read that I really did enjoy from start to finish, the world building is fantastic even though I had some moments of confusion throughout the book, it was easily overcome. I am new to Catherine Fisher's work and it's easy to say I have been seriously missing out as she really does write compellingly, I will definitely be looking out for more of her works!

Jake Wilde's father disappeared from his friend Oberon Venn's house while working with an obsidian mirror that they are keeping a big secret. Jake doesn't know that though, he just thinks his dad has went missing and has put Oberon Venn in the frame for his murder. Jake manages to get himself kicked out of the fancy private school Oberon Venn (his guardian) is paying for, so he gets sent to Venn's mansion in Wintercombe, which is just wanted all along. He is accompanied by his tutor Mr Warton.

When he arrives at the dark, spooky mansion and confronts Venn about his suspicions he ends up finding out more than he bargained for.! His father is lost somewhere in time and Venn has no idea how to get him back out of the Chronoptika, which seems to react more when Jake is around....

The lead up to the ending is action packed, complex and mind boggingly good! I really cannot wait to get my hands on the next book. I urge everyone to pick up this book as you will easily get wrapped up in this great new world that has been crafted so brilliantly by Catherine Fisher!

4.5/5 Stars!

*Special thanks to Hodder Children's Books for the review copy*

Carly :)