ammaarah
Written on Apr 19, 2020
"It had always been a myth that it was those who loved you who could see through you. It was those you feared who could see through you most clearly."
A rich, magical and intriguing world with so much of potential. There's two worlds colliding, powerful and ancient enemies, a little brother in trouble, adventure, travelling, taking names, friendships, romances and near-death experiences.
The Golden Yarn explores a part of the Mirrorworld that resembles historic Russia. I enjoyed experiencing the world and the different fairytale, folklore, magical and fantastical aspects are so interesting. I love the atmosphere of this series! It has a traditional fairytale feel, but it's also twisted, dark and deadly.
There are also many plot threads and POVs. I enjoyed the story progression and the way everything came together, but The Golden Yarn seems a little rough around the edges. The plot threads and POVs become muddled sometimes and the plot progression is a little slow.
The characters are complex, interesting and nuanced. In The Golden Yarn we learn more about Jacob's past and the Mirrorworld's history. Jacob is an unapologetic antihero and his vulnerabilities become more evident with the realisation that he has feelings for Fox. Fox is still so awesome and I love her bravery and loyalty.
There's a love triangle in The Golden Yarn and while it's a little unnecessary in terms of the will-they-won't-they aspect, I appreciated its purpose. The love triangle allows the characters to figure out who they are and what they want. I'm also satisfied that Fox and Jacob finally admit that they love each other. Although Fox and Jacob are both stubborn and frustrating when it comes to their relationship, their behavior fits their personalities. However, almost everyone in the Mirrorworld can see that Fox and Jacob are meant for each other and I agree.
Here are some secondary character awards:
★ The dynamic duo: Chanute and Sylvian.
★ Small role, big impact: Alma
★ Most surprising: The Dark Fairy. Her POV chapters are my favourite because there's so much of her feelings - love, pain, longing and realisation. The ending felt like I had swallowed a bitter pill. I don't think that The Dark Fairy is fully dead, but the death of an immortal creature who kept to themselves for the most part, felt wrong.
★ Most disappointing: Isambard Brunel (John Reckless). His POV chapters are the worst because of his personality. He doesn't take responsibility for any of his actions, he blames others for his mistakes and he always plays victim.
★ Most WTH character: Will Reckless. I don't know what to make of Will's character after the events in The Golden Yarn. The changes make sense due to his past experiences, but they are so extreme.
I admit that the Mirrorworld series is not one that everyone will love, but it has all the elements that I love. The Golden Yarn ends with a cliffhanger and unanswered questions, which means that I have a lot of theories. How am I going to survive the wait for the next book in the Mirrorworld series?!
"Life and death were so eerily similar."