Keshe Chow‘s hotly anticipated debut, The Girl with No Reflection, is a dark fantasy inspired by Imperial Chinese history and mythology with a steady injection of romance for good measure. Its vivid imagery, unique world-building and courtly intrigue are no doubt what had US critics praising the book long before its release here in Australia. But despite the glowing reviews and endorsements from authors whose voices I love, this book just didn’t quite hit its mark for me.
Princess Ying Yue is chosen to wed Crown Prince Shan Zhang Lin and whisked away to the palace to await her nuptials. But, her hopes for a happy marriage are quickly dashed when she is locked away in a room on her own and kept secluded from the rest of the palace. Then, on the day of her wedding, she is dragged through a mirror by her reflection who offers to switch places with her and undertake the marriage duties in exchange for a chance to stand under the sun.
Infatuated by the Mirror Prince, who is seemingly unlike his real-world counterpart in every way, Ying agrees to the arrangement. But, it soon becomes clear that the mirror world and its inhabitants may be holding secrets of their own. As Ying struggles to unravel the truth and understand who she can trust, her loyalty is tested, her heart is conflicted, and she finds herself helplessly in over her head. But, Ying has her own role to play in ending the conflict between the two worlds.
Filled as it was with interesting concepts, fascinating lore, and enough courtly intrigue to leave you questioning who can be trusted, the plot for this book certainly kept me reading. It’s the sort of story that constantly leaves you guessing the motivations of the surrounding characters. Ying’s naivety makes her easily manipulated by those around her. This can be frustrating sometimes as a reader, especially since she remains determined throughout the book to handle everything herself without confiding in any of the characters she claims to trust.
Similarly, the tension and conflict between Ying and Prince Zhang is largely achieved through unclear conversation and constant misunderstanding. The lack of clear communication between the two even in the midst of some of their most crucial trials, became something of a sticking point for me as it’s a bit of a pet peeve. Nevertheless, this lack of clear communication is also understandable in the context of the story. Niether particularly knows the other well and both are trying to keep secrets of their own and are unsure of who they can trust. That’s before we even acknowledge the formality of their situation which further complicates their relationship.
There is plenty about this book to love. The settings are all perfectly crafted without bogging down the reader, the various motives of all the surrounding characters makes for an intriguing plot. And, the concept of the mirror-world is explored just enough to fill in some lore without bogging down the story in hopeless exposition.
While this book didn’t quite leave its mark on me, I can certainly see it having its fair share of fans in the reading community. For those who are less bothered by naive characters and unclear communication, and for those who enjoy a romance filled with the complexity, this book will surely entertain.
In the meantime, I will eagerly await Keshe Chow’s next book, as her writing style and skill certainly leads me to believe that there are books on her horizon that I will enjoy.
THREE AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
The Girl with No Reflection by Keshe Chow is available now from Penguin. Grab yourself a copy from a local bookshop HERE.
