Review: Archie's Mirror

Archie's Mirror by Geoff Turner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’ll start by saying I’m far from an expert in children’s books. Despite the fact that it hasn’t been that long since I was reading them, I do feel somewhat disconnected from them. Due to that, I had a bit of trouble working out what age range this story was aimed at. To me, it felt as though it flickered somewhat: sometimes it would become darker or the language would be aimed at older children, and yet for the most part I felt as though it was fine for somewhat younger (note that I am not implying toddlers) children.

Despite my inability to work out the exact age range the story is aimed at, it was an enjoyable enough read. In fact, it can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. It’s a fun little fantasy read, one that quickly pulls you in.

Almost instantly the action starts, pulling us into the fantasy world, and it doesn’t let up all that much throughout. As the story progresses we’re slowly introduced to more and more aspects of the fantasy world, with there being many nods to popular fiction throughout. A lot of the creatures we’re introduced to are the typical, but there are also some new unique creatures for us to enjoy. I’ll admit at times, I felt as though there were too many creatures being introduced – I felt as though it would have been better to spread them out across the books – and yet the overall effect worked.

I’ll admit that a few things seemed a bit too predictable, things that happen in a lot of children’s stories, but such a thing isn’t a problem for the child reader. The way in which the story develops is sure to keep children interested, leaving them wanting more. In all honesty, I’m rather curious myself as to where things will go from here.

As a final note, I would like to thank the author for contacting me regarding a review: I enjoyed this one, and I’m positive the next one will be just as enjoyable – if not more so.

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