Book Review – “Shattered Reflection” by Madisyn Carlin

Happy, happy release day to Shattered Reflection by Madisyn Carlin, which is a part of the Broken Mirrors book release, all unique fairytale retellings of the Snow Queen!

My Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

W O W. 

Like I once said in a previous book review, I’d like to say I have no words but that wouldn’t be helpful for this review, so I’ll try to form my thoughts into intelligible sentences. 

Um, this was good. Really, really, really good.

Who am I kidding?

IT WAS AMAZING AND I DESPERATELY NEED MORE AND AHHHH MY POOR HEART HAS BEEN SHATTERED, no pun intended!!! I read the bulk of this epic fantasy story in the span of about three days. And now I need to reread it. To get more into the specifics of what I loved about this book, I’ll start, as always, with the characters. 

CHARACTERS

My heart breaks for Loren; for so much of the book he was so exhausted and drained. *sobs*  I LOVE HIM! I like how he’s not some exceptionally strong warrior, despite his knowledge and brains in terms of medicine as a physician (which was so cool, by the way). He’s gentle and sweet, protective, and has a caring heart. His twin sister Layree was so resilient, despite her weakness. It was so heartwarming how deeply she loves her brother so much, to the point where she will risk her life to see him safe. (Of course, he does the exact same for her.)

Nordica is so. very. relatable. Maybe it was her reactions that made me think, this girl is a girl after my own heart. I don’t know. But I feel strangely similar to her, especially in how she reacts to things. I love the dear girl. That first chapter in her POV made my poor heart shatter into pieces. I love how, though very reserved and cautious, she takes the initiative in moving the story along. She makes choices, has strong character agency, doesn’t only let things happen to her.

The whole deal with Uncle Ronaldo practically banning emotion was heartbreaking and infuriating. We were given emotions for a reason. And like it said for poor Nordica: “Beneath the numbness, everything hurt.” We were made to be alive, to feel things, and when numbness sets in, it’s really just masking a depth of pain beneath. Nordica’s character arc was SO powerful, and I love how Loren played such a big role in it. The whole scene with the *coughs* shattered reflection *coughs* gave me chills. Bless his heart.

(Also, Anthi is EPIC. I love her fearlessness, her impertinence. And dear, sweet Zinnia. XD) 

Breac. Ahhh, I love the guy!! He’s so cute. He’s a lovable mixture of grumpy, witty, impatient, and caring!!! I also love his playful friend Canon, who’s just the kind of friend he needs!! (Canon is right, Breac has a delightful personality. *smirks* ) And speaking of Canon, I love how he’s just never gonna be a proper gentleman! LOL. Breac’s Aunt Gryndie is hilarious. Tandri’s adorable and such a lovable spitfire. In fact, Breac’s whole family is just so fun and adventurous and hilarious. Read the book if just for them!

Marcus, I LOVE YOU. We first see him as an antagonistic figure in others’ POVs, but I quickly saw glimpses of conflict deep within him, and I knew I would love him. The way he was being so severely accused, the way he put on an emotionless mask, rather than trying in vain to explain…I just developed a deep sympathy for him. At times, I was furious at how Layree and Loren don’t give him a second chance for most of the book, when he’s in fact been through so much worse than they have. 

He believes he’s too far gone, that he’s only being kept from death to carry out justice, not because the Lord cares for him. But deep down, he has a protector’s heart, regardless of whether or not he sees that. Learning about his awful, heartrending past broke my heart, and made me cry. He thinks he deserves all the pain he’s received, but (assuming he’s reading this review) HE DOESN’T. I feel so much for him, especially with how no one trusts him. I guess all I’m saying is, I n e e d his redemption arc. I like that we didn’t get it in this book because, well, it deserves a whole book devoted to it. He needs more time than was afforded in the book. So, I am eagerly – dare I even say impatiently – awaiting Book 2. 

The villains are shockingly evil. (Especially Uncle Ronaldo. I despised him.) But you know what? Shocking evil exists in the real world. So for that very reason, I actually like it when authors have purely wicked characters as villains: it rings true. The depth of evil only makes the light and hope shine out all the brighter. A big theme that had to do with this was the question of why God would allow awful things to happen to innocent people, and Carlin answered this as well as it could be expressed, in a Biblical, honest way. 

WRITING STYLE

As for how the book was written, INCREDIBLE. Madisyn Carlin starts it off with a bang, raising questions and creating such suspense. There are five POVs yet they’re all clearly organized and I never had any trouble following them. Each character is distinct, and I was always left on a little cliffhanger, unable to stop reading. The writing style itself was beautiful; crisp, intentional, vivid, almost cinematic. The moments of humor are priceless. I’m coming to see it’s a trademark of Carlin’s stories and I AM HERE FOR IT. She’s a master of clever and sharp and witty insults, and when they’re directed at the villains, I’m in glee. Also, random side note: I appreciate how she realistically portrays the medical conditions of her characters. People don’t get healed magically fast. 

WORLDBUILDING

Madisyn Carlin is a queen at worldbuilding. She infuses unique cultural elements into each world, creating a rich setting without over-describing anything, and sprinkling in the details I need to feel like I’ve lived in this world for years. Honestly, it’s AMAZING. (Exampes: freezeberry juice. Elk steak. “Thank the snow.”) There were a few things that threw me off a bit, such as the mention of burritos, or certain modern phrases, but those kinds of things don’t bother me much. 😏 😜

PLOT

Super suspenseful and captivating! I both love and hate the royal/political intrigue. There were a few parts, especially in terms of backstory, that seemed delivered so subtly I didn’t fully understand them, but as is often the case, I didn’t slow down to review and comprehend before moving on to the next chapter. *hides* So I usually don’t fault that with the author unless I’ve really tried and failed to understand. XD All in all, I loved the plot and have no complaints.

ROMANCE

BEAUTIFUL. HEART-MELTING. PURE. ADORABLE. I ship Nordica and Loren so flippin hard. How he’s unimpressed by her royal status and sees her for herself, how she’s drawn by the gentleness in his eyes…just perfectly sets the stage for their lovely romance. (Which is most satisfying! *happy sigh*) Their relationship is absolutely beautiful, so God-honoring and pure. I love how they both strengthen each other, how their faith plays a huge, driving role in their romance. And even though I initially didn’t ship Breac and Layree, they are criminally adorable with each other, I’ll give ya that. I was melting into a puddle at their scenes later on in the book. Madisyn Carlin knows how to write a killer romance. 

THEMES

Every character had some sort of spiritual arc they had to undergo, and each is so powerful. The messages of truth and grace and redemption just give me chills. I love that the author included explicitly Christian content; having the characters read the Bible and pray to God. That can get tricky in a fantasy world, but this proves that it doesn’t have to be. Forgiveness, God’s sovereignty and man’s free will, redeeming grace, and the innate worth of every human made in God’s image were the biggest themes I caught, the latter being especially impactful.

Note: The thematic content in this book is not fluffy and light. There’s pain and suffering and things that make you wince and cringe and cry. But it’s not for shock value: all of it has a purpose.

OVERALL

If you like epic fantasy, cold and snowy aesthetics, unique characters with relatable conflicts, and an unashamed faith content that boldly presents truth to counter lies, well, you’ve found just the book for you. I highly recommend it! ( *whispers*  And pro tip: read it during winter for the best experience. 😉)

SOME FAVORITE QUOTES

“Stop running from Him, Breac, and start running to Him.”

Here I am. Every cynical, hesitant part of me.

“I am a mortal physician. I can tend to your flesh wounds and nothing more. But we serve and belong to the Master Physician. He can mend everything, even the scars you think could never heal.”

Before, he’d scoff at looking like such a lovesick fool but, as he was learning, being lovesick wasn’t a thing to be ashamed of and there was nothing foolish involved, either.

DISCLOSURE: I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

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The Shattered Lands | Book One

War shattered not only Breac Finson’s heart, but his faith as well. Tired of fighting, Breac only wants to be left alone, but his efforts are for naught when a friend calls in a favor. He soon finds himself in an unexpected alliance with Layree Alocer, a woman determined to find her wrongfully-kidnapped brother at all costs. Can a broken soldier help right a wrong—and find his faith again in the process?

Sides must be chosen and loyalties will be tested as a new war approaches. Can broken lives be mended in time to help save the Snowlands, or is evil already too deeply embedded?

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About the Author

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What’s your favorite Christmas read? Do you have a favorite fairytale retelling? Any of your favorite books set in a wintry land? Have you read either of Madisyn Carlin’s other stories, IRON and DECEIVED? (I’m on a Christmas hiatus right now, but I’ll get to your comments when I return, unless I ending popping back on before then!)