Mirrorland: A Novel

Very hard for me to get into. I began reading this months ago but just couldn’t find it interesting enough to finish. Then I picked it up Friday and flashed through it by Saturday night.Absolutely enjoyed the layered twists and turns to this book and unreliable narration. Some of it felt a bit contrived but overall it was a treat to read although in places it addresses some hard topics.Will enjoy trying something else from this author.“‘I tried to drown my sorrows, but the bastards learned how to swim.’ ”

"Mirror twins" is how Cat describes her relationship with El, two sisters entangled in a childhood of trauma, fantasy, and dreams of pirates with adventures of escape and mystery. This first book of author Carole Johnstone is a tense, dramatic read, you won't want to put down.The story is set in Scotland, where estranged sister, Cat, had returned from Los Angeles amid her sisters tragic disappearance from a day of sailing and join the search for her missing sister. Identical siblings often have mythical relationships with closeness, conflicts, and competition, and this novel takes readers on a compelling journey filled with angst, stark revelations, and the jumbled mix of images, words, and memories from the past haunting Cat, while she struggles for answers to her sister's mysterious disappearance.Told as Cat's first-person account of suddenly reentering her estranged sister's life after years of absence is both traumatic and convoluted at best. Who can Cat believe among all who try to help, console, and even warn her? Can she even believe herself?Adding to Cat's challenges is Ross, husband of missing sister, El, who was both sisters' childhood friend, confidant, and romantic rival. The author's chilling storytelling creates a neverending series of psychological events filled with truths, half-truths, and too many uncertainties.This densely written suspense takes longer to read that you might think because it takes time to process and untangle the web of conflicting facts and surprising revelations. This book took me at least twice as long to read as similar length novels, but I kept pressing forward wanting to know more.I found the book intriguing and engaging, although the author did not always delineate Cat's present from her past, forcing readers to experience all events, past and present, in a single real-time flow. This was the book's unique strength and weakness, warping time into a twisted storyline.Everything stays mixed up, until the unexpected end, where truths emerge slowly, finally making sense. As such, this is a one-time read, where the reading experience is motivated primarily by the unknown and living through the novel's engrossing tale.The Audible narration was both a blessing and a curse, as the Scottish narrator's often thick brogue added local charm and personality but was at times challenging to understand, especially at the beginning.Coarse and salty language colors dialogue and internal thoughts, potentially distracting and perhaps offensive to some readers because of its frequency.Overall, this imaginative plotline and story came together well. Certainly a suprising debut novel many will enjoy.

Thrilling, suspenseful, emotional, raw….powerfully, brilliantly written… enjoyed every page! For those who love, forgive, hurt, help or believe in new beginnings.

Great read. The twins are so believable in their strengths and flaws. There are many twists that cause you to turn back a few pages to be sure you know how you got to the situation you are reading.The plot is twisted and spirals when what you think you understand quickly turns out of view. A quick read you won’t put down.

This domestic thriller earned <b>3.5 Stars</b> from me. The unique way the past and present were mixed created a dreamlike feel which was both intriguing and, at times, confusing. I had to lower my rating from 4 stars to 3.5 stars because the time shifts were not clearly marked and I was often confused.<b>SUMMARY</b>The book opens with twelve year old identical twins, "El" Ellice and "Cat" Catriona appearing at night on the docks of Edinburgh, battered and covered in blood. Claiming they had run away from home, they asked a ships captain for passage on his boat. The captain called the authorities and they were taken into custody of child services. They refused to ever give anyone any more information on their background other than the fact that they were sisters and had run away from home, and no matter how much they searched, child services could never figure out who belonged to.Fast forward twenty years later. The sisters had a rift and had not spoken in twelve years. Cat, living in LA, receives a call from Ross, El's husband, telling her that El is missing. She left on her sailboat and seems to have been lost at sea. By the time Cat arrives back in Edinburgh, El has been missing for several days. Odds of her survival in the frigid North Atlantic that long are very slim, yet Cat cannot allow herself to believe El is dead, they have that identical twin connection, wouldn't she feel it?As the story progresses, the twins background is slowly revealed. Growing up in an oddly dysfunctional house with their mother and grandfather, El and Cat created a rich fantasy life where they spent hours pretending to be pirates. They were so fully immersed in this ongoing play acting that, years later, Cat wasn't sure exactly what (or who) was real or pretend. As the search for El continues, Cat is forced to face the reality of their childhood, how they ended up on the dock twenty years ago and all the reasons her relationship with El went awry.

What is true and what is make believe? There is so much twisted in this story, you will spend the entire read second guessing. Even at the end, it's not easy to tell if you are caught in a dream until it all finally comes out.

A story about childhood imagination and realityCat & El are Identical twins. They fall out Cat goes to America but returns to Edinburgh when El disappears whilst sailing. Cat doesn’t believe El is dead because she still receives Emails from her but when a body is found that seems to be it. What follows is part detective story, part revenge, part horror and the merging of imagination with realityThe horror of their real childhood gradually unfolds, Cat and El’s love for Ross, the creepy house of their childhood and the willingness to shut out the truth. All the characters and the situations are believable interlaced with good twists to the storyline. Everything is skilfully bought together to make a really first class read

I was glued to this book. I read whilst waiting for dinner to cook, while I was trying to sleep. I just couldn't put it down. The author has a talent for dragging you feet first into her worlds or rather her character's worlds. The main protagonist is one of a pair of identical twins and when she gets a frantic message from her twin's husband to say her twin is missing, she returns to a place of nightmares. She escaped once will she do it again.I thoroughly recommend this novel for anyone who is enthralled by the workings of the human mind trying to deal with trauma. The twists and turns are never contrived and genuinely take you further on the journey.The ending surprised me in a very good way.

This was a great, dark and twisty read. The author has done a wonderful job of keeping my attention throughout the whole book. I will say that Cat did get on my nerves a few times though! She came across as a bit OT at points. This is an impressive debut and very well written.

A difficult book to review. I found the story interesting – the missing twin, the man they both loved. It turned out to be far more complex than it initially appeared. The problem I had with it was it was repetitive and I think, unnecessarily long. Dysfunctional family relationships going back a couple of generations colour the lives of the twins in a way I didn’t foresee. If you can get through the slow start, you’ll probably enjoy it.

Dark, atmospheric and compelling! An extraordinary cast of characters, some real, some imaginary (or are they??) An old house that almost "lives" - made me feel like I might have actually been there before! And a plot full of unexpected twists! Just excellent! More please!