Tarot Readings and Psychics have never really been my thing. I like the idea of them, the layers of meaning in the cards over time and how they represent core aspects of the human experience. However, I don’t particularly subscribe to the more supernatural aspects of them in real life. In Fantasy however, I find them a delight. And my favorite thing about The Mask of Mirrors (and its sequels) is that the in-universe Tarot analogue, aside from being wonderfully designed, was used by the authors as part of the writing process. Every card reading in the story – with one notable exception – was done in real time in our physical world, and the results were the ones used in-universe, helping to drive narrative beats and character arcs. It shouldn’t work, but M.A. Carrick show their writing chops by turning what could be a disaster, into a really excellently crafted trilogy.
The Premise:
Ren has returned to her home city of Nadežra years after fleeing the criminal gang that raised her. With the help of her sister, she hopes to get herself adopted into a noble household by masquerading as a long-lost niece and make off with their fortunes. Unfortunately, the family turns out to be nearly destitute after a perhaps supernatural string of bad luck, the city’s cultural tensions are about to boil over, and Ren’s past debts to the underworld come knocking.
Read If Looking For: deeply realized cultures and characters, con artists, lavish descriptions of clothing, queernorm worlds
Avoid if Looking For: a fast paced story, or one that prioritizes action scenes
Marked for Plot 