The Mask of Mirrors
| Industry | Publishing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2021 |
| Founder | M.A. Carrick (pen name of Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms) |
| Products | Fantasy novels: The Mask of Mirrors, The Liar's Knot, Labyrinth’s Heart |
The Mask of Mirrors is a fantasy novel released in 2021 and marks the debut of M.A. Carrick, a pen name used by authors Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms. This book initiates the Rook and Rose trilogy, succeeded by The Liar's Knot (2021) and Labyrinth’s Heart (2023).
Plot
Several decades ago, the Liganti forces under the authoritarian rule of Kaius Rex seized control of Nadežra from the Vraszenian clans. Rex demolished the revered Wellspring of Ažerais, replacing it with an amphitheater. Following his demise, a fragile peace was established between the Vraszenian elders and the Liganti Cinquerat committee; however, underlying tensions remained due to Liganti aristocratic dominance.
Ren, an orphaned Vraszenian street child, becomes part of the Fingers gang after losing her mother. After violent confrontations with Ondrakja, the gang’s leader, Ren and her sworn sibling Tess escape, mistakenly believing their friend Sedge has died. They enter service under Letilia, a woman estranged from her noble Nadežran lineage, before stealing her jewelry to return to Nadežra disguised as Renata Viraudax and her attendant. Their aim is to penetrate the waning Traementis family to acquire wealth. Despite her deception, Ren develops genuine feelings for the Traementis. They later reunite with Sedge, now employed by crime lord Derossi Vargo, and encounter the Rook, a vigilante figure resisting Liganti corruption.
Grey Serrado, an investigator with the city Vigil, probes mysterious deaths caused by insomnia among street youth while grieving his brother Kolya’s passing—a death many attribute to the Rook. Vargo uncovers that aža—a substance allowing visions within dreams—is being transformed into ash; this ash grants direct access to the dream realm but exposes users to deadly creatures known as zlyzen.
Ren and the Rook grow suspicious that Cinquerat official Mettore Indestor is orchestrating a rebellion. During the Night of Bells festival, both Liganti nobility and Vraszenian elders are poisoned with ash; Leato Traementis and a clan leader perish, igniting unrest. Ren discovers Ondrakja’s involvement in producing ash derived from children’s dreams for Indestor.
With assistance from Vargo, Serrado learns that Indestor plans to obliterate the Wellspring and frame radical factions. Using magic, Indestor and Ondrakja extract the Wellspring from the dream world into reality, causing a dangerous merging of realms. Ren, alongside the Rook, Vargo, and Sedge, confront this crisis; Ondrakja falls victim to zlyzen. Vargo contains the breach, safeguarding the Wellspring.
Indestor faces execution and his family loses their noble status; Vargo is ennobled due to his role in resolving the crisis. Ren uncovers that Vargo was responsible for Kolya Serrado’s death, shattering her trust. She reveals this truth to the Rook—who is unveiled as Grey Serrado—who then vows vengeance.
Major themes
In a review for the Los Angeles Review of Books, Matthew Iung highlights the novel’s focus on conflicts between privileged elites and marginalized groups, touching upon issues such as white supremacy and police brutality. Written months prior to George Floyd’s killing, Iung draws parallels between its depictions of civil unrest and racial/class tensions with those seen in the Black Lives Matter movement. Unlike conventional fantasy narratives, law enforcement here mirrors contemporary structures that perpetuate "racial hierarchy and class hegemony within an imperial society." The story also engages with themes of water politics, featuring a subplot where Ren pursues rights to provide clean water in impoverished neighborhoods. Notably, this coincided with Wall Street's launch of water futures trading shortly before publication—a phenomenon Iung terms "disaster capitalism." The antagonist’s attempt to destroy a sacred wellspring further reinforces the message advocating water as a communal resource.
Reception
The book was met with predominantly favorable critiques. Liz Bourke from Tor.com commended the intricate worldbuilding and multifaceted magic system, describing it as "captivating and enjoyable." The Los Angeles Review of Books emphasized the novel's exploration of societal themes such as police violence and colonial legacies. Culturess praised the richly developed characters and immersive setting, suggesting that committed readers would find the length worthwhile. Although Publishers Weekly remarked that the worldbuilding could at times feel "overly intricate," it applauded the "tightly woven narrative filled with political maneuvering."