The Looking-Glass Illusion by Sara Ella

The Looking-Glass Illusion brings the story from The Wonderland Trials to a clever and satisfying conclusion in this fantasy series for teens.

The Looking-Glass Illusion (The Curious Realities, Book 2) by Sara Ella. Enclave Escape, 2023. 336 pages.

Reading Level: Teens, Ages 12-15.

Recommended For: Ages 12 and up.

‘Those of us born with the gene have a right by birth.’

‘And she has a right by belief,’ Charlotte says. ‘Can’t you see past your pride and consider that perhaps Wonderland isn’t just for those born into it?’

~Looking-Glass Illusion, p. 59

The Wonderland Trials ended on a true cliffhanger, mid-story as it were. The Looking-Glass Illusion picks up right where the first book left off with one significant change: Chess Shire is now a narrator alongside Alice. Chapters alternate between their two perspectives. This is an important change because the two characters, although still on the same team in the Trials, are often separated in Wonderland. The reader needs both perspectives to understand what is truly going on.

Chess, the game, features prominently into this second volume as Alice and Chess’s team compete: will they actually beat the Trials and win? Along the way, Alice keeps “falling through the looking glass”: she has memories that are triggered (often via a reflective surface). At first, she doesn’t understand who or what she is seeing. Characters look vaguely familiar, and sometimes, she can anticipate what’s about to happen next. Are these merely deceptions built into the game? Did they really happen? And just who is her sister Charlotte really? For that matter, who is Alice herself?

Chess is caught in his own time loop including being stuck on a train that seems to have no exit opportunity. Can he break free? Does he really believe in the truth, or is he trusting a lie?

The Looking-Glass Illusion moves at a breakneck pace through a complicated maze of characters, back story, and chess moves. The end is worth the journey, and this book, more than The Wonderland Trials, emphasizes the spiritual overtones of the world Wonderland and how one gains entry. It’s hard to give specifics without spoiling large portions of the plot, but if you enjoyed the first volume, this is a must read and satisfying conclusion. The characters are more developed, the nuances of Wonderland come through more clearly, and a romance is in the works.

Considerations:

• Sexuality: a few minor kisses
• Worldview: Although the book has clear Christian overtones (particularly at the end), Alice muses often about choosing her own destiny beforehand. Worth a possible discussion, depending on how many stories with similar messages your teen has plowed through.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

• Worldview/Moral Rating: 4 out of 5
• Literary/Artistic Rating: 4 out of 5

Read more about our ratings here.

Related Reading From Redeemed Reader

• A Review: Swift by R. J. Anderson (we’re big fans of Anderson’s work! Swift is another fantasy book also published by Enclave)
• A Review: Once a Queen by Sarah Arthur is another book about stories coming to life….
• A Round-Up: Enclave Escape Round-Up (brief reviews of three more series from Enclave)

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