From the author of Boy Swallows Universe.

‘That mirror of yours might be the most trustworthy thing in your life.’

What if you’ve been on the run since you were six months old? What if your mom might have acted like a monster, but you can’t imagine her being one? What if you don’t have a name because telling people might give you and your mom away? What if that mirror of yours is indeed the most trustworthy thing in your life?

‘Mirror, mirror, please don’t lie. Tell me who you are. Tell me, who am I?’

So, what if you don’t have a clue who you are, where you come from? What if you’re just this seventeen-year-old girl who has lived in cars and vans her whole life? Not homeless as she says herself, but houseless. What if your mom wants to turn herself in when you become eighteen so you can finally start living?

This is the story of an art lover and talented artist. Her story filled an ugly past but also with dreams about who she eventually wants to be.

While reading, Eli’s voice (the MC of Boy Swallows Universe) constantly rang in my head. It was like he (the actor who played Eli in the Netflix series) was this girl, this person, the MC in this book. Somehow, they felt very connected. When I read the acknowledgments, I smiled because an illustration of Eli and Slim on Instagram made Paul Heppell come into the orbit of Trent Dalton, who eventually asked Paul to do some illustrations for Lola in the Mirror. And those illustrations reminded me of Gus’ drawings in Boy Swallows Universe. And so the circle is round again.

It took me some time to get into this story, but when I eventually did, I got hooked. I laughed out loud when our MC sat at the police station with policeman Geoff and swallowed a lump simultaneously. My mom’s heart was crying so many times, especially about eighteen/nineteen-year-old alcoholic Charlie. Seeet, sweet Charlie. Like our MC says:

‘Charlie ain’t no prince. He’s just one of those lovable scoundrels with a hidden heart of gold.’

That last part was just beautiful and heartbreaking. If you loved reading Boy Swallows Universe, read this one. If you loved the TV series Boy Swallows Universe, read this one. If you’re up for heartbreak and tragedy and plot twists but also for hope and power, read this one.