Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Broken Mirror’s criticisms of corporations and strained government relations are more prevalent now than in 2016, when this book was first published. I believe this speaks to the timelessness of Science Fiction stories, and of how unfortunately, they can often reflect reality with a misstep here or there.

The book was very well written, and the characters were fleshed out and complex, especially Victor. The world building was detailed and very clear. It was easy to paint a picture of this society in my mind. The exploration of mental illness in this society, and subtle references to how it’s reflected in ours, were important and captivating.

As many of the themes in A Broken Mirror have become more visible in today’s world, it's important to note that mental health is now (for the most part) treated by society and medical professionals as an issue to be addressed head on. However, a critique I have of this novel is its suggestion that medications are not a legitimate form of treatment for those with mental illness. Psychiatric medications can be life saving.

While I am relatively new to the Science Fiction genre, I greatly appreciated the opportunity to read this book to diversify my TBR. Although, I'm not sure if Cyberpunk is ultimately for me! Nevertheless, I enjoyed the read.

The concept is promising, but lacking subtlety. A good dystopia forces the reader to draw parallels to the world they already live in-- but from the outset, Sisco's already told you what the book is about, without forcing the reader to think. I got to the chapter with the sexy hacker (also executed with the subtlety of a rhino) before I finally called it quits. The book needs a loving, brutal editor to get the ideas in it the technique they deserve.