THE BONE SEASON is my favorite book series, bar none. The three-year wait for THE DARK MIRROR was long, especially after the cliffhanger ending THE MASK FALLING had, and I am here to say THE DARK MIRROR was 100% worth the wait. I love Samantha Shannon's writing and the worlds she creates because she is a history nerd who researches *everything* about her stories. For example, in THE DARK MIRROR, Samantha Shannon went on research trips to Central Europe and Italy, where she not only explored all the historical settings she wanted to incorporate into the story (Oh how I wish I could tell you what they are!) but also the local atmospheres of each city that she knows her characters, particularly Paige Mahoney, would notice and take in. I know a lot of writers do research trips for their work, but no other writer makes me feel like I'm visiting the places they set their stories quite like Samantha Shannon. I've never been to Italy, but I swear I could smell (and get queasy from) the sea air just like a certain someone does in THE DARK MIRROR. I would say more but I don't want to spoil anything!

Before THE DARK MIRROR, our favorite characters--Paige, Arcturus, Nick, Maria, Terebell, and even a scoundrel we can't help but love--were flung all over Europe for various reasons. THE DARK MIRROR is in a lot of respects a homecoming for these characters, even if they're not actually home. We are also introduced to some lovely newbies, like Veronika, who fits right in with the motley gang of criminals and Gods from another world. We also get to know other characters, like Ducos, better, which I appreciate because Ducos is the coolest. Though no Samantha Shannon novel could ever be called "chill," there are more moments of calm and reflection in THE DARK MIRROR than there have been in the previous BONE SEASON books. Don't worry, there are still tons of adventure and fight scenes, but there are also a lot of great conversations over bottles of wine and tiramisu.

After experiencing several traumatic events in short succession, our Pale Dreamer has matured quite a bit in THE DARK MIRROR. She's still a kickass thief, spy, and Underqueen, of course, but she's also learned to appreciate life and its small moments. Or at least she is trying to. Instead of screaming at Paige in my head to stop being so reckless as I sometimes did in the last books, I found myself mentally applauding her for thinking ahead and realizing there are sometimes better ways to solve problems than lighting them on fire or jumping off a building. And Arcturus, our favorite Reph and music lover. I won't say too much here because of the ending of the last book, but I want to publicly declare how much I love him. I want to get "Hm." tattooed on me somewhere.

I am so glad to have my favorite characters in my favorite series back in my life after wondering and daydreaming about what happened to them for three long years. I am sure other fans of the series and Ms. Shannon's work will be just as thrilled with THE DARK MIRROR as I was. I am already looking forward to reading it again.

I have never been as grateful to receive an ARC as I was for this one. Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the honor.

An exceptional continuation of a series I love. A return to Paige’s world and all of the good and bad that come with it. So happy to have had the opportunity to read an arc of it — thank you so much, NetGalley and Bloomsbury! Thanks to Samantha Shannon for writing such a gift of a book in The Dark Mirror.

Heart-wrenching and fiercely intimate. Revisiting these characters' stories is like peeling back layers of an old wound—satisfactory yet emotionally devastating. While somewhat slower in its pacing, this long awaited novel does not disappoint. Where to even start? Paige's voice is so familiar, immediately drawing me in, and I absolutely loved seeing her navigate old and fresh wounds alike. There are several added layers to this novel, chief among them the character work, something that has improved book to book. Its slower pacing might push some away, but I think it gives the novel space to breathe, space for an in-depth exploration of their inner lives. The tension is palpable between characters, creating a deeply moving and personal narrative. It's a wonderful continuation of such a beloved series. It will tug at all of your heart strings, and then some. Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury for this advanced digital copy! 4.25 / 5.0 stars

I love Samantha Shannon and the worlds she creates. I was so happy to return back to this one! The characters are fantastic.