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Resonant Earth #1
Broken Mirror: Resonant Earth Volume 1
Broken Mirror: the start of a smart, complex, and imaginative cyberpunk alternate history saga. Literary science fiction from a fresh, young voice.
In a mirror universe, a mentally ill young man searches for his grandfather’s killer.
Someone killed Jefferson Eastmore. His grandson Victor is sure of it, but no one believes him.
Diagnosed with mirror resonance syndrome and shunned by Semiautonomous California society, Victor suffers from hyperempathy, blank outs, and sensory overload. Jefferson devoted his life to researching and curing Broken Mirrors like Victor, but now that he’s gone, Victor must walk a narrow path between sanity and reclassification—a fate that all but guarantees he’ll lose his freedom.
With its self-driving cars, global firearms ban, and a cure for cancer, the world of Broken Mirror may sound utopic, but history has taken a few wrong turns. The American Union is a weak and fractious alliance of nations in decline. Europe manipulates its citizens through propaganda. And Asia is reeling from decades of war. Amid shifting geopolitical sands, Broken Mirrors like Victor find themselves at a crossroads: evolve or go extinct.
In a mirror universe, a mentally ill young man searches for his grandfather’s killer.
Someone killed Jefferson Eastmore. His grandson Victor is sure of it, but no one believes him.
Diagnosed with mirror resonance syndrome and shunned by Semiautonomous California society, Victor suffers from hyperempathy, blank outs, and sensory overload. Jefferson devoted his life to researching and curing Broken Mirrors like Victor, but now that he’s gone, Victor must walk a narrow path between sanity and reclassification—a fate that all but guarantees he’ll lose his freedom.
With its self-driving cars, global firearms ban, and a cure for cancer, the world of Broken Mirror may sound utopic, but history has taken a few wrong turns. The American Union is a weak and fractious alliance of nations in decline. Europe manipulates its citizens through propaganda. And Asia is reeling from decades of war. Amid shifting geopolitical sands, Broken Mirrors like Victor find themselves at a crossroads: evolve or go extinct.
472 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 22, 2016
22 people are currently reading
1557 people want to read
About the author
Cody Sisco
10 books61 followersCody Sisco is an author, editor, publisher, and literary community organizer. His LGBT psychological science fiction series includes two novels thus far, Broken Mirror and Tortured Echoes. He is a freelance editor specializing in genre-bending fiction and the acquisitions editor for RIZE Press. In 2017, he co-founded Made in L.A. Writers, an indie author co-op dedicated to the support and appreciation of independent authors. His startup, BookSwell, is a literary events and media production company dedicated to lifting up marginalized voices and connecting readers and writers in Southern California and beyond. He serves as a Co-Executive on the Board of Governors for the Editorial Freelancers Association and as a board member at APLA Health.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 31, 2017
3.5 Stars
Full Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book via NetGalley. This has not influenced my review.*
I'm new to the cyberpunk genre, but I've been wanting to give it more of a try, and this one sounded good. Unfortunately, although the book was well-written, I struggled to really get into it.
So, this book was a cyberpunk/alternate history mash-up set in the early 90s in a different version of the U.S. with a kind of bleak feel. That was pretty neat, but, because the world was so different, there was A LOT of description of settings, science and technology, and the alternate world (history, backstory, politics, businesses, religion, geography, etc.). Also, every chapter started with a statement of some sort, like a press statement, an excerpt from a magazine article, something from Victor's psychiatrist, or something else from the world of the book. On the one hand, I admired all the depth and detail because it's clear this was a well thought-out world and story. But on the other hand, I'm someone who almost never skims, and I skimmed over most that that stuff. The good news though is that, even though I felt like the descriptions and history bogged down the story some, you don't need to understand all those details in order to still understand the story and can skim like I did if you want to.
I also felt that the book was rather slow-paced, especially in the beginning. The flashbacks didn't help with that, but thankfully those eventually stopped.
Something I'm kind of torn about is the characters. They were complex, but most of them weren't particularly likeable. Elena was a judgmental jerk; she thought of Victor as a second-class citizen because of his mental illness (that's how they were treated by society, and that's not her fault, but she herself also thought that at one point), "watching him struggle made her feel more alive," she referred to him as "insane" at one point, she lied to him, and she blamed him for the fact that she got addicted to stims (a drug) and then blamed him when she got addicted again because "living with a person with MRS should be classified as a medical condition meriting the strongest prescription available." Tosh was a creepy pervert. Ozie was manipulative and secretive. Victor's family just dismissed him because of his mental illness and wouldn't listen to him even when he had proof of things. Granfa Jeff, even in death, managed to be cryptic even though it seems that just telling people things would've saved a whole lot of trouble. Even people on the street and in public places were jerks. I think Chico may have been my favorite character despite the fact that he had like three lines, all of which were said while he was bleeding out from a knife wound.
Then again, I shouldn't be complaining since I often feel characters in books are too nice and perfect, and these were just legitimately flawed, like real people (although thankfully I don't know any real people like Tosh). And Victor (the main character and therefore the most important one) was a good character because I could sympathize with him and even relate in some ways, so he was likeable in that way even though he was flawed.
Last but not least, another good thing about the book was that there was a lot of focus on mental illness. Victor's illness was a fictional one, it seemed kind of like a cross between synesthesia and schizophrenia with a touch of empath ability, so you won't learn about actual mental illness from reading this, but the reactions and stigma toward his illness and the way he was treated because of it felt realistic.
So all in all, this was maybe not quite for me, but it had a very in-depth, thought-out alternate world and realistic, legitimately flawed characters, and I can see other readers who like both these things enjoying the book more!
Recommended For:
Cyberpunk/alternate history readers and/or anyone who likes very in-depth alternate worlds, a fair amount of science and tech in their sci-fi, and flawed characters.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Full Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book via NetGalley. This has not influenced my review.*
I'm new to the cyberpunk genre, but I've been wanting to give it more of a try, and this one sounded good. Unfortunately, although the book was well-written, I struggled to really get into it.
So, this book was a cyberpunk/alternate history mash-up set in the early 90s in a different version of the U.S. with a kind of bleak feel. That was pretty neat, but, because the world was so different, there was A LOT of description of settings, science and technology, and the alternate world (history, backstory, politics, businesses, religion, geography, etc.). Also, every chapter started with a statement of some sort, like a press statement, an excerpt from a magazine article, something from Victor's psychiatrist, or something else from the world of the book. On the one hand, I admired all the depth and detail because it's clear this was a well thought-out world and story. But on the other hand, I'm someone who almost never skims, and I skimmed over most that that stuff. The good news though is that, even though I felt like the descriptions and history bogged down the story some, you don't need to understand all those details in order to still understand the story and can skim like I did if you want to.
I also felt that the book was rather slow-paced, especially in the beginning. The flashbacks didn't help with that, but thankfully those eventually stopped.
Something I'm kind of torn about is the characters. They were complex, but most of them weren't particularly likeable. Elena was a judgmental jerk; she thought of Victor as a second-class citizen because of his mental illness (that's how they were treated by society, and that's not her fault, but she herself also thought that at one point), "watching him struggle made her feel more alive," she referred to him as "insane" at one point, she lied to him, and she blamed him for the fact that she got addicted to stims (a drug) and then blamed him when she got addicted again because "living with a person with MRS should be classified as a medical condition meriting the strongest prescription available." Tosh was a creepy pervert. Ozie was manipulative and secretive. Victor's family just dismissed him because of his mental illness and wouldn't listen to him even when he had proof of things. Granfa Jeff, even in death, managed to be cryptic even though it seems that just telling people things would've saved a whole lot of trouble. Even people on the street and in public places were jerks. I think Chico may have been my favorite character despite the fact that he had like three lines, all of which were said while he was bleeding out from a knife wound.
Then again, I shouldn't be complaining since I often feel characters in books are too nice and perfect, and these were just legitimately flawed, like real people (although thankfully I don't know any real people like Tosh). And Victor (the main character and therefore the most important one) was a good character because I could sympathize with him and even relate in some ways, so he was likeable in that way even though he was flawed.
Last but not least, another good thing about the book was that there was a lot of focus on mental illness. Victor's illness was a fictional one, it seemed kind of like a cross between synesthesia and schizophrenia with a touch of empath ability, so you won't learn about actual mental illness from reading this, but the reactions and stigma toward his illness and the way he was treated because of it felt realistic.
So all in all, this was maybe not quite for me, but it had a very in-depth, thought-out alternate world and realistic, legitimately flawed characters, and I can see other readers who like both these things enjoying the book more!
Recommended For:
Cyberpunk/alternate history readers and/or anyone who likes very in-depth alternate worlds, a fair amount of science and tech in their sci-fi, and flawed characters.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
July 13, 2019
Loved it!! ❤️
The writing in this book was stellar! So much so that it immersed me in the curious alternate world that appears utopian, but is hiding ugly truths.
Some individuals suffer from mirror resonance syndrome like our MC, Victor. He is known as a broken mirror. This official classification would take away his autonomy.
Victor attempts to solve the murder of his grandfather while uncovering secrets about his condition. Not knowing who to trust, and often not trusting his own “broken” perception of reality, Victor pushes forward to find the truth.
This is not a romance, but a great mystery set in a captivating alternate reality. The tension and the writing truly made this book for me!
*I received a copy of this book from Net Galley in exchanged for an honest review*
The writing in this book was stellar! So much so that it immersed me in the curious alternate world that appears utopian, but is hiding ugly truths.
Some individuals suffer from mirror resonance syndrome like our MC, Victor. He is known as a broken mirror. This official classification would take away his autonomy.
Victor attempts to solve the murder of his grandfather while uncovering secrets about his condition. Not knowing who to trust, and often not trusting his own “broken” perception of reality, Victor pushes forward to find the truth.
This is not a romance, but a great mystery set in a captivating alternate reality. The tension and the writing truly made this book for me!
*I received a copy of this book from Net Galley in exchanged for an honest review*
June 14, 2017
2017 continues to be the year of outstanding sci-fi novels!
i am honest to gosh Deceased. i know i say this after like every book but i mean it this time, i'm literally dead. murdered by cody sisco.
i don't know what the hell i was expecting, but it sure wasn't this. i mean, not to generalise, but when you download one of those auto-approval thingys from netgalley, you aren't expecting a masterpiece, are you?
but that's what i got. a fucking masterpiece.
the worldbuilding was extremely good and well-developed without info-dumping, and bits and piece of the world were woven in throughout the narrative so your knowledge builds up throughout the novel rather than just beginning the novel like "ok motherfuckers here's the deal" which is what a lot of spec-fic writers do. this is a relatively long novel, not super long but a bit longer than average, yet no part dragged at all; the pacing was perfect and the suspense was drawn out throughout the book. there were one hundred million gazillion kersquillion plot twists and every character was so complex, and intriguing, and flawed.
it ended on a cliffhanger and i still have nine thousand theories and questions, but at the same time i'm not dissatisfied with how it ended. it was the perfect beginning to a series and i need every following volume to be published immediately, thanks
i am honest to gosh Deceased. i know i say this after like every book but i mean it this time, i'm literally dead. murdered by cody sisco.
i don't know what the hell i was expecting, but it sure wasn't this. i mean, not to generalise, but when you download one of those auto-approval thingys from netgalley, you aren't expecting a masterpiece, are you?
but that's what i got. a fucking masterpiece.
the worldbuilding was extremely good and well-developed without info-dumping, and bits and piece of the world were woven in throughout the narrative so your knowledge builds up throughout the novel rather than just beginning the novel like "ok motherfuckers here's the deal" which is what a lot of spec-fic writers do. this is a relatively long novel, not super long but a bit longer than average, yet no part dragged at all; the pacing was perfect and the suspense was drawn out throughout the book. there were one hundred million gazillion kersquillion plot twists and every character was so complex, and intriguing, and flawed.
it ended on a cliffhanger and i still have nine thousand theories and questions, but at the same time i'm not dissatisfied with how it ended. it was the perfect beginning to a series and i need every following volume to be published immediately, thanks
December 17, 2017
A special thank you goes out to Netgalley and Cody Sisco for allowing me to read this early. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
Buckle up, kids, because this is a long review.
TW: racist comments (challenged)
slurs used at those with mental illness (sometimes challenged)
This book was something else and I mean that in a good way. it had a lot of information in it and I felt like it was trying to take a lot of different stances. Which is good but I think it tried to do too much. It tried to end several stigmas about mental illness, along with racism and the LGBTQIA+ community. But regardless of all that, I still enjoyed this book and the experience of reading it.
Our MC, Victor, has mirror resonance syndrome. It gives a long explanation about what it is in the book but in laymen's terms, it's like autism. Victor reacts to things with a lot more emotion than the situation calls for. A lot of stimuli affects him negatively and positively. I have no experience in autism so I apologize in advance if I word things wrong or offend anyone in anyway. But that is what I thought when I read this book. Maybe the author modeled MRS after autism. I thought it was well done, but like I said, I can't be the judge of that completely.
The premise is that the Victor thinks his grandfather was murdered. Course, no one will believe him because he is a "broken mirror", a slur for those that have MRS. He enlists the help of an old friend, Elena and some of his grandfather's trusted friends to figure out the truth.
The POV is third person Victor with a few chapters of Elena. This made for the narration to be unreliable at times and I often wasn't sure who to trust nor could I always figure out what is going to happen. But I didn't mind that. I knew what I was getting into.
LIke I mentioned before, this book suffered from trying to do too much and holy information overload. There was just so much being given to me, I felt my eye gloss over a lot of the paragraphs and I had to go back to read what I missed. I like information but it was too much.
The main theme was mental illness. The stigma surroundings Victor's illness was incredibly reminiscent of what those with mental illness deal with today. Often times, while reading, I wanted to throw my Kindle because of what Victor had to go through. I think it triggered me in negative ways. As someone that has anxiety, my illness isn't often believed and my fears aren't always recognized. That is what Victor dealt with and it's infuriating. Even when he should growth and improvement, he was still shot down and was attempted to be controlled.
Racism was in this book as well. Victor was POC and sometimes dealt with the backlash of being from a successful family and being a POC. Sexuality was also addressed, but in a more positive light. According to Victor, almost everyone was duophile, which I think is bisexuality. A side character was adrophile, which I think is asexuality but I'm not sure.
Speaking of characters and side characters, I really only liked Victor. He was likeable and was always trying and pushing himself and get better. Even though his family and a lot of his "friends" weren't helping him. That is admirable of him and I only hope he continues to grow. Elena, who was kind of a MC, wasn't that great. I liked her at first but I think the relationship between her and Victor was toxic.
Overall, this was a great book! The world was cool, despite some info dumping. There could easily be side books and other things like that made because the world is large and so is the history behind it. The author tried very hard to dispel several horrible stigmas, which was admirable of him and I commend him. I really think that this series can only go up from here.
Buckle up, kids, because this is a long review.
TW: racist comments (challenged)
slurs used at those with mental illness (sometimes challenged)
This book was something else and I mean that in a good way. it had a lot of information in it and I felt like it was trying to take a lot of different stances. Which is good but I think it tried to do too much. It tried to end several stigmas about mental illness, along with racism and the LGBTQIA+ community. But regardless of all that, I still enjoyed this book and the experience of reading it.
Our MC, Victor, has mirror resonance syndrome. It gives a long explanation about what it is in the book but in laymen's terms, it's like autism. Victor reacts to things with a lot more emotion than the situation calls for. A lot of stimuli affects him negatively and positively. I have no experience in autism so I apologize in advance if I word things wrong or offend anyone in anyway. But that is what I thought when I read this book. Maybe the author modeled MRS after autism. I thought it was well done, but like I said, I can't be the judge of that completely.
The premise is that the Victor thinks his grandfather was murdered. Course, no one will believe him because he is a "broken mirror", a slur for those that have MRS. He enlists the help of an old friend, Elena and some of his grandfather's trusted friends to figure out the truth.
The POV is third person Victor with a few chapters of Elena. This made for the narration to be unreliable at times and I often wasn't sure who to trust nor could I always figure out what is going to happen. But I didn't mind that. I knew what I was getting into.
LIke I mentioned before, this book suffered from trying to do too much and holy information overload. There was just so much being given to me, I felt my eye gloss over a lot of the paragraphs and I had to go back to read what I missed. I like information but it was too much.
The main theme was mental illness. The stigma surroundings Victor's illness was incredibly reminiscent of what those with mental illness deal with today. Often times, while reading, I wanted to throw my Kindle because of what Victor had to go through. I think it triggered me in negative ways. As someone that has anxiety, my illness isn't often believed and my fears aren't always recognized. That is what Victor dealt with and it's infuriating. Even when he should growth and improvement, he was still shot down and was attempted to be controlled.
Racism was in this book as well. Victor was POC and sometimes dealt with the backlash of being from a successful family and being a POC. Sexuality was also addressed, but in a more positive light. According to Victor, almost everyone was duophile, which I think is bisexuality. A side character was adrophile, which I think is asexuality but I'm not sure.
Speaking of characters and side characters, I really only liked Victor. He was likeable and was always trying and pushing himself and get better. Even though his family and a lot of his "friends" weren't helping him. That is admirable of him and I only hope he continues to grow. Elena, who was kind of a MC, wasn't that great. I liked her at first but I think the relationship between her and Victor was toxic.
Overall, this was a great book! The world was cool, despite some info dumping. There could easily be side books and other things like that made because the world is large and so is the history behind it. The author tried very hard to dispel several horrible stigmas, which was admirable of him and I commend him. I really think that this series can only go up from here.
December 1, 2017
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
DNF at 20%
Okay so this is very much a 'it's not you, it's me' scenario.
I really wanted to like this Broken Mirror, it has so much promise and I loved Victor.
It was just so very sciencey, I've never been very good at science, and so everything went over my head and I couldn't understand half the things anyone was saying.
This is probably a great book, it just wasn't for me.
DNF at 20%
Okay so this is very much a 'it's not you, it's me' scenario.
I really wanted to like this Broken Mirror, it has so much promise and I loved Victor.
It was just so very sciencey, I've never been very good at science, and so everything went over my head and I couldn't understand half the things anyone was saying.
This is probably a great book, it just wasn't for me.
March 20, 2017
Disclaimer: I'm a neurotypical person reviewing a book about a person with a mental illness (although this mental illness is made up). I didn't like this book for a number of reasons, but I don't have personal experience with a mental illness or disability so I'm perhaps not the best source.
Plot
In a dystopian future California, Victor is a boy from a rich family whose grandfather is researching a cure to the mental illness of mirror resonance syndrome, an illness Victor happens to have with side effects such as losing time, going "blank" and anger management problems as well as synaesthesia. But his grandfather dies under suspicious circumstances and due to "reclassification" it looks like Victor is going to be sent to an institution. Victor runs away from his family, his home and the dystopian government to investigate the possibility that his grandfather was murdered.
Things That Were Good
-Portrayal of prejudice against people with mental illnesses.
-The main side character, Elena, while Victor's ex, barely serves as a love interest and is mostly there as a companion, as well as having an interesting drug addiction side plot.
Things That Were Not Good
-The mental illness is portrayed as something that causes Victor to be dangerous, which means that although this book seems to be saying mental illness shouldn't be stigmatized, it also does in fact stigmatize it.
-Victor's medications are portrayed as being detrimental to his mental state, which...I don't know, man. Maybe not all medications are good but if this mental illness is such a negative effect on Victor's life, why make it seem like a bad thing for him to take medications at all? He ends up taking herbal infusions instead which might be good for some conditions? I don't know, I don't have personal experience with mental illness but I dislike the idea that taking the medications he needs makes him weaker and that he should just take mild herbs and "learn to control" the fits that he has. It seems pretty bullshit.
-It is briefly mentioned that being bisexual is standard in this dystopian society but only one character is actually shown to be bisexual and he's a really shady and apparently promiscuous dude, so, ugh.
-Also, there's a scene where said bisexual character convinces Victor to go to a prostitute, and while Victor is having sex with her he is so rough that she begs him to stop and it's a while before he actually does (because of an episode of Victor spacing out). So, sexual consent issues. While this is portrayed as a bad thing, it's a very brief episode that is never really brought up again and really didn't need to be there. Of course there are no consequences for Victor and it's shown that hey, the prostitute is fine so why does it matter? Out of all the problematic parts of this book, I have to say this was for me at least the worst.
Overall
Once again, I'm neurotypical so I'm not an authority on writing about mental illnesses but I didn't like how it was handled and I definitely didn't like how matters of sexuality were handled. So for me, I can't recommend this book.
I was given an ARC of this book on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Plot
In a dystopian future California, Victor is a boy from a rich family whose grandfather is researching a cure to the mental illness of mirror resonance syndrome, an illness Victor happens to have with side effects such as losing time, going "blank" and anger management problems as well as synaesthesia. But his grandfather dies under suspicious circumstances and due to "reclassification" it looks like Victor is going to be sent to an institution. Victor runs away from his family, his home and the dystopian government to investigate the possibility that his grandfather was murdered.
Things That Were Good
-Portrayal of prejudice against people with mental illnesses.
-The main side character, Elena, while Victor's ex, barely serves as a love interest and is mostly there as a companion, as well as having an interesting drug addiction side plot.
Things That Were Not Good
-The mental illness is portrayed as something that causes Victor to be dangerous, which means that although this book seems to be saying mental illness shouldn't be stigmatized, it also does in fact stigmatize it.
-Victor's medications are portrayed as being detrimental to his mental state, which...I don't know, man. Maybe not all medications are good but if this mental illness is such a negative effect on Victor's life, why make it seem like a bad thing for him to take medications at all? He ends up taking herbal infusions instead which might be good for some conditions? I don't know, I don't have personal experience with mental illness but I dislike the idea that taking the medications he needs makes him weaker and that he should just take mild herbs and "learn to control" the fits that he has. It seems pretty bullshit.
-It is briefly mentioned that being bisexual is standard in this dystopian society but only one character is actually shown to be bisexual and he's a really shady and apparently promiscuous dude, so, ugh.
-Also, there's a scene where said bisexual character convinces Victor to go to a prostitute, and while Victor is having sex with her he is so rough that she begs him to stop and it's a while before he actually does (because of an episode of Victor spacing out). So, sexual consent issues. While this is portrayed as a bad thing, it's a very brief episode that is never really brought up again and really didn't need to be there. Of course there are no consequences for Victor and it's shown that hey, the prostitute is fine so why does it matter? Out of all the problematic parts of this book, I have to say this was for me at least the worst.
Overall
Once again, I'm neurotypical so I'm not an authority on writing about mental illnesses but I didn't like how it was handled and I definitely didn't like how matters of sexuality were handled. So for me, I can't recommend this book.
I was given an ARC of this book on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 18, 2024
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.25 stars
First off, this is a book made up of two unreliable narrators. The first, Victor, has a degenerative mental disorder and has not been taking his medication. Instead, he’s using herbs given to him by a woman who knew his grandfather. It’s holistic medication that is also said to cure exorcisms. He’s paranoid, delving into conspiracy theories; he’s afraid, and he’s also currently the victim of “brain hacking.”
The writing is fine. The pace, on the other hand, is excellent. There’s never too much time spent in one scene, never too much exposition or lecturing; characters do what needs to be done in a scene and then move on to the next one. I found it easy to read, for all that I struggled to enjoy what I was reading, and I was caught by the world building, but enough that I want to read the second book, unfortunately.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
3.25 stars
First off, this is a book made up of two unreliable narrators. The first, Victor, has a degenerative mental disorder and has not been taking his medication. Instead, he’s using herbs given to him by a woman who knew his grandfather. It’s holistic medication that is also said to cure exorcisms. He’s paranoid, delving into conspiracy theories; he’s afraid, and he’s also currently the victim of “brain hacking.”
The writing is fine. The pace, on the other hand, is excellent. There’s never too much time spent in one scene, never too much exposition or lecturing; characters do what needs to be done in a scene and then move on to the next one. I found it easy to read, for all that I struggled to enjoy what I was reading, and I was caught by the world building, but enough that I want to read the second book, unfortunately.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
March 5, 2018
broken mirror by Cody sisco.
Someone killed Granfa Jefferson. Victor is sure of it. But he's the only one.
Diagnosed with mirror resonance syndrome and shunned by Semiautonomous California society, Victor suffers from "blank outs," hallucinations, and vivid nightmares. He violently overreacts to even minor confrontations. Victor's grandfather devoted his life to researching and curing Broken Mirrors, but now that he's gone, Victor must walk a narrow path between sanity and reclassification--a fate that all but guarantees he'll lose his freedom.
This was a slow but good read. had to put it down then pick it up again to finish it. so only 4*.
Someone killed Granfa Jefferson. Victor is sure of it. But he's the only one.
Diagnosed with mirror resonance syndrome and shunned by Semiautonomous California society, Victor suffers from "blank outs," hallucinations, and vivid nightmares. He violently overreacts to even minor confrontations. Victor's grandfather devoted his life to researching and curing Broken Mirrors, but now that he's gone, Victor must walk a narrow path between sanity and reclassification--a fate that all but guarantees he'll lose his freedom.
This was a slow but good read. had to put it down then pick it up again to finish it. so only 4*.
June 2, 2017
Thanks to Netgalley for making this available. I didn’t see the Goodreads blurb which was a bit more in depth as I didn’t know it was alternative history and cyberpunk neither of which are my genres. I might have skipped it had I known. That said, I did like it and if I were more of a fan of those genres I might have really loved it.
In this alternative history, the Civil War ended with the death of Mrs. Lincoln, not Abe and they decided in the rebuilding period that skin color didn’t matter (we should be so lucky) but on the other hand, there was no strong United States, instead it’s a fractured country of regions that may or may not get along. Our main protagonist Victor Eastmore, lives in the California area and his grandfather was instrumental in curing cancer and he’s working on a neurological condition Mirror Resonance Syndrome, i.e. the titular Broken Mirror. It’s like a cross between high function autism, synesthesia and absence seizures.
Victor is a Broken Mirror but to his horror, his grandfather shuts down their hospital and research and soon after he’s dead. Victor believes his beloved grandfather was murdered. Not only does no one believe him, including his family, his grandmother wants him arrested and institutionalized. Here’s the main plot of the novel: how horrible it is to stigmatize mental illness and to rise above it. Of course, in order to end something, that means it has to exist and boy does it ever in this. The whole background of the novel is about how horribly these neuro-atypical ‘broken mirrors’ are treated even Victor who is wealthy and from a respected family. In fact he’s facing being reclassified and locked away (a system born of a massacre waged by one person with this syndrome, it would be like one mass shooting by a schizophrenic resulting in all people with schizophrenia being brought in several times a year to pass a test or be locked away).
With his condition, Victor is starting this investigation into his grandfather’s death behind the eight ball. All he has for help is a data egg from his grandfather that won’t open, his ex-girlfriend Elena who’s back in his life, his former friend Ozie a brain hacker he lost touch with and Tosh, a Native American friend of his grandfather Victor has never met. The problem is everyone has their own agenda (including his boss and his Aunt Circe) and Victor is manipulated at every turn.
It was a bit slow to start and only a small part of the mystery is solved by the end. I did like Victor. He makes for a sympathetic character. Once the story really gets moving, it rolls on well. I just wish the rest of the characters were a bit more likeable. I rather wished Victor would have dumped them all and run off on his own. One thing did bug me: It was listed as LGBTQIA and honestly there is almost none of that. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t need the character to be in a relationship as that’s just a part of who they are but all we had here was literally one sentence saying Victor is bisexual. I’m fine with him being in a committed (sort of) heterosexual relationship but he doesn’t even correct Tosh when he says Victor obviously likes girls (even though Tosh is the one he told he was bi). Maybe there’ll be more on the spectrum in further novels but if you’re picking this up hoping for a hot gay relationship, you’re going to be very disappointed. That’s not this novel. In fact, I would have put Victor under asexual.
It does, however, do well on the diversity spectrum. Ozie is African, Elena Hispanic and Victor is mixed race. I liked the story and if you like cyberpunk you’ll probably enjoy it.
In this alternative history, the Civil War ended with the death of Mrs. Lincoln, not Abe and they decided in the rebuilding period that skin color didn’t matter (we should be so lucky) but on the other hand, there was no strong United States, instead it’s a fractured country of regions that may or may not get along. Our main protagonist Victor Eastmore, lives in the California area and his grandfather was instrumental in curing cancer and he’s working on a neurological condition Mirror Resonance Syndrome, i.e. the titular Broken Mirror. It’s like a cross between high function autism, synesthesia and absence seizures.
Victor is a Broken Mirror but to his horror, his grandfather shuts down their hospital and research and soon after he’s dead. Victor believes his beloved grandfather was murdered. Not only does no one believe him, including his family, his grandmother wants him arrested and institutionalized. Here’s the main plot of the novel: how horrible it is to stigmatize mental illness and to rise above it. Of course, in order to end something, that means it has to exist and boy does it ever in this. The whole background of the novel is about how horribly these neuro-atypical ‘broken mirrors’ are treated even Victor who is wealthy and from a respected family. In fact he’s facing being reclassified and locked away (a system born of a massacre waged by one person with this syndrome, it would be like one mass shooting by a schizophrenic resulting in all people with schizophrenia being brought in several times a year to pass a test or be locked away).
With his condition, Victor is starting this investigation into his grandfather’s death behind the eight ball. All he has for help is a data egg from his grandfather that won’t open, his ex-girlfriend Elena who’s back in his life, his former friend Ozie a brain hacker he lost touch with and Tosh, a Native American friend of his grandfather Victor has never met. The problem is everyone has their own agenda (including his boss and his Aunt Circe) and Victor is manipulated at every turn.
It was a bit slow to start and only a small part of the mystery is solved by the end. I did like Victor. He makes for a sympathetic character. Once the story really gets moving, it rolls on well. I just wish the rest of the characters were a bit more likeable. I rather wished Victor would have dumped them all and run off on his own. One thing did bug me: It was listed as LGBTQIA and honestly there is almost none of that. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t need the character to be in a relationship as that’s just a part of who they are but all we had here was literally one sentence saying Victor is bisexual. I’m fine with him being in a committed (sort of) heterosexual relationship but he doesn’t even correct Tosh when he says Victor obviously likes girls (even though Tosh is the one he told he was bi). Maybe there’ll be more on the spectrum in further novels but if you’re picking this up hoping for a hot gay relationship, you’re going to be very disappointed. That’s not this novel. In fact, I would have put Victor under asexual.
It does, however, do well on the diversity spectrum. Ozie is African, Elena Hispanic and Victor is mixed race. I liked the story and if you like cyberpunk you’ll probably enjoy it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2025
This title was reviewed as part of SPSFC4 and originally posted on SFFINSIDERS.COM
The first thing I have to acknowledge in this is that when looking into this book, there are two blurbs for what it's about. I suspect this has to do with its release in 2016 and re-release in 2024. Normally, I would just focus on the one that's up on GR, but since the previous blurb is within the book itself, and as of writing this is still visible on the US Amazon (boo, hiss, I know), I feel like it's reasonable to comment on that as well.
I love queer books, but I don't feel like the blurb bit "...pansexual Victor and his trans friend Elena..." does much…well anything... There is actually a scene in the book where Victor not minding his partner's gender is mentioned, and while it's a small line, I think it would have served the purpose much more eloquently than the blurb does. The same goes for Elena and the scene where Victor beats up someone for deadnaming her. The way it's presented in the blurb just felt like lip service and since Cody Sisco is involved in the LA LGBTQIA+ community, he doesn't strike me as a lip service type person.
Onto the book around the blurb. This is a futuristic-AU America but it also takes place in the early 90s. As someone born in ‘93, it’s weird to think of the future as 1991. If you're a Doctor Who fan, just tell yourself wibby wobbly timey whimey and roll with it. Now, I am very clear on how we got to this AU. Lincoln wasn't killed. Archduke Ferdinand wasn't killed and Europe unified. Kennedy wasn't killed but was impeached. That had big spillover effects and the US (and Cuba) ultimately got broken up into nine different nations. California and Texas are largely independent and as someone born and raised in LA, and who knows a few Texans, all I can say is: Of course we’d be our own nations lol. Also Zimbabwe didn't get renamed, which admittedly is a small line in a flashback scene involving a chimpanzee. (The real sci-fi is that in this scene a chimp has empathy. I'm also going to give Cody a pass on this scene because he can't have expected a reader and judge for SPSFC is doing a phd on primate facial expressions and facial communication. That is a rant about chimps and deep dive into peer reviewed science for another day.) So within this US-of-nine-nations, we also have some gang wars which are relevant for parts of the book where Victor ends up in dodgy situations.
Quick round up again, a futuristic-AU America that's made up of nine nations, within which a few have gang wars. With me? We spend most of the book in California and Texas while Victor solves the whodunnit of his grandfather's ("granfa") murder. Of course, because Victor is diagnosed with Mirror Resonance Syndrome no one really believes him. This is where I started to struggle a bit. I spent a fair amount of the book unsure if this was a legal or medical diagnosis and also not being entirely clear on what it was. I think it was around 50% or so that there's actually a definition for the disorder and the impacts of it. As to whether it was a legal or medical diagnosis, the answer is "yes".
In this world, the devastating actions of one man have had enormous effects leading to a stigma in the diagnosis and restrictive legal classification system to protect the wider populace. As a concept, I really liked this. It asks some big questions that those who have a stigmatised diagnosis or a loved one with such a diagnosis will connect with. Being compared to a dangerous person who happens to have the same disorder, the stigma influencing the treatments and how the people with it are approached, the question of 'Who would i be if I didn't have X?' But all that said, I still don't really get what the syndrome is or does. Like Victor spaces out and seems to have synesthesia but beyond that, I've not really got a clue. It does mean that everyone is convinced Victor is under a delusion when he says his grandfather has been murdered.
Because the book pretty much focuses on "People with Mirror Resonance Syndrome are stigmatised and Victor has this but has to solve a murder no one believes happened!", there isn't much in the way of character development in my opinion. (I mean, this whole review is my opinion but you know what I mean.) Victor was loved by his grandfather, has this syndrome and hates his medication. Elena is trans (which we know from the blurb before anything else) and addicted to drugs. The other side characters, Tosh and Ozie are mysterious and a hacker that Victor seemed to know from a previous point in his life. Everyone just feels very…flat. I feel like there was more complexity put into the government and Texan gang wars (which also felt like half an idea rather than something fully fledged) than any character. There is so much happening around the characters that they seemed to be almost forgotten as a consequence. The whole book, aside from a few flashbacks, takes place over about two weeks so there really is a lot happening.
I could keep going and comment on this mysterious data egg that Victor's grandfather gave him, the totally unnecessary scene in the brothel that was a fade to grey rather than black of SA, Elena being a wholly unlikable addict that blames everyone for her choices (arguably very realistic I do have to say), but this feels long enough.
There is an interesting concept here and a valuable commentary on mental health, both in the treatment by the wider public and the psychiatric treatments available. I'm just not totally sure the execution matched the bones of it all.
The first thing I have to acknowledge in this is that when looking into this book, there are two blurbs for what it's about. I suspect this has to do with its release in 2016 and re-release in 2024. Normally, I would just focus on the one that's up on GR, but since the previous blurb is within the book itself, and as of writing this is still visible on the US Amazon (boo, hiss, I know), I feel like it's reasonable to comment on that as well.
I love queer books, but I don't feel like the blurb bit "...pansexual Victor and his trans friend Elena..." does much…well anything... There is actually a scene in the book where Victor not minding his partner's gender is mentioned, and while it's a small line, I think it would have served the purpose much more eloquently than the blurb does. The same goes for Elena and the scene where Victor beats up someone for deadnaming her. The way it's presented in the blurb just felt like lip service and since Cody Sisco is involved in the LA LGBTQIA+ community, he doesn't strike me as a lip service type person.
Onto the book around the blurb. This is a futuristic-AU America but it also takes place in the early 90s. As someone born in ‘93, it’s weird to think of the future as 1991. If you're a Doctor Who fan, just tell yourself wibby wobbly timey whimey and roll with it. Now, I am very clear on how we got to this AU. Lincoln wasn't killed. Archduke Ferdinand wasn't killed and Europe unified. Kennedy wasn't killed but was impeached. That had big spillover effects and the US (and Cuba) ultimately got broken up into nine different nations. California and Texas are largely independent and as someone born and raised in LA, and who knows a few Texans, all I can say is: Of course we’d be our own nations lol. Also Zimbabwe didn't get renamed, which admittedly is a small line in a flashback scene involving a chimpanzee. (The real sci-fi is that in this scene a chimp has empathy. I'm also going to give Cody a pass on this scene because he can't have expected a reader and judge for SPSFC is doing a phd on primate facial expressions and facial communication. That is a rant about chimps and deep dive into peer reviewed science for another day.) So within this US-of-nine-nations, we also have some gang wars which are relevant for parts of the book where Victor ends up in dodgy situations.
Quick round up again, a futuristic-AU America that's made up of nine nations, within which a few have gang wars. With me? We spend most of the book in California and Texas while Victor solves the whodunnit of his grandfather's ("granfa") murder. Of course, because Victor is diagnosed with Mirror Resonance Syndrome no one really believes him. This is where I started to struggle a bit. I spent a fair amount of the book unsure if this was a legal or medical diagnosis and also not being entirely clear on what it was. I think it was around 50% or so that there's actually a definition for the disorder and the impacts of it. As to whether it was a legal or medical diagnosis, the answer is "yes".
In this world, the devastating actions of one man have had enormous effects leading to a stigma in the diagnosis and restrictive legal classification system to protect the wider populace. As a concept, I really liked this. It asks some big questions that those who have a stigmatised diagnosis or a loved one with such a diagnosis will connect with. Being compared to a dangerous person who happens to have the same disorder, the stigma influencing the treatments and how the people with it are approached, the question of 'Who would i be if I didn't have X?' But all that said, I still don't really get what the syndrome is or does. Like Victor spaces out and seems to have synesthesia but beyond that, I've not really got a clue. It does mean that everyone is convinced Victor is under a delusion when he says his grandfather has been murdered.
Because the book pretty much focuses on "People with Mirror Resonance Syndrome are stigmatised and Victor has this but has to solve a murder no one believes happened!", there isn't much in the way of character development in my opinion. (I mean, this whole review is my opinion but you know what I mean.) Victor was loved by his grandfather, has this syndrome and hates his medication. Elena is trans (which we know from the blurb before anything else) and addicted to drugs. The other side characters, Tosh and Ozie are mysterious and a hacker that Victor seemed to know from a previous point in his life. Everyone just feels very…flat. I feel like there was more complexity put into the government and Texan gang wars (which also felt like half an idea rather than something fully fledged) than any character. There is so much happening around the characters that they seemed to be almost forgotten as a consequence. The whole book, aside from a few flashbacks, takes place over about two weeks so there really is a lot happening.
I could keep going and comment on this mysterious data egg that Victor's grandfather gave him, the totally unnecessary scene in the brothel that was a fade to grey rather than black of SA, Elena being a wholly unlikable addict that blames everyone for her choices (arguably very realistic I do have to say), but this feels long enough.
There is an interesting concept here and a valuable commentary on mental health, both in the treatment by the wider public and the psychiatric treatments available. I'm just not totally sure the execution matched the bones of it all.
June 18, 2017
First and foremost I want to thank NetGalley, Resonant Earth Publishing and Cody Sisco for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review. This book had a fascinating premise and since it was about neuroscience I was drawn to read it. The best thing about the book was the authors ability to project into science fiction while at the same time grounding the reader in enough of today's world to easily follow the plot.
I was hooked from the beginning by the plot and by the characters and their struggles. Anyone who currently has a "label" of mental illness of any kind will be able to relate to the main character. Actually, it reminds me of mental illness a few decades ago when there was no treatment and people were kept locked away in a "state" facility.
The reason I gave the book 3 stars is that it started bogging down about 3/4 of the way through. I knew I were getting towards the end of the book and I also guessed that the author wouldn't be wrapping up the story at the end. However, I kept reading, ever hopeful that this would be a book that ended and then get picked up by the next book in the series. Unfortunately, that's not the case. This book just ends, period. I felt cheated! I read the entire book about this murder and at the end I didn't think the book was any closer to solving it. Definitely a letdown for this reader.
So I gave it three stars because I liked the premise, the characters, but not the dragging on without a solution to anything that was happening in the book. Will I read the next book in this series? Definitely not! By then I will most likely have forgotten this one and I honestly don't care enough to find out what happens.
I was hooked from the beginning by the plot and by the characters and their struggles. Anyone who currently has a "label" of mental illness of any kind will be able to relate to the main character. Actually, it reminds me of mental illness a few decades ago when there was no treatment and people were kept locked away in a "state" facility.
The reason I gave the book 3 stars is that it started bogging down about 3/4 of the way through. I knew I were getting towards the end of the book and I also guessed that the author wouldn't be wrapping up the story at the end. However, I kept reading, ever hopeful that this would be a book that ended and then get picked up by the next book in the series. Unfortunately, that's not the case. This book just ends, period. I felt cheated! I read the entire book about this murder and at the end I didn't think the book was any closer to solving it. Definitely a letdown for this reader.
So I gave it three stars because I liked the premise, the characters, but not the dragging on without a solution to anything that was happening in the book. Will I read the next book in this series? Definitely not! By then I will most likely have forgotten this one and I honestly don't care enough to find out what happens.
December 10, 2020
“Broken Mirror” is a baffling novel which attempts to walk the grey intersection of science fiction and science fact but is tripped by its own story foundation. “Broken Mirror” is also a well-written novel which offers hope of great things from the author as he matures. The flaw at the story’s core is the protagonist, Victor, who suffers from “mirror resonant syndrome” (basically an extreme bipolar disorder) and it’s established that the reader can’t trust or believe anything he experiences - he's an unreliable narrator. Enter a cast of unbelievable characters who test Victor’s grasp on reality, add in some unnecessary scenes with a robot waiter, a tired prostitute, warring anti-drug and pro-drug gangs and treacherous/kind family members trying to help/hurt our lead and the result is literary apathy. Ultimately, there’s no heart in the story; without heart there’s no sympathy for the character’s journey and without sympathy there’s no pleasure in the read. It’s a good case study, actually. As a side note, in the “Afterword” of the novel, the author thanks his family for “raising me admits books, libraries, and stories…” – and suddenly there was heart.
November 20, 2020
I love the cyberpunk genre - let me say that right off the bat. Although there were parts where the story was a little slow, I really enjoyed diving right into this alternate-history-cyberpunk book. The characters had a lot of depth (whether you liked them or not), and the world was richly described. It's clear the author spent a lot of time building up the book's universe. Mental illness is a big part of the story, and the way others react to it is so realistic it almost hurts at times. Perfect for cyberpunk lovers!
December 30, 2020
I chose this book for a reading challenge to fit the prompt, "a book by a local author," because Cody Sisco is from Los Angeles. It was a captivating read, where I was constantly wondering what would happen next. There is the mystery of Granfa Jeff's murder, the question of whether Victor's Mirror Resonance Syndrome is a disease and a gift, and a constant wonder whether any of Victor's "friends" can be trusted. This book is definitely not a stand alone, and I wanted a little bit more of a wrap up in this first book. At some point, I plan to read the second book to figure out what happens next!
January 2, 2018
Solid world building and really cool writing style whit the descriptions of synesthesia. Slightly episodic and repetitive, but overall really fun to read.
March 30, 2018
I love this & I can't wait for more.
I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon.
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars.
I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon.
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars.
January 7, 2025
To Come
February 8, 2021
This story exists in an alternative version of California: San Francisco is used as a refugee center and the rest of California is like an island of stability as the United States has pretty much gone to lawless hell. What really makes this story compelling is the central character, Victor: he is likeable, he is moral and he is trying to trust people but his family has made it hard for him to trust anyone. This novel will make you question your perception of reality and mental illness.
February 16, 2016
A fantastic read. Great characters, a mysterious plot and cool technology kept me flipping pages. Highly recommended!
Broken Mirror is cyberpunk story set in an alternate history where the US exists as several loosely allied territories known as the American Union. We are introduced to the world through Victor Eastmore, a programmer who suffers from a cognitive disorder called Mirror Resonance Syndrome – a type of synesthesia which screws up his perception and mood and stigmatizes him from society, but may be more than the simple “disease” others assume. Through this protagonist, Sisco weaves a fascinating tale of intrigue which follows Victor (and those around him) as he investigates the mysterious death of his grandfather.
This is a great read. I particularly enjoyed the author’s ability to build a convincing world. The technology in Resonant Earth differs from what we have here on normal earth. The Internet is known as the “Mesh” and devices similar to smartphones are known as “MeshBits.” Sisco intentionally leaves out context as these pieces of technology are introduced, and rather weaves them into the story allowing the reader to learn about them bit by bit as the plot progresses. Similarly, the relationships between governments and corporations, even nations, are never explicitly explained but left to be discovered. We are supplied with a map of the American Union so we can situate our main characters but never inundated with mundane descriptions of policy or politics. We learn about the history of this world through journal entries, or perhaps interview notes, and meet different pockets of formal and informal society as the novel progresses. This method is a masterful way to engage the reader.
The one critique I can lay on the novel is that it simply ends too quickly! (Which is a compliment for a 400+ page novel). The pace of the plot really picks up in the third act and we learn much about Victor’s fate in the last few chapters, but I was left wanting more since the ending asks as many questions as it answers. Luckily, Sisco notes that this is the first novel in a planned series – so we’ll hopefully see more to come from Resonant Earth.
In a phrase, Broken Mirror is a very cool novel and a very cool study of mental health, personal liberties, family relations, societal hierarchy, exotic technology, and reality vs. illusion all set in an “uncanny valley” type world – one which paints our own values into stark contrast. It’s a real geek-pleaser. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and highly recommend it to sci-fi and mystery fans alike.
Broken Mirror is cyberpunk story set in an alternate history where the US exists as several loosely allied territories known as the American Union. We are introduced to the world through Victor Eastmore, a programmer who suffers from a cognitive disorder called Mirror Resonance Syndrome – a type of synesthesia which screws up his perception and mood and stigmatizes him from society, but may be more than the simple “disease” others assume. Through this protagonist, Sisco weaves a fascinating tale of intrigue which follows Victor (and those around him) as he investigates the mysterious death of his grandfather.
This is a great read. I particularly enjoyed the author’s ability to build a convincing world. The technology in Resonant Earth differs from what we have here on normal earth. The Internet is known as the “Mesh” and devices similar to smartphones are known as “MeshBits.” Sisco intentionally leaves out context as these pieces of technology are introduced, and rather weaves them into the story allowing the reader to learn about them bit by bit as the plot progresses. Similarly, the relationships between governments and corporations, even nations, are never explicitly explained but left to be discovered. We are supplied with a map of the American Union so we can situate our main characters but never inundated with mundane descriptions of policy or politics. We learn about the history of this world through journal entries, or perhaps interview notes, and meet different pockets of formal and informal society as the novel progresses. This method is a masterful way to engage the reader.
The one critique I can lay on the novel is that it simply ends too quickly! (Which is a compliment for a 400+ page novel). The pace of the plot really picks up in the third act and we learn much about Victor’s fate in the last few chapters, but I was left wanting more since the ending asks as many questions as it answers. Luckily, Sisco notes that this is the first novel in a planned series – so we’ll hopefully see more to come from Resonant Earth.
In a phrase, Broken Mirror is a very cool novel and a very cool study of mental health, personal liberties, family relations, societal hierarchy, exotic technology, and reality vs. illusion all set in an “uncanny valley” type world – one which paints our own values into stark contrast. It’s a real geek-pleaser. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and highly recommend it to sci-fi and mystery fans alike.
June 26, 2016
We begin in an alternate world from our own. The United States no long exists; it is now the American Union. Many things in history have not happened in this world but the basics are technology rules and those that have perception and mood issues are diagnosed with Mirror Resonance Syndrome. Victor is one of these people. His grandfather has been treating these people but has recently died. Now Victor has to figure out who he really is and how he fits into this corrupt world.
This is an amazing thrill ride from the start. The world as we know it is gone and now revolves around technology and political corruption. Victor is a Broken Mirror who doesn’t really seem all that broken when you compare him to everyone else. I couldn’t help feel for him has he tries to figure out who is really helping him and who is intent on hurting him.
I loved the world building. Some things are similar to our world but others are really different. But you learn about this as Victor does. It can be frustrating yet a great way to keep you on the edge of your seat.
This is a great thriller and one that I recommend that you check out. It is the first in a series and I can’t wait to find out what is going to happen next.
I received Broken Mirror for free from Kory Kelly Consulting in exchange for an honest review.
This is an amazing thrill ride from the start. The world as we know it is gone and now revolves around technology and political corruption. Victor is a Broken Mirror who doesn’t really seem all that broken when you compare him to everyone else. I couldn’t help feel for him has he tries to figure out who is really helping him and who is intent on hurting him.
I loved the world building. Some things are similar to our world but others are really different. But you learn about this as Victor does. It can be frustrating yet a great way to keep you on the edge of your seat.
This is a great thriller and one that I recommend that you check out. It is the first in a series and I can’t wait to find out what is going to happen next.
I received Broken Mirror for free from Kory Kelly Consulting in exchange for an honest review.
January 5, 2024
I was initially interested in this book because I found it in the LGBT section, but these themes aren't really explored and there's only a couple a throw away sentence with brief mentions of flirting between men. Despite the initial disappointment in this respect, I actually really enjoyed the book. The book is divided into three parts. Part 1 was rather expository and read more like the coming of age story of an unreliable narrator, but Parts 2 and 3 were very exciting with unexpected developments around every corner. I haven't read too much sci-fi or too many thrillers before this, but Parts 2 and 3 felt like a cyberpunk thriller to me. The story also had some strong literary elements, with interesting commentary on family, racism, and ableism, in addition to some motifs. I really enjoyed the "fiction as non-fiction" excerpts at the beginning of each chapter. These contributed to the exposition without boring and as the story progressed they sometimes even raised more questions than answers, which contributed to the story's energy.
I received a review copy of this book.
I received a review copy of this book.
June 16, 2016
By Hamid - 6/15/16
The United States is now the American Union. Semiautonomous California and the Republic of Texas are battlegrounds, one of policy and one of violence. In Broken Mirror, Victor Eastmore, the protagonist, struggles with Mirror Resonance Syndrome, a disease "that is leading to the unfair ostracism of a group of people." These are not only the figments of author Cody Sisco's imagination, but also the figments of a parallel reality.
In a time when literature is a new addition to the long list of 'endangered species,' the writers and poets are speaking with prophetic voices; and so is Cody Sisco, for as California and our universe belong on the map of the “real" world, so do Semiautonomous California and Mirror Resonance Syndrome belong on the map of a parallel universe.
We may not be living in Broken Mirror's universe at this very moment, but this may not always be the case.
The United States is now the American Union. Semiautonomous California and the Republic of Texas are battlegrounds, one of policy and one of violence. In Broken Mirror, Victor Eastmore, the protagonist, struggles with Mirror Resonance Syndrome, a disease "that is leading to the unfair ostracism of a group of people." These are not only the figments of author Cody Sisco's imagination, but also the figments of a parallel reality.
In a time when literature is a new addition to the long list of 'endangered species,' the writers and poets are speaking with prophetic voices; and so is Cody Sisco, for as California and our universe belong on the map of the “real" world, so do Semiautonomous California and Mirror Resonance Syndrome belong on the map of a parallel universe.
We may not be living in Broken Mirror's universe at this very moment, but this may not always be the case.
Read
February 16, 2016Author Cody Sisco’s “Broken Mirror” is a compelling murder mystery set in a world familiar yet changed by a few historical twists, for example, President Lincoln survives an assassination attempt. United America is weak, Europe is a superpower, while Autonomous California and the Republic of Texas are in some ways competing for the future of mankind. The protagonist is a genius, yet classified along with many other humans as potentially dangerous because their condition is the same as a mass murderer. Marginalization, free will, individuality, customs, the role of government, corporate greed and mob mentality all figure into the equation of a hi-tech novel as imaginative as “Dune” and as thrilling as “Bourne Identity.”
April 1, 2017
it had good twists and turns... the plot wasnt my favorite but the writing was really good so it did make it interesting to read. it did feel like there might need to be another one but im not sure if there is going to be or not. overall i am glad i got to review it
April 25, 2017
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Broken Mirror is set in alternative world, where historical events as we know, had a different ending. There were plenty of nice little hints casually thrown in about what happened differently, that is if you know history.
Main character is Victor who is diagnosed with mirror resonance syndrome, commonly called broken mirrors. I was so confused when I started reading this book, but I kept reading and I discovered that I had hard time putting it down. For me the story was engaging, but at the same time confusing.
Since it's set in a series I don't have to know everything about the world or get all questions answered.
I was horrified about how Victor was treated. Like his ex-girlfriend said and actually thought so , that he was considered a secondary citizen. The way people like Victor were labeled and treated was just so horrible. It's like humanity always finds groups of people to hate. In this book that group happened to be people with one particular diagnosis. The moment enlightenment ranches were mentioned it was clear that nothing good could possibly happen there. It's like they were not considered human and those who didn't have that diagnosis had all the power and rights. People in this world were jerks. Including Victors family. I'm very interested in learning what was the deal with his grandmother. So there are loose ends that I would like to come to conclusion in the next book(s).
I liked Victor as a main character. His journey, which is not over, to discover what happened to his grandfather and to find cure for himself is very interesting. He is a bit too trusting! I didn't like other characters much. Particulary how they treated Victor.
Broken Mirror is book where Victor finally wakes up and starts taking control over his life. I would reccomend it to people who enjoy a take on alternative world.
Broken Mirror is set in alternative world, where historical events as we know, had a different ending. There were plenty of nice little hints casually thrown in about what happened differently, that is if you know history.
Main character is Victor who is diagnosed with mirror resonance syndrome, commonly called broken mirrors. I was so confused when I started reading this book, but I kept reading and I discovered that I had hard time putting it down. For me the story was engaging, but at the same time confusing.
Since it's set in a series I don't have to know everything about the world or get all questions answered.
I was horrified about how Victor was treated. Like his ex-girlfriend said and actually thought so , that he was considered a secondary citizen. The way people like Victor were labeled and treated was just so horrible. It's like humanity always finds groups of people to hate. In this book that group happened to be people with one particular diagnosis. The moment enlightenment ranches were mentioned it was clear that nothing good could possibly happen there. It's like they were not considered human and those who didn't have that diagnosis had all the power and rights. People in this world were jerks. Including Victors family. I'm very interested in learning what was the deal with his grandmother. So there are loose ends that I would like to come to conclusion in the next book(s).
I liked Victor as a main character. His journey, which is not over, to discover what happened to his grandfather and to find cure for himself is very interesting. He is a bit too trusting! I didn't like other characters much. Particulary how they treated Victor.
Broken Mirror is book where Victor finally wakes up and starts taking control over his life. I would reccomend it to people who enjoy a take on alternative world.
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