Marco Swift and the Mirror of Souls

by D.E. Cunningham

★★★★★ "This is the most interesting book I've ever read" - Abigail (9 years old)
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Readers Favorite Book Award Finalist - 2022 WINNER for Children's Fantasy/Sci-Fi

Perfect for fans of fantasy books like Percy Jackson, The Chronicles of Narnia, and The Wingfeather Saga.

Marco Swift and the Mirror of Souls is a moody, thrilling and magical middle-grade fantasy adventure that grapples with universal themes of forgiveness, truth, and love.

A magical mirror, a terrible enemy, and one boy unravelling the secret behind his legacy.

Struggling with the sudden death of his father and his mother’s downward spiral into mental illness, eleven-year-old Marco is haunted by dark forgotten memories and the fear that he’ll lose a second parent.

But when a mysterious enchantress appears with a promise to cure his mother, Marco soon finds himself dragged into a dangerous quest to retrieve a powerful weapon hidden at the heart of the magical World of Souls.

Along the way, he’ll be forced to unravel his father’s secretive past – and reconcile with the long-buried darkness lurking within his own psyche.

Racing against time to reconstruct the fabled sword of light and defeat the fiendish monsters that are plotting his downfall, Marco will need to use all of his wits to figure out how he can save the World of Souls and find a way to cure his mother.

Will Marco be able to overcome the challenges of this mystical land and bring peace to the World of Souls? Or will he fail and be left alone with nothing but sorrow and guilt?

Join the adventure now, by ordering your copy of Marco Swift and the Mirror of Souls, today!

Genres: Middle Grade

278 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 6, 2021

About the author

D. E. Cunningham is a middle-grade fantasy author who currently resides in Virginia Beach with his wonderful wife and three fun-loving boys. His search for truth, goodness, and beauty have driven him to write larger-than-life adventures for a new generation of readers. When not writing, he can be found voicing cartoon characters, producing animated children’s shows, and exploring the wilderness with his family.

Reviews

[Belles Middle Grade Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a magical, thrilling adventure! Really enjoyed this! Struggling with the sudden death of his father & his mother’s downward spiral into mental illness, Marco is haunted by dark forgotten memories & the fear that he’ll lose a second parent. But when a mysterious enchantress appears with a promise to cure his mother, Marco soon finds himself dragged into a dangerous quest to retrieve a powerful weapon hidden at the heart of the magical World of Souls. Along the way, he’ll be forced to unravel his father’s secretive past – & reconcile with the long-buried darkness lurking within his own psyche. Racing against time to reconstruct the fabled sword of light & defeat the fiendish monsters that are plotting his downfall, Marco will need to use all of his wits to figure out how he can save the World of Souls & find a way to cure his mother. This was such an imaginative, & unique portal fantasy. I found the magic system with the gemstones absolutely fascinating, & loved everything the author created with that, as well as this world of Mortem. There is a race against time, high stakes task/adventure, danger & suspense. There are also amazing underlying themes/messages. Such as grief, anger, guilt, & regret. The author does a great job of having this fantasy adventure that in a way symbolizes the grief process our MC is dealing with. I think this would help kids going through something similar greatly. Such a great story. Beautiful cover, & inside illustrations by Misha Oplev as well!💜

[Sarah (Wondermajica) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was absolutely shocked at how good this book was. I received a copy from Hidden Gems to review and Marco Swift and the Mirror of Souls is without a doubt a very special hidden gem.

Eleven-year-old Marco Swift is really having a tough time. His father has just died a mysterious death and his mother is struggling with bipolar disorder. In order for his mother to receive in-patient treatment, Marco and his little sister Sophie are forced to relocate from America to their paternal grandmother’s vineyard in Italy. Forced to deal with all the sudden changes, it is understandable that Marco is not handling it very well. On the trip to the vineyard he ends up in a fight with a bully, Luca, who he later finds out is his cousin. Shortly after arriving at his new home, they end up in another fight that results in his Aunt Elda taking him to his room. He keeps picking up hints of a voice that will eventually lead him on an adventure involving the ancestral castle, Crispo.

Marco Swift and the Mirror of Souls falls into one of my all-time favorite categories to read: portal fantasy. The majority of the book takes place in Mortem, which has a very unique magical system. Magic is powered using gemstones that, once deprived, need time to recover (similar to how “mana” works in many fantasy games). I have never read a book with this type of system and found it both refreshing and vastly interesting. The main theme of this book deals with grief and forgiveness. Marco blames himself for pretty much everything that has gone wrong but as he progresses, he begins to heal. The big reveal at the end was done brilliantly.

I read the majority of this in one sitting. For a thirty-something-year-old, this is a very quick read…but I loved every second of it. The pacing was good and the characters were all interesting. Some moments were predictable, but Cunningham did a wonderful job of placing enough doubt on what I thought was about to happen for me to question myself.

I also really enjoyed the black and white illustrations. The monochrome aesthetic fits the story wonderfully.

[Emma Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marco Swift and the Mirror of Souls is a fantasy adventure that deals with heavy themes in a way kids can understand and process them.
After the death of his father, Marco and his sister are taken my their mother to live with his father's relatives in Sicily. Hidden in a castle above his father's ancestral home, he finds a magical mirror to the world of souls. There he is given powers he can use to find out the truth about his father's death and save his mother from the same fate.
Through out the story he fights evil while coping with his father's death and his feeling about it while learning the power of truth and love.
Overall it was a really enjoyable book. Lots of action and just enough mystery keeps you reading. It can be read as a metaphor for the grieving process and I think would be helpful to kids dealing with that.
My criticism of it would be there are several grammar errors and the characters aren't as three dimensional as I'd like. As an adult I'm not the target audience though and think kids won't mind.
I received a free copy to review from netgalley.

[Gumiho Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trigger: death of a family member, loss, grief, death, mental health, bullying, anger, bipolar disorder, violence, abuse

It’s like an Alice in Wonderland and Coco mashup with the expression of overcoming grief.

Marco Swift and the Mirror of Souls: A Middle-Grade Fantasy Adventure by D.E. Cunningham was a journey of connecting oneself with one’s soul, forgiveness, and coming to peace. Marco and his family went to Sicily to stay with his aunt after the sudden loss of his dad. His mother was not able to properly care for him and his sister due to her bipolar disorder getting worse. Marco is not handling the death of his father very well nor is moving to a new place. He had to deal with bullies and being misunderstood. One night he gets the opportunity to make a change so he can help his mother and he takes it. He ventures off through the mirror of souls and starts his journey to self. The only problem is, he has a limited time to make the shift, otherwise he will become stuck and become something unspeakable.

I really loved this story! So much stood out for me that was completely unexpected, but great and needed. It was very interesting to have the story based in Italy and the main character being from Chicago. That in itself is a huge conflict that needs to be worked through and it was right there at the beginning. The way Marco was introduced set things up beautifully. I could see that he was really struggling and would most likely have a large hurdle to get over.

With the various themes that threaded together to create this story, it’d be great for anyone suffering with overcoming a painful time. There was a huge focus on loss, grief, death, and mental health. Those in themselves are really intense themes to express, but then it got deeper and dove into anger, forgiveness, guilt, living a new normal, being uprooted and having to adjust. It was a lot for anyone to deal with, let alone Marco!

Let’s not forget the very awesome magic, dimensional experiences, and power! I love a good fantasy adventure, but seeing this from Marco’s perspective added a whole new excitement. His driving force was what hooked me into his journey. I liked the characters as well. There was a very nice mix of good, bad, irritating, and helpful.

There was only one thing that stood out from the story. Once Marco jumped into his journey, things started to slow down a bit. It’s good to have fast/slow pacing in stories because we want to keep the reader engaged. But going on either side too much can deter the reader. Having that balance would keep the constant flow of, “Omg what’s next?”.

I really loved the cover art. It completely got my attention and made me want to know more about the story. I liked that there were not a lot of illustrations throughout, but just enough at the right moments. Those few that were there enhanced the story by giving that extra visual of what was being described. They helped push the reader’s imagination. The style was awesome, it was perfect for the tone of the story.

This is a great book for 8-12 year olds. It was filled with an exciting yet fulfilling adventure and any child could easily get lost in the growth. This would also be good for any children and families dealing with loss, grief and mental health. If you love fantasy adventure, this is for you!

I’d love to see more with Marco.

*This was an honest review for a complimentary copy of Marco Swift and the Mirror of Souls from D. E. Cunningham via Hidden Gems

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

What worked:
The author manages to create subtle doubt as the plot develops. Readers use clues to determine which characters are good and which ones are bad, and this book doesn’t make things obvious. Marco’s mom needs medical help, and he’s feeling tremendous guilt for her condition and his father’s death. He jumps at the chance to heal her when he passes through a mirror to meet the Illustra, Queen of Souls, and she asks him to retrieve a powerful sword called Straya. Dark is traditionally evil in novels, and Illustra is surrounded by shadows and ill-tempered creatures. However, she says Marco’s father helped defend the realm of Mortem before his death, and she has the golden armor he left for his son. Is this queen good or evil?
The plot has familiar elements that make it easy to follow. Marco’s sole focus is on protecting his mother and little sister, so it’s easy to manipulate his feelings. He discovers new abilities with the crystals, but his overconfidence puts him in situations he’s unprepared for. He’s given a quest to retrieve three pieces of a key that will lead him to his father’s hidden sword. The queen says Straya’s power will enable her to restore glory to Mortem and save Marco’s mother. Clues hint that there’s more to Marco’s character than it appears, and other characters allude to underlying events that will be revealed later.
While there are familiar elements to the plot, the cast of characters keeps the story uncertain. The queen tells three other kids to train Marco in using his crystals, but one of them openly detests him. The other two are helpful, but their motivations and alliances aren’t clear. A tiny dragon called Elune, with the appearance of a small cat, helps Marco along the way, but it enjoys teasing him about being a weak human and doesn’t always jump in to help. El says it has trouble remembering previous people and events, so there are questions about what it’s done in the past. The characters create an atmosphere of suspicion and distrust, as they express little empathy for Marco. The truth about everyone’s identity will eventually be uncovered.
What didn’t work as well:
Marco’s power in the mirror world comes from different-colored crystals on his armor. Twisting each of four colors presents a different ability such as strength, speed, or wielding a sword. The combat scenes feel like video games, as Marco quickly adjusts the different crystals to overcome the dangers. The crystals lose power fairly quickly, so there’s always a question of when they’ll run out and leave him in peril. While manipulating crystals in fast-paced battle is strange, it results in more tension as the outcomes of the conflicts are less predictable.
The final verdict:
There is more bravery in us than we imagine. The author creates a puzzling world of uncertainty that pits good versus evil. Hidden identities cast light on the problems, and also the solutions. The book is recommended for lovers of fantasy worlds, mystery, and family. Give it a shot!

[Kaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank NetGalley for my free copy of Marco Swift and the Mirror of Souls: A Middle-Grade Fantasy Adventure by D.E. Cunningham.

At its heart, Marco Swift and the Mirror of Souls is a story about hope and love. It is what drives the plot and main character Marco through his quest to help save his mother, who has been struggling with crippling mental illness since his father died. While it is primarily a novel written for and directed towards school-aged children it has some themes and topics that readers of any age could appreciate and learn from.

Marco isn’t your typical kid. He comes into this novel struggling to process his grief over the loss of his father along with some other major life changes. D. E. Cunningham does a wonderful job exploring how some children react to incredibly difficult and trying unforeseen circumstances and further provides a space for children to learn about these heavy topics in a creative, fantastic and magical setting. While there are some heavy and emotional scenes, there are also joyful moments resonating with love. I would, however, tread lightly with this novel as there are some difficult and sensitive subject matter (death, illness, grief). Personally, I cried a little and can see how it would be upsetting to someone who is currently struggling with any of the above-mentioned themes.

After being forced to move to Italy with his mother and sister after his father’s sudden passing Marco almost immediately feels that he doesn’t fit in. Shortly after his arrival, on a stormy night, Marco begins his once in a lifetime journey to be a hero, save his mom and keep his family together. This leads him to a beautiful, dilapidated castle that transports him to a distant and magical realm in danger of collapsing. There is an evil presence trying to steal the magic that protects the city for themselves. Marco is the only one who can save not only his mother but this new magical realm he’s been brought to.

Overall, I really liked this novel. It was easy to read and had vivid and engaging imagery. I think school-aged children would enjoy it and learn from it as well. Children who have faced similar situations might take comfort in knowing that they aren’t alone and can find words to be able to communicate their feelings about such inexplicable loss. I did have a difficult time relating to certain characters because of limited background information provided and I’m not sure if that was intentional or not. I don’t think school-aged children would mind but it’s something I noticed. I also noticed a few typos and hopefully those will be remedied.

[Sirah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marco Swift may have just lost his dad and been forced to move across the world, but he refuses to be bullied by anyone. When he discovers that there's something magical in the castle behind his aunt's house in Italy, he doesn't hesitate to jump into the realm of souls. Once there, he is given a noble quest to follow in his father's footsteps bringing the sword of light and hope to a desperate city, but secrets and shadows are lurking. If Marco can't uncover the truth, he risks becoming a ghoul himself.

While I struggled to connect with the main character, I'm not the target audience, and the writing was clever enough that I could feel what was going on despite this. The moral of the story was just a bit more obvious than I would have liked, but I'm not sure how a realization like Marco's could have been more subtle.

There was just enough exposition to help me visualize the story, although the interior illustrations were a nice touch. Marco was a complex character with believable dialogue, and I didn't have any trouble following the plot. The mystery was suitably mysterious, and each scene felt purposeful. Overall, well done. While this one won't be going on my favorites list, it will definitely be going on the shelf of my lending library where I expect middle grade boys will find it.

Thank you to D.E. Cunningham and BookSirens for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Melisa Longhurst · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was great! The magic system was unique to almost anything I've ever read before, which was interesting to read and figure out. The characters were well written and developed steadily throughout the book. The villains were sneaky and conniving, while the mystery of the plot generally grew steadily. Some of the parts of the mystery seemed to be completely out of the blue, or just seemed very disjointed to the main plot, which can be both good and bad for a fantasy novel. Some of the mysterious plot points were fairly easy to decipher or guess at, while others took a little bit longer, even to the point of having everything revealed at the end, for them to make sense. This book was written for middle grade, but I do feel like it talks about some pretty heavy topics like death of a loved one, mental illness, forgiveness, survivor's guilt, etc - so I would just be careful when recommending it to a younger person, as it can get quite heavy at times. All of that being said, this book was a fun read with a lot of adventure and twists and turns. It ended in a way that left me feeling like it could be a standalone, even though it is listed as first in a series, so I'm excited for where the story will go from here. Fun read - give it a try!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Digital copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

5.29 on CAWPILE

I enjoyed this well enough. the characters felt a little one-dimensional, and the plot was highly predictable. However, I still think overall it was a decent book, and I think kids, the intended audience, will enjoy it well enough. One criticism I do have though is the handling of mental illness in the book, specifically bipolar disorder. If you are going to use this disorder in your book, please, for the love of god, do not use it as a way for the real world to explain supernatural influence where as soon as that influence is gone, they are suddenly "back to normal".

Content Warnings - Discussion of death of a parent, bipolar disorder, fighting/bullying, talk of gambling, grief

[ChronoSerrano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marco Swift and the Mirror of Souls was an enjoyable read, but not what I was looking for in a middle grade fantasy. The primary driver of the protagonist's growth was resolving inner conflict, which was also used to progress through the book's climax. In contrast, my preferred narrative conflict is interpersonal.

I gave this book three stars because, while it's not for me, it's a good exploration of grief and may be something others are more into.

Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Danielhaycox · Rating 5 out of 5]

So proud of my friend for writing this book! For an adult, it’s a brisk read that pulls you along once you get into the fantasy world. The magic is very high powered and video game inspired, so the fights are super dynamic and fun to imagine. Characters bounce around buildings, take huge hits - it’s like anime-level excitement and impact. The story builds nicely to the climax and the ending rewards the reader with a bunch of action and reveals. Eluna and Uncle Fransisco were my favorites! I think any kid who enjoys the Percy Jackson series would enjoy this one too.

[Rodger’s Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️ it was a really good and heartwarming middle grade examining grief at the loss of a loved one and processing those emotions. I loved all of that and the magical world was fun and gave me kind of Deltora Quest meets Magic Knight Rayearth vibes. My major issue with this story is I didn’t love the display of mental illness being an issue for a child to try to save the mental health of their parent, but other than that it was great. Will definitely read the sequel(s).

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marco Swift and the Mirror of Souls is a wonderful addition to thrilling, wholesome, thought provoking fantasy for middle grade readers! The plot is exciting, full of twists and turns, and offers encouragement that we can endure and overcome difficulties in life. There are deep concepts presented that make for wonderful discussion topics between tweens/teens with their parents, teachers, and mentors. I will be gifting copies to friends and families who have children approaching this age!

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an adult, I have found books for adolescents to be surprisingly insightful and engaging. Perhaps it is in part due to their "clean" and innocent nature. Stripping a beautiful story of any complex psychological issues that you might see in an adult-themed novel, as we see here, not only caters to a younger audience, but also offers a refreshing and engaging respite for one accustomed to adult literature. The author offers just that here. While you can easily see inspiration come from many places such as Tolkien's Lord of the Rings or Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia, Marco Swift is original enough to offer the reader a fresh exploration of a new world. I often worry about the often-inevitable world-building "dryness" in ambitious fantasy novels set in alternative universes, but the author does a great job simultaneously setting the scene and telling a heartfelt story of a young boy grieving the loss of his father. It's a story of trauma, of grief, and of love. I cannot wait to read this to my children when they grow a few years older.

[Jessica Sundsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marco's journey into the Mirror of Souls is action-packed yet also surprisingly insightful. The author expertly weaved a sweet story of grief and family into a fun adventure filled with humour and touching moments. I loved Marco's relationship with his sister, his quirky extended family, the intriguing Illustra, and the world-building of Mortem (especially Marco's armor and gemstones and the mystery of his father's sword, Straya). The author did a great job portraying and touching on mental health issues in an appropriate way for middle grade kids.

I am looking forward to the next installment!

[Caroline Satterfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It would be a great fantasy read for a middle schooler but even as an adult it was a fun read. I really appreciated the authors subtle foreshadowing, it wasn't super in your face where you could guess exactly what was going to happen, but the clues he planted along the way sparked interest and an excitement to keep reading!

I think the themes and the struggles that the main character deals with would really resonate with a lot of kids in this demographic. Marco gets special powers and becomes really strong and goes on a fantastical quest but still has to deal with emotional hardships and eventually find the inner strength to overcome them. It's relatable and offers insight to the same struggles a lot of kids face everyday while also offering a fun fantasy escape for them.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Thank you NetGalley for providing this ARC.)

An adventure most middle graders will like. Mental health is addressed well. Slow going at times.

Marco's life is upended after the death of his father. He does what he can to help take care of his sister, due to Marco's mother not able to cope with her husband's death.

Family strength is always a great addition to any book.

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book!! It was a really engaging story with unique story building!