Mirror Mirror by Cara Delevigne (with Rowan Coleman)
Trapeze, 2017. ISBN 9781409172758
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. Red, Naomi, Leo and Rose are four
misfits who become the closest of friends upon the formation of
their band, Mirror Mirror. Band rehearsal is an escape for all four,
giving them momentary freedom for the hardships they face in their
regular lives. Red has an alcoholic mother and often absent father,
Leo's criminal brother encourages him to follow in his footsteps,
Rose uses alcohol and boys to numb her painful past and Naomi runs
away from home to finally be free. Just as the band are coming to
terms with their group-identity and feel as close as a family, Naomi
goes missing and subsequently turns up half dead in the Thames. The
police believe that she did this to herself but Red begins to find
clues suggesting that things are not as they seem. The trio decide
that they must take matters into their own hands to truly find out
what happened to Naomi.
A tale of determination, mystery and friendship in the face of
adversity, this novel reminds its reader that they are stronger than
they know and can make a difference in this world. In her debut
novel, Delevigne presents realistic characters, deep emotional
twists and an all-around inspiring story. Through Red, the reader is
brought on a journey of self-discovery while learning some powerful
messages along the way. A beautiful yet sorrowful story that truly
captures the turbulence that is our teenage years.
Daniella Chiarolli