The girl with no reflection by Keshe Chow

Ying has been chosen as the  bride for the Emperor’s son, but it seems that the path to love is not smooth.  She soon discovers  that their partnership contains mythological import and that her chosen role is more than just to be a bride to the Prince. Ying is not a passive chattel, and struggles with the man who will be her husband. Her story though experiences a twist when she discovers the parallel existence of the reflection world, where her own Ying-reflection and the Prince’s reflection throw a different slant on her life. The reflection-Prince seems to be more lovable than his real counterpart and their connection takes Ying to new and sensual heights. Learning who to trust and where her true place is in the world becomes Ying’s challenge. Should she return beyond the mirror to the real world and its challenges or is there a new way of living?  Can the real Prince ever replace the reflection-Prince in her affections? And will her fated destiny as healer of the world ever come to fruition?

This is a complex story with an interesting premise - that a parallel world and doppelgänger existence lies behind reflective surfaces. The power struggles between the two ‘worlds’ hinges on a mythical history with an Asian flavour, and the central character has to discern her place in the mythology and her own feelings about her  ‘identical’ but different suitors. Mythical fantasy with an Asian flavour (including some Chinese language references) always has some surprising features for non-Asian readers, but this story also has a romantic element. This sensual expression of the connection between the central characters becomes quite intensely steamy at times, but does not quite head to R-rated territory. But this is still a significant aspect and therefore the book is best read by older teens, 15+. This Asian-influenced fantasy  is not as complex as some, but it always has an ‘other-world’ feel. It also has a feminist-inspired journey with a strong female character who is unwilling to be a passive love interest.  I quite enjoyed the journey into this parallel world with its power struggles and mythical history. 

Recommended for readers of Asian fantasy . 

Themes: Fantasy, Asian fantasy, Romance, Power, Destiny, Battle.

Carolyn Hull