REVIEW: Backward Glass, by David Lomax

Crack your head, knock you dead, then Prince Harming's hunger's fed.

It's 1977, and Kenny Maxwell is dreading the move away from his friends. But then, behind the walls of his family's new falling-apart Victorian home, he finds something incredible—a mummified baby and a note: "Help me make it not happen, Kenny. Help me stop him."

Shortly afterwards, a beautiful girl named Luka shows up. She introduces Kenny to the backward glass, a mirror that allows them to travel through time. Meeting other "mirror kids" in the past and future is exciting, but there's also danger. The urban legend of Prince Harming, who kidnaps and kills children, is true—and he's hunting them. When Kenny gets stranded in the past, he must find the courage to answer a call for help, change the fate of a baby—and confront his own destiny.

Seven Rules that must be followed...and a letter begging Kenny to help save the baby. But there's a mummified baby in the wall..wait..what?

This one hits the ground running and is an amazingly unique story. I've never read anything that feels like this one. And I would never have imagined this was a debut novel, if I hadn't read that it is! Each of the characters are real--tangible to an extent. They are amazingly mature and handle time-traveling mirrors and all of the craziness that goes with them in a much more adult manner than I probably would. The story itself is a deep read--you can't skim this and do the book (or Lomax..or yourself) justice. Pay attention, get lost in it, and enjoy being lost.

There's a mystery, time travel, teenage angst, and the need for an unlikely hero. Kenny makes mistakes, is a little too good for his own good, and still manages to be an awesome protagonist (despite my description.)

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from Flux Books through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.