The Mask of Mirrors

By: M. A. Carrick

Narrated by: Nikki Massoud

Fortune favors the bold. Magic favors the liars.

Ren is a liar and a thief, a pattern-reader and a daughter of no clan. Raised in the slums of Nadežra, she fled that world to save her sister. Now, she has returned with one goal: to trick her way into a noble house, securing her fortune and her sister’s future.

But in the city of dreams, her masquerade is just one of many. Enigmatic crime lord Derossi Vargo, stony captain of the guard Grey Serrado, dashing heir Leato Traementis, and the legendary vigilante known as the Rook all have secrets that could unravel her own.

And as corrupt nightmare magic begins to weave its way through the city of dreams, the poisonous feuds of its aristocrats and the shadowy dangers of its impoverished underbelly become tangled—with Ren at their heart.

"Lush, engrossing, and full of mystery and dark magic" (BookPage), The Mask of Mirrors is the unmissable start to the Rook & Rose trilogy, a dazzling fantasy adventure by Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms, writing together as M. A. Carrick.

Praise for the Rook & Rose trilogy:

"Immersive…a feast to savor slowly." —BuzzFeed News

"For those who like their revenge plots served with the intrigue of The Goblin Emperor, the colonial conflict of The City of Brass, the panache of Swordspoint, and the richly detailed settings of Guy Gavriel Kay."—Booklist (starred review)

"Utterly captivating." —S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass

"This novel will catch hold of your dreams and keep you from sleeping." —Mary Robinette Kowal, author of The Calculating Stars

"Wonderfully immersive—I was unable to put it down." —Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter

"Exactly the fantasy adventure novel you're craving." —Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne

Critic reviews

"Utterly captivating. Carrick spins an exciting web of mystery, magic, and political treachery in a richly drawn and innovative world."—S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass

"The Mask of Mirrors kept me up reading way past my bedtime. A web of intrigue, magic, and the art of the con this novel will catch hold of your dreams and keep you from sleeping."—Mary Robinette Kowal, author of The Calculating Stars

"A tightly laced plot dripping with political intrigue. Carrick has built a strong foundation for things to come."—Publishers Weekly

"The Mask of Mirrors has it all: complex, believable characters; a fast-moving, intricate plot; rich details of attire, cuisine, religion, and so much more, all of which lead the reader to believe that Nadezra exists in more than dreams. This novel starts off strong and only gets better."—Jane Lindskold, author of The Firekeeper Saga

excellent story and naration

Loved the character builds and twists in the story. kept me wanting more. Cant wait for the next book

Took some time but then I was hooked!

It took me some time to sort through all the characters but once I did I was hooked! It was many different stories coming together at the end and wow!

This Book is Underrated!

Don’t let the synopsis of the story lead you astray! This is the beginning of a very promising series. Not to mention, the performance by the voice actor was phenomenal!

Super solid

This book starts off at a slow pace, it is mainly concerned with political intrigue and social maneuvering but don’t be fooled, there is so much more in store, and the first part of the book is carefully laid groundwork. It explodes from there. Really absorbing, great characters, imaginative, well written, captivating. Loved it. Off to read the second!

Narration made this impossible

The narrator absolutely butchered the accents of the two main characters, going from what sounded vaguely Arabic, to Scottish, to Indian. Painful.