The Moth in the Mirror (Splintered)

Oddly enough, I enjoyed this novella more than I did Splintered. I really liked how it was written, not just because of how the world is beautifully created again, but because of how it was enacted. We get both Morpheus's point of view and Jeb's but the way they were played out was very interesting. Morpheus goes to a beetle in order to view Jeb's lost memories of being in wonderland. But he doesn't so much as simply watch them, he's literally living the memories out. Hence why we also get Jeb's point of view. It was nice to find out what had happened to Jeb during the times that he was separated from Al and getting to see what was going on inside his head gave no surprises. He was always loyal to Al and loved her more than anything, and his thoughts never betrayed that image we were given in Splintered. And we even find out how exactly he came to be inside the box. The one character that surprised me the most was Gossamer. By the end she was so kind and caring to Jeb, and I honestly didn't see that coming. I still hate Morpheus. I don't care that he's a netherling creature. I don't. Because he's simply a terrible guy. He doesn't care who gets hurt or how, as long as he gets what he wants. And he wants Alyssa. Who knows why, because he even doesn't get it.

Another brilliant book by A.G. Howard! This one is a short novella written from the perspective of Jeb's brain as Morpheus gets on in there and peeks around in some memories that took place in the first book (which you should read if you haven't read it yet). Superb!

I wont give more away than I already have up there but I will tell you that the writing of this book is WOW! I really enjoyed reading this book so much. It was so much fun seeing certain things that were not seen, just mentioned, in the first book. It was also interesting that Morpheus did what he did and how it affected him when it was over, even if only for a short time. Oh, I think I've said enough there. The story flows freely and it's easy to just keep reading and not realize you are at the end when it comes.

I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward now to starting the next one, Unhinged. I highly recommend these books to anyone who loves Alice tales, fun and exciting books, and those who just like really brilliantly written books. On to the next with me!

Originally posted here:[...]

The Moth in the Mirror gives a different point of view for some unseen parts of Splintered, book 1, while also bridging a possible transition for Morpheus in Unhinged, book 2. I will admit that it was not what I was expecting. I was hoping for a lot more Morpheus! The title is “The MOTH in the Mirror” after all. So maybe that’s why I was a little disappointed. But this was still a really good read overall. In this short story, Morpheus looks into Jeb’s memories in order to learn more about him and destroy him.

<blockquote>"‘Tis a pun, like the one you made earlier, but much more clever." – Morpheus</blockquote>

That was one of my favorite line from Morpheus throughout the book. It reminds me a little of Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow, and that makes me love Morpheus so much more. I like how he’s so fashionable and a little quirky. And he’s so sure of himself. And even though he’s kind of a bad guy, he’s definitely just charming. I love him so much more even though I know Jeb is the right choice for Alyssa.

What I found most interesting about this book is when it’s Morpheus’ point of view because it shows how the inhabitants of Wonderland think so much differently than those in the human world. I’ll admit he seems a little too crazy sometimes with the way he thinks and how he acts on the things he wants. But I mostly like how his feelings for Alyssa has changed him, making him a little more human than he’d like. I’d really love to know how things would work out for him.

Huh, I think this is more of a “Why I love Morpheus” post rather than a review for The Moth in the Mirror. :P

Anyway, for the fans of Jeb. A lot would be shown on how he handled things when he was away from Alyssa in Splintered, where he mostly kept on worrying about her and wanted nothing but to have her safe. It shows even more how much he cared about Alyssa. It even moved Morpheus a little, and I guess that says something.

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OVERALL, The Moth in the Mirror made me even more excited to read Unhinged. It gives a more intimate look into Morpheus and Jeb. I personally wish there was more of Morpheus, but I still loved this as A.G. Howard feeds us tiny bites of wonder, humor, charm, and romance. Give me Unhinged now please!

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Fun short read told from Jeb and Morpheus’s POV. If you are a fan of Splintered and need a quick fix before reading Unhinged, I would highly recommend reading this.

Opening Sentence: “You’re sure about this, Morpheus?”

The Review:

Morpheus has never quite figured out what is so appealing about humans. The girl he loves is determined to reject everything Wonderland has to offer for a simple human boy. Morpheus has decided that to better understand Alyssa he needs to see what she sees in Jeb, so he enters into Jeb’s memories of his adventures in Wonderland. Did you ever wonder where and what Jeb was doing when he wasn’t at Alyssa’s side? In The Moth and the Mirror you get to see glimpses of Wonderland from Jeb’s POV.

If you have read my review of Splintered you will know how much I love Jeb. He is selfless, sweet, caring, loyal and a total hottie. Then there is the cunning, mysterious, gorgeous Morpheus. Both boys are amazing characters and it was fun to be inside their heads for a little while. It helped me to understand both of them better and just made me love them even more.

If you are a fan of Splintered you will want to pick this one up. It adds extra insight to the story and it was a really fun read. It will help pacify you while you wait for the release of Unhinged (which is totally incredible)!!!! Anyone that has yet to start this series, what are you waiting for? It is by far the best retelling I have ever read and you really need to pick it up.

Notable Scene:

His spiel was rehearsed— mechanical, even— but Morpheus’s pulse raced. He waited for the beetle to shut off the lamp. As soon as the insect had left the room and closed the door, Morpheus’s body came apart at the seams— floating through the darkness as if he were made of dust motes. All the pieces reassembled themselves on the silver screen in vivid, cinematic colors, until he was inside Jebediah Holt’s head, wearing his body, feeling his emotions.

In that moment, Morpheus gave himself over to the experience, seeing things as a human for the first time in his life.

FTC Advisory: Amulet Books/Abrams provided me with a copy of The Moth in the Mirror. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

<blockquote> An original ebook-only novella in the Splintered series, told from the points of view of both Jeb and Morpheus. Morpheus wants to know more about his rival for Alyssa's affections, so he digs into Jeb's memories of his time in Wonderland. But he may be surprised by what he finds.

This brand-new story and perspective from A.G. Howard's dark, magical world stands alone, but also provides a tantalizing glimpse of what's to come in Unhinged, the sequel to Splintered.</blockquote>

This is a very brief novella, in which we get to learn more about both Jeb and Morpheus. However the way we learn about them is very creative and interesting, for we learn about both as Morpheus experiences Jeb's memories. Although Jeb is terrified of becoming like his father, he proves time and again that the two men could not be more different. Where his father is violent and angry Jeb is levelheaded and gentle. Even when his frustration with Morpheus starts to get the best of him he manages to pull back from the edge, for his love for Alyssa overrides any aggressive tendencies he may want to express.

Too bad Morpheus looks to be planning to use Jeb’s internal fault lines to beat him in winning the lovely Alyssa to his side. This demonstrates his selfishness, for he comes across as far too impatient to wait and allow Alyssa to live out a mortal life with Jeb, before then returning to Morpheus and Wonderland, having fulfilled her mortal dreams.

I like reading new authors especially a short story. A very well written short story, that twist and turns. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys science fiction short stories. Enjoy reading

This made an interesting connection between the first and second book. Not a necessary read to follow the story, but a good filler. I did like the fact that it filed in some missing pieces about Jeb's journey when he wasn't with Alyssa in Wonderland.