The Spirit Glass is a heartfelt and emotional tale of one young girl trying to reunite her family. The newest work from the Rick Riordan Presents banner at Disney Books and their premiere author Roshani Chokshi introduces readers to Corazon Lopez and her journey through Philippine mythology. This touching tale will have readers thinking about the importance of family, and how each day matters.
Corazon Lopez anxiously waits for every Saturday dinner, because the ghosts of her parents always show up on time, and she gets to spend all evening with them. Since losing her parents three years earlier, Corazon has held onto the hope that she will unlock her power as a babaylan, which is a mortal empowered with the ability to guard the boundaries between the human world and the realm of the spirits. Corazon also hopes that when her powers awaken, she can bring her parents back from the dead.
When an unintended error on the Midnight Bridge results in Corazon being sent on a quest to expel a trapped spirit and recover the soul key that her mother made, Corazon will soon find out what she is capable of. With her companion gecko Saso, and a spirit named Leo, the group will travel the spirit realm looking to put all the realms back in order.
Roshani Chokshi was a major force in launching the Rick Riordan Presents imprint with her Aru Shah novels. Now back with her newest tale, readers are treated to not only a new mythology story, but an inspiring and heroic young character.
Corazon Lopez seems like a wonderful, sweet innocent twelve-year-old who was hit by tragedy. Losing her parents three years ago has damaged her soul. This pain has been mitigated by the fact she gets to see their spirits every Saturday night for dinner. The tragedy is heart breaking, and the way that Chokshi has illustrated the loss and sadness in Corazon will make any reader feel the pain and emotion in their hearts.
To add to the tragedy, Corazon appears to have been forced to live with her Aunt Tina who treats her with little love. How can someone be so powerful yet not show it? This self-doubt that Corazon feels as well as the loss of her parents, has her question her own existence. Readers will relate to this moment on multiple levels.
Sheltered from school, doubting herself, and longing to be with her parents, it is not until the spirit breaks free that Corazon can cast off the shadow of doubt and worry, and is forced to act.
Saso makes for great comic relief, but he also offers the small courage that we all keep inside of ourselves. In many ways, the human mind will compartmentalize our own thoughts, and for many, the positive encouragement that we need to hear from ourselves is buried sometimes. Saso may be funny, but Chokshi has also allowed this secondary character to flourish because he means so much and offers much encouragement to Corazon.
Leo is an interesting character. This spirit that helps guide Corazon on her quest is a mystery, because he cannot remember his past. Unable to move on, Leo is caught in between the spirit realm and the mortal world because things have not been resolved. Having to give his memories away to stay where he is, Leo is an almost exact copy of Corazon. Neither can have peace until they are able to move on with their lives, and neither can do this without the help of each other.
Beyond the exciting adventure that unites spirit with mortal to save the realms, we are also introduced to a new way of thinking about mirrors. I for one never thought much about my own reflection. Nor have I ever considered how much a mirror might take in based on what is happening in its reflection. The Spirit Glass will have readers thinking a little differently the next time they catch their visage in a reflecting glass.
The Spirit Glass is another excellent entry into the Rick Riordan Presents banner. Author Roshani Chokshi has not only been able to create a brand-new world that is vastly different from her Aru Shah epic, but she has given us a wonderful new character in the form of Corazon Lopez to care for. I’m certain that this novel will see many sequels, but if it were to stand alone, then The Spirit Glass would make an excellent solo novel with more than enough heart, emotion, and adventure than many other long lasting and lengthy book series.
Roshani Chokshi started it all for the Rick Riordan Presents banner with her thrilling Aru Shah saga, and now her newest journey into mythology will ignite readers passions, as well as touch their hearts. The Spirit Glass is another brilliant narrative from a truly talented writer.