Mirror Mirror S. Hart

Have you ever had a book sitting on your shelf forever and ever and when you finally read it you are astonished that you did not pull it off the shelf sooner?  That was Mirror Mirror for me.  I am ashamed to say that the letter from the publisher was last April.  The wait was worth it.

Hart has presented to us a collection of memoirs and short stories commencing with her grandparent's in Odessa and bringing us forward to her life as an adult in New Jersey.  I am not the biggest fan of short stories, however I really enjoyed Hart's.  I have often been accused of liking depressing books and Mirror Mirror is no exception to my rule.

Hart's early childhood years were rather sad and depressing.  Her mother was either exceptionally jealous of her or very cruel in that she never had a kind word to say.  While I initially felt bad for Hart having a selfish mother I did not pity Hart.   We are let into Hart's life through 5 different sections:  Childhood by Sea, The Boarding School Years, High School and Beyond, Family History, and Coming to Terms.   Through each time period of Hart's life we watch this young girl develop into a mature woman.  Hart is more secure with who she is and how she is perceived. 

Watching her grow through her vignettes was truly enjoyable.  Mirror Mirror is an incredibly well written collection of stories about Hart's life.