Thank you again Netgalley for giving me the chance to read this great book. One of the best books I recently received here or bought myself. A very well written story of love, marriage and friendship. A historical fiction without judgement of life in the late 19th century. I highly recommend reading The Prince of Mirrors

A tender, intimate, lovely story of Britain's Price Eddy. I didn't know what to expect when I started reading this novel but I found myself immensely moved by the story and the prose.

Great characters and very historically accurate, I loved it! Deals with mental health and LGBT themes along with the hardships of carving out your identity in a while full of pressures.

I enjoyed this book, but I didn’t love it and I really wanted to. The premise was amazing and the start promising but then the story seemed to lose momentum and devolve into more of a character study than a story. It tackles themes of LGBT and mental health sensitivitly and with respect, there is nothing gratuitous here and I thought these aspects of the story were excellent. The author has clearly done his research and has a deep understanding of the issues he discussed. Credit to him.
But and I hate that there’s a but because I really want to say I loved this, the story just lacked energy and pace. I got somewhat bored and it was a struggle to finish it. I think the authors obvious skill with language almost got in the way of the point he was trying to make.
Good but not great, I’d nevertheless recommend the book, others may find the authors style easier to get on with.

This book is very good and falls just short of being excellent. It tells the interleaved stories of Prince Albert Victor and his Cambridge tutor and friend, James Kenneth Stephen.They were known to family and friends as “Eddy” and “Jem”.

Both men were troubled and their lives blighted, not least by family expectations. In this novel, a beguiling blend of imagination and fact, they are bound together in a love which finds no physical sexual expression.The Prince was possibly bisexual and Stephen probably homosexual. Eddy had learning difficulties and Jem bipolar disorder. The Prince died of pneumonia aged 28. Stephen, by then committed to St Andrew’s Hospital for Mental Diseases, stopped eating on hearing the news of Eddy’s death, and died, twenty days later, aged 32.

Their story is told in a series of episodes exploring their internal thoughts and external experiences. There are few invented characters and lots of interesting historical ones outwith both immediate families. These include Monty James (the writer and academic, M.R.James), John Neale Dalton (Eddy’s tutor and father of his godson, the future Labour Chancellor of the Exchequer, Hugh Dalton) and Harry Goodhart (who played in four F.A. Cup finals before becoming Professor of Humanity at the University of Edinburgh).

Of the royal characters portrayed, Queen Victoria and May of Teck, the future Queen Mary, both appeared in in a new light and gained added dimension.

Incidentally, one may ponder about how things might have gone if Edward Carpenter, Queen Victoria’s first choice to tutor the young Eddy and his brother, had accepted the job. Carpenter, a lifelong friend of Dalton, was an early advocate of homosexual rights.

There is some fine writing here and a lot of fascinating detail. The historical content is enriched, but not overshadowed, by the author’s imagination and speculation.

I think the problem for me lies in the structure rather than the content. The book felt unduly fragmented and was sometimes repetitive. It might have worked better if the structure had been similar to that of Alan Hollinghurst’s latest,“The Sparsholt Affair”, in which the narrative has discrete but related chronological sections.

I recommend this highly.It is one of the most involving and well-written historical novels I have read recently. It deals sensibly with sensitive issues and, happily, the author avoids the well-trodden and spurious paths of the Cleveland Street Scandal and Jack the Ripper.

4.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Fairlight Books for the digital ARC.

I enjoyed The Prince of Mirrors- it was so refreshing to read about Prince Eddy (who it seems to has been very much forgotten). The book is a slow burner as other reviewers have mentioned and reminded me of ‘The Essex Serpent’ - a close study of a character.
I think the author could have taken more liberties with the facts to give the reader a better story they could invest in emotionally. I felt a little sorry for Eddy and Sad for Jem - but not much more.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this title. Unfortunately, I was not able to finish this book which means I will not be able to review it. I truly appreciate the opportunity and apologize for the inconvenience the lack of review may cause you.

What a stunning gem of a book The Prince of Mirrors is. Part fact, part fiction, as Clark explains at the end of this novel, The Prince Of Mirrors explores the tragically short life of Queen Victoria's grandson Prince Albert Victor, or Eddy, and his relationship with Jem Stephen (Virginia Woolf's much older cousin).

This is a quietly powerful novel that is heartbreakingly tragic and beautifully written even if sometimes slightly overwritten. After reading Clark's words I am utterly devastated that these two figures have been lost to history. What made this novel unique and the reason I will be recommending it to all my friends is the diversity this novel holds. From Eddy's bisexuality to Jem's struggle with bipolar disorder. Clark never breaks out of the era and handles these issues with the knowledge of a great historian understanding how society viewed diversity in the 1800s.

The only reason I am giving The Prince of Mirrors four stars rather than five is that I would have loved an epilogue chapter from Jem's perspective or maybe George that gave this novel a little more closure which I feel the reader needs.

Overall though I loved this book and will be purchasing a copy when it is released in June.

ohhhhh my heart!! what a lovely, lovely book.

part fact, part fiction, the prince of mirrors follows the story of prince eddy, better known as prince albert victor, and his tutor jem stephen. their story, though heartbreakingly tragic, is also astonishingly beautiful and so full of life that it hardly seems possible that both historical figures have almost been forgotten with the passage of time. i’m no kirkus reviewer, but if i may say so, alan robert clark manages to bring life to this book in a masterful way, his writing style leaps off the pages and into your heart gracefully so. i’m surprised and slightly offended that i’ve never heard of him before.

speaking of alan robert clark’s writing style—jesus, can this man write. it’s rare to read such natural and organic interactions that feel so inherently realistic. it almost hurts, honestly. i wasn’t lying or vaguely exaggerating with the “leaps of the pages and into your heart” part, either. this book feels like picking up a piece, a string, of any of these characters’ lives. if the pensieve from harry potter were real and the british royal family ~through the ages~ had poured their memories into little flasks to be used for later date, this book would be it.

the pacing is slow but understandably so. i personally didn’t find it tedious or boring to read, but maybe that’s just me.

as far as diversity goes, i think the prince of mirrors did a good job. there’s obviously the lgbt aspect, but i’d like to point out that, while jem identifies strongly as gay, eddy is very clearly and very explicitly bisexual. bisexuality in this book is depicted in a very positive light as far as representation goes (obviously during the time this book takes place it wasn’t particularly a ‘good’ thing to be even remotely attracted to the same gender) and what i mean by it being depicted positively is that it shines on a very healthy part of it that we rarely see in other books, the stereotype being “oh this character is bisexual! they’re very promiscuous and immoral and sleep around a lot” which is, you know, wrong. anyway, eddy’s bisexuality is very important to his character and to his development and it really made him pop in my eyes. speaking of a different aspect of diversity, (which is also rarely seen in books these days unless you’re actively searching for it), is the fact that jem is plus size. also depicted in a very healthy way and was also intrinsic to jem’s character and development.

i don’t want to give too much away since it’s gonna be a long time still before this book is published but all in all, this story was engaging and beautifully told. all the issues that alan robert clark wanted to address, he did so perfectly. love, love, love all around.

An interesting look into British history! I must admit, I thought this book was about Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, at first, and was extremely confused for the first couple of chapters. Overall though, this was incredibly interesting, and made me want to research more into the real life people.

I picked up Alan Robert Clark’s The Prince of Mirrors as a palate cleanser between Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House by Peter Baker and Eisenhower in War and Peace by Jean Edward Smith. The novel is a far cry from the heavy political dialogues that characterize my Presidential Reading Challenge and I gave the premise no more than a superficial glance before jumping into the story. This wasn’t a book I expected to get swept up in, but that is exactly what happened.

Rumor and speculation tie Eddy to both the Cleveland Street scandal and the infamous Whitechapel murders, but unlike Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell, Clark downplays the sensational and crafts a penetrating fictional portrait of a man struggling to come into his own. At its heart, The Prince of Mirrors is a story of identity, the burden of expectation, and the challenges of living by stringent standards of duty, faith, and traditional morality.

Eddy’s journey of self-discovery is prompted in many ways by his tutor, James Kenneth Stephen. I don’t want to give too much away, but I loved how Clark framed this story. Trends in historic fiction don’t lend themselves to male-driven narratives and I adored indulging in social rhythms and perspectives that are so often ignored and disregarded by mainstream publishers.

I was equally enthralled by Clark’s fearless portrayal of bi-polar disorder. When people talk about diversity in historical fiction, the question usually centers on race, but the term is just as applicable to sexuality, gender, age, religion, nationality, and representation of disabilities and disorders. Kate Quinn featured a heroine with a stutter in The Alice Network, Marie Benedict’s lead has a club foot in The Other Einstein, and Karen Harper tackled epilepsy in The Royal Nanny, but such depictions are more exception than norm. I don’t mean to get on a soapbox here, but we need more fiction like this; more stories by authors who are not afraid of tearing down barriers and erasing social stigma through the creativity of their pens and keyboards.

Clark’s characterizations of Princess Hélène of Orléans, Queen Victoria, Edward VII, Alexandra of Denmark, and George V are worth mentioning, as is his command of language and prose. The novel is slow in terms of pacing, but I found it thematically thought-provoking and brilliantly imagined. Highly recommended.

The following does not factor in my review, but I feel it worth noting for readers who are sensitive to particular content: The Prince of Mirrors includes descriptions of same-sex intimacy.

Thank you Netgalley and Fairlight Books for the ARC.

This is the story of Eddy, the bland future king of England and his tutor Jem, a scolar with a zest for life, and their transformation from young boys into responsible adults. Will they end up where they're supposted to be?
A heartbreakingly beautiful read, written at a pleasant pace with indepth characters and prosaic observations throughout. Must read!

The story of Prince Albert Victor ‘Eddy’ is about Eddy discovering himself and fitting into the world that was bestow upon him.

The story starts with Eddy at the age of 8 in 1872 Windsor. As a child he misses his father dearly sometimes gone for months at a time. As Eddy grows and matures, he observes his parent’s as they observe him. They are not sure what to think of Eddy as he is the first in line for throne. They send him on a three year sailing trip around the world in hopes it will solve the problem.

After the trip before Eddy enters Cambridge, he is introduced to his new tutor Mr. Jem Stephen. Jem tries to tap into boy’s spirit and soul by asking him questions he never thought of, starting with what Eddy learned about himself while sailing for those three years? At first, Eddy is baffled by this and other questions such as why would he want to make time for himself? Jem explains, “There are many worlds (…) Not just geographical one you’ve already seen. But world we can visit inside ourselves.”

Up to this point the story is interesting. However, once at Cambridge the story takes a turn at least for me with introduction of naked men at baths and men staring at him, then women, and foul language. At this point with each page I started losing interest in the story.

This really wasn't a bad book. It just wasn't personally for me.

The Prince of Mirrors follows Prince Albert Victor ("Eddy") as he navigates his life as part of British royalty in the late 1800s. At its heart, the story is about Eddy exploring his identity and figuring out how he wants to fit into this life that's been thrown into.

I'd recommend this book if you like:
☑ historical fiction
☑ stories about royalty
☑ diversity in historical fiction (m/m rep, bipolar disorder rep)
☑ slow, character-focused stories with loose plots

Other than that, the writing style is polished, and there really weren't any glaring issues that I had while reading this. That being said, I thought this book's scenes were a little confusing to follow. They often began in the middle of things, which made them feel really disorienting to read. That was really the only thing that I felt could've been improved.

The reason why I didn't end up loving this book was really just a matter of taste. The story was just a little too slow for me, and the disorienting nature of the scenes took me out of the narrative lot of the times.

I'd still recommend this though! Diverse historical fiction is hard to find, so it's great that there are books like The Prince of Mirrors out there.

From the moment I read the setting of the book and the summary, I knew I was going to like it. For some reason, I have never thought of Prince Eddy when it comes to history but for once, I thought of him and even though this is a historical fiction, I think, in a way, I got to know him. While reading this, I was transported to that time when everything was different.

The relationship between Jem and Eddy was unputdownable. And that's a fact. The characters never felt dull, they seemed to soar off the pages and in my mind. The easy grace of the author's writing made me so happy. I could not put it down, I read till it was too late in the night and then, when morning came, I read more.

The LGBT and mental health representation in the book should not have surprised me but it did, because it was handled wonderfully. The way Eddy is made aware of this world where a lot of things are possible, the way he opens up and blooms. The way Jem starts to feel his life slipping away from one moment and feeling strong enough to carry the weight of the world in the next few days, it was all so well-written. Often in historical fiction, there's a chance that the mental health issues or even LGBT issues would be handled less than ideally but somehow, the author managed to do it perfectly.

I could not put this book down yesterday. Set in the 1860s to 1890s, it tells the story of Prince Albert Victor, the would be Uncle of Queen Elizabeth II.
Albert is known as Eddy and he is the heir while his younger brother Georgie is what you'd could the spare, but everyone sees Eddy as weak, naive, and undecided- and his ability to reign is unknown to everyone including his parents. They send him to university at some point.
It's at the university that he meets Jem, his new tutor, but it’s at that first sight that Jem knows he could never walk away from Eddy. “For most of his life, his heart is a passive, sleepy thing. Then it sees a young face peeking out from under a floppy hat in the morning sun. And when his heart awakes, it roars. He panics. He does not know what to do….to reach out towards it might bring discovery, scandal, and disgrace.”
I also cannot comprehend why in reading this, there were times I felt Alan Hollinghurst’s vibes. The characters reminded me of The Line of Beauty…only here each was a intricate as they were dynamic.
Eddy faces the surmounting pressure to live up to the beloved heir and though he's of good heart and loves wholly, there's the feeling of an impending doom from the beginning.
The author's writing makes for an easy and delightful read. His characters are as lively as they are full of secrets and ambitions. If you are into historical fiction, anything set in the 18th and 19th Century, then this book had better be your first read.
I would love to read Valhalla because the author succeeds in blending fact and fiction in a surreal and intriguing way. I requested to read this book off NetGalley, and it’s been a thrill, a trip down history at a time that I believe the kind of love Eddy and Jem shared could never thrive, but with every turn of the page, every scroll, I felt their passion, commitment, struggles and most of all their wishes for the future.