The Town with No Mirrors

December 19, 2022
Twelve-year-old artist Azalea “Zailey” loves studying and drawing faces, even though she has never seen her own. In her utopian community of Gladder Hill, the 102 residents are forbidden from anything that might reveal their images: cameras, mirrors, sunglasses, shiny spoons—even the water is pumped with oxygen to cloud it. To avoid delving into what the community considers “Superficiality” and to “minimize physical comparison,” denizens also wear the same clothes and buzz haircuts. After a visitor strikes up a conversation, Zailey begins wondering about her origins, including her estranged mother and her own life before Gladder Hill. The discovery of Zailey’s artwork—a collection of community portraits she’s hidden from her grandmother—sets off a startling chain of events that cause her to view Gladder Hill, the outside world, and herself innew ways. A dubious premise and heavy-handed messaging diminish the novel’s impact, but Collins (After Zero) engages in a thoughtful psychological examination of how people view themselves and their bodies, touching briefly on body dysmorphia and disordered eating, and succeeds in creating a chilling vibe. Zailey cues as white. An author’s note with resources concludes. Ages 8–12. Agent: Becky Bagnell, Lindsay Literary.

December 15, 2022
Twelve-year-old Zailey is curious about the world outside her town. At a very young age, Zailey moved with her grandmother to Gladder Hill, an experimental community that demonizes the Superficial: Children are told tales about the mirror demon, words relating to physical appearance are banned, and authorities go to extreme lengths to keep all reflective surfaces out, even pumping oxygen into the water to keep it cloudy. As an artist with an eidetic memory and a fascination with drawing faces, Zailey feels guilt over her secret sketchbook of portraits and fears it could get her and her grandmother evicted. When a classmate discovers it and confesses that he too wonders what his face looks like, they bond over their shared curiosity about the rest of the world. The first half of the book plods along, slowly showing life in the community. In the second act, an accident gives Zailey a chance to escape and chase after a personal mystery of her own. On one hand, the second story arc is far more compelling, with greater tension. However, it's built upon distracting implausibilities. Regrettably, the body image themes go underexplored and are never fully integrated into the plot. The conclusion relies on a deus ex machina that undermines the stakes. The town's rules create a race-blind default (Zailey and her classmates don't appear to know about the concept of race, although they notice one another's physical differences). Doesn't go beyond face value. (author's note, resources) (Speculative fiction. 9-14)

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December 1, 2022
Grades 4-7 Since arriving at age 4, 12-year-old Zailey has lived a conventional life in Gladder Hill, but the close-knit community consists of members committed to a particular conviction: physical appearance is irrelevant, and freedom comes from disregarding it entirely. Accordingly, there are no mirrors, cameras, or reflective surfaces in town, and superficial language or thought is strictly prohibited. Despite these rules and the theoretical happiness they bring, Zailey is curious about her and others' faces, keeping a forbidden sketchbook of portraits and trying to remember her former life outside the community. Given an unexpected moment beyond the walls, Zailey realizes it might be her only chance to unravel the mysteries of Gladder Hill, and she braves a world more complicated than she ever imagined. It's an immensely intriguing basis for a book, and the carefully crafted Gladder Hill is both fascinating and quietly menacing. There isn't space for the story to fully explore all the implications of the tantalizing premise, but it's sure to spark consideration of body image, beauty concepts, and what truly defines an individual.

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