Dolamore, Jaclyn. Magic Under Glass.

Dolamore, Jaclyn. Magic Under Glass.
Bloomsbury see St. Martins 2010 225p 16.99 978-1-59990-430-6 ms/hs A young dancer goes from the music hall into the home of a magician who wants her to perform with his automaton piano player. Seeking a better life Nim takes the chance and returns to the magician's home. Once there she discovers some disturbing information about the people who live in the house and why rumor has it that the automaton is haunted. During her dance, Nim notices a gentleman watching her. She has come down in the world since their family fell on hard times when once she led a privliged life she now barely survives. Hoping to help her family out of their difficulties, Nim becomes a "trouser dancer" in a common music hall where one night this gentleman seems interested in her. Hollin Parry,is a mage looking for a dancer to perform with his automaton piano player. Parry has tried other dancers but they were afraid of the mechanical device. Nimira believes him to be kind and decides to take a chance and go to live in his house. Parry introduces her to the mechanical piano player who seems to be a bit magical. Eventually Nim learns an important secret about the automaton, that is he is inhabited by the spirit of a Fairy prince. Gradually Nim develops a way to communicate with Prince Erris. Nim keeps their relationship a secret from Hollin who has asked her to marry him. It later turns out that Hollin's wife has not died of an illness as he claimed and her true situation is being used by the Sorcerer's Union to control him. The household is terrorized by the head of the Sorcerer's union which operates like the Inquisition that tortures and kills fairies. The Union wants to erradicate all things fairy and believe that the automaton is more than it appears to be. This novel works on every level with a totally satisfying result. Characters are three dimensional with Nim a strong and resourceful young woman, Erris the captive prince who struggles to remember what he needs to do, Hollin Parry is the agent of change who would like to be a better man than he has and there is no ambiguity about the villains, we really don't like them and want them to loose. The growing romance between Nim and Erris is sweet The only problem with the novel is that it ends abrubtly with a second volume clearly on the way. I only hope the author won't make us wait too long. Spadaro, Trish