Based on an ancient Anglo-Scots ballad called "The Famous Flower of Serving Men" (a magical, tragic tale about a young woman who disguises herself as a man after the murder of her husband), Through a Brazen Mirror tells the tale of the witch Margaret, her daughter Elinor, King Lionel, and the extraordinary William Flowers, who saves the king from doom and Margaret's malevolent magic. With much richness of detail and folklore, Sherman uses the tale to explore issues of attraction, loyalty, and gender identity. For William is Elinor, who as William bonds with the young king and takes charge of a fate that was to be her undoing.
The book, though it takes place in a fictional kingdom, is no cleaned-up fairy tale, and presents a historical picture of life circa 1400. In an age when women are not taught to read or write, both Margaret, as an evil schemer, and Elinor, who must take on a man's name and countenance, fight for their self-determination, each in her own way.
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Book Description Condition: Good. Cortney Skinner (illustrator). Good condition. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains. Seller Inventory # Z05K-00150
Book Description Condition: Acceptable. Cortney Skinner (illustrator). Item in acceptable condition including possible liquid damage. As well, answers may be filled in. Lastly, may be missing components, e.g. missing DVDs, CDs, Access Code, etc. Seller Inventory # 00034009363
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. Cortney Skinner (illustrator). Former library book; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.48. Seller Inventory # G1885865244I4N10
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Fair. No Jacket. Cortney Skinner (illustrator). Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.48. Seller Inventory # G1885865244I5N00
Book Description Trade Paperback. Condition: Near Fine. Cortney Skinner (illustrator). No Stock Photos! We photograph every item. 1885865244 When it first appeared in print in mass market in 1989, Sherman's debut novel, a queer fantasy, won a John W. Campbell Award nomination. No wonder: Sherman's grasp of setting, language and human behavior snare the reader deeply into the story of a widowed woman's search for peace and survival. The handsome king in this tale has a taste for the strapping young men around him. The gentle maidens swoon over a quiet and romantically somber youth, who is, in fact, a woman in disguise. And the sorceress that bedevils the kingdom of Albia grows queasy at the thought of being touched by another man after her reluctant submission to the sorcerer who trained her. Is this a ribald escapade of explicit sex? Hardly. Sherman's deft touch reveals her characters' desires in a subtle yet unapologetic manner. -- Publisher's Weekly. Seller Inventory # 004770
Book Description Soft cover. Condition: Very Good. Cortney Skinner (illustrator). There is sticker residue on the back cover; the pages have a little color fading. Seller Inventory # 133743
Book Description Soft cover. Condition: Good, Brown Edges. Cortney Skinner (illustrator). First Circlet Press Printing. Seller Inventory # 029520
Book Description Paperback. Condition: New. Cortney Skinner (illustrator). Seller Inventory # Abebooks489474