Disney goes into the multiverse in this app inspired tie-in to the Mirrorverse.

You see, the Mirrorverse connects all the different worlds the Disney movies occupy and the Steller Mirror sits at the center of good magic while the Fractured Mirror tempts the wicked to use its power to take over the universe.

But this world has Guardians led by Mickey Mouse and first Guardian, Belle who recruits others to go on missions to save the world. It’s a bit of sci-fi, it’s a bit of magic and everyone is amplified to being the most confident, powerful and battle-ready as they can be.

Dawson begins the novel with an idyllic Snow White scene of her fixing a fawn’s leg. While she has been noticing the increasing darkness (in color palette and shadows) of the forest, she’s still whistling a happy tune when she goes to wake up the dwaves.

Only to be attacked by seven purple goons in the guise of her best friends!

Yep, Dawson takess readers right into the action while maintaining Snow White’s sweet voice. She’s able to fight them off and Dawson emphasizes Snow White’s surprise in feeling how her body just naturally reacts and fights the fractured as if she’s been doing it all her life.

In that sense, she skillfully sets up how the rules exist in Mirrorverse without making Snow White seem overpowered without training. She doesn’t need it. With the Steller Mirror/Fractured Mirror collision, the rules of the Disney world as we know it has just fundementally changed and you accept it to enjoy the ride.

From there, Mickey appears with an easy to digest exposition and new team of Guardians to help Snow White get her friends back. Tiana, the healer; Rapunzel, a fighter; Snitch, the shapeshifting fighter; Sully, the muscle; Hades, the bad one of the team.

The ragtag group makes a fun dynamic with Sully’s soft heart, Stitch’s chaotic hunger, Hades’ quips (more on that later) and Tiana being like a team mom/big sister to Snow who is fascinated yet unsure of this whole new world. Rapunzel, unfortunately falls to the wayside but it was enjoyable to see the girls bond.

I applaud how Dawson retains the spirit of each character especially with Snow. In fact, the emphasis on her link to nature/animals is what saves the day more often than her pick-ax. Personality-wise, even though she’s gained suddenly epic battle instincts, she’s still dealing with insecurity that comes from being abused by the Evil Queen. Snow fears she’ll get in the way or be a burden on the others, not quite seeing her natural talent and her compassion for others as something special. Trying to be helpful to others and to nature is just part of her, she doesn’t think twice.

Also Dawson gives her a not child-like, but optimistic view of life that I can picture so intimately Snow White. Just very well-done on her characterization and makes Snow’s journey to save her friends fulfilling as she slowly realizes how capable she is and now that she knows about these other worlds and how competent she is in saving her world, she wants to help more.

As for the other Guardians, each have their distinct voice though it feels more surface-level compared to Snow. Makes sense as they’re supporting but Dawson tries to fast-track character development for each.

There’s a specific chapter for each that has the Guardian facing a fear/insecurity (Sully-not protecting others, Snitch-becoming useless/not controlling his powers, Tiana-having to be prepared to save everyone at the expense of herself, Rapunzel-abandonment and drowning, Hades-his family) but it feels out of place because Dawson is relying on readers’ movie knowledge of the characters to take the time to set the scene. Or in this case, expand on their insecurities.

But I, as a reader, haven’t been invested in this specific version of the character so I don’t feel the urgency of their struggle as it is solved within one chapter rather than an ongoing arc as Snow’s was. I get the appeal of each Guardian going through their own trial in the adventure but it was too short. Maybe if it had been saved for their own novels but not for one chapter.

I would say that extends to the character dynamics too. It’s surface level enough to illustrate the bonds but readers could fill in the blanks if they want. I guess this is what really shows that its an app-game tie-in as Snow’s the reader surrogate and the rest are supporting characters/catalysts.

Another misstep was the inclusion of the Prince. While all the other characters are perfectly done (including the dwarves and Evil Queen despite their small page time), the Prince was bleh. Maybe it is because the Mirrorverse amplifies the traits and powers of the characters, but Dawson amplified the Prince’s blandness. I was confused because Dawson is playing so creatively with the magical Guardian premise and adding little tidbits of Snow’s happy childhood with her parents that I don’t know why she didn’t make the Prince more intresting.

Seriously, she doesn’t even the prince a real name! He’s just Prince. They have a conversation where he asks Snow to not address him so formally so she doesn’t call him “My lord/highness,” but doesn’t offer up any name. Just the Prince.

And his kingdom is so perfectly perfect and dreamlike I was sure it was going to serve up some twist that he’s imaginary or an illusion of the Evil Queen-nope. He gets poisoned and briefly turns against Snow but then he’s cured and he’s personality is just as boring and fill-in-the-blank as before. I get he’s supposed to be Snow’s dream guy but give him a little something. If Snow can grow to be more than she ever thought, so could the prince.

Okay, that’s all my major complaints. Otherwise, the action is exciting, the description of the increasingly poisoned world and the glowing fractured goons are sufficiently creepy and I liked the idea of the different trials despite its surface level depth. Also I’m interested in seeing how other disney characters fare in this world and maybe an origin story of how this is all started. Unless it’s all explained in the video game prologue. Then I’ll just wiki it.

I just would warn that the book isn’t YA. It felt more middle-grade if anything as I didn’t feature anything too scary or disturbing. Perhaps the cutting out hearts thing but that’s in the original movie so the YA label is unnecessary. Maybe the series will get darker and more complex later but not so much here.

I would give this 3 stars only because I was expecting a bit more for a YA and the two missteps I mentioned above. But perhaps it’s because I’m viewing this too much through the lens of novel writing rather than video game.

Also Hades! I’m mentioning him at the end because I loved how Dawson captured his sassy, snarky voice as the not-quite trusted evil teammate. So here’s a bunch of out of context lines I enjoyed and got a chuckle or two out of me.

“Well, this is better. It’s so nice to be looking at jagged mountains instead of jagged cliffs.”

“Ooh, yes. So scary. I’m being faced with my darkest feas, having my worst qualities used against me by my jerk family. Oh, look at me having a crisis of conscience! I should’ve been a better guy, huh?” He blew a rapsberry.”

“Maybe your father won’t discipline you, but I will! We don’t!” Fireball. “Throw!” Fireball. “Boulders!” Fireball. “At ladies!” Fireball. “Except maybe Hera sometimes.”

“Ohh yeah, no, go ahead. When I’m on a mission to save the world from swiftly encroaching evil, I often stop to sing at water. It’s just good horse sense.”