This reading of Byron's Don Juan focuses on the perceptions which form the poem itself through Byron's use of a persona in it. The poet's artistic method is seen as direct reflection of the human desire for ascendancy over forces inimical to the apparent preservation of life through either appetite, eroticism or idealism as a counterforce to fear. Byron as persona-poet mirrors forth his own ironically asserted ascendancy in the figure of his anti-heroic hero Don Juan. The mask is, it would appear, the reality.

"The Mirror's Revenge" takes place in Shimla, where a couple on their honeymoon uncovers a mysterious mirror in their hotel room. Ignoring the warnings, the curious bride is transported to a strange, ancient world, and her husband must perform a tantric ritual to bring her back, revealing unsettling truths about their future. In Varanasi, "Shattered Lives" tells the story of young artist Ananya, who discovers a mirror showing different versions of her future. Guided and sometimes misled by these visions, Ananya must confront her deepest fears and desires, learning valuable lessons about choices and consequences. Finally, "Haunted Reflections" brings us to Rishikesh, where an old mirror in a deserted mansion reveals the dark history of its former occupants. A group of friends exploring the mansion are drawn into the mirror's sinister past, uncovering the truth and breaking the mirror's curse to escape its haunting grip.

The gripping finale to the international bestselling Mirror Visitor saga. “A hallucinatory marriage of Pride and Prejudice and A Game of Thrones.” —Matthew Skelton, New York Times–bestselling author Christelle Dabos takes us on a journey to the heart of a great game to which the all-too-human affairs of her book’s protagonists are ominously connected. The distrust between them has been overcome and now Ophelia and Thorn love each other passionately. However, they must keep their love hidden. Only in this way can they continue their journeys toward an understanding of the indecipherable code of God and the truth behind the mysterious figure of the Other, whose devastating power continues to bring down entire pieces of arks, plunging thousands of innocents into the void. Ophelia and Thorn arrive at the observatory of the Deviations, an institute shrouded in absolute secrecy and overseen by a sect of mystical scientists who secretly conduct terrifying experiments. There, Ophelia and Thorn hope to discover truths that will halt the destruction and death and bring the world back into balance. “Metaphysical mystery, compellingly in the wings for most of the series, takes center stage in the quartet’s final installment.” —Kirkus Reviews “A series founded on political intrigue and romance has made a hard pivot into the nature of identity, agency, and sacrifice as these characters fight for their happy ending.” —School Library Journal “Utterly extraordinary books . . . The Storm of Echoes and the Mirror Visitor series [are] the Alice Through the Looking Glass of our time.” —Quaere Living

August 1939 was a time of great flux. The fear of impending war fueled by the aggression of Nazi Germany forced many changes. Young people pursuing academic research were plunged into an entirely different kind of research and development. For Bernard Lovell, the war meant involvement in one of the most vital research projects of the war-radar.