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Mar 22, 2025 Web Exclusive By John Paul Bullock

In the acknowledgements at the end of Land of Mirrors, Spanish artist María Medem thanks “flamenco culture and flamenco artists for so much beauty, pain, and playfulness.” Those three words are excellent descriptors of her bold and brilliant new book. Land of Mirrors is full of music and poetry. It’s a psychedelic journey through endless ombre landscapes that explores difficult topics like loneliness, isolation, and sadness. All the while, it’s a sweet (and often humorous) meditation on friendship and growth.

Land of Mirrors follows the character of Antonia, who seems to be the only person living in a warm but mostly barren world. Then she encounters a flower that gives her hope. And when Antonia and the flower set off together on an adventure, an entirely new universe of experiences and possibilities unfolds before them.

Drawn & Quarterly’s English language edition of Land of Mirrors was translated from Spanish by Aleshia Jensen and Daniela Ortiz. It’s a handsome softcover printed on luxurious paper that just asks to be picked up over and over again. In fact, that might be the best way to engage with this book. I read it through once then left it out on my coffee table. Over the next few days I found myself returning to it over and over, discovering new details and nuance each time.

In one of the blurbs, Tillie Walden (Spinning) refers to Land of Mirrors as “spellbinding,” and I think that might be the single best word to describe it. It’s a magical book that draws you in with splendid art, keeps you entranced with its mysterious rhythms, then tells a unique story that rewards repeated readings. (https://drawnandquarterly.com/books/land-of-mirrors/)

Author rating: 8/10