Smoke and Mirrors

The mix of genres created a unique atmosphere, but I wonder what inspired the balance between spooky and fantastical. Did the story evolve from an initial idea or was this a deliberate choice from the start?

The narrator's perspective kept me questioning what was real and what was illusion, which made the mystery even more intense. How did others experience that sense of doubt throughout the book?

The recurring motif of mirrors seemed to symbolize self-identity and deception, but I’d love to hear what others took away from these symbols.