Author(s): Christelle Dabos

Young Adult | Read our reviews! | Fantasy & Magic | Science Fiction, Dystopia, and Fantasy

Lose yourself in the fantastic world of the arks and in the company of unforgettable characters in this French runaway hit, Christelle Dabos' The Mirror Visitor quartet. Plain-spoken, headstrong Ophelia cares little about appearances. Her ability to read the past of objects is unmatched in all of Anima and, what's more, she possesses the ability to travel through mirrors, a skill passed down to her from previous generations. Her idyllic life is disrupted, however, when she is promised in marriage to Thorn, a taciturn and influential member of a distant clan. Ophelia must leave all she knows behind and follow her fiancé to Citaceleste, the capital of a cold, icy ark known as the Pole, where danger lurks around every corner and nobody can be trusted. There, in the presence of her inscrutable future husband, Ophelia slowly realizes that she is a pawn in a political game that will have far-reaching ramifications not only for her but for her entire world. Following a cataclysm called the Rupture, the world was shattered into many floating celestial islands, now known as arks. Over each, the spirit of an omnipotent and immortal ancestor abides. The inhabitants of these arks each possess a unique power. Ophelia, with her ability to read the pasts of objects, must navigate this fantastic, disjointed, perilous world using her trademark tenacity and quiet strength. An unforgettable heroine, a rich and bountiful universe, intrigue and suspense: A Winter's Promise is perfect for readers of Margaret Rogerson's An Enchantment of Ravens, Melissa Albert's The Hazel Wood, V.E. Schwab's "Shades of Magic" series, Tomi Adeyemi's Children of Blood and Bone, Kenneth Oppel's "Airborne" series, and N.K. Jemisin "Broken Earth" series.  

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STELLA'S REVIEW:
Step through the mirror into a world of Animists, Dragons, Mirages and Nihilists. These are just some of the clans in the world of Arks. The Arks are celestial states floating above the old earth. On Anima, Ophelia is happily ‘reading’ objects in her museum, unaware of the plans the Doyennes have made for her. A grand alliance is in the making and Ophelia is the central pawn in the game. She has been betrothed to a stranger from another clan from an Ark at the Pole. Ophelia is bookish and clumsy - a misfit and a genius - her special gifts are exceptional - while Thorn, powerful and taciturn, has hidden powers of his own and is as icy and cold as the Pole itself. At the Pole, Ophelia (along with her chaperone Aunt Rosaline) must decide who can be trusted in this place of deception and illusion. Why has Thorn sneaked them into his homeland? Why are they holed up at his Aunt Berenilde’s house, in effect prisoners, unable to go beyond the bounds of the manor? And why is Thorn always at work at the Treasury, barely noticing Ophelia’s presence? When Ophelia manages to sneak out into the back streets of the city, she is intrigued and confused by the inhabitants’ behaviour. Yet this is just the beginning of the adventures and dangers. When Berenilde, a favourite of Farouk, the Great Spirit, is taken into the supposed safety of The Ambassador’s realm, the city of Citaceleste, Ophelia’s life becomes further complicated and she finds herself in a world of subterfuge, deception and illusion that will test her strength as well as her skills. Here is a city of such extreme delusion and abhorrent behaviour that one could easily lose one's mind or life. Making the wrong overture or displeasing an influential person can spell certain dishonour or disaster. When no one can be trusted all that is left is one’s self - the person you see in the mirror (as long as it tells the truth). A Winter’s Promise is the first in 'The Mirror Visitor' Quartet. This translation of the award-winning French bestseller is a welcome treat and will become a firm favourite for both teens and adults, especially for fans of Philip Pullman, Frances Hardinge and Cornelia Funke. This is an excellent fantasy epic with compelling characters. Ophelia and Thorn are both intriguingly complex, the clans and their gifts fascinating, and the interpersonal relationships between the main characters complex and ever revealing. There is amazing world-building and the plot is tight and tense, with plenty of twists and turns, political games, and machinations of seduction, threat and trickery as the story and its characters feed on the desire for power and status. You will be craving the next instalment.   --------------------------------------

Review: 'Highly original and intricately imagined, this is world-building on an epic scale.' * Bookseller UK *
'Fantastic characters and superb world-building...this richly imagined, enthralling fantasy is packed with intrigue and is a perfect choice for readers of Philip Pullman. A cliffhanger at the end will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next instalment of this epic series.' * Readings *
'The Mirror Visitor stands on the same shelf as Harry Potter.' * Elle *
'As mesmerising as a waking dream, A Winter's Promise is certain to ensnare you in its unique, dizzyingly magical world of treachery, illusion, and intrigue.' * Margaret Rogerson, author of An Enchantment of Ravens *
'A fantastic epic, definitely, but also a coming-of-age novel, this first volume makes a strong impression. A novelist is born.' * Le Figaro *
'Christelle Dabos impresses in this first novel with the power of her imagination. The architect of a bewitching and complex world, she sustains it with a subtle sense of wonder and elegant, flowing language. From metaphor to metaphor, this addictive and charming novel is also a great coming-of-age story.' * Telerama *
'With surgical precision, Christelle Dabos has created a hybrid world between fantasy and the Belle Epoque.' * MadmoiZelle *
'Vibrant characters, inventive world-building, and a sophisticated plot.' * Publishers Weekly (Starred review) *
'Translated from the French, this international bestseller is world-building at its best. The unusual settings, original characters, dark intrigue, and fast-moving plot result in a book that leaves readers eagerly awaiting the next volume. It has great adult crossover as the characters and situations cross age levels.' * School Library Journal (Starred review) *
'Dabos weaves a story of politics and manipulation in which the stakes are heightened by the fantastical setting...[A WINTER'S PROMISE is] a compelling analysis of society and gives rise to many questions about human nature.' * ReadPlus *
'Rife with politics and magic, this immersive read introduces readers to a new richly imagined fantasy epic.' * Readings Best YA Books of 2018 *