Praise for The Missing of Clairdelune
“Welcome to a darkly enchanting tale [ . . . ] Dabos’ second Mirror Visitor novel is a strong and suspenseful fantasy blockbuster which will appeal to both teenagers and adults.”—South China Morning Post
“Extravagant, intelligent fantasy which just gets better. In The Missing of Clairdelune, the delightful Ophelia - a reluctant Jane Eyre to her taciturn fiancé Thorn - continues to assert her independence as she negotiates the dangerous political maze of the Arks.”—Katherine Langrish, author of the Troll Trilogy
”There‘s magic here, but the true magic is in the writing and translation. The narrative rockets with deceptive ease [ . . . ] The invisibility of effort in the prose is refreshing as is the flawless translation [ . . . ] Fresh and inventive, it explores new territory in the genre.”—Eric Boss, MPIBA
”Escalating stakes ratchet tension while a somewhat leisurely pace allows readers to savor Dabos’s spectacular settings, exquisitely rendered characters, and the ever-evolving relationships that bind them.”—Publishers Weekly
“The plots multiply, the world of the Arks gains depth, and details abound, enveloping the reader as the pages fly by.”—Le Monde des ados
“Particularly elegant writing, which also leaves room for a discreet sense of humor.”—Le Figaro Littéraire
“Christelle Dabos has the gift of gripping readers of all ages.”—Lire
“This book is bursting with inventiveness.”—Le Monde des livres
“A subtle sense of magic, in fluid and elegant language.”—Télérama
Praise for A Winter’s Promise
“Your next YA obsession.”—Entertainment Weekly
“Dabos has managed the rarely seen triad of complex worldbuilding, nuanced character development, and enthralling plot, even making it look easy. Not a seam shows in this intricate narrative weave that centers on and empowers an endearingly bookish and clumsy anti-heroine without insisting she change.”—Kirkus Reviews
“As mesmerizing 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
“Today, The Mirror Visitor stands on the same shelf as Harry Potter.”—Elle Magazine
“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.”—Télérama
“From the very first page, you are thrown into this universe, launched through one of Anima’s mirrors, never to return.”—20 Minutes
“Readers’ passion for this series comes from the pleasure of walking up and down the world of the Arks, weightless floating islands that are ruled by family spirits and humans gifted with special powers.”—Le Monde
“With surgical precision, Christelle Dabos has created a hybrid world between fantasy and the Belle Époque.”—MadmoiZelle
“The author continues her masterful architecture in this second installment as the arks, the family relationships, and the characters’ histories all gain greater depth and dimension.”—Kirkus Reviews
05/13/2019
Dabos’s follow-up to A Winter’s Promise finds protagonist Ophelia—a mirror-hopper who can divine objects’ histories via touch—still on an interplanetary shard called the Pole. She is awaiting her arranged marriage to Thorn, after which the couple will inherit each other’s abilities. Thorn hopes that combining his phenomenal memory with Ophelia’s gift will help him “read” an ancient, untranslatable book that has captured the interest of the Pole’s ancestral spirit, Farouk, who has the power to revoke Thorn’s bastard status and grant him nobility. Duplicitous aristocrats already consider Ophelia a threat, forcing her to join Farouk’s court in exchange for protection, but the impending wedding triggers anonymous death threats demanding a breakup. Meanwhile, guests of the Pole’s impenetrable embassy, Clairdelune, start vanishing, while mysterious flashbacks explore the genesis of Earth’s planetary shards and their ruling immortal Spirits. Escalating stakes ratchet tension while a somewhat leisurely pace allows readers to savor Dabos’s spectacular settings, exquisitely rendered characters, and the ever-evolving relationships that bind them. Ages 14–up. (May)
05/10/2019
Gr 9 Up-"The Mirror Visitor Quartet" continues in this second volume, as the wedding day of Ophelia and Thorn draws closer and the emotional distance between them grows larger. As the fiancé of the outcast Thorn, Ophelia finds her place in the Pole one of ostracism and danger. Farouk, the ancestral Spirit of the Pole, wants her to use her gift to "read" his book to find its hidden secrets, but Thorn insists that she wait until they marry and exchange powers and let him do the reading. Meanwhile, influential members of the court keep disappearing and the mirages on the Pole seem to be failing. In her new job as Vice-storyteller, Ophelia finds herself with a lot more attention than she—or Thorn—desires. Add to that, her family makes the trip to the Pole for her wedding, further complicating her life. While there is a short summary of the first volume, A Winter's Promise, at the beginning of the book, it is not sufficient to make the second book of the quartet an easy read without having read the first. The complex plot with a multitude of characters remains strong, as does the world-building. Main characters continue to be fleshed out and details of the Pole, its inhabitants, and its history explained. Intense intrigue and alliances make for a suspenseful read. VERDICT The series remains strong with appeal for both teens and adults, but readers need to have read the first volume of the series before tackling the second.-Janet Hilbun, University of North Texas, Denton
Narrator Emma Fenney embodies a rich cast of characters in the second volume of French author Dabos’s Mirror Visitor Quartet. We rejoin determined and curious Ophelia, voiced with crisp enunciation by Fenney, as she awaits a political marriage to the gruff and fast-talking Thorn. Surrounded by strangers to whom Fenney brings a plethora of accents and tones, Ophelia must investigate the disappearances of several high-ranking courtiers while attempting to solve the mysteries of her own inscrutable betrothal. The myriad accents and varied pacing of some characters’ speech can sound initially jarring, but the distinct voices soon resolve into a lushly developed cast of personalities. H.C. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
