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A Winter's Promise: Book One of the Mirror Visitor Quartet

by Christelle Dabos

Book 1 in The Mirror Visitor Quartet

Subject
Steampunk
Age
Teen
Format
Trade Paperback
Pages
492
Publisher
Europa Editions
Size
12.9 cm × 19.8 cm
ISBN
9781609456078

Amazon Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book of 2018

One of Entertainment Weekly's 10 Best YA Books of 2018

One of Publishers Weekly's Best YA Book of the Year

A National Indie Bestseller

Longlisted for Irish YA prize Great Reads Award

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.

The World of the Arks

Long ago, 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.

Extract:

I think we could have all lived happily, in a way, God, me and the others, if it weren’t for that accursed book. It disgusted me. I knew what bound me to it in the most sickening of ways, but the horror of that particular knowledge came later, much later. I didn’t understand straight away, I was too ignorant.

Data provided by BiblioShare.

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What reviewers said

“A best seller in France, Dabos’s debut novel evokes both the whimsy and the deep-seated sense of justice of the Harry Potter series.”
Jen Doll, The New York Times Book Review
“The unusual settings, original characters, dark intrigue, originality, and fast-moving plot result in a book that leaves readers eagerly awaiting the next volume.”
School Library Journal (Starred Review)
“Dabos’s darkly enchanting debut, a French bestseller, employs vibrant characters, inventive worldbuilding, and a sophisticated plot that will dazzle readers.”
Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
“A captivating fantasy thriller rife with magic and intrigue.”
Foreword Reviews (Starred Review)
"This French import is a stunningly atmospheric fantasy that doubles as an exceptional character study. There’s more in this series and we can’t wait to see where Dabos takes it next."
Entertainment Weekly
"This French best-seller, the first in Dabos’ immersive Mirror Visitor quartet, holds as much appeal for adult fantasy readers as for teens.”
Booklist
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© 2026 Peekabooks Inc. All Rights Reserved.