A Winter’s Promise
By: Christelle Dabos
Grade: A
A Winter’s Promise is the translated version of a hugely popular French series that Europa is doing. I really had no idea what to expect from this book or whether or not I’d like the novel- especially since I had just read a translated book before it that I wasn’t that big on.
Luckily I loved A Winter’s Promise and can’t wait for them to put out the next two books in the series.
Ophelia is a reader- she can read the past through objects. She can also walk through mirrors. Despite that her family and the Doyenne’s who run her “ark” sell her off in marriage to a stranger from the rough, freezing North. One who doesn’t seem to care whether is future wife lives or dies and ditches her with his Aunt amongst a brutal family and a backstabbing court full of secrets and magic that she must sort through.
On top of it all it seems wrapped up in a mystery of a series of unreadable books made of skin.
Yeah, there’s a lot of word and character building in this novel. But the author and the translator (Hildegarde Serle) keeps the pace swift and interesting. Ophelia can be a bit passive but we are, like her, thrown into the deep-end. I loved her building relationship with her Aunt and some other friends and enemies throughout the novel.
And the world and the magic is really well done. Especially at Thorn’s home ark which is basically a thriving city based on illusions. Also there’s a super cute possibly murderous scarf that I hope we see more of in future books as well.
I do hope the situation with the servants (slaves) leads somewhere in future books since it’s very heavily played in this one.
As a first book in a series this was really good. Super intriguing with a lot of potential for the rest of the series. If I had any remote possibility of learning enough French to read them that way I so would but alas, I will wait patiently for the next translation. At least it will be hard to be spoiled 🙂
Recommend: Yes. Although this is probably one that you could just as easily wait until the whole series is published to read.
I haven’t heard of this book but it sounds intriguing, especially as the magic system seems to be done really well.
And great news about translations – sometimes a weird translation can spoil the reading experience completely. Great review. 😊👌
I’m one for two with translated books (at least from French.) I didn’t really think about how things could be translated though and the intricacies of the language and the story that might not work. Will definitely have to pay more attention to that in reviews of translated books!
Murderous scarf? Ok, it does have my full attention 😀
I have never heard of this, but it sounds really cool! I don’t think I’ve ever read a book translated from French at all.
I’ve read two recently and this one flowed much better than the first. So I think I really need to be careful which translations I’m picking up 🙂
I love the idea of a floating island city thing so this has been on my radar. Awesome to hear that you liked it! Also, “unreadable books made of skin” and “murderous scarf” sounds metal af. 😀
Little nuggets that make me hope the rest of the series will be really out there 🙂
I’ve heard quite a bit about this one and I’m excited! I’ve never read a translated book before.
It definitely makes me want to read more translated books. I hope you enjoy it!
This sounds really good AND it fits in with a reading challenge that I’m doing – yay!
I love it when that happens!
hehe yeah I wish there was even the remotest possibility of me reading this in French too 😉 I’m really curious about this though- especially the world building. awesome review!
I’ve just finished it and I love quiet, quirky Ophelia and the amazing world.
I can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel! To bad I don’t speak French because I believe the series is done at this point!