Well, I’m still screaming my head off, because I finished book 2 and book 3’s English translation just came out. *proceeds to squeal an A#6*

Without further ado, I present to you, My Thoughts on The Missing of Clairdelune. 

The Missing of Clairdelune (Mirror Visitor Quartet #2)

The Synopsis:

Book Two in the Internationally Bestselling Mirror Visitor Quartet

When our heroine Ophelia is promoted to Vice-storyteller by Farouk, the ancestral Spirit of Pole, she finds herself unexpectedly thrust into the public spotlight and her special gift is revealed to all. Ophelia knows how to read the secret history of objects and there could be no greater threat to the nefarious denizens of her icy adopted home than this. Beneath the golden rafters of Pole’s capitol, Citaceleste, she discovers that the only person she may be able to trust is Thorn, her enigmatic fiancé. As one after another influential courtier disappears, Ophelia again finds herself unintentionally implicated in an investigation that will lead her to see beyond Pole’s many illusions to the heart of the formidable truth.

My Thoughts: 

1. THE STORYTELLER: The Game: The scarf!! (Yes, my first comment is the scarf. I do so love that scarf.) And Good Berenilde! I’ve missed her. The Knight is seriously creepy. The game reminds me of something out of Alice in Wonderland. Thorn!!! (Pardon me fangirling.)

2. The Kid: I really dislike Farouk. We’ll see if there’s any redeeming him as the tale goes on…I am in an agonizing place already. 

3. The Contracts: Good Aunt Rosaline! I can’t quite decide if I like Rosaline or Berenilde better…And hullo, who is this new character we have here? Valkyries are creepy and cool. Oh, gosh, I am so fangirling! I know I shall suffer heartbreaks, but let them break. 

4. Fragment: First Reprise: Ooh, what is this? I have a feeling it is related to the before.

5. The Letter: Gynaeceum. What a delightful word! This book contains so many interesting words and places. And the Knight. There must be something behind this, though. Death threats! I mean, we were warned, but still. Shocking, rather. Ah, Thorn! He and Ophelia never ceases to surprise me. And we finally get the letter. 

6. The Theatre: I am rather nervous. We can only hope for our Ophelia to do her best. and the Ambassador is really notoriously interesting. Most certainly rotten, but interesting. Ooh, this will certainly be a tough show to put on…

7. The Doll: And Ophelia has done it again! I mean, in a good way, we hope. 

8. The Tales: The blue sandglass is shady. And Farouk is getting interesting. I still don’t much like him, but he’s interesting. The paper is scathing, as all papers tend to be. And the Book. I should really love to know what that is all about…Thorn! I really cannot stop grinning when he entres the page. 

9. The Forgotten Ones: Yay, old friends! And Ophelia really has the knack to do the most unexpected things. 

10. The Pipe: Mother Hildegarde! Really, here now is a character. Double rooms. All these contraptions makes me want to cry. 😭Ohhh, so that’s what this is. Interesting. Mutilation? 

11. The Question: The Knight is truly terrifying. Stanislav—and the whole Mirages. Really disconcerting. Aww, the Fox is such a dear muffin! 

12. The Affront: Why on earth is Ophelia so bold in the wrong places? Thorn!!!

13. The Promises: Things should not be funny, but these two are ridiculous! Ohh, so that’s how  it’s connected. Gosh, the FEELS. 

14. The Bell: Ophelia and Thorn are capital letter Awkward. Her family coming over must be fantastically absurd. This has taken an interesting curve of events. (Also, try not to grin like a maniac every time Thorn steps into the page…)

15. The Client: What is this? I mean, obviously things are going downhill, but still. They’ve finally done it. 

16. Fragment: Second: This has to be the past. It’s interesting there is a capital letter God here. I have a theory about the family spirits on each arks, but I’ll keep them in my head for now…

17. The Train: Ooh, now we have a recurring dream. Farouk is getting interesting. And the change of scenery. There’s even a debate about theology. 

18. The Family: Ah, mothers are the same everywhere. Great uncle!! I have missed him as much as Ophelia did. We finally get some glimpse of history. 

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19. THE READER: The Date: And what are they doing here? And what is with the letter? It is kind of ominous. 

20. The Weather Vane: Please let Berenilde and Ophelia have the chance to talk to each other! The Doyennes are really shady. 

21. The Mothers: What have we now from Berenilde? Ohhh, Berenilde! I am glad I have taken to her. What will she do with all that’s going on? I’m glad for Ophelia either ways…

22. The Caravan: Aww, Ophelia’s family is so cute even in their noisy racketeering way. Hmm, strange occurrences keep popping up. What to make of them? 

23. The Disgraced: Thorn!! *goes to hyperventilate* And Ophelia. And the Chroniclers. I must really give it to Thorn, though. He must be an ISTJ. I really cannot stop smiling. 

24. The Invitation: Ha, I knew that the dinner would fall flat. But really, could I count on them this time..?

25. Vertigo: Gosh, not a moment too soon! I mean, oh, I really should stop grinning into a book. Not that my family thinks of me any saner…

26. Fragment: The Third Reprise: This must be what is left inside him…it’s starting to make a little more sense. And the “Try your dears”…

27. The Absentees: I am nervous about this prospect. Something is definitely up. As much as the Knight creeps me out, I feel sorry for him. And Ophelia’s mother. Mothers will be mothers! 

28. The Seal: Gosh this is disturbing. And we have the quiet and stout Ophelia on our side. We may survive this just yet…

29. The Pin: What is biting Thorn? And I kind of like the Baron. Ohhh. Now I think I’m getting a hang of who and what. 

30. The Workshop: Hmm. I feel like bombs will drop soon. And the shop is fascinating. 

31. The Sand beds: Grossly interesting. But I don’t think they’ll find what they’re looking for here…

32. The Dead end: Thorn really has a stunning capacity of intelligence. Ahh, I feel you Ophelia 😭

33. Fragment: Fourth Reprise: Everything feels sort of disjointed. But I can kind of feel what is going to happen??

34. The Cry: Ah, this is taking a sad turn. I mean, not super sad, but moderately sad. You can do this, Berenilde! I feel that things are changing for Thorn and Ophelia. There’s an invisible force behind all this fiasco.

35. The Non-Place: I’m getting sleepy…Gail is chirpy again. Hullo! Where have we gotten ourselves landed on? Gosh this is disturbing!

36. The Dark: Good old scarf! And what is this development? This can’t be all…And Golly, what a way to end the chapter!

37. The Announcement: Verdan! Okay, I am really shook right now, it’s my first “shook” as of current, I wasn’t expecting it to happen like this…

38. The Mattresses: Ophelia takes action! Haa, so that is what this has been about. 

39. The Genteel Death: And here I thought there wasn’t too much backstabbing. How sad. (I should be more worried, but things will not go down yet!)

40. The Heart: And the day is not lost! Not yet, at least. Gosh. I am utterly shook. 

41. The Deal: Oof. I don’t know what to think about the situation anymore other than the fact it’s perfectly dreadful. 

42. The Reading: This is very nerve-wracking. I can only hope for the best…

43. Fragment: Fifth Reprise: This makes so much sense and absolutely none.

44. The Memory: My stomach and my heart is doing weird lurches. Ohhh. So that was what it was. Things are somewhat falling into place, but not in the way I anticipated. The author really doesn’t pull the punches of FEELS. 

45. The Parent: Wait, what???  I am silenced. 

46. The Sentence: Thorn!! And Ophelia!!! Farouk. Is this tea going to happen?

47. The Mirror Visitor: I cannot say anything without bursting into tears 😭 

48. Fragment: Postscriptum: And propter Deum. 

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My Review: 

• Can we just stop and appreciate Thorn? I mean, I think I spent half of the time squealing about him and Ophelia. If Book 1 was any indication, Thorn gets better and better in Book 2. The author really builds on Thorn’s and Ophelia’s character, and the book is worth reading for these two alone. 
• The Ark system is really well-thought out. I love stories with complex worlds that’s deep enough to dive into, but also mundane enough to be understandable. Christelle Dabos’s Mirror Visitor Quartets do just that. I simply adore the european-19th century vibe that is prevalent in the books, and the way the magical is  woven into ordinary. It’s really singular. 
• As mentioned before, the book is taut with tension. Like, there’s hardly any part where everything is peaceful and quiet. There’s conspiracies and daily death threats as well as backstabbing where you least expect it. You pretty much experience being plunked into the court squabbles and drama just like Ophelia. So, if that sounds too stressful, this book might not be your cup of tea. But if you do hang in, you do get to go on a rich and glittering ride with emotional twists. 

The Verdict:

What did you think? Have you read A Winter’s Promise? Or better yet, are you inclined to read the Mirror Visitor Quartet? Let me know in the comments below; I’d love to chat with you!