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Sebastian and Melissa #1
The Winter of Enchantment
Through a magic mirror Sebastian travels from his Victorian world of winter snow and Mrs. Parkin to a magic world of Melissa, Mantari the cat, a wicked Enchanter, and many other exciting people.
Melissa, a pretty young girl, has been imprisoned in a large house by the wicked Enchanter. Sebastian first meets Melissa through the magic mirror and resolves to do everything in his power -- and with the help of a little magic -- to free her.
First published in 1968, this wonderful children's classic is now back in hardcover!
150 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1968
12 people are currently reading
485 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
March 21, 2010
I read this when I was a kid and thought it was stunningly magnificent. A few months later I decided I wanted to read it again but I couldn't remember the title or author, so I went to the library and told the librarian what I knew: it had a purple cover. (The cover back when I read it was more solidly purple than its current incarnation.) So this nice librarian and I walked shelf by shelf looking at every purple spine until we found it. I hate to think we started at A.
January 29, 2024
A magic mirror enables Sebastian to travel from his Victorian world of winter snow and Mrs Parkin to a magic world of Melissa, Mantari, a wicked Enchanter and many other exciting people.I have to start with another promotional blurb. Forgive me.
This wonderful book follows in the great tradition of the E. Nesbit magic books. It will appeal to children of every age.
Anglia Television have adapted The Winter of Enchantment into an 8 part serial from which the illustations on the jacket of this book are taken. They are but 2 of the 250 delightful water colours especially painted for Anglia by London artist John Worsley, better known perhaps as the man who, while a Prisoner of War in Germany, devised and created the legendary 'Albert R.N.'
Anglia Television's production was directed by John Salway, the them music composed by Peter Fenn and the serial adapted, narrated and produced by Paul Honeyman.
A Dragon Book
Mayflower
U.K. 4/- Australia 60c
New Zealand 55c
South Africa 45c Canada 75c
... If you haven't read them all, decide you are going to collect every one!I can't recommend buying a Dragon book each week, and chiefly because I'm fairly sure that this one is the high-water mark, classics aside.
You should start your own Dragon Library - a Dragon a week, and in such a short time you would have a collection of books to be proud of, gay in colour, bringing brightness to your room, and always there to bring you the pleasure of re-reading your old favourites. Why not determine to buy a Dragon book every week? They are still the finest value on the market.
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... Do decide now to buy the first of the Flicka series next time you go to your bookshop or newsagent... Delightful stories which have been big-selling for months. Why not start to collect your own pony library? At three and six each the books are not expensive and in very little time you would have a bright array of titles you could be proud of. Make a resolution to buy a Dragon pony book a week!
I always mean to check out the other reviews to see what I can add, but somehow I've already forgotten if this needs a really in-depth review or not. I'll assume it's been done. :)
Favourite aspects were the personification of the seasons (shown on this edition's cover), and some other somewhat unique aspects of vintage juvenile fantasy (). It is decidedly un-Tolkien, which for its time (1969), makes it a rarity. The setting is Victorian or Edwardian England (stagecoaches, gaslamps, father away in India... I don't have a degree in History, if that wasn't already abundantly clear), for a start, and is a portal-fantasy to an imaginary world. And before you can say C. S. Lewis to me, I'll say that it's also very different to that other Inkling's work.
In regards to its individuality, it hits many of the same notes for me as THE CONJUROR'S BOX (Ann Lawrence), but of course with very different content (except for the magical cat - this one, Mantari, is silent, however). Or maybe something by Nina Beachcroft. It had some of the magic that Miss Quarterberry and the Juniper Tree has, too. Parts of it reminded me even of A Walk Out of the World, only that's very much Tolkien-inspired. What these books all have in common, however, are a similar era (give or take) and an all-but-forgotten female author of some skill.
I wasn't convinced while reading this that I'd bother with a sequel, but the way it ended (couldn't really be called a cliff-hanger) leaves me wondering where the author would go (and could go). I'll take a look at the reviews for "Sebastian and Melissa #2" now.
April 23, 2011
I wish I'd had this book as a child; the imagination and taste that had me devouring Narnia, Carbonel and The Magic Faraway Tree would've had me riveted to this book too.
The story follows Sebastian, a thirteen-year-old boy somewhere in late Victorian London. He finds an enchanted mirror in a dusty furniture shop and in it he sees Melissa, an unhappy girl who, he learns, has been trapped in an ensorcelled house for a hundred years. Sebastian sets out to rescue her, with the help of a teapot, the mirror and a magic cat. Along the way he'll meet the Wind and the Four Seasons, pluck a glorious emerald from the heart of a vicious, timeless forest, and ride a noble white stallion right into the heart of the evil Enchanter's beautiful, enchanted garden.
The writing is beautiful, too, bringing this colourful world very vividly to life. Nothing's impossible in Sebastian and Melissa's world-beyond-the-world, and there are new wonders on every page. The next thing I wish to do is get hold of the sequel, and when I've read it I'll put these two books away somewhere safe against the day I have children of my own to read them to.
The story follows Sebastian, a thirteen-year-old boy somewhere in late Victorian London. He finds an enchanted mirror in a dusty furniture shop and in it he sees Melissa, an unhappy girl who, he learns, has been trapped in an ensorcelled house for a hundred years. Sebastian sets out to rescue her, with the help of a teapot, the mirror and a magic cat. Along the way he'll meet the Wind and the Four Seasons, pluck a glorious emerald from the heart of a vicious, timeless forest, and ride a noble white stallion right into the heart of the evil Enchanter's beautiful, enchanted garden.
The writing is beautiful, too, bringing this colourful world very vividly to life. Nothing's impossible in Sebastian and Melissa's world-beyond-the-world, and there are new wonders on every page. The next thing I wish to do is get hold of the sequel, and when I've read it I'll put these two books away somewhere safe against the day I have children of my own to read them to.
November 23, 2014
This is a magical story in every sense. I read it aged six or seven but young adults will love it as well. The book is so well written that adults can enjoy it too.
Sebastian is a boy in Victorian London and he meets a very bright ginger cat which seems to like him. Then he is led by the cat to a shop where he sees a mirror for sale - a girl appears in the mirror wearing a red dress. Sebastian can't resist buying the mirror and the girl later manages to talk to him. She is Melissa, and her cat is called Mantari. She is locked away under the spell of an evil enchanter and if Sebastian can help her find some magic objects they might be able to break the spell.
Sebastian has some very unusual adventures, from becoming a shadow, to meeting the personifications of the four seasons, to walking through a hedge maze and riding large white horses with Melissa as they hunt for the Silver Fish, Silver Teapot, Rose and Emerald.
I loved this book.
There is a follow up called The House Called Hadlows but the author wrote it many years later when she'd become all literary and travelled and so on, I did not find it either fast-moving or very much fun. I think she'd forgotten to write for young people. She also wrote romance novels.
Sebastian is a boy in Victorian London and he meets a very bright ginger cat which seems to like him. Then he is led by the cat to a shop where he sees a mirror for sale - a girl appears in the mirror wearing a red dress. Sebastian can't resist buying the mirror and the girl later manages to talk to him. She is Melissa, and her cat is called Mantari. She is locked away under the spell of an evil enchanter and if Sebastian can help her find some magic objects they might be able to break the spell.
Sebastian has some very unusual adventures, from becoming a shadow, to meeting the personifications of the four seasons, to walking through a hedge maze and riding large white horses with Melissa as they hunt for the Silver Fish, Silver Teapot, Rose and Emerald.
I loved this book.
There is a follow up called The House Called Hadlows but the author wrote it many years later when she'd become all literary and travelled and so on, I did not find it either fast-moving or very much fun. I think she'd forgotten to write for young people. She also wrote romance novels.
February 24, 2013
This is the story that started my love of reading. I have a first edition and will cherish it always!!
May 24, 2022
The last quarter of the book brought this up from three stars - there's a great deal of breathless excitement and a pretty satisfying ending. The writing is ambitious, but in dire need of an editor. (The author reports that it was published exactly as written.) There are more than a few basic problems in grammatical construction, and many things could have been improved and refined. Someone needed to challenge the novice author to get some concessions. Nevertheless, the book sets an intriguing mood and does so in remarkably few pages. It's not especially original, but it's not blatantly derivative as too many recent fantasy books are.
The illustrations by the author are serviceable, but again could have been better. The cover (is it also by the author?) doesn't seem to fit the description in the text.
The illustrations by the author are serviceable, but again could have been better. The cover (is it also by the author?) doesn't seem to fit the description in the text.
February 16, 2021
An absolutely delightful children's story of magic where nothing really bad happens. Will likely read again, over and over.
December 31, 2021
Sweet but definitely dated in some ways. Oddly, not in some of them you might think - like there is an attempt at some level of gender balance - but definitely in pacing and how the action reads. It was sluggish at times, especially odd for a children's book, but I gave it more of a pass on that front because of its age.
Overall, pretty wholesome and mild. Very upper-class British. Not unenjoyable, just not sure if I would want to read more.
Overall, pretty wholesome and mild. Very upper-class British. Not unenjoyable, just not sure if I would want to read more.
August 23, 2008
I just read this book in the version which was republished by Fidra Books (www.fidrabooks.com) - ISBN 0-9551910-7-6. I read it because Neil Gaiman recommended it in his blog and Garth Nix has also posted online about liking the story (http://www.ibooknet.co.uk/archive/new...). Its a charming story, very english. Two children (Sebastian and Melissa) must find a series of magical items to overthrow an evil Enchanter and free Melissa from her captivity. The plot is very simple, and there is not very much character depth, but some of the descriptions of the magic and worlds that are in this book are amazing - especially descriptions of settings such as Melissa's Treasure House, the Grey Forest, The Rose Maze, and the Enchanter's Glass Castle and the valley it is in with a sun and moon chasing each other across the heavens. I also enjoyed visualizing what the 4 seasons (who Sebastian meets) look like - Autumn wears a coat of leaves that constantly fall and are replenished, Spring has feathers as hair..
December 17, 2012
The Winter of Enchantment was Victoria Walker’s first novel, written when she was in her early twenties. It’s a dreamy, somewhat episodic tale of Sebastian who embarks on a quest to rescue a girl kidnapped by a wicked enchanter and held prisoner for 100 years.
While clearly the work of an inexperienced author, it isn’t at all bad. Many, many small points seem to be written in affectionate (or unconscious) imitation of other children’s fantasy books. For example, Sebastian lives in the late 19th century, as did the Five Children and It and the Magician’s Nephew. Melissa was an abandoned orphan-child in India, like Mowgli and Mary Lennox. Sebastian meets the personifications of Autumn, Winter, Summer and Spring like Diamond met the personification of the Night Wind.
There is not much rhyme nor reason to the proceedings. Plucky children overcome obstacles and all that. I probably would have liked it better if I had read it when I was younger.
While clearly the work of an inexperienced author, it isn’t at all bad. Many, many small points seem to be written in affectionate (or unconscious) imitation of other children’s fantasy books. For example, Sebastian lives in the late 19th century, as did the Five Children and It and the Magician’s Nephew. Melissa was an abandoned orphan-child in India, like Mowgli and Mary Lennox. Sebastian meets the personifications of Autumn, Winter, Summer and Spring like Diamond met the personification of the Night Wind.
There is not much rhyme nor reason to the proceedings. Plucky children overcome obstacles and all that. I probably would have liked it better if I had read it when I was younger.
March 12, 2011
Another difficult book to reduce to a 1-dimensional *rating*. Ignore the rating value at will, I am going mostly by how likely to make friends read it, and it is not too much.
This is charming, an old fashioned children´s story, magical adventure, very good well behaved children, pen line drawings illutrations, lovely meals and all. But it is also very old fashioned in things like plot (things happen) and characterization (somewhat Enid Blyton). There is an interesting twist at the end, which I think is somewhat creepy without being intentionally creepy.
I read the sequel The House Called Hadlows first, and I actually liked it much better.
This is charming, an old fashioned children´s story, magical adventure, very good well behaved children, pen line drawings illutrations, lovely meals and all. But it is also very old fashioned in things like plot (things happen) and characterization (somewhat Enid Blyton). There is an interesting twist at the end, which I think is somewhat creepy without being intentionally creepy.
I read the sequel The House Called Hadlows first, and I actually liked it much better.
January 24, 2023
A book I would have found absolutely amazing and magical as a child, this is one of my dad’s favourite books from his childhood. This is very reminiscent of Narnia/Tom’s Midnight Garden, but may be for slightly older children as there are some scary aspects to this.
I loved the whole storyline of the “girl in the mirror” and the fact they were always eating! It’s a shame that there are not more to this series, as there are only two books and the second book seems to go for some ridiculous prices online.
I loved the whole storyline of the “girl in the mirror” and the fact they were always eating! It’s a shame that there are not more to this series, as there are only two books and the second book seems to go for some ridiculous prices online.
October 9, 2021
I was delighted to find this childhood favourite available in the Kindle store. It was certainly worth another read. There is an interesting piece from the author about the circumstances in which she came to write this book, and how very different the publishing industry was in the 1960s.
January 5, 2023
I loved this book as a child and now that I'm slightly older (!), it is still a wonderful story, full of magic, thrills and excitement. Excellent for any age.
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October 1, 2020Gah! Why have I not read this book before?! How has it evaded me! But it must’ve been meant for me to listen to the audiobook of this one, because it’s honestly the perfect book to have narrated to you. It is truly the perfect book to snuggle up under some blankets with a hot cocoa (or a PSL given the season) and a chill in the air as you listen to this delightful audiobook. I know that probably sounds cheesy but it’s just one of those books that gives you nostalgia for childhood and demands that level of comfort.
So I know I’m new to audiobooks, but this one has been the best one yet! It was equal parts the delightfully vivid story and the perfect narrator. And I might be just a sucker for a British accent, but I just found it so soothing and almost whimsical to listen to. Which fit perfectly into the magic of this story. The fact that this book is geared towards a younger audience also makes listening to it make that much more sense. This is a story that you could easily find yourself reading aloud to kids and getting the chance to have it read aloud to you as an adult makes it even more exciting.
The one thing I love about this book was how lush and whimsical the writing is. This is a classic children’s book and I’ve always been particularly fond of them, so I just knew that this would be a new addition to my favorites pile. It’s one of those books you can pick up time and time again and thoroughly enjoy it all over again.
You can view my full review on my blog! I also post about a lot of different types of books!
Reader | Bookstagrammer | Blogger | Reviewer
@ya.its.lit - https://www.instagram.com/ya.its.lit/
Blog - https://yaitslitblog.wordpress.com/
So I know I’m new to audiobooks, but this one has been the best one yet! It was equal parts the delightfully vivid story and the perfect narrator. And I might be just a sucker for a British accent, but I just found it so soothing and almost whimsical to listen to. Which fit perfectly into the magic of this story. The fact that this book is geared towards a younger audience also makes listening to it make that much more sense. This is a story that you could easily find yourself reading aloud to kids and getting the chance to have it read aloud to you as an adult makes it even more exciting.
The one thing I love about this book was how lush and whimsical the writing is. This is a classic children’s book and I’ve always been particularly fond of them, so I just knew that this would be a new addition to my favorites pile. It’s one of those books you can pick up time and time again and thoroughly enjoy it all over again.
You can view my full review on my blog! I also post about a lot of different types of books!
Reader | Bookstagrammer | Blogger | Reviewer
@ya.its.lit - https://www.instagram.com/ya.its.lit/
Blog - https://yaitslitblog.wordpress.com/
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December 6, 2021As the author's intro in the newer edition says, it is very much inspired by all the Nesbit etc. that she had read as a child. And it is clearly not professionally edited, and a debut by a naïve young adult. But there's a spark of real originality, some wit, and some thoughtfulness. Well worth my time. Btw, I like the interior drawings by the author, but the cover is not of any scene and that has always frustrated me.
I will consider more by the author, including her works as Victoria Clayton.
I suggest y'all consider this as a sort of 'mentor text.' If this labor of love could get published, maybe you could take the plunge, carve out some spare time, and exercise your creativity.
One of the healthier meals described:
"Thick slices of roast beef, and roast potatoes with lots of beans and onions and horse-radish sauce, followed by a hot chocolate soufflé, crisp on the outside and creamy in the centre."
I might have to figure out how to do "roast potatoes with lots of beans and onions." Or was there supposed to be a comma after potatoes, and the beans and onions are separate from the potatoes? Are they also separate from one another?
I will consider more by the author, including her works as Victoria Clayton.
I suggest y'all consider this as a sort of 'mentor text.' If this labor of love could get published, maybe you could take the plunge, carve out some spare time, and exercise your creativity.
One of the healthier meals described:
"Thick slices of roast beef, and roast potatoes with lots of beans and onions and horse-radish sauce, followed by a hot chocolate soufflé, crisp on the outside and creamy in the centre."
I might have to figure out how to do "roast potatoes with lots of beans and onions." Or was there supposed to be a comma after potatoes, and the beans and onions are separate from the potatoes? Are they also separate from one another?
May 2, 2022
After my last rather intense read (J. Strange & Mr. Norrell!) I decided I needed a bit lighter of a fictional read. And this one definitely fit the bill! A most delightful children's story - set in olden times England (well, late 19th/early 20th century at least) with a lovely story of a boy who accidentally steps into a fantastical adventure! This story has it all - magical animals and evil enchanters and seasons personified and a beautiful account of a boy and a girl who seek to do what is right. The story is simple yet oh so well told! The descriptions of Sebastian and Melissa's adventures make me almost feel as if I was alongside them. Sometimes it is nice to read a beautiful tale of sweetness and decency, and this is one such.
December 18, 2020
This was a firm favourite of mine as a child, that I read every winter, so thought I’d give it another try. What’s not to love about a wintry magical tale? A magical mirror, a damsel in distress imprisoned by an evil Enchanter, and an escape attempt aided by a kind-hearted boy and help from a host of magical characters. Lovely!
January 17, 2021
Just finished reading this aloud to my daughters ages 13, 9, and 7. We all thoroughly enjoyed this adventure-filled fantasy. I liked that there was plenty of good conquering evil, children concerned about each other's well-being, and even touching on the joy of family.
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March 13, 2022Heard this as a read aloud. Loved the classic fantasy feel! I can see why Garth Nix lists it as an influential book.
March 1, 2023
Great story, too many typos!
January 23, 2024
Five stars from my 9 year old self. One of my most beloved books from my childhood.
January 7, 2026
What did I just read? This was such a bizarre book.
January 28, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. It’s very well paced and has just the right amount of detail and a great atmosphere that really makes you feel like you’re in the story.
March 25, 2021
Sweet story. Made me happy.
December 27, 2021
Sebastian wasn't very keen on the idea of throwing himself into a well, but it was rather too late now to turn back.
A nice little story with familiar motifs, but for me it lacked that spark. On the plus side, the copy I borrowed from the library is from 1969 and it smells AMAZING.
December 11, 2014
Eons ago, when I was about seven or eight years old, I pulled a very dusty, battered copy of The Winter of Enchantment from the shelves of my tiny school library. The novel was, I remember, the most exciting, magical story I had ever encountered, and I fell in love with it immediately. After finishing it, I felt airy, optimistic, and aglow with the belief that magical things could happen at any given moment.
It's a feeling that has never left me.
For some reason, however, I didn't demand that my mother and I rush out to our local children's bookshop (back in the day when those still existed...) and buy a copy of The Winter of Enchantment for my very own. Instead, I chose to believe that the library book was the last remaining copy in existence. I adored the idea that another child, with similar literary tastes, would eventually pull it out and step into the secret world of Sebastian, Melissa, and Mantari. And then, we would be bonded by our wonderful, magical experience. It was an idea that seemed very, very romantic to me, and I was quite pleased with it.
Much later, at the cusp of adulthood, the memory of the magical tale popped into my head. I remembered flashes of the plot, something about a cat, and the fact that the cover of the library copy had been very, very purple. And that was it. The title of the novel had left me; the name of the author had long since been forgotten. Even with the help of the internet, I had no way of finding this novel. My hopes of rereading this masterpiece had been dashed.
And then, somehow, a miracle occurred. A friend, whose googling abilities were much more powerful than my own, somehow managed to track down both of Victoria Walker's works - The Winter of Enchantment and The House Called Hadlows. A small, Scottish publisher by the name of Fidra Books, which specializes in out of print works, had revived them. Joy reigned supreme! Astonishment overwhelmed me! And, most of all, magic was restored to my own, personal realm.
And, I hope, it will never leave.
It's a feeling that has never left me.
For some reason, however, I didn't demand that my mother and I rush out to our local children's bookshop (back in the day when those still existed...) and buy a copy of The Winter of Enchantment for my very own. Instead, I chose to believe that the library book was the last remaining copy in existence. I adored the idea that another child, with similar literary tastes, would eventually pull it out and step into the secret world of Sebastian, Melissa, and Mantari. And then, we would be bonded by our wonderful, magical experience. It was an idea that seemed very, very romantic to me, and I was quite pleased with it.
Much later, at the cusp of adulthood, the memory of the magical tale popped into my head. I remembered flashes of the plot, something about a cat, and the fact that the cover of the library copy had been very, very purple. And that was it. The title of the novel had left me; the name of the author had long since been forgotten. Even with the help of the internet, I had no way of finding this novel. My hopes of rereading this masterpiece had been dashed.
And then, somehow, a miracle occurred. A friend, whose googling abilities were much more powerful than my own, somehow managed to track down both of Victoria Walker's works - The Winter of Enchantment and The House Called Hadlows. A small, Scottish publisher by the name of Fidra Books, which specializes in out of print works, had revived them. Joy reigned supreme! Astonishment overwhelmed me! And, most of all, magic was restored to my own, personal realm.
And, I hope, it will never leave.
July 10, 2025
I bought this from Purple House Press during one of their sales on a whim. I'd never heard of it before and had read no reviews of it. I grabbed it off the shelf as a spring break read-aloud, unsure how well it would go over.
The girls adored it. At the end of every chapter they begged for more. They were on the edges of their seats, unable to get enough of the adventures of Sebastian and his attempts to rescue Melissa from the Evil Enchanter. While I wouldn't put it on the same level as classic children's fantasy like Narnia, it's a fun story, entertainingly told.
K: "It was GOOD GOOD GOOD!"
H: "Five stars from me! No, don't give it four stars! It needs FIVE."
L: "It was really fun!"
The girls adored it. At the end of every chapter they begged for more. They were on the edges of their seats, unable to get enough of the adventures of Sebastian and his attempts to rescue Melissa from the Evil Enchanter. While I wouldn't put it on the same level as classic children's fantasy like Narnia, it's a fun story, entertainingly told.
K: "It was GOOD GOOD GOOD!"
H: "Five stars from me! No, don't give it four stars! It needs FIVE."
L: "It was really fun!"
March 10, 2008
This was the first fantasy book I ever read, and I am glad to see it has been reprinted! There is a sequel as well, The House Called Hadlows, but it isn't yet available in the U.S.
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July 19, 2016[Walker Victoria 1947 is related to Clayton, Victoria, 1947-
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OH YOU DON'T HAVE ANY BOOKS UNDER THAT NAME EITHER. SO WHY DID YOU SUGGEST IT?
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OH YOU DON'T HAVE ANY BOOKS UNDER THAT NAME EITHER. SO WHY DID YOU SUGGEST IT?
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