User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
Perhaps the cruelest and kindest thing a good book does is make you believe you live inside it for the space of a few hundred pages. That you are a part of something, part of its world, not just skating around the edges, too tied up in yourself to join in…and then it ends and the illusion winks out, like a snuffed flame, and you’re left marooned, adrift, your head chilled in its absence.
From the first page, the real world takes a seat at the back, and Rogerson’s imaginary one holds center stage. In this world, books are a soft warding from the beings that stalk the night and trapdoors to something beautiful and wicked that trickles beneath the surface. But when damaged, even inadvertently, they mutate into ravening monsters rising up in fury, the warp spreading from the pages as sinuously as ink clouding through a glass of clean water, and they are called “Malefics.”
The gist of the story concerns Elisabeth Scrivener who is an orphan raised in the Great library of Summershall where she learned the delicate arts of tending to books and the blunter arts of guarding them against the world and guarding the world against them. Her apprenticeship as a warden has barely begun when Elisabeth wakes up one night to find the library’s Director killed and a Malefic free to loosen its wrath on her city. Elisabeth fights the monster, but before she can even begin to comprehend the magnitude of what happened, she is branded a murderer and a traitor and the charge of her punishment is given to the Magisterium.
When the Great libraries start falling under attack, Elisabeth begins to realize that someone is gathering arms against the Great libraries, colluding in treacheries. Growing resigned to anyone believing her account, Elisabeth seeks the help of Nathaniel Thorn, a sorcerer whose family is dogged with rumors of necromancy, and together they are soon yanked into the machinations of blood, greed and power. Revelations turn truths Elisabeth had known all her life into a tripwire primed to catch her off balance, and danger is dragged to her feet before she even sought it.
Ink and parchment flowed through her veins. The magic of the Great Libraries lived in her very bones. They were a part of her, and she a part of them.
As familiar as the novel’s template is, Rogerson’s success lies in the way she infuses exhilarating new life into it through tenderly compelling characters, luxurious writing and an exquisitely wrought premise. I liked how the author takes several classic fantasy tropes and makes them seem utterly fresh on the page. The result is an immensely immersive novel, as graceful and thoughtful as it is action-packed and pulse-pounding.
Of course, no fantasy setting, however fresh and interesting, springs to life without strong characters to navigate it. On that end,
Sorcery of Thorns delivers. The novel’s characters are engaging, and the relationships between them occupy center stage.
Elisabeth’s character takes on a magical aura all her own. Rogerson boldly, brilliantly places her protagonist at the center of a sprawling conflict, and with great relish, she begins to undermine what Elisabeth understands about magic, grimoires, libraries, and her role in it. She challenges not only everything Elisabeth knows, but everything she has come to learn and think about herself. This works so well because Elisabeth has such compelling blend of wide-eyed vulnerability and world-weary wryness. There's an edge to Elisabeth that I really liked too, a keenness of anger and determination, and it's what anchors a very moving journey of self-realization.
Although the supporting cast of characters is not granted a vivacity as stark as Elisabeth’s, together they make a compelling whole.
Nathanial Thorn is rich, handsome, and beset by a tragic past. Not to mention: seductive toward men and women alike and blessed with a set of social graces that makes him look irresistible and charming. The perfect YA fantasy archetype. Nathanial is also secretive and strangely solitary in the space everyone else gives him. His mysterious barter with his unsettlingly taciturn servant, his tormented nightmares, the secrets we glimpse only quickly through the corridors of his mansion... all of these things kept me glued to the page. Like Elisabeth, I wanted to shatter the cold mask of stone that Nathaniel seemed to slip down over himself in her presence.
If there’s a failing in
Sorcery of Thorns, it’s that the ending feels rushed in the novel’s last few chapters, and too easy to believe (the narrative might have handed the characters a few too many gifts). Minor quibble notwithstanding,
Sorcery of Thorns is an enjoyable read, and I kind of hope the author writes more in this world.
Rating: really liked it
I can't stop smiling. Margaret blows me away every time!
Sorcery of Thorns is equal parts whimsical, flirtatious, and totally hysterical, while still managing to deliver a gut-punch of feels on more than one occasion. This story is an absolute blast to read, and kept me thoroughly entertained all the way through.
First we have Elizabeth, a library apprentice of sorts. She's tall, fierce, yet has the gentlest of hearts. Time and time again, she charges headfirst into danger and drags us with her, and her cleverness and willpower never disappoint. I'd follow her anywhere. Literally.
Elizabeth's world is upheaved when a grimoire (yep you heard me) escapes the library. Mind you, grimoires are no ordinary books. In this world, they are quite alive with minds of their own - and can be very dangerous. Elizabeth, who's well aware of this danger, charges after it (of course, it isn't in 'book' form anymore and is now a rather grotesque lard-of-a-monster) to try and save her town from destruction. And while she succeeds (because she's a badass), she's accused of treason for letting it escape in the first place.
Which means she's shipped off to who-knows-where, now in the charge of a sorcerer.
Only, that sorcerer is Nathaniel and he's quite literally the best.
But Elizabeth doesn't know that, and she certainly doesn't trust him (because sorcerers are evil apparently). And, typical Elizabeth isn't going to sit still while evil-hot-sorcerer-dude carts her away and disposes her body. Naturally, she tries to escape.
But alas! Sorcerer dude Nathaniel isn't going to let her get away (though he'll roll his eyes a time or two because ugh she's impossible). And his butler, of all people, seems to have spooky-special powers that ensure Elizabeth fails in every attempt.
So Elizabeth, our strong-willed heroine, is stuck with hawt and untrustworthy Nathaniel, and his creepy butler-friend-thing-who-clearly-has-powers.
As usual, I'm not going to spoil much more, but suffice it to say, things don't go as planned. Because don't forget! Somehow that grimoire escaped. And if it wasn't Elizabeth, who was it? Ah! There is evil afoot, friends, and as I'd hoped, it forces Eizabeth and Nathaniel to team up and uproot it.
Only, they may be over their heads.
So I leave you with this: Make room in your hearts! We have on our hands a new story with gorgeous prose (as expected), absolute hysterical banter, new precious characters, and a riveting
hate-to-love ship. I can't even pick what I love the most - the incredible world-building (omg can this be a movie?) or the brilliant prose. Or the characters, who are as real as they are fantastical.
And! That! End!
The last page. I actually gasped aloud and scared my cat.
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Rating: really liked it
Hi, all! I don’t spend much time here (I view this as a place for readers, not me), but now that Sorcery of Thorns is appearing on people’s radars, I thought it would be a good opportunity to mention a couple of things.
Firstly: Sorcery is quite a different book than An Enchantment of Ravens, which may be helpful for readers to know in advance. Probably the best way to put it is that Enchantment is a fairy tale romance, while Sorcery is an epic fantasy. Sorcery does have a romance, but it’s a subplot, not the main focus of the story. I had a ridiculous amount of fun writing it—and hope you enjoy venturing into this world’s perilous magical libraries alongside Elisabeth Scrivener. Sorcery is also a standalone book, completely unrelated to my previous novel.
Secondly, I don’t believe Sorcery requires any major content warnings, but I’d like to run through a few possible triggers just in case. They are as follows:
Body horror associated with the books-turned-monsters
Minor, brief self-injury when characters draw blood for magical rituals
Implied/referenced sexual assault (not graphic, nothing described on page)
Children disciplined using corporal punishment (think Dickens; again, not shown on page)
Victorian-era attitudes about mental health—hysteria, etc
If you have any questions about these or want to know about any other specific potential triggers and/or page numbers, feel free to reach out me and I’ll get back to you ASAP! I’m going to vanish from Goodreads again after I post this, so please contact me on Twitter, Tumblr, or via the email address listed on my website.
Rating: really liked it
strong start weak finish tbh
Rating: really liked it
my favorite book of the year and a new all time favorite 🤍
Rating: really liked it
She wasn’t a wielder of chains; she was a breaker of them. She was the library’s will made flesh.
I never do this, but I’m going to give you all a
TL;DR for this review, just in case you’re in a hurry and need me to get the point across quickly:
This is one of the best books I have read in my entire life, and if there is any single book I could beg you to purchase this year, it is Sorcery of Thorns. “Knowledge always has the potential to be dangerous. It is a more powerful weapon than any sword or spell.”
After adoring Margaret’s debut,
An Enchantment of Ravens, it felt blaringly obvious that I would love this, too, but I had no idea how much my love for this world, this story, and these characters would blow
Enchantment out of the water. The lore and world-building are so gorgeous and intricate, particularly surrounding the
grimoires. Books, too, had hearts, though they were not the same as people’s, and a book’s heart could be broken; she had seen it happen before. Grimoires that refused to open, their voices gone silent, or whose ink faded and bled across the pages like tears.
You see, you might know that this book is about books, and magic, and libraries, but what I loved most is that there are no simple
books in
Sorcery. Grimoires are living, feeling creatures, capable of good or bad, kindness or scorn, and most of all, of being corrupted. Elisabeth, having grown up in a library (literally), is more familiar than most with the grimoires, and her level of respect and adoration for them made me ache. As another adult who grew up with books as my closest friends, I loved how easily I related to her desperate need to be surrounded by books and to take care of them. (After all, it’s why I became a librarian, too!)
For these were not ordinary books the libraries kept. They were knowledge, given life. Wisdom, given voice.
Margaret’s care in crafting these grimoires is evident from the start, but as the story progresses, I was amazed at how important a piece of the story they became. I won’t spoil anything, but I will tell you that I have never in my life literally
sobbed over a narrative about
books in my life until this story.
“You belonged in the library, as much as any book.”
Of course, that’s enough about the grimoires, because the primary star of the show is Elisabeth, and hell, she deserves an entire review dedicated solely to what an incredible, hilarious, witty, kind, lovable character she is. She’s clumsy and awkward in all the best ways, and she genuinely leaps right off the page with her general
realness. There’s a sub-plot line involving her and the development of PTSD that felt so honest and authentic, it broke my heart for her every time it reared its head and made me root that much harder for her successes and happiness.
“Are all librarians like you, or is it only the feral ones who have been raised by booklice?”
Sharing the spotlight is our love interest, the infamous, talented, handsome (and casually queer!) sorcerer Nathaniel, and his demon servant/companion Silas, either of whom I would happily protect at all costs because they are precious and not to be trifled with. Okay, Nathaniel could probably use a little trifling-with in his life, particularly because he responds with disarmingly hilarious nonchalance to every minor or major disaster Elisabeth drags him into. Silas, on the other hand… well, you’ll just have to meet him for yourself, but I don’t think anyone could
not love his grouchy, quietly protective demonic self.
“It’s an honor to fight by your side, Elisabeth, for however long it lasts.”
Oh, and I can’t pass up the opportunity to mention the
romance! It’s fairly slow-burning, and it forms in the most natural, beautiful way. I loved watching Elisabeth and Nathaniel grow to trust one another, become friends, and gradually recognize the fact that neither of them could fathom this adventure without the other. If you all could see the number of tabs I used just on Nathaniel’s sweet admissions of affection,
wow. I might have also tabbed every single instance in which Nathaniel called Elisabeth “you absolute menace”, because if that didn’t sum up their relationship as a whole, I don’t know what could have. My heart is so full.
She felt as though she stood on a precipice, and that if she leaned forward, she would fall. She would fall, and drown with him; she would never resurface for air.
Beyond all of this, the plot in this story is so engaging and suspenseful! I’d been reading
Sorcery as slowly as I could stand to, because I knew I would be devastated when it ended, but once I hit the last hundred pages or so, I couldn’t be interrupted for anything because I simply
had to know what happened next—and reader, let me tell you, not a single word in this story disappointed me. For every expectation I had of this book, Margaret surpassed it by a country mile.
“Of course you can stay, you menace. It isn’t as though I could stop you even if I wanted to. And fine, I’ll help you. Not for any noble reason. I still think it’s a lost cause. We’re probably going to get ourselves killed. But every man has his limits. If there’s one thing I can’t do, it’s stand by and watch you demolish irreplaceable antiques.”
As you can see, from the fact that I’m forcing myself now to refrain from writing another entire page to this review about all of the things I adored in
Sorcery of Thorns, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is easily my favorite read of 2019, and one of my favorite reads
of all time. It touched my heart in a million places and a million ways I could never have predicted and will never fully recover from, frankly. I can’t wait to reread it over and over again, and more than that, I can’t wait to see what Margaret writes next.
All quotes come from an advance copy and may not match the final release. Thank you so much to the author for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Rating: really liked it
5/5 ⭐
Full review on my Blog: The Dacian She-Wolf 🐺
“Most people grow out of fairy stories,” he said. “Why did you carry on believing, when the rest of the world did not?”
“What is the point of life if you don’t believe in anything?” she asked instead.
Do you want some thoughts on this book? Imma give you some thoughts on this book.
I loved the hell out of it!If you did not read this book, I tell you to do just that ASAP because I, too, have been sleeping on it for far too long and now I feel bad about it.
Thanks to one of my Goodreads friends I actually got to read it and I fell in love with it from the first chapters. Like, ugh, the spell this book has put on me was absolutely unbelievable. Too few books make me love them so briskly.
Let’s start with the basics.
I LOVE THE COVER.
You know me, with my endless fascination for covers. Well, this one is so beautiful and so aesthetically pleasing I just couldn’t help but mention its awesomeness.
Then, moving on to a more serious topic, I have to say that the
world in this book is something very solid-looking, even though there are no elaborate passages depicting every inch of it. There are details thrown in here and there that help the reader make up the world like a puzzle, the final outcome being more than satisfactory. You only need a few names of places and a bit of history to make a world look real.
To me,
Sorcery of Thorns gives off such Harry Potter-ish vibes I couldn’t help but thoroughly enjoy! There is something in its essence theme, something tied to libraries and books and magic and knowledge, that just appealed to me. As a certified bookworm, I think this shouldn’t come as a surprise, but it is still nice to acknowledge it.
“Knowledge always has the potential to be dangerous. It is a more powerful weapon than any sword or spell.”
The fact that all those amazing, bookworm-ish elements get to tag along with some dark features like demon summoning just gives the whole atmosphere of the book a nice, cool breeze.
The
action itself is very good. It flows and it is interesting to see how certain ideas are put into place and how are they going to turn out. With magic involved, one could never be more careful, am I right? Sorcery is unpredictable and so, it makes the plot a bit more complicated. Which is amazing because who likes a lame plot?
My favourite thing about this book though are the
characters.Such amazingly lovable characters, only the devils bellow know how they can be this way. I felt a deep connection to them after just a few words uttered out of their mouths.
Elisabeth is a total chaos, but I swear I love her. She is childish, but in a sweet way, and the fact that she is so fearless and so strong and tall just adds to the charm of her. But, seriously now, can we talk about the fact that tall girls in books are so underappreciated like for real, sisters do exist and they are some sort of goddesses too. As a 5’4’’ girl, all I can say that I admire tall girls from down here on the ground.
Elisabeth, you voice of tall and brave and sweet girls, you are a legend. And not only for that, but for the open-mindedness and courage you have.
“She now understood that the world wasn’t kind to young women, especially when they behaved in ways men didn’t like, and spoke truths that men weren’t ready to hear.”
Nathaniel is a boy to melt for. He is supposed to be this fancy-ass sorcerer who sacrifices virgins and drinks their blood from a golden chalice every month with full moon, but in fact he is only a lonely boy.
He is so damn witty and he has this air about him that makes him funny in a way that is not goofy, but it’s sweet. There really is something about Nathaniel that made me categorise him as swoon-worthy, whether if it was his smart mouth or his confidence or his loyalty or his silver streak in his black hair, I don’t care. He is lovable.
And also, I don’t want to forget about
Silas.Well, Silas is a demon I could die for. He’s too precious. And even though he really is a savage creature, soulless and selfish, he’s still a cute, fluffy kitten. I would kill for a friend like Silas.
I am actually super pleased with this book. And, honestly, I wanted more. It is a shame that it is only a standalone because I could definitely sense some other great adventure that might’ve taken place after all the action was done.
I think I might say that because I simply haven’t had enough of those amazingly lovable and adorable characters, but I do want to read more of them. There is a certain dose of addiction that I tasted and I am not done with.
All jokes aside, more Elisabeth, Nathaniel and Silas, please? It would mean the world to me, thanks.
@natt_lux_art
(Book-styled)
Rating: really liked it
That cover is simply enchanting and the blurb sounds amazing!
I cannot wait for it to be released!
Update FINALLY got around to reading it and it was every bit as amazing as I hoped!
I loved the fact that our main character was raised in a library and that she could speak to the books.
The magic system was totally out of this world and I was LIVING for it.
I also adored the love interest and the slow (but sure) burn that accompanied it.
Keeping my fingers crossed for another one!
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Rating: really liked it
This is the YA Fantasy about libraries and living, breathing books that I didn't know I needed. Fell in love within like 20 pages and then ripped through the rest. Loved the characters, loved the ending, just loved it full stop. Silas was my favorite! Highly recommend.
Rating: really liked it
ARC provided by Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review. “Knowledge always has the potential to be dangerous. It is a more powerful weapon than any sword or spell.”
I don’t know about you, but I feel like I’ve been looking for a story all about someone living in a library, surrounded by magical books, while also going on adventure after adventure, for my entire life. And I truly believe that not only did Margaret Rogerson give me that, she is giving the YA literature community a gift from above. I feel like when An Enchantment of Ravens came out most people loved it, but it did seem a little bit polarizing, while I liked it but I never was in love with it. But
Sorcery of Thorns captivated me from page one, and I adored it so very much that there was never a moment that I wanted to shut this very magical book and stop reading.
And like I said above, this is a story all about a girl named Elisabeth who has grown up in a library all of her life. She wants to eventually be a Warden, who is a person who protects the library, the people, and the books, because some books in this world are very much alive and are capable of doing some very bad things. But one night, when there is an attack at the library and the surrounding town, she takes it upon herself to defend the only home she has ever known. Yet, this act ends up making her the only suspect in the crime.
“Dreadful things roam the shadows while the human world sleeps.”
So, Elisabeth gets sent away and is forced to travel alongside a nobleman and sorcerer named Nathaniel Thorn, who also has a companion named Silas who happens to be a demon. In this world, the old royal families have all made pacts with demons to give them magical powers, and these pacts are passed down from generation to generation, but at a cost. Also, Silas is easily my favorite character in this book and I would die for him this very instant.
But Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas’s paths all continue to cross while Elisabeth is trying to prove her innocence, while also stumbling upon a conspiracy theory to end all other conspiracy theories about what is really happening to the libraries in this world. And the adventures they go on, the secrets they unfold, and the discoveries they make together, was nothing short of a treat to read.
The thing that I didn’t love about this book, and the reason I am giving it four stars, is because I didn’t love the very vague representation. Obviously, I want authors to write what they want to write and what they feel comfortable with, but this was a little too subtly done for me. Yes, we have a main character that does express attraction to more than one gender, which I am always going to be living for, but we get a very brushed off moment with a very minor character being on the ace spectrum. Also, I think another leading character could possibly also be on the ace spectrum, but the representation in this book is so quiet that you are constantly left second guessing yourself while reading, and it feels bad, even with the excuse that this story is set in a fantasy world because the mentions are so very brief, too.
Overall, I did love this story. It was so unique and so whimsical; I couldn’t resist getting completely swept off my feet. I loved all three characters and their dark backgrounds, while gaining so much hope for their futures. I loved the writing and all the twists and turns that this adventure packed story delivered. I loved the historical setting, which is very reminiscent of The Infernal Devices! I loved the romance even though it was such a slow-burn that I wanted to scream in the best way possible! I just loved it all, and I can’t wait to see what Margaret Rogerson does next! Especially because this is a standalone, but I could totally see more in this world after that last page.
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The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.Content and Trigger Warnings: anxiety depiction, anxiety attacks, talk of loss of a loved one, captivity, talk of forced institutionalization, and violence.
Buddy read with Alexa, Kristin, & Alana! ❤
Rating: really liked it
PHENOMENAL.
- The slowest of slow burns
- Nuanced and well developed characters
- A compelling and magical ride
I LOVED THIS. Margaret Rogerson is well on her way to becoming a new favourite author of mine. This was a follow-up novel done RIGHT.
Rating: really liked it
June Fairyloot Box! Well, here I am again with the same book 3 times! BUT, I'm trading in my green edition and keeping this stained Fairyloot Edition as well as the Purple Owlcrate edition. So it all worked out! Click the link under the picture to see the amazing goodies in this box!!
FAIRYLOOT GOODIES
June Owlcrate Box. Well, I already have the book but this one has a purple cover soo.. keep them both! =D Click on link below the pic to see the goodies.
OWLCRATE GOODIES
I made some bookmarks today. This one I like okay. I feel I could have made it better. AND! I used my new cutter so I wouldn’t get those little white parts on the bookmark and didn’t anyway because I didn’t practice! 🙄
I loved Enchantment of Ravens sooo much! And I love this one too! AND SILAS!!! I LOVE HIM SO MUCH! JUST SAYIN'!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Rating: really liked it
Guys, this book.....
I WANT MORE.
This book is
Howl’s Moving Castle’s cousin and I was
LIVING throughout it.
Rating: really liked it
I was wondering why I found myself underwhelmed throughout reading this book and I realize that it might be because I prefer Rogerson to write short, simple, romantic stories rather than trying to make a complex fantasy narrative. I appreciate the unique concept and world that she tried to convey, but I think there was a disconnect between that and the actual execution. I was aware of her intentions with the whimsical world building, snarky love interest, secretly soft demon, etc. but it didn’t impact me as intended. There were several times throughout the book where I found myself dragging to get through the unnecessarily long story and felt bogged down by it. There was no romantic chemistry between the couple at all, and the villain is one-dimensional and mustache-twirling. There are merits to this book and I appreciate the effort to create a unique type of fantasy story, but this wasn’t for me.
Rating: really liked it
‘for all the girls who found themselves in books.’ yaaassss! we stan a fantasy queen who both acknowledges AND writes stories for us bookworms. <3
i know i wont be the only reader who sees a little bit of themself in elisabeth; for being able to relate, on such a personal level, to her love of books, for seeing them as companions, and forever feeling at home in their company/in a library.
and this story is every bit deserving of having such a remarkable character. there is so much balance to this story, that i honestly couldnt have asked for anything more. elisabeths fierce loyalty is a match for nathaniels charm and humour. the fast-paced plot is evened out with with meaningful scenes and narration. and the enchanting magic is made even more alluring with the personal growth and development of the characters because of it.
this story is perfection for lovers of books and sorcery and i wouldnt have it any other way.
↠ 4.5 stars
