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lilifane's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I think I just love Margaret Rogerson stories and characters.
This one is much darker than Sorcery of Thorns, but I loved the atmosphere so much. The story takes place in a France inspired fantasy world that reminded me a lot of the atmosphere in A Plague Tale (just with ghosts/demons instead of rats). I also loved the characters with all my heart. Artemisia, the traumatized nun with social anxiety and a penchant for self sabotaging, and the Revenant, an ancient, grumpy demon that wants to kill everyone, are just a great pair. Their banter is the best and the way their "relationship" develops is so wholesome. Also, amazing side characters, character dynamics and character development in general. And it never gets boring, the plot progresses at a constant pace and although you see a lot of things coming, there are still some unexpected twists.
There was some really interesting discussion about the masses idolizing/worshiping a person and basically making them a symbol for their religion and how this affects this person.
I'm actually sad to leave this world behind.
This one is much darker than Sorcery of Thorns, but I loved the atmosphere so much. The story takes place in a France inspired fantasy world that reminded me a lot of the atmosphere in A Plague Tale (just with ghosts/demons instead of rats). I also loved the characters with all my heart. Artemisia, the traumatized nun with social anxiety and a penchant for self sabotaging, and the Revenant, an ancient, grumpy demon that wants to kill everyone, are just a great pair. Their banter is the best and the way their "relationship" develops is so wholesome. Also, amazing side characters, character dynamics and character development in general. And it never gets boring, the plot progresses at a constant pace and although you see a lot of things coming, there are still some unexpected twists.
There was some really interesting discussion about the masses idolizing/worshiping a person and basically making them a symbol for their religion and how this affects this person.
I'm actually sad to leave this world behind.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Child abuse, Confinement, Eating disorder, Blood, Death, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Violence, and War
Minor: Bullying and Grief
nimeneth's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Self harm, and Death
Moderate: Confinement and Child abuse
chamaeleontis's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Violence, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal cruelty, Death, Excrement, Grief, Medical content, Self harm, Suicide attempt, War, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Gore, and Torture
r_a_bell's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The writing in this is so beautiful. The way the main character slowly develops relationships with the other characters makes you invested. And the plot and system of magic is really interesting and clearly well thought out.
The way of depicts the effects of trauma and discusses it feels very real and doesn’t smack you in the face. It feels natural to the story, not forced.
I also really liked that there wasn’t a big romance or love interest. Not every story needs to revolve around one and it actually makes it more engaging. There is a romance between side characters which is cute and endearing, and helps bring a certain lightheartedness.
This is a really great book for someone who feels like they’ve outgrown YA in some ways, but can’t seem to get into adult fiction and how detached it often feels.
The way of depicts the effects of trauma and discusses it feels very real and doesn’t smack you in the face. It feels natural to the story, not forced.
I also really liked that there wasn’t a big romance or love interest. Not every story needs to revolve around one and it actually makes it more engaging. There is a romance between side characters which is cute and endearing, and helps bring a certain lightheartedness.
This is a really great book for someone who feels like they’ve outgrown YA in some ways, but can’t seem to get into adult fiction and how detached it often feels.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, War, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Grief, Murder, Self harm, Gore, Animal cruelty, Torture, and Eating disorder
Trigger warning for animal abuse is for the most minor of mentions, it’s something I’m extremely sensitive about, so I really mean minor. Nothing is actually described it’s just mentioned to explain the behavior of an animal (who is then treated very nicely and heals from the trauma). Eating disorder isn’t really for an eating disorder, but more for disordered eating, if that makes sense. It’s not an eating disorder that’s described, but the way a character’s eating behaviors are described could be triggering for some peoplekbairbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I could not, and didn’t want to, put this book down. It swept me up with masterful storytelling, intriguing well fleshed out characters, adventure, fight scenes, intrigue, and so much more. This was such a fun read and I’m sad there isn’t more yet!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, War, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Murder, Religious bigotry, and Violence
alexalily's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Violence, War, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Confinement, Death, and Suicide
booksthatburn's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
VESPERTINE is a bloody tale of revenants, reluctant saints, and unlikely allies in a world where the dead walk.
I like the banter between Artemisia and the revenant. This is one place where the audiobook narrator's performance really shines, as it enhanced an already excellent story by making the revenant's voice pitch perfect for its characterization. Their conversations sometimes feel like banter while staying generally appropriate to the seriousness of each new situation. I was worried that Trouble (the bird) would be a gimmicky animal sidekick, but his appearances are brief and important. He has enough of a presence to keep his few contributions from coming out of nowhere, and his relatively few appearances keep the narrative from feeling like a comedic trio of possessed, possessor, and animal friend.
The worldbuilding is filled in gradually, starting with Artemisia’s incomplete understanding of the history of her home and the forces at play, then gradually filling in as she learns from the revenant and tries to stay alive.
The way this handles trauma, mental illness, and disability in the narrative is pretty great. It's a world where magic is real and very present, but while magic completely dispels some ailments it's not treated as a cure-all. Artemisia has burn scars on her hands which affect her daily existence. The way her hands healed affects her motor skills and ability to sense things like temperature. She still has panic attacks and various levels of mental distress when triggering events occur. There's a minor character who is deeply traumatized by an unrelated experience with possession, and even the revenant has a phobia borne of trauma. It's a world filled with undead, death, and violence, and the way that all the characters are either explicitly or implicitly traumatized accordingly helps it feel cohesive in a way I hadn't expected but very much appreciate.
The plot builds slowly, focusing more on Artemisia's efforts not to get caught once she has the revenant, then gradually she ends up in a position to do more with the information which became available to her. It has great "accidental hero (saint)" vibes with a plot that backs that up.
I like the banter between Artemisia and the revenant. This is one place where the audiobook narrator's performance really shines, as it enhanced an already excellent story by making the revenant's voice pitch perfect for its characterization. Their conversations sometimes feel like banter while staying generally appropriate to the seriousness of each new situation. I was worried that Trouble (the bird) would be a gimmicky animal sidekick, but his appearances are brief and important. He has enough of a presence to keep his few contributions from coming out of nowhere, and his relatively few appearances keep the narrative from feeling like a comedic trio of possessed, possessor, and animal friend.
The worldbuilding is filled in gradually, starting with Artemisia’s incomplete understanding of the history of her home and the forces at play, then gradually filling in as she learns from the revenant and tries to stay alive.
The way this handles trauma, mental illness, and disability in the narrative is pretty great. It's a world where magic is real and very present, but while magic completely dispels some ailments it's not treated as a cure-all. Artemisia has burn scars on her hands which affect her daily existence. The way her hands healed affects her motor skills and ability to sense things like temperature. She still has panic attacks and various levels of mental distress when triggering events occur. There's a minor character who is deeply traumatized by an unrelated experience with possession, and even the revenant has a phobia borne of trauma. It's a world filled with undead, death, and violence, and the way that all the characters are either explicitly or implicitly traumatized accordingly helps it feel cohesive in a way I hadn't expected but very much appreciate.
The plot builds slowly, focusing more on Artemisia's efforts not to get caught once she has the revenant, then gradually she ends up in a position to do more with the information which became available to her. It has great "accidental hero (saint)" vibes with a plot that backs that up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Death, Violence, Self harm, and Vomit
Moderate: Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Ableism, Excrement, Kidnapping, and Slavery
Minor: Child abuse and Suicide
headinthepages's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Medical content, Murder, Torture, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Confinement, Death, Medical trauma, Self harm, Mental illness, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Violence, and Vomit
flyfarther79's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, and Death
Minor: Kidnapping, Murder, Violence, Abandonment, and Panic attacks/disorders
snowwhitehatesapples's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Review can also be found at Snow White Hates Apples.
It’s been a while since I’ve read a fantasy YA novel that doesn’t star some conventionally pretty main character who’s more morally white than grey, so, hello breath of fresh air that is Vespertine !
The story centres around Artemisia, a young woman with a troubled past who’s training to be a Gray Sister (a nun who cleanses the bodies of the dead so that their souls can pass on and not rise as spirits that hunger for the living). She’s socially awkward, very introverted and 100% not looking forward to a life other than the predictable one of a Gray Sister. Unfortunately for her, she’s our main character so the Lady has other plans in store. Artemisia’s convent gets attacked and she awakens the revenant bound to a high relic. Thus, beginning her journey where she and the revenant must work together to save the kingdom of Loraille—all while unravelling the mystery and truths between the saints, magic and the spirits.
We move from one event to another rather quickly as the action never stops in Vespertine and that makes the book un-put-down-able. To complement this, there is no romance and instead, we’re given this delightful focus on Artemisia’s growth. I wholeheartedly adore this focus as we get to witness her coming out of her shell and leaving her comfort zone, navigating people and relationships, realizing things and just…growing in general.
Other than that, I enjoyed the dynamics between Artemisia and the revenant. The way they conversed and worked with each other was at times, entertaining and at others, heart-wrenching as one of them is a recluse who didn’t know how to connect and communicate, and the other, a snarky tsundere. However, I must admit that I was initially thrown off by how the revenant speaks. For a pretty ancient being that’s been locked up for quite a while and hasn’t actually conversed with others, he talks rather ‘modern’ (in Artemisia’s time).
I also greatly enjoyed how there’s actual communication between the characters. It’s not just talking, but proper attempts to really understand the other, especially after misunderstandings happen. This particular aspect shines in Vespertine and I love it.
The worldbuilding for this book provides a nice foundation for us to understand the simple yet well-thought-out magic system. Of course, there’s room for improvement and expansion, but since this is only the first book of the series, I’m excited to see how the world and the magic system expand in the sequel. I’m also excited to see where the story goes and how the relationship between Leander and Artemisia further develops since we’ve got this oddly anticlimactic but hopeful ending that foreshadows their potential reunion.
All in all, Vespertine is the kind of YA novel that I’m always looking forward to reading. A BAMF heroine who isn’t immediately powerful in her own right but becomes a bigger BAMF as the story progresses, no romance, and the multilayered theme of humans VS monsters all in one book? 10/10 my heart is sold.
It’s been a while since I’ve read a fantasy YA novel that doesn’t star some conventionally pretty main character who’s more morally white than grey, so, hello breath of fresh air that is Vespertine !
The story centres around Artemisia, a young woman with a troubled past who’s training to be a Gray Sister (a nun who cleanses the bodies of the dead so that their souls can pass on and not rise as spirits that hunger for the living). She’s socially awkward, very introverted and 100% not looking forward to a life other than the predictable one of a Gray Sister. Unfortunately for her, she’s our main character so the Lady has other plans in store. Artemisia’s convent gets attacked and she awakens the revenant bound to a high relic. Thus, beginning her journey where she and the revenant must work together to save the kingdom of Loraille—all while unravelling the mystery and truths between the saints, magic and the spirits.
We move from one event to another rather quickly as the action never stops in Vespertine and that makes the book un-put-down-able. To complement this, there is no romance and instead, we’re given this delightful focus on Artemisia’s growth. I wholeheartedly adore this focus as we get to witness her coming out of her shell and leaving her comfort zone, navigating people and relationships, realizing things and just…growing in general.
Other than that, I enjoyed the dynamics between Artemisia and the revenant. The way they conversed and worked with each other was at times, entertaining and at others, heart-wrenching as one of them is a recluse who didn’t know how to connect and communicate, and the other, a snarky tsundere. However, I must admit that I was initially thrown off by how the revenant speaks. For a pretty ancient being that’s been locked up for quite a while and hasn’t actually conversed with others, he talks rather ‘modern’ (in Artemisia’s time).
I also greatly enjoyed how there’s actual communication between the characters. It’s not just talking, but proper attempts to really understand the other, especially after misunderstandings happen. This particular aspect shines in Vespertine and I love it.
The worldbuilding for this book provides a nice foundation for us to understand the simple yet well-thought-out magic system. Of course, there’s room for improvement and expansion, but since this is only the first book of the series, I’m excited to see how the world and the magic system expand in the sequel. I’m also excited to see where the story goes and how the relationship between Leander and Artemisia further develops since we’ve got this oddly anticlimactic but hopeful ending that foreshadows their potential reunion.
All in all, Vespertine is the kind of YA novel that I’m always looking forward to reading. A BAMF heroine who isn’t immediately powerful in her own right but becomes a bigger BAMF as the story progresses, no romance, and the multilayered theme of humans VS monsters all in one book? 10/10 my heart is sold.
Thank you so much Pansing for sending me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review! Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson is available at all good bookstores.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Blood, Abandonment, Gore, and Fire/Fire injury