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natsbooknook's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Possessed as a child, successfully exorcised, and subsequently sent to train with the Gray Sisters as an individual with 'the Sight,' Artemisia would prefer to fade into the background, left alone with the corpses she must cleanse. When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, by a twist of fate - or perhaps divine intervention - she finds herself in possession of a reliquary, a holy relic containing a spirit. This particular reliquary contains a revenant, considered one of the post powerful and evil spirits.
Artemisia is untrained and bound to a spirit of great power, but she must fight the forces threatening humanity all while preventing her revenant from betraying her.
~~
The first chapter or so wasn't of great interest to me, in fact, I had actually almost paused reading it in favor of something else that has been sitting on my shelf for a few months. I'm incredibly pleased that I kept reading though because after that initial chapter or two, the story picks up and I was hooked. Although the story is very mission oriented and character driven, the world Margaret Rogerson created is a very interesting one and I would love to read more about it.
I think one of my favorite aspects was the Revenant itself and just this tense feeling that neither we as the reader nor our main protagonist really know what it's motives are, which really adds to the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Vespertine
Artemisia is untrained and bound to a spirit of great power, but she must fight the forces threatening humanity all while preventing her revenant from betraying her.
~~
The first chapter or so wasn't of great interest to me, in fact, I had actually almost paused reading it in favor of something else that has been sitting on my shelf for a few months. I'm incredibly pleased that I kept reading though because after that initial chapter or two, the story picks up and I was hooked. Although the story is very mission oriented and character driven, the world Margaret Rogerson created is a very interesting one and I would love to read more about it.
I think one of my favorite aspects was the Revenant itself and just this tense feeling that neither we as the reader nor our main protagonist really know what it's motives are, which really adds to the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Vespertine
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Self harm
Minor: Bullying
nxpe's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Margaret Rogerson does not write a bad book- I am convinced. This book was so amazing, and I enjoyed it so much!
I was not expecting the extreme plot twists nearing the end, but they were very welcomed. I was convinced the priest had some sinister, horrendously evil plan... So, it being the Divine was a shock to me (I didn't mind though, she annoyed me a little bit).
I love the friendship development between Artemesia and Marguerite. I was worried because of the lack of romance in the book, but genuinely it wasn't needed. The friendship development between them and between Artemesia/revenant was beautiful. Also, I love the revenant! It was so funny, clever, and I love that it cared for it's vessels.
I love the friendship development between Artemesia and Marguerite. I was worried because of the lack of romance in the book, but genuinely it wasn't needed. The friendship development between them and between Artemesia/revenant was beautiful. Also, I love the revenant! It was so funny, clever, and I love that it cared for it's vessels.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Self harm
Moderate: Blood and Child abuse
Minor: Suicide and Vomit
caidyn's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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
4.5
What an enjoyable read! It reminded me a lot of Sorcery of Thorns -- inanimate objects being able to talk and do other things -- but also different. Religious and with things we'd call demons. I really enjoyed this book and loved the characters, especially the revenant. Overall a fantastic read and I hope that this does get another book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Self harm, and Fire/Fire injury
yaoipaddle's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I really like this book!
I like the world that it takes place in and I like all of the characters. There was enough mystery and intrigue to keep me interested but not so much that it felt like I had to stop and remember everything going on.
I really like the side characters as well. I think their interactions are really fun. I like learning more and more about the world and characters as the story goes on too. I also like how the story was not bogged down by any romance!
Sometimes I feel like certain characterization of Artemesia and the revenant is too rushed. I feel as though I would have wanted more struggle between them but so much of it feels skipped over. Also I dislike how most of the time Artemesia just passes out so the author can avoid writing the rest of the scene. But these are the only negatives of the book for me. I excuse it because it's YA but I hope the pacing is fixed in future books (I think it is a series.)
I like the world that it takes place in and I like all of the characters. There was enough mystery and intrigue to keep me interested but not so much that it felt like I had to stop and remember everything going on.
I really like the side characters as well. I think their interactions are really fun. I like learning more and more about the world and characters as the story goes on too. I also like how the story was not bogged down by any romance!
Sometimes I feel like certain characterization of Artemesia and the revenant is too rushed. I feel as though I would have wanted more struggle between them but so much of it feels skipped over. Also I dislike how most of the time Artemesia just passes out so the author can avoid writing the rest of the scene. But these are the only negatives of the book for me. I excuse it because it's YA but I hope the pacing is fixed in future books (I think it is a series.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Blood and Child abuse
Minor: Suicide, Self harm, and Death
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
readsforlove's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm
Moderate: Violence and Eating disorder
ajelinu's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.5
This book was everything I hoped it would be.
Marguerite is great.
Marguerite is great.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm
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 peoplevaniavela's review
adventurous
dark
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? No
4.0
Artemisia is a Grey Sister who works alongside the nuns of the convent, preparing the corpses for their final resting place. But when an army of possessed soldiers comes to destroy the one place that has made her feel at home, she is forced to use the relic of a saint to protect the monastery.
The world building is simple but interesting, with well-developed themes of religion in that era. Although the pace is slow, we manage to immerse ourselves in this world and connect with the characters.
We have a main character with trauma and a sad backstory, which is one of the most used tropes in fantasy. I liked seeing the consequences of her childhood abuse in the present.
The writing was simple but kept me interested in her story from the beginning of the book. All the secondary characters were also good. I liked how versatile the revenant's personality was.
Overall, this was a good book.
tw: abandonment, child neglect, child abuse in past, possession, self-harm, threats of suicide, grief, brief mention of animal abuse, mention of animal deaths, blood depictions, vomiting, drugging, anxiety depictions, talk of plagues, loss of a loved one in the past, mention of spiders, death.
The world building is simple but interesting, with well-developed themes of religion in that era. Although the pace is slow, we manage to immerse ourselves in this world and connect with the characters.
We have a main character with trauma and a sad backstory, which is one of the most used tropes in fantasy. I liked seeing the consequences of her childhood abuse in the present.
The writing was simple but kept me interested in her story from the beginning of the book. All the secondary characters were also good. I liked how versatile the revenant's personality was.
Overall, this was a good book.
tw: abandonment, child neglect, child abuse in past, possession, self-harm, threats of suicide, grief, brief mention of animal abuse, mention of animal deaths, blood depictions, vomiting, drugging, anxiety depictions, talk of plagues, loss of a loved one in the past, mention of spiders, death.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Child abuse
Moderate: Grief, Vomit, Self harm, and Blood
Minor: Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Death
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