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A review by thenovelbookshelf
Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
A dark fantastical YA novel that gets you emotionally attached like thorns on a vine.
Violet saved a boys life when they were children, she didn't know he was a Prince. As adults they are begrudgingly close and in each others lives, Cyrus as the Prince soon to become King, and Violet, the city's seer.
When the King tells Violet to falsely prophesize the upcoming wedding of Cyrus, she is plagued by the fates dark tellings of the future.
With the fates future unravelling before them, Violet uses her wits to protect herself but ends up having to make a deadly choice.
Although this was a really great storyline, with great characters, the ending felt quite rushed (this is book one of a duology), and was very anticlimactic.
I wanted to love the characters but they lack depth and substance, like they just existed and you already knew them. (Is Camilla just a high maintenance Princess that just likes to eat cake and enjoys balls? Would she want to be Queen? Why does the King want to expand the kingdom? Greed? What do the fairies feel about the woods being burnt?) So much potential and hope that book two brings it.
Violet saved a boys life when they were children, she didn't know he was a Prince. As adults they are begrudgingly close and in each others lives, Cyrus as the Prince soon to become King, and Violet, the city's seer.
When the King tells Violet to falsely prophesize the upcoming wedding of Cyrus, she is plagued by the fates dark tellings of the future.
With the fates future unravelling before them, Violet uses her wits to protect herself but ends up having to make a deadly choice.
Although this was a really great storyline, with great characters, the ending felt quite rushed (this is book one of a duology), and was very anticlimactic.
I wanted to love the characters but they lack depth and substance, like they just existed and you already knew them. (Is Camilla just a high maintenance Princess that just likes to eat cake and enjoys balls? Would she want to be Queen? Why does the King want to expand the kingdom? Greed? What do the fairies feel about the woods being burnt?) So much potential and hope that book two brings it.
Content Warnings
Minor: Toxic relationship, Death, Blood, and Murder