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A review by lastblossom
Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen
adventurous
dark
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? Yes
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's for an ARC.
tl;dr
A dark fairy tale with a morally gray heroine and a compelling supporting cast for fans of sexy enemies-to-lovers type romances. Stubborn leads may be frustrating at times.
About
Violet is a seer to the royal court. But what she sees in her visions isn't necessarily what she prophesies to the people; after all, what's a little twist of the truth in service of the king? Prince Cyrus doesn't approve, but Violet doesn't care about his opinion. At least, she wishes she didn't. But with a curse hanging over his head, and the Fates whispering to Violet that only one of them will live, it might take more than a little twist of the truth to get out ahead.
Thoughts
Fairy tales in their rawest form are dark, violent, and often incredibly sexual. Violet Made of Thorns hits all those beats in a page-turning, morally gray tale about a seer, a prince, and a world full of conflicting desires. The book draws clear inspiration from several fairy tales (of note: Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, The Goose Girl), but it's not a retelling of any specific one, and it stands as its own story.
Violet is a stunning MC: Quick, self-reliant, and often grumpy. The author's note likens Violet to "unrelatable" MCs, and I while I think some readers will have difficulty approving of her choices, most will understand exactly why she made them. Her sense of self-preservation is powerful, something heroines don't always have. Lack of communication is my least favorite drama spice, and there are a few moments where she refuses to divulge information that I found frustrating. But by the end, I followed the reasoning behind her decisions (even the terrible ones) with ease. Prince Cyrus doesn't get the same amount of care and attention in terms of character development, but anyone looking for a firey haters-to-lovers romance should be satisfied. Of all the characters, Prince Cyrus' sister Camilla is my runaway favorite. I love a character who's self-assured, smart, and loves themselves the way they are. Overall, I'd recommend this to anyone looking for dark sexy romance with fairy tale overtones.
tl;dr
A dark fairy tale with a morally gray heroine and a compelling supporting cast for fans of sexy enemies-to-lovers type romances. Stubborn leads may be frustrating at times.
About
Violet is a seer to the royal court. But what she sees in her visions isn't necessarily what she prophesies to the people; after all, what's a little twist of the truth in service of the king? Prince Cyrus doesn't approve, but Violet doesn't care about his opinion. At least, she wishes she didn't. But with a curse hanging over his head, and the Fates whispering to Violet that only one of them will live, it might take more than a little twist of the truth to get out ahead.
Thoughts
Fairy tales in their rawest form are dark, violent, and often incredibly sexual. Violet Made of Thorns hits all those beats in a page-turning, morally gray tale about a seer, a prince, and a world full of conflicting desires. The book draws clear inspiration from several fairy tales (of note: Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, The Goose Girl), but it's not a retelling of any specific one, and it stands as its own story.
Violet is a stunning MC: Quick, self-reliant, and often grumpy. The author's note likens Violet to "unrelatable" MCs, and I while I think some readers will have difficulty approving of her choices, most will understand exactly why she made them. Her sense of self-preservation is powerful, something heroines don't always have. Lack of communication is my least favorite drama spice, and there are a few moments where she refuses to divulge information that I found frustrating. But by the end, I followed the reasoning behind her decisions (even the terrible ones) with ease. Prince Cyrus doesn't get the same amount of care and attention in terms of character development, but anyone looking for a firey haters-to-lovers romance should be satisfied. Of all the characters, Prince Cyrus' sister Camilla is my runaway favorite. I love a character who's self-assured, smart, and loves themselves the way they are. Overall, I'd recommend this to anyone looking for dark sexy romance with fairy tale overtones.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Xenophobia, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Death, and Racism
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and War