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A review by utopiastateofmind
Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I will forever support morally grey heroines. Characters who are realistic about the world we live in. Who aren't particularly concerned with being heroic or noble or self-sacrificial. But ones who are forced to make difficult choices to save the ones they love, the only home they've ever known, or just simple to survive. Violet is just my kind of heroine. She's pragmatic and clever. She knows that to get ahead requires cracking a few eggs. And there my love of Violet Made of Thorns is born.
Violet Made of Thorns asks us about control. About the intersection of fate and agency. Of ways in which we don't fall for pretty lies or ambitious dreams. How rebellion requires us to be able to sacrifice and how, sometimes, we cannot afford to lose our homes and livelihood and family. Violet feels monstrous. She sees herself as the monstrous one. The scapegoat who's merely hanging on by a thread. And as she sees these possible futures playing out, it's merely cemented how we can get an image of the future and still not understand it.
I will forever support morally grey heroines. Characters who are realistic about the world we live in. Who aren't particularly concerned with being heroic or noble or self-sacrificial. But ones who are forced to make difficult choices to save the ones they love, the only home they've ever known, or just simple to survive. Violet is just my kind of heroine. She's pragmatic and clever. She knows that to get ahead requires cracking a few eggs. And there my love of Violet Made of Thorns is born.
Violet Made of Thorns asks us about control. About the intersection of fate and agency. Of ways in which we don't fall for pretty lies or ambitious dreams. How rebellion requires us to be able to sacrifice and how, sometimes, we cannot afford to lose our homes and livelihood and family. Violet feels monstrous. She sees herself as the monstrous one. The scapegoat who's merely hanging on by a thread. And as she sees these possible futures playing out, it's merely cemented how we can get an image of the future and still not understand it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm and Body horror