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A review by toastyghosty13
Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
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? No
4.0
This was such a fun read that was so nostalgic for me!! It reminded me of the books I loved to read as a kid (i.e. The Septimus Heap series) and I really enjoyed it. I listened to this as an audiobook, which was narrated by Emily Ellet whom I have heard narrate before. I love her voice which just added to the enjoyment.
Elizabeth Scrivener is an interesting and capable character that has a mysterious backstory where she was left on the doorstep of a great library and subsequently raised in the library. She is falsely accused of a crime and then transported to the main city by a magister Nathaniel Thorn and his butler Silas. This sets off a chain of events where they have to work together to unravel the mystery behind the chaos around the city. I loved watching them grow closer and also learning more about the characters and why their similarities brought them closer. There were also some great villains in this story, and it felt like a lot happened without it feeling too rushed or forced.
My understanding is that this is a standalone book for the most part, but that there is a follow up novella that continues the story but with a different and more lighthearted plot. I sincerely hope there is more in the works for this "series?" in the future, since it seems that the novella was published in 2023, roughly 4 years after the publishing of Sorcery of Thorns in 2019. Sorcery of Thorns has the closure to finish as a standalone novel, but my hopes for more books are still high since it has been revisited with the novella Mysteries of Thorn Manor.
I highly highly recommend this book if you want a fun story with loveable characters, a great villain, a unique magic system, and some nostalgic vibes. It was an absolute joy to listen to the audiobook and I plan on buying a physical copy!
Elizabeth Scrivener is an interesting and capable character that has a mysterious backstory where she was left on the doorstep of a great library and subsequently raised in the library. She is falsely accused of a crime and then transported to the main city by a magister Nathaniel Thorn and his butler Silas. This sets off a chain of events where they have to work together to unravel the mystery behind the chaos around the city. I loved watching them grow closer and also learning more about the characters and why their similarities brought them closer. There were also some great villains in this story, and it felt like a lot happened without it feeling too rushed or forced.
My understanding is that this is a standalone book for the most part, but that there is a follow up novella that continues the story but with a different and more lighthearted plot. I sincerely hope there is more in the works for this "series?" in the future, since it seems that the novella was published in 2023, roughly 4 years after the publishing of Sorcery of Thorns in 2019. Sorcery of Thorns has the closure to finish as a standalone novel, but my hopes for more books are still high since it has been revisited with the novella Mysteries of Thorn Manor.
I highly highly recommend this book if you want a fun story with loveable characters, a great villain, a unique magic system, and some nostalgic vibes. It was an absolute joy to listen to the audiobook and I plan on buying a physical copy!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Death and Death of parent