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A review by valpyre
Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
i have been so excited to read this book ever since rogerson announced its existence. i have always appreciated her skill for balancing internal and external detail and exposition, almost seamlessly. the world of loraille (fantasy france, admittedly) was so intriguing with the history that rogerson crafted in and around it. the clerisy was intimately familiar as a higher religious power, but its fantastical origins added depth and made me think about all kinds of theories as i read on.
when i started the book, i was immediately taken in by the protag, artemisia -- so much of her inner monologue was relatable, in the way that she was blunt and didn't socialize or act how others expected her to. i admit that i got a little annoyed when it was revealed how much she had assumed/ignored about the people around her later on, just pushing the boundaries of her surface level "not-like-other-girls" behaviour that i think rogerson had skirted well for most of the book. i think rogerson does a great job of showing us who people are in her books -- there are always wonderful little details dropped throughout, little dots to be connected. i also felt pretty touched as artemisia gained support throughout the book, as she is someone who is so used to being or feeling like she is alone.
the concept of the undead was really interesting to me as well. i often find rigid hierarchies/categories of fantastical beings to grow old quickly, but i think rogerson had enough variety in her undead that i didn't get tired of reading encounters with them. i'm intrigued to see where she will take artemisia and the revenant after this installment -- i loved how their relationship grew as the book went on, and i'm really curious if the revenants origins will ever be revealed.
when i started the book, i was immediately taken in by the protag, artemisia -- so much of her inner monologue was relatable, in the way that she was blunt and didn't socialize or act how others expected her to. i admit that i got a little annoyed when it was revealed how much she had assumed/ignored about the people around her later on, just pushing the boundaries of her surface level "not-like-other-girls" behaviour that i think rogerson had skirted well for most of the book. i think rogerson does a great job of showing us who people are in her books -- there are always wonderful little details dropped throughout, little dots to be connected. i also felt pretty touched as artemisia gained support throughout the book, as she is someone who is so used to being or feeling like she is alone.
the concept of the undead was really interesting to me as well. i often find rigid hierarchies/categories of fantastical beings to grow old quickly, but i think rogerson had enough variety in her undead that i didn't get tired of reading encounters with them. i'm intrigued to see where she will take artemisia and the revenant after this installment -- i loved how their relationship grew as the book went on, and i'm really curious if the revenants origins will ever be revealed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Self harm, Child abuse, Abandonment, Death, Eating disorder, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Medical content