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A review by acedimski
Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson
5.0
You better read this book, or I'll send a spirit your way to possess you AND MAKE YOU!
Vespertine was a must-read for me as I have enjoyed Margaret Rogerson's previous novels, especially [b:Sorcery of Thorns|42201395|Sorcery of Thorns|Margaret Rogerson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1541621322l/42201395._SY75_.jpg|61425757] which became one of my all-time favorite standalones in this genre. I was very excited to be finally able to pick this up, but despite the promising blurb, I had no idea what to really expect from this story. Nuns? Demons? Possession? Sign me up for those elements - but what exactly is going to happen?
Well, let me tell you: a hell of a time!
Artemisia is a nun who has dedicated her life cleaning the dead bodies of deceased in order to prevent them to become evil spirits that will try to possess and kill everyone. She is content with her life at church, and doesn't want to pursue a career within it. However, as things go in books, one's plans quickly change. And that change happens for Artemisia when she awakens a dangerous spirit tied to a relic in order to defend her convent from an attack by possessed soldiers. From this moment on, the revenant is inside her - and quite shockingly, it is able to speak, to talk, to think. Like a real person and less like a blood-thirsty monster. Due to the lack of training, Artemisia doesn't know how to abandon the revenant back to its relic. Not that the spirit is eager to return there. And this, ladies and gentlemen, is where the fun begins. Oh yes, I'm calling it fun. But the kind of fun you have when things get dark and twisted and ... fun? Get it? Okay, let's move on.
Let's speak of the setting first which I loved. As a fan of worlds with lore based on saints and belief, I'm always eager to find more books with them. However, they can either be a hit such as the world we have been presented in [b:Shadow and Bone|10194157|Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1339533695l/10194157._SX50_.jpg|15093325] or a miss like it was in [b:Wicked Saints|36118682|Wicked Saints (Something Dark and Holy, #1)|Emily A. Duncan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1539378101l/36118682._SY75_.jpg|57709985] for me. In Vespertine it was a hit. a massive hit. A world full of lore, history, and potential to grow bigger. And this was mainly due to the fact that we had Artemisia and the revenant taking us through the world.
Which leads me to my favorite aspect of this book: the relationship between Artemisia and the spirit. From the first conversation, these two's dynamic reminded me so much of Eddie and Venom from the movies Venom (which by the way, I can highly recommend you to watch!). Both are wary of each other, not trusting the other, but end up having to work together to find out what is happening. The world Artemisia knows is the one we are presented first. Evil spirits, old magic that is forbidden, and the nuns' duty to prevent and save the people from it. And as we get deeper and deeper into the story, it's the revenant who is showing us different parts of history that makes Artemisia and us question everything we know so far. Where are the spirits coming from? What did the saints exactly do to bind those evil spirits to their bones so their relics could be wielded? And had the old magic really been banished?
Slowly, their distrust turns into an allyship and soon has potential to grow into one of the best friendships ever. I loved their banter, their bickering and the development Artemisia and the revenant went through so so much that in fact, I didn't even realize there wasn't a romantic subplot until to the point where we were presented with the slight potential of one that could happen in the sequel. In fact, a romantic subplot would have been totally misplaced in this book. Artemisia is a character that wants to stay to herself due to the horrific past she endured, and is only slowly understanding the value of friendship and opening to the people as we follow her and the revenant through the story. While there are other characters in the story that I enjoyed, and other bonds of friendships and trust are being created, my favorite bond remains the one between Artemisia and the revenant. I simply loved them so much. I'm missing them like crazy already.
Overall, this story is just fantastic and if you're a fan of the concept of two "souls" sharing the same body in the way we see it in Venom or Stephanie Meyer's [b:The Host|1656001|The Host (The Host, #1)|Stephenie Meyer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1318009171l/1656001._SY75_.jpg|3328799] (which is, by the way, a great story - so don't let Twilight be the reason not to read it!) and settings with lore based on belief and sainthood, then you need Vespertine. On your shelf. In your hands. In your heart. Trust me on this one. Just read it.
I can't wait to finally hold the sequel in my hands to a) be reunited with Artemisia and the revenant, b) have all my questions answered, and c) see where this story is leading us! The excitement is real.
Now can someone tell me where I can find myself a revenant? Yes, I want to be possessed. Thank you. (Though, considering the other spiritis ... maybe not.)
Vespertine was a must-read for me as I have enjoyed Margaret Rogerson's previous novels, especially [b:Sorcery of Thorns|42201395|Sorcery of Thorns|Margaret Rogerson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1541621322l/42201395._SY75_.jpg|61425757] which became one of my all-time favorite standalones in this genre. I was very excited to be finally able to pick this up, but despite the promising blurb, I had no idea what to really expect from this story. Nuns? Demons? Possession? Sign me up for those elements - but what exactly is going to happen?
Well, let me tell you: a hell of a time!
Artemisia is a nun who has dedicated her life cleaning the dead bodies of deceased in order to prevent them to become evil spirits that will try to possess and kill everyone. She is content with her life at church, and doesn't want to pursue a career within it. However, as things go in books, one's plans quickly change. And that change happens for Artemisia when she awakens a dangerous spirit tied to a relic in order to defend her convent from an attack by possessed soldiers. From this moment on, the revenant is inside her - and quite shockingly, it is able to speak, to talk, to think. Like a real person and less like a blood-thirsty monster. Due to the lack of training, Artemisia doesn't know how to abandon the revenant back to its relic. Not that the spirit is eager to return there. And this, ladies and gentlemen, is where the fun begins. Oh yes, I'm calling it fun. But the kind of fun you have when things get dark and twisted and ... fun? Get it? Okay, let's move on.
Let's speak of the setting first which I loved. As a fan of worlds with lore based on saints and belief, I'm always eager to find more books with them. However, they can either be a hit such as the world we have been presented in [b:Shadow and Bone|10194157|Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1339533695l/10194157._SX50_.jpg|15093325] or a miss like it was in [b:Wicked Saints|36118682|Wicked Saints (Something Dark and Holy, #1)|Emily A. Duncan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1539378101l/36118682._SY75_.jpg|57709985] for me. In Vespertine it was a hit. a massive hit. A world full of lore, history, and potential to grow bigger. And this was mainly due to the fact that we had Artemisia and the revenant taking us through the world.
Which leads me to my favorite aspect of this book: the relationship between Artemisia and the spirit. From the first conversation, these two's dynamic reminded me so much of Eddie and Venom from the movies Venom (which by the way, I can highly recommend you to watch!). Both are wary of each other, not trusting the other, but end up having to work together to find out what is happening. The world Artemisia knows is the one we are presented first. Evil spirits, old magic that is forbidden, and the nuns' duty to prevent and save the people from it. And as we get deeper and deeper into the story, it's the revenant who is showing us different parts of history that makes Artemisia and us question everything we know so far. Where are the spirits coming from? What did the saints exactly do to bind those evil spirits to their bones so their relics could be wielded? And had the old magic really been banished?
Slowly, their distrust turns into an allyship and soon has potential to grow into one of the best friendships ever. I loved their banter, their bickering and the development Artemisia and the revenant went through so so much that in fact, I didn't even realize there wasn't a romantic subplot until to the point where we were presented with the slight potential of one that could happen in the sequel. In fact, a romantic subplot would have been totally misplaced in this book. Artemisia is a character that wants to stay to herself due to the horrific past she endured, and is only slowly understanding the value of friendship and opening to the people as we follow her and the revenant through the story. While there are other characters in the story that I enjoyed, and other bonds of friendships and trust are being created, my favorite bond remains the one between Artemisia and the revenant. I simply loved them so much. I'm missing them like crazy already.
Overall, this story is just fantastic and if you're a fan of the concept of two "souls" sharing the same body in the way we see it in Venom or Stephanie Meyer's [b:The Host|1656001|The Host (The Host, #1)|Stephenie Meyer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1318009171l/1656001._SY75_.jpg|3328799] (which is, by the way, a great story - so don't let Twilight be the reason not to read it!) and settings with lore based on belief and sainthood, then you need Vespertine. On your shelf. In your hands. In your heart. Trust me on this one. Just read it.
I can't wait to finally hold the sequel in my hands to a) be reunited with Artemisia and the revenant, b) have all my questions answered, and c) see where this story is leading us! The excitement is real.
Now can someone tell me where I can find myself a revenant? Yes, I want to be possessed. Thank you. (Though, considering the other spiritis ... maybe not.)