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A review by mastersal
Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson
4.0
Something about Margaret Rogerson’s books just work for me - she is batting 3 for 3 for me with this newest book about nuns who exorcize ghosts.
The world that Ms. Rogerson created was both familiar in its mythology - which is based Christian church theology mixed with actual ghosts and demons. It gives this book this creepy edge which, surprisingly, I enjoyed despite being a complete chicken when it comes to horror. For example, the world is a female led theocracy which I did not expect given the Church motif - and was a twist on the typical world construction.
As always, Ms Rogerson is smart in her writing choice - her use of these familiar tropes allows her to focus on her characters and on her pretty fast paced plot. We don't have to spend page and pages explaining made up language and terms. As a result, most of this book I found to be tightly focused. However, the pace was just a little off compared to her books - possibly because this is a first in a series.
In the book our heroine, Artemisia, has to form a pact with a revenant. It’s not exactly a sunshine-grump friendship (think grumpy and grumpier instead - which I kind of loved!) but a lot of time is spent with these two characters. That was mostly fun but it did leave the plot behind a little. I loved our revenant and his snark - but I was still distracted by the end of the world stakes.
This book is Ms. Rogerson’s most ambitious in that she is setting up a bigger macro plot - which I didn’t find the clearest and just a little convenient in the ending. The reveals were not really earned in my mind.
This could have been a standalone as well but I still trust the author to pick up the next book in the series. There are some interesting place that Artemisia can go as a character and one in particular bleaker take I am intrigued to see if Ms. Rogerson takes. This book is still optimistic and sweet in places so I want to see if it becomes darker as some of the inspiration tales behind the book would imply.
This is also the most hopeful book in its use of religion that I’ve read in a while. It was nice to see a positive use of the Church motifs which was also not explicitly faith based fantasy. See:
“You see, here is the Lady’s grace. It has been here all along. She has shown me Her grace in a drink of water when I was thirsty and bread when I was hungry … not through miracles, but through the kindness of those who stood to gain nothing from helping me. It is through the hands of strangers that She carried out Her will.”
In the end, the world with its creepy supernatural creatures, the discussion of faith and the two leads and their snark won me over. Despite a middle slowdown in pace, I really enjoyed the writing. Worth checking out for the setting and the promise of a fun series where the world really opens up.
The world that Ms. Rogerson created was both familiar in its mythology - which is based Christian church theology mixed with actual ghosts and demons. It gives this book this creepy edge which, surprisingly, I enjoyed despite being a complete chicken when it comes to horror. For example, the world is a female led theocracy which I did not expect given the Church motif - and was a twist on the typical world construction.
As always, Ms Rogerson is smart in her writing choice - her use of these familiar tropes allows her to focus on her characters and on her pretty fast paced plot. We don't have to spend page and pages explaining made up language and terms. As a result, most of this book I found to be tightly focused. However, the pace was just a little off compared to her books - possibly because this is a first in a series.
In the book our heroine, Artemisia, has to form a pact with a revenant. It’s not exactly a sunshine-grump friendship (think grumpy and grumpier instead - which I kind of loved!) but a lot of time is spent with these two characters. That was mostly fun but it did leave the plot behind a little. I loved our revenant and his snark - but I was still distracted by the end of the world stakes.
This book is Ms. Rogerson’s most ambitious in that she is setting up a bigger macro plot - which I didn’t find the clearest and just a little convenient in the ending. The reveals were not really earned in my mind.
This could have been a standalone as well but I still trust the author to pick up the next book in the series. There are some interesting place that Artemisia can go as a character and one in particular bleaker take I am intrigued to see if Ms. Rogerson takes. This book is still optimistic and sweet in places so I want to see if it becomes darker as some of the inspiration tales behind the book would imply.
This is also the most hopeful book in its use of religion that I’ve read in a while. It was nice to see a positive use of the Church motifs which was also not explicitly faith based fantasy. See:
“You see, here is the Lady’s grace. It has been here all along. She has shown me Her grace in a drink of water when I was thirsty and bread when I was hungry … not through miracles, but through the kindness of those who stood to gain nothing from helping me. It is through the hands of strangers that She carried out Her will.”
In the end, the world with its creepy supernatural creatures, the discussion of faith and the two leads and their snark won me over. Despite a middle slowdown in pace, I really enjoyed the writing. Worth checking out for the setting and the promise of a fun series where the world really opens up.