Sorcery of Thorns – Spoiler Free Review

I’m finally reading and reviewing more! I finished Sorcery of Thorns, and it’s the first completed book of my new Books About Books challenge, so here is my spoiler free review!

I’ve had Sorcery of Thorns for a while, and even brought it with me to The Netherlands. Because it was still unread… I don’t know why I never picked it up sooner, but since I started reading it, I immediately wanted to read more books about books!

First, here’s the blurb from Goodreads:

Sorcery of Thorns cover image

All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power.

Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire. Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.

As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined.

What I liked

All the characters in this book are positively charming. I’m so glad to read a book about a girl who’s not only tall, but als clumsy. How often have we read about girls that somehow manage to be perfect in everything they do?? I probably relate to Elisabeth because I too, am prone to accidents. I love that she’s witty and intelligent, and will do whatever it takes to set the world straight, even if that means adjusting her own judgments.

Nathaniel gave me strong Will Herondale vibes, in that he was broody and sarcastic. I was totally living for that. Despite all the broodiness, there’s definitely a sense of humor underneath his skin. Honestly, the book had me laughing out loud a few times.

I greatly enjoyed the character arcs in this book, too. All of our mains went through some sort of transformation. Silas, Nathaniel’s demonic servant, is a very interesting character. I feel like a series of short stories about his life serving the Thorn family would actually be really interesting.

Lastly, I enjoyed the world a lot. All the books in this world have lives and souls, and them attempting to bite your fingers off, or singing arias, is the most normal thing in the world. The writing is incredibly descriptive, and it was like images flowed straight from the pages into my brain.

What I liked less

Honestly, I have a hard time pinpointing what exactly doesn’t make it a five star read for me. I thought the end was slightly anti-climatic. I expected more drama and battle, to be honest. I also wasn’t sure what the motivation of the main villain was for the longest time, and that bothered me a little. I thought, “Okay, we know who it is now, but why??”

Final Rating: ★★★★☆

Sorcery of Thorns was a delightful read, that kept my attention from starts to finish! I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy.

You can find more of my reviews here!

Cover image by Annie Spratt via Unsplash

2 Comments

  1. April 26, 2020 / 11:37 am

    What a great review! I really enjoyed the book too ?

    • simonevanheijst
      Author
      April 26, 2020 / 11:51 am

      Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it too?

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