Sorcery of Thorns is about an orphaned apprentice named Elisabeth who grew up in one of the kingdom’s enchanted Great Libraries. When one of the magical grimoires is transformed into a dangerous malefict, wreaking havoc on the library and its tenants, Elisabeth acts quickly to save Austermeer from its reign of terror. But despite her heroic efforts, Elisabeth’s motives are called into question when the library’s director is found dead.
Infamous sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn is tasked with escorting Elisabeth to the council where her fate will be decided. However, a great threat looms on the horizon- a threat more menacing than anyone in the realm could have imagined- and together, Nathaniel and Elisabeth are determined to protect the kingdom and the libraries from utter destruction.
Sorcery of Thorns is eloquently written and utterly gripping. Rogerson has a gift for description and her words effortlessly transported me to the luxe libraries with their soaring ceilings and quirky anthropomorphic books (some of which reminded me of The Monster Book of Monsters from Harry Potter!).
The obstacles that Elisabeth must overcome were absolutely nerve-wracking and I was on pins and needles waiting to see how she would extricate herself from yet another nightmarish scenario. I also loved her will-they-won’t-they relationship with Nathaniel who is aloof, smoldering and maddeningly unpredictable. Nathaniel’s ‘butler’ Silas was a side character worth his weight in gold- cheeky and haughty but oh-so-capable; I inwardly cheered whenever he made an appearance.
This was easily a 5-star book for me until I reached the 75% mark when Sorcery of Thorns reaches a climax. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but for whatever reason I felt strangely disconnected from that point forward. The events leading up to the ending seemed disjointed and incongruous almost as if the author had difficulty bringing it over the finish line? The tone also grew notably darker in a way I didn’t prefer.
This may very well be a personal problem however, and while it did ultimately color my overall opinion, I would not hesitate to recommend Sorcery of Thorns to any bibliophile who enjoys magical adventures and superb characters.
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
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