Sorcery of Thorns

Some people get caught up on the word cliche and turn up their noses at anything of the sort. Personally, I don’t mind cliches, provided they’re done right. Sorcery of Thorns, by Margaret Rogerson, a high fantasy young adult book about a woman fighting first against and then with sorcerers, is one of those greats.

Yes, it has magic and sorcerers and demons bonded by servitude and a setting in the 1800s, but Rogerson tweaks each of these concepts into something new. Magic--that isn’t controlled and with a mind of its own, taking on a different persona and, in some cases, a character. Sorcerers--who hate who they are, not to mention that our main character Elizabeth finds them an abomination to the earth. Demons--who are friends with their masters and make a great cup of tea. Even that weird 1800s England feel a lot of these books give off is masked behind giant libraries that take center stage.

They say a great book will have secondary characters as stunning as their main character; in Sorcery of Thorns, they’re not wrong. Each character has been fleshed out and given a small subplot, adding layers of depth to the story that make the main plot that much richer. And when they all collide, it creates a fantastic ending worthy of the steady build up.

I especially love the work on Silas, the main demon. He’s an integral character to the story rather than a means to an end, and he’s treated as such by Nathaniel, his master and best friend. His characterization and questioning upon what it means to be a monster touched me the most. A novel worthy of its status.

“But she didn’t know that to Nathaniel, what she had done was unforgivable. / Her crime was simple. She had brought tea. She wasn’t Silas.”

Recommended for anyone in need of classic, well written fantasy.

--Grace Nask