“Nathaniel laughed in amazement. When she looked at him, she found him watching her, his eyes shining, It was the same way he had looked at her at the ball, when he had seen her in her gown for the first time.
‘What is it?’ she asked.
‘I knew you talked to books. I didn’t realize they listened.’
‘They do more than just listen.’ The floorboards creaked as Elizabeth stepped inside. She breathed in and out, tasting the dust in the air, then closed her eyes, envisioning the Royal Library as though it were her own body, its lofty vaults, its secret rooms and countless mysteries, the magic flowing through its halls.” ~ p. 416
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| Image Source: Amazon |
There are daring swordfights, feral librarians, books that
bite and sing opera, dashing, young sorcerers, a demon with a heart of
gold—this book was a pure joy to read from beginning to end.
It is set in Austermeer, a nineteenth-century
European-inspired world where sorcerers draw their magic by striking bargains
with demons (of the Otherworld).
In Austermeer there are also the Great Libraries—not
ordinary libraries, but those that house grimoires or books of magic imbued
with demonic power.
Elisabeth is no stranger to these books—in fact, as the only
person who grew up in one of the Great Libraries since infancy (she was
abandoned on the library’s doorstep), she counts the grimoires among her
friends.
However, after Elisabeth defeats a Malefict (a grimoire that
has basically lost its marbles and has become a book monster) and loses her
beloved Director all in one night, she finds herself declared an enemy of the
libraries and must leave her beloved Summershall.
Although she has been raised to be deeply prejudiced against
sorcerers, Elisabeth finds herself befriending the young, brooding, handsome,
and mysterious sorcerer Nathanial Thorn and his demon butler (Silas) who would
put Carson from Downton Abbey to
shame with his fastidiousness.
As Elisabeth spends more time in the capitol, she uncovers
an evil plot involving all of the libraries and must fight to defend her world
and everything she holds dear—but along the way realizes that her time with
Nathanial and Silas has changed her and her view of sorcery forever.
Sorcery of Thorns was
beautifully written and such fun to read. I do not think this book will have
sequels (which is okay—YA fantasy tends to over-do it on long series; don’t get
me wrong—I love a good series, but not everything needs to be a Harry Potter-length epic), but it has a
deliciously open ending and I definitely would not say no to learning more about
Silas and the Otherworld.
Also, I have to say that Nathanial Thorn’s character being somewhat based on Lord Byron was
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| Image Source: The British Library |
She brings the sword-fighting, librarian badassery and he
brings the dark magic and the sass.
10 out of 10 would recommend!
