If Hermione was your favourite character from Harry Potter you’ve got to check out Sorcery Of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson.
Published in June 2019, I have been seeing this book all over social media for the last few months. I’ve been eyeing it warily as post after post popped up claiming this book was wonderful, was it worth the hype?
I usually prefer fantasy books that are in series so I was skeptical of Sorcery of Thorns largely because it is a standalone novel.
How could a stand alone novel capture the wonder of a fantasy adventure adequately? How could the world building be completed in such a short timeframe?
I was pleasantly surprised by what Sorcery of Thorns delivered. Read on for a spoiler free review.
What is Sorcery of Thorns about?
Sorcery of Thorns follows Elizabeth Scrivener, a foundling raised in the confines of one of the Great Libraries of Austermeer. This is no ordinary library, and this is no ordinary kingdom.
The great libraries are filled with magical books, grimoires, their pages are forbidden to be read by all except the sorcerers who live in the kingdom. If provoked these magical books transform into hideous monsters of leather and ink.
Elizabeth hopes that she will one day be trained and become a warden of the Great Libraries, charged with the protection of the grimoires and the secrets within them. Yet when an act of sabotage takes place at her library Elizabeth is forced to act in ways she would never have dreamt possible, even working with a sorcerer.
The sorcerers are evil, Elizabeth has known this for as long as she has lived. But Nathanial Thorn and his demonic servant Silas are the only hope she has of catching the saboteur.
Throughout this adventure Elizabeth will have to question everything she knows, and everything she’s been taught.
What I liked about Sorcery of Thorns?
As I mentioned in the introduction to this post, Sorcery of Thorns is a standalone fantasy novel. It has no sequel and isn’t a part of a larger series. This was refreshing.
Fantasy as a genre tends to attract book series, with the story unfolding across several books. It’s epic and intense and I love it.
Sorcery of Thorns still achieved a high level of ‘epic’ for being a stand alone novel. It was nice to know that once I finished the book I was getting the whole story. I wouldn’t have to wait around for the sequel or track down the next book.
The world building in Sorcery of Thorns is wonderful and unique. I loved the premise of a girl who was raised in the libraries becoming its ultimate champion.
Rogerson’s descriptions of the books and libraries were vivid and enchanting. I especially enjoyed how the author crafted physical characteristics to match a book based on its title or story content.
Elizabeth Scrivener was a wonderful hero, strong without having to forgo her femininity I loved her passion and cleverness. She reminded me of Hermione with her passion for books.
The dialogue was witty, the pacing well done and the characters were charming and intriguing. All loose ends were satisfyingly tied up, with just enough magic to keep your mind lingering in the story after closing the cover of the book.
What I didn’t like about Sorcery of Thorns?
There isn’t much honestly that I didn’t enjoy about this novel.
Occasionally there was a few little hints of character background, that were never fully explained and I would have liked to know the full story.
However as much as I’d like to know absolutely everything about these characters I think that’s a part of this book being a standalone. We get a snippet of them, for a window of time.
Some mystery isn’t a bad thing, as it’s left me with small curiosities about the story that have left it lingering in my mind. I appreciate that, as its a sign of good storytelling that doesn’t need a cliffhanger ending or three sequels.
My Recommendation
Book lovers, fantasy lovers, anyone who wants to dip their toes into a fantasy book without the commitment of a series…this book is for you.
This book is young adult, and is appropriate for ages as young as thirteen. Sorcery of Thorns has some romance, but it’s age appropriate.
Where can I get a copy?
*Pick up a copy of Sorcery of Thorns from Amazon here or from your local bookseller.
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Final Thoughts
This was a great read! Fun, unique and adventerous. Just what I love from a fantasy book. Have you, or will you be reading Sorcery of Thorns?
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Steph Huddleston 
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