A Treason of Thorns by Laura E. Weymouth
Grade: C+
Release date: September 10, 2019
An e-galley was provided by HarperCollins via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Summary: Violet Sterling has spent the last seven years in exile, longing to return to Burleigh House. One of the six great houses of England, Burleigh’s magic kept both the countryside and Violet happy.
That is, until her father’s treason destroyed everything.
Now she’s been given a chance to return home. But Burleigh isn’t what she remembered. Wild with grief, Burleigh’s very soul is crying out in pain. As its tormented magic ravages the countryside, Vi must decide how far she’s willing to go to save her house—before her house destroys everything she’s ever known.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: I'm not quite sure what I expected from A Treason of Thorns, but I don't think it helped that the last thorny book I read (Sorcery of Thorns) was one of my favorites of the year. It's hard to live up to predecessors even if the concepts aren't all that similar.
Weymouth's sophomore novel is set in a fantastical version of historical England and revolves around a world where there are magical houses that provide magic to the land and can sustain or ruin the counties they're situated in. It's an interesting concept, but the book is settled at a point in the houses' history where things feel a bit more dire.
Unfortunately, I could never connect with Violet's voice. I really liked Philippa and Evelyn in TLBW, and Violet didn't quite live up to them. I also found myself annoyed with several of AToT's characters on several occasions, including Wyn and Violet's father. The crown princess was cool, and her friend was a good character too, but we didn't get nearly enough of them.
Content warnings (per the author's website): anxiety, emotional and physical abuse (non-graphic), gaslighting, and mild body horror
The Verdict: Not quite what I wanted.
Will I be adding this book to my library?: Well, I've preordered it.
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