Review: A Treason of Thorns by Laura E. Weymouth
I received a complimentary ARC from the publisher, courtesy of Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.
A Treason of Thorns Summary
A House left unchecked will lead to ruin. But I will not let it ruin me.
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.
Dark, gripping, and utterly unique, this atmospheric historical fantasy from critically-acclaimed author Laura E. Weymouth balances danger and intrigue on a razor’s edge as one girl defies all to save her home and her heart.
Book Details
Treason of Thorns by Laura E. Weymouth
Publishes September 10, 2019 by HarperTeen
Young Adult Fiction / Fantasy / Dark Fantasy
Hardcover, 352 pages
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Review
A Treason of Thorns by Laura E. Weymouth is a darkly atmospheric YA fantasy featuring a crumbling manor ravaged by its bound magic and the little girl who is now grown-up and ready to save the place she once called her home.
Once, as one of the six Great Houses of England, Burleigh’s magic ensured the land was fruitful, its magic governing the well-being of England.
Its inhabitants, Caretakers, live in a home filled with love and care. Sharing a bond only death can break. Now, the bond is broken, and Violet returns hoping to save Burleigh.
Weymouth writes with such vivid and lush prose creating a house that is as living and breathing as any character—one tormented by the bonds placed on its magic.
The setting is a re-imagined 19th-century England where the six great houses are tied to the king—one who treats the lives of the houses and their Caretakers like a game of chess, its pieces carelessly used and abandoned upon a whim.
Violet Sterling returns home, having spent several years in exile as a punishment for her father’s crimes only to find she must not only battle against the destructive magic Burleigh is unleashing on the land but a capricious king.
Violet is a fierce and take-charge heroine, ready to take on anything and everyone to protect her home—but how do you save something from itself when it is tormented by the very magic that makes it alive without destroying it?
There is much to enjoy in this story. Lush writing, a sentient house that breathes and feels. A fierce heroine and a mystery involving hidden keys, lost maps, and dangerous court intrigue. And a slow-burning romance between childhood friends that kindles across the pages.
In the End
This YA fantasy standalone mixes danger and beautiful writing set in an alternate England featuring a determined heroine who must outwit a king, save her home from destructive magic and the boy she loves tied to it.
