Book #217 of 2019:
A Treason of Thorns by Laura E. Weymouth
I love the magic in this standalone regency fantasy novel, which concerns a temperamental living house that grows flowering vines to caress its caretaker, yet floods her veins with deadly mortar when she channels its power to protect the local countryside. It’s simultaneously beautiful and awful, the sort of uncanny eldritch force that is too rare in this genre. I also appreciate the minor Jewish representation in the supporting cast, which is a rarity in its own right.
Unfortunately, I have some issues with the main storyline, mostly stemming from inexplicable character choices and relationships. Why has the heroine waited nearly a decade before putting her plot into motion? Why does the king’s heir risk her own life and status to overthrow a system she could simply disband once she succeeds her father to the throne? Why is His Majesty’s big secret, hidden even from the princess, apparently known by a random flunky? These questions go unanswered, and along with some cloudy logic surrounding the rules of sorcery, they hinder the volume from showcasing its strengths to their best effect.
★★★☆☆
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