Between Two Thorns (Split Worlds, #1)

by Emma Newman

Something is wrong in Aquae Sulis, Bath's secret mirror city. The new season is starting and the Master of Ceremonies is missing. A rebellious woman trying to escape her family may prove to be the answer to the mystery. But can she be trusted? And why does she want to give up eternal youth and the life of privilege she's been born into?

• ISBN10: 0857663208
• ISBN13: 9780857663207
• Publish Date: 26 February 2013 (first published 1 January 2013)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 28 July 2016
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Angry Robot
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 396
• Language: English

Reviews

[bestmessever]

Definitely a new favorite. Hope I can pick up the rest of the series soon.

[wyvernfriend]

When I finished this I breathed a sigh of relief. I really enjoy Emma Newman's Tea and Jeopardy podcast and desperately hoped that I would also like her book, and I did.

The story opens with Sam, trying to find somewhere to relieve his bladder after a night involving too much alcohol, which ends up with him losing some of his memories.

Catherine Rhoeas-Papaver (the Rhoeas Poppy is the common red poppy of remembrance, something that made me smile) is living in the Mundanus, the mundane world, hiding from her family with the help of a charm and is enjoying studying. She knows that her life in the dangerous politics of the Nether will be not what she wants, but she is dragged by the patron of her house the Fae Lord Poppy back into it. He has plans for her and he will not be gainsaid. She resists as best as she can but her family is determined to put her life back on their course, including her advantageous marriage.

Max is an arbiter of the Split Worlds treaty, investigating missing women, out of his normal space, when everything goes wrong, saving his life, but leaving him without his usual supports.

When they all end in Bath, or Aquae Sulis, they will all be important in a complicated plot that includes the Master of Ceremonies of Aquae Sulis and will resonate through the season.

I liked it, it really resonated with me and I enjoyed the read and the politics and the characters. Cathy is constrained by her fear of not having agency which both restricts her and makes her interesting to me.

Really want to read the sequel now.