Vespertine (Vespertine, #1)

by Margaret Rogerson

*THE TOP-TEN BESTSELLER*

From the New York Times bestselling author of Sorcery of Thorns and An Enchantment of Ravens comes a thrilling new YA fantasy about a teen girl with mythic abilities. This is the perfect read for fans of Cassandra Clare, Sarah J. Maas's A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES series, and Holly Black!

Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, tasked with cleansing the bodies of the dead so that their souls can pass on; otherwise, they will rise as spirits with a hunger for the living.
When her convent is attacked, Artemisia defends it by awakening a revenant. Wielding this ancient spirit’s extraordinary power almost consumes her – but only a vespertine, a priestess trained to wield a revenant, has any chance of saving Loraille.

As Artemisia unravels a sinister mystery of saints, secrets and dark magic, her bond with the revenant grows. And when a hidden evil begins to surface, she discovers that facing this enemy may require her to betray everything she’s been taught to believe – if the revenant doesn’t betray her first.

Praise for Sorcery of Thorns:
'A bewitching gem . . . I absolutely loved every moment of this story' – Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Caraval series
'If you loved the Hogwarts Library . . . you’ll be right at home at Summershall' – Katherine Arden, New York Times bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale
'An enthralling adventure replete with spellbinding characters, a slow-burning love story, and a world worth staying lost in' – Kirkus Reviews, starred review

• ISBN10: 1398507946
• ISBN13: 9781398507944
• Publish Date: 5 October 2021 (first published 28 September 2021)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 22 July 2024
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Simon & Schuster Ltd
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 400
• Language: English

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

I fell in love with Margaret Rogerson's writing when I first read Sorcery of Thorns. Naturally, I dove at the chance to read Vespertine. This is the start of a new series of the same name and guys? I'm already counting down the days for the next release.

Artemisia has not had what one would call a happy life. Yet, she's found a semblance of peace among the Gray Sisters. She's in training to become one, where she will help cleanse the bodies of the dead and provide final rights to those that have passed on.

This is one of very few paths for those such as Artemisia. For she has the sight, and all with the sight are vulnerable to possession. Yet one event is about to change the course of Artemisia's life, as she steps up to defend her convent and those within.

"Sometimes, if you want to save other people, you need to remember to save yourself first."

So there were a lot of reasons why I was desperate to get my hands on Vespertine. First, that title and cover! Second, obviously at this point, I'm going to read anything written by Margaret Rogerson. It's just a fact. And finally? Rogerson herself described Vespertine as a "medieval Venom starring a nun and a ghost." Yes, please!

Vespertine was somehow everything and nothing like what I expected. It was even better. Artemisia's story is so compelling that it's easy to be curious about her and her past even right from the start.

Throw in ghosts and the risk of possession? And suddenly, this story just got a whole lot bigger. I love how Rogerson played around with classic storytelling elements and some ideas from the church. Concerns about good versus evil, possession, and saintliness. It made for an interesting mixture, to say the least.

While reading, it was easy to feel the Joan of Arc vibes. Obviously, there are a few significant twists in this narrative, but the fantasy elements made the whole story stronger if you ask me. And that's coming from somebody who hardly read novels with a strong religious backdrop.

I can tell you with complete honesty that I fell in love with Vespertine and every little detail within. Especially the character development – and no, I'm not just referring to the humans in this case. It was such a delightful surprise, yet one that was very much necessary for this plot.

Here's hoping we'll get news on the sequel soon because I am dying (no pun intended) to learn more. I want more lore, character development, and this world as a whole. In short, I want more of all of it.

Thanks to Margaret K. McElderry Books and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[alindstadtcorbeax]

YYYYESSSSSSSS! This sounds SOGOOD! I loved Sorcery of Thorns, so I am so extremely ECSTATIC to see another book of hers ( and it's coming out this yearrrrr!!! Yeeeeee!)