Hello hello and welcome or welcome back to my little bookish corner of the internet. Today I’m sharing my review of Mysteries of Thorn Manor, the novella sequel to Sorcery of Thorns.
Synopsis
Elisabeth Scrivener is finally settling into her new life with sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn. Now that their demon companion Silas has returned, so has scrutiny from nosy reporters hungry for gossip about the city’s most powerful sorcerer and the librarian who stole his heart. But something strange is afoot at Thorn Manor: the estate’s wards, which are meant to keep their home safe, are acting up and forcibly trapping the Manor’s occupants inside. Surely it must be a coincidence that this happened just as Nathaniel and Elisabeth started getting closer to one another . . . ?
With no access to the outside world, Elisabeth and Nathaniel have to work together to discover the source of the magic before they’re due to host the city’s Midwinter Ball. Faced with a house filled with unexpected secrets, the couple will have to lean on their connection like never before to set things right before it’s too late . . .
Review
I read Sorcery of Thorns back in 2021, and it blew me away entirely. It’s been one of those books that has stuck with me vividly, and I was absolutely delighted when Margaret Rogerson announced that 2023 would see us returning to Thorn Manor.
Although this is a novella, so much world building is still achieved, building upwards from everything that Sorcery of Thorns established. It was an utter delight to return to some of my favourite characters, and, what’s more, explore this magical location just that bit more.
With Elisabeth and Nathaniel reunited with Silas, there is magic aplenty to go around. Silas remains to be one of my favourite non-human characters I have ever read about, and if anything this book just made me love him more. The relationship between Silas and Elisabeth especially was so precious in this novella, and I would have happily read a book double the length just solely for more of them together.
But of course, Elisabeth and Nathaniel are the utter center of the story, and they are as hilarious and wonderful as I remembered, if not more so. It was like being reunited with old friends, and the kind of friends you love so dearly. Elisabeth’s dedication and understanding of the magic books she works with makes this a fantastical book about books, and gives her layers of character that you can’t help but love. Nathaniel just makes me cackle with almost everything he does and says, and I love the way his brain waves strike him at the most ridiiculous of moments (mainly because I can completely relate to that).
Overall, this ended up being one of my favourite reads of 2022, and I know already I’ll reread it time and again when I need a pick-me-up book. Rogerson is a genius.
Thanks for stopping by for this review today. I can’t recommend this book – and the one before it – highly enough. Treat yourself to a read of them; you won’t regret it.
And On She Reads 