A Treason of Thorns
Written by Laura E. Weymouth
Narrated by Fiona Hardingham
3.5/5
()
About this audiobook
Dark, gripping, and utterly unique, this atmospheric historical fantasy from critically acclaimed author Laura E. Weymouth is perfect for fans of The Hazel Wood and Caraval.
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.
A house left unchecked will lead to ruin.
But I will not let it ruin me.
Laura E. Weymouth
Laura E. Weymouth was born and raised in Ontario; she now lives in western New York, along with her husband, two wild-hearted daughters, a spoiled cat, and an indeterminate number of chickens. She is the author of the critically acclaimed The Light Between Worlds and can be found online at www.lauraeweymouth.com.
Related to A Treason of Thorns
Related audiobooks
Spindle Fire Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Beholder Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Bird and the Blade Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Traitor Prince Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Cursed Sea Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Glass Spare Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Circle of Shadows Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Light Between Worlds Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Lady Rogue Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Shadowscent Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Heart of Iron Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rise of the Vicious Princess Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Among the Beasts & Briars Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Don't Call the Wolf Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Other Side of the Sky Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5To Best the Boys Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Stolen Kingdom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Luminous Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Eden Conquered Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Nightrender Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dividing Eden Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Boundless Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Beneath the Haunting Sea Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Wish Granter Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sing Me Forgotten Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Burning Glass Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Everless Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Into the Bloodred Woods Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Crimson Bound Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Memory Thief Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5
YA Fantasy For You
Divergent Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Divine Rivals: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Legendborn Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Reckless Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Nightbane Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Wizard of Earthsea Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Red Queen Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Powerless Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lightlark Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Powerful: A Powerless Story Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mortal Engines: Mortal Engines, Book 1 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5City of Bones Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Study in Drowning Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Children of Virtue and Vengeance Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Caraval Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Insurgent Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Glass Sword Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Black Witch Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A Curse for True Love Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Serpent & Dove Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bloodmarked Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Once Upon a Broken Heart Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This Woven Kingdom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sorcery of Thorns Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Ballad of Never After Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Anatomy: A Love Story Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Gallant Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Prison Healer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Finale: A Caraval Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for A Treason of Thorns
44 ratings5 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book has an interesting concept and a wonderful reader, however it's quite wordy at times and I found myself zoning out.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Someone recently asked if gothic lit is still strong in modern YA.
"I don't know," I replied, shoving aside thoughts of Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights inspired music video. Later that afternoon, I resumed reading Treason of Thorns and I realized I was reading a new YA gothic novel.
Well then.
And honestly, this understanding of the genre made the book that much better. One example centers on Vi's fixation with her House, Burleigh. Burleigh this, Burleigh that, oh my dear poor, neglected Burleigh. Before, through my fantasy lens, this was a bit tiresome. However, looking at it as a gothic story, this totally made sense. Burleigh is enchanting, consuming, and equal parts setting/character/plot.
*Thank you Harper Teen for the ARC* - Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The concept of A TREASON OF THORNS is what drew me to read it, but the story didn't blow me away. I liked Violet, I liked the storyline, and I enjoyed the secondary characters. A TREASON OF THORNS was a decent read, but I would have liked more out of it. Maybe world-building could have been a little stronger? Maybe a shorter read or more happening within the lengthy pages?I am not disappointed that I read A TREASON OF THORNS, but if there happened to be more books after this, I probably wouldn't read it.* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Violet Sterling grew up in one of England's five Great Houses. Her father was caretaker to the house's magic, and Violet knew that she would someday take on that role. A Caretaker puts her house before everything else: king, country, family, even her own life. And Violet is willing to do that for Burleigh House. But then her father is charged with treason and sentenced to House Arrest -- he will be stripped of the key that enables him to channel the house's magic, and without that, the house will slowly consume him. His only companion is Wyn, the foundling boy that he adopted, supposedly to be a companion for Violet -- but it seems that he actually had other plans for Wyn all along. Years later, when Violet gets the news that her father has died and Burleigh House is in a sorry state, she begs the king for the opportunity to go back to Burleigh and restore it. Wyn is still there, but his experiences have changed him. He's bitter and harsh, and tells Violet that she should run now, while she still can. Violet is determined to save Burleigh, no matter the cost -- even if it means repeating her father's treason.This is a fascinating, dark fantasy. The house is an ambiguous character, slightly menacing but also affectionate at times. I had trouble relating to Violet's choices and never got a real feeling for the romance between her and Wyn (which never really advances beyond a finger stroked along the side of a face, and maybe some anguished looks). If you like dark fantasy and sentient houses, I'd recommend this one. I didn't like it as much as the author's first book (The Light Between Worlds), but that one is hard to top for me. Fantasy fans should take note of this book, nevertheless.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Treason of Thorns by Laura E Weymouth is a darkly charming tale about a magical House, a dying land, and bonds that transcend notions of animate/sentient and inanimate/non-sentient. Violet Sterling grew up in the shadow of Burleigh House, one of England's Great Houses whose magic sustains (or condemns) the land. Her father was Burleigh's Caretaker, charged with managing the House's magic, until he was convicted of treason and the talisman that allows him to safely channel Burleigh's magic is taken away. He was left in House arrest, to suffer the consequences of using the magic with no safety. Violet and two servants who are more like family move to the fenlands, though Sterling's ward Wyn stays behind. When her father finally succumbs to the inevitable excruciating death, Violet is brought back, not as Caretaker, but to help put Burleigh to rights and accept a new Caretaker chosen by the King. Seven long years have passed since she saw the House last, and it is crumbling under the weight and pain of its unused magic. After learning the truth about her father's treason, and being denied the chance to be Caretaker in her own right, Violet sets out to free Burleigh from the chains that bind the House to the monarchy.I loved this book! Burleigh House reminded me of the Warehouse from Warehouse 13, which also needs a Caretaker linked to its magic. And like Burleigh, the Warehouse may not 'speak', but it can get its point across quite well, and has a personality all its own. That the magic is tied to the land makes sense. It seems to be the interface point between humans and the vast, indifferent magic that sustains the land. It's so sad that the humans, both in England, and in the mainland, have enslaved the Great Houses, claiming the power for themselves. And I so felt for the weight of Burleigh's pain! As someone who lives daily in varying degrees of pain, from a 4, to a 'stepping on a small blue Lego whilst running full-tilt', this resonated deeply with me. And just… the notion of enslaving something humans don't understand but just want to control, without caring about its sentience, sickens my heart.Vi seems very much like the dedicated Caretakers of the Warehouse, linked as she is to Burleigh and its moods despite not actually being Caretaker. She puts its needs first, above all else. She has great support too, and from some rather unlikely places. People who want to help her succeed where her father failed. Because now the stakes are so much higher, and risk Burleigh's destruction. Which, as it turns out, would be very bad. Like Vesuvius level bad. The manifestation and cost of using the House magic were very neat concepts, and made it clear why the talismans were needed by the Caretakers. Its a bond both symbiotic, and parasitic depending on a number of factors. Ideally it should always be symbiotic, but the bindings have effed with that… I don't want to spoil the uniqueness, but its very house specific. One thing I will say is that I loved the memory magic Burleigh could pull off, and how vivid it could be. And oh but the archaeologist in me would love to explore all the things the Houses have seen. The history witnessed. The changing generations. The stuff of any historian's dreams!Highly recommended!*****Many thanks to HarperTeen for providing a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review. Reviewed for FFBC Tours.