Sorcery of Thorns

Margaret Rogerson

Jun 2019 · Simon and Schuster · Narrated by Emily Ellet

About this audiobook

A New York Times bestseller!

“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

From the New York Times bestselling author of An Enchantment of Ravens comes an “enthralling adventure” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) about an apprentice at a magical library who must battle a powerful sorcerer to save her kingdom.

All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather.

Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire, and Elisabeth is implicated in the crime. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.

As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined.

Ratings and reviews

The story itself is genuinely interesting; however, it was extremely underdeveloped (at least for any avid reader over the age of 10). The characters are all two dimensional, with the exception of Silas, and it's annoyingly predictable. This book could have some serious potential if it underwent some major revisions and had about 200 pages added in to make room for all the missing character development. The narrator's voice and style whenever the female best friend spoke was so ridiculous and out of place it drove me up the wall. She sounded like a snotty valley girl from Clueless rather than a sheltered librarian in a 19th century-industrial-revolution-esc setting. I'm the type of person who enjoys rereading books but I almost deleted this audiobook multiple times before getting to the end. It was that painful.

Enjoyable and very well narrated. A pleasure to listen to a beautifully modulated voice with excellent pronunciation. While a little predictable at times, I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptive phrasings used. They easily painted mind images as the story unfolded. I would happily recommend this audiobook for anyone who wants an enjoyable story that is not too dark and deep.

An enjoyable story, well read. I look forward to reading more from this author, also in audiobook format.

About the author

Margaret Rogerson is the author of the New York Times bestsellers An Enchantment of Ravens, Sorcery of Thorns, and Vespertine. She has a bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology from Miami University. When not reading or writing she enjoys sketching, gaming, making pudding, and watching more documentaries than is socially acceptable (according to some). She lives near Cincinnati, Ohio, beside a garden full of hummingbirds and roses. Visit her at MargaretRogerson.com.