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A review by rebelbelle13
Alphabet of Thorn by Patricia A. McKillip
4.0
Alphabet of Thorn was beautiful in a way I'm not sure I was expecting. This was a cover buy for me, and I'm not sorry for it. This is my first read by this author, and I truly enjoyed the experience. The writing is whimsical, flowery, ethereal, and, as several reviewers have stated, like poetry in paragraph form. It reads like a fairy-tale, like something that took place thousands of years ago in a place that no longer exists. It takes awhile to get into, between the language used and the shift in perspectives, but about 100 pages in I found my groove and didn't look back. This is a stand-alone fantasy (a bit rare nowadays) and tells the story of Nepenthe, an orphan in the kingdom of Raine, who works in the kingdom's library translating old languages. She comes across a manuscript written in a language of thorns, and as she translates it, she becomes more and more obsessed with the story.
There are several things I really liked about Alphabet of Thorn:
- Nepenthe and Bourne's relationship is filled with love, kindness, and open communication. The have an instant attraction to each other, have sex, and their relationship blooms from there. There is never any arguments, harsh words, or falling out. Refreshing to see.
- Laidley's relationship with Nepenthe. He loves her, but platonically, and she loves him back the same. There's never a love triangle with him and Bourne, and Laidley supports Nepenthe in all she does. Also refreshing to see.
- Kane's willingness to throw away everything for what she wants and never looks back. She finds a way to get what she wants and goes for it.
- The woods are magical, and anything can happen in them. If you have a magical talent, they speak to you and show you things. If not, it is just a gorgeous wood.
- Tessera is a young queen, but already very wise. She mostly listens and learns. When faced with the inevitable, she faces it bravely.
- Vevay, Tessera's mage, is very supportive of the young queen, and has no designs on the throne.
- There is little to no exposition. You also aren't dropped *in media res* and clueless for the first couple chapters. You're given just enough to understand the plot and the setting, and no more.
- That ending. I wasn't expecting it, and it was different from most everything I have read before. It was surprising, and brought everything in the story together really nicely.
All in all, this was a very positive story. The characters supported one another, there wasn't any negative language or emotions, and the whole thing just felt good.
The downsides? As I've mentioned, the language is a bit tough to follow, and I think there were a few too many perspectives. Also, the ending was too short for my liking. I wished we could have gotten just one or two more chapters. All in all, this was a pleasant reading experience, and I can't wait to read more from this author!
There are several things I really liked about Alphabet of Thorn:
- Nepenthe and Bourne's relationship is filled with love, kindness, and open communication. The have an instant attraction to each other, have sex, and their relationship blooms from there. There is never any arguments, harsh words, or falling out. Refreshing to see.
- Laidley's relationship with Nepenthe. He loves her, but platonically, and she loves him back the same. There's never a love triangle with him and Bourne, and Laidley supports Nepenthe in all she does. Also refreshing to see.
- Kane's willingness to throw away everything for what she wants and never looks back. She finds a way to get what she wants and goes for it.
- The woods are magical, and anything can happen in them. If you have a magical talent, they speak to you and show you things. If not, it is just a gorgeous wood.
- Tessera is a young queen, but already very wise. She mostly listens and learns. When faced with the inevitable, she faces it bravely.
- Vevay, Tessera's mage, is very supportive of the young queen, and has no designs on the throne.
- There is little to no exposition. You also aren't dropped *in media res* and clueless for the first couple chapters. You're given just enough to understand the plot and the setting, and no more.
- That ending. I wasn't expecting it, and it was different from most everything I have read before. It was surprising, and brought everything in the story together really nicely.
All in all, this was a very positive story. The characters supported one another, there wasn't any negative language or emotions, and the whole thing just felt good.
The downsides? As I've mentioned, the language is a bit tough to follow, and I think there were a few too many perspectives. Also, the ending was too short for my liking. I wished we could have gotten just one or two more chapters. All in all, this was a pleasant reading experience, and I can't wait to read more from this author!