#60 Alphabet of Thorn by Patricia A McKillip
Abandoned as a child, Nepenthe is taken in by the royal library and raised to be a translator. At sixteen, she comes across a mysterious 
book with a strange language that appears to be made of thorns. She is immediately entranced, both by the handsome mage, Bourne, that brings the book to her, and the language itself. As she begins to translate the text, she reads about two famous historical conquerors, the King Axis, and the sorcerer Kane. Only, there’s something not quite right about the story. Meanwhile, Tesssera, the new Queen of Raine struggles with the role and responsibility that has been recently forced upon her. She won’t have much time to adjust, as one of Raine’s first rulers has awakened from their eternal sleep to deliver a message to her: beware the thorns.
Alphabet of Thorn is the second book that I’ve read by Patricia McKillip, the first being the World Fantasy Award winner, The Forgotten Beasts of Eld. My main reasons for picking this book up over McKillip’s other works are admittedly shallow. One is that I loved the cover. Secondly, at 314 pages, it was just the length I was looking for it. McKillip’s style of writing has an almost romantic grace to it. The prose is lyrical, without being overly flowery, occasionally slipping into the more abstract. The novel begins by focusing on a few select characters separately (Nepenthe, Bourne, Tessera, the mage Vevay, etc.), and as the story begins to develop the characters become more and more intertwined. The story is truly original, and not dependent on most fantasy clichés, which makes it very satisfying to read. It’s not even part of a trilogy or series (gasp!), which is something quite rare in fantasy. As much as I like a nice fantasy series, sometimes I just want to read something that doesn’t involve a multi-book commitment. One of the things I liked the best about Alphabet of Thorn was the ending. When I turned the last page I felt as if everything ended exactly where it should be.
I would recommend Alphabet of Thorn to anyone looking for a beautifully written fantasy, with complex characters, a fascinating storyline, and plenty of romance. I plan on seeking more of McKillp’s work the next time I hit the library.
Rating: five stars
Length: 314 pages
Source: Lewiston Public Library
TBR Pile: 144 books
Similar Books: The writing style reminds me of a more complex Shannon Hale (specifically in The Goose Girl)
Other books I've read by this editor: The Forgotten Beasts of Eld
xposted to bookish and temporaryworlds
book with a strange language that appears to be made of thorns. She is immediately entranced, both by the handsome mage, Bourne, that brings the book to her, and the language itself. As she begins to translate the text, she reads about two famous historical conquerors, the King Axis, and the sorcerer Kane. Only, there’s something not quite right about the story. Meanwhile, Tesssera, the new Queen of Raine struggles with the role and responsibility that has been recently forced upon her. She won’t have much time to adjust, as one of Raine’s first rulers has awakened from their eternal sleep to deliver a message to her: beware the thorns.
Alphabet of Thorn is the second book that I’ve read by Patricia McKillip, the first being the World Fantasy Award winner, The Forgotten Beasts of Eld. My main reasons for picking this book up over McKillip’s other works are admittedly shallow. One is that I loved the cover. Secondly, at 314 pages, it was just the length I was looking for it. McKillip’s style of writing has an almost romantic grace to it. The prose is lyrical, without being overly flowery, occasionally slipping into the more abstract. The novel begins by focusing on a few select characters separately (Nepenthe, Bourne, Tessera, the mage Vevay, etc.), and as the story begins to develop the characters become more and more intertwined. The story is truly original, and not dependent on most fantasy clichés, which makes it very satisfying to read. It’s not even part of a trilogy or series (gasp!), which is something quite rare in fantasy. As much as I like a nice fantasy series, sometimes I just want to read something that doesn’t involve a multi-book commitment. One of the things I liked the best about Alphabet of Thorn was the ending. When I turned the last page I felt as if everything ended exactly where it should be.
I would recommend Alphabet of Thorn to anyone looking for a beautifully written fantasy, with complex characters, a fascinating storyline, and plenty of romance. I plan on seeking more of McKillp’s work the next time I hit the library.
Rating: five stars
Length: 314 pages
Source: Lewiston Public Library
TBR Pile: 144 books
Similar Books: The writing style reminds me of a more complex Shannon Hale (specifically in The Goose Girl)
Other books I've read by this editor: The Forgotten Beasts of Eld
xposted to bookish and temporaryworlds