Violet is a prophet and a liar, influencing the royal court with her cleverly phrased—and not always true—divinations. Honesty is for suckers, like the oh-so-not charming Prince Cyrus, who plans to strip Violet of her official role once he’s crowned at the end of the summer—unless Violet does something about it.
But when the king asks her to falsely prophesy Cyrus’s love story for an upcoming ball, Violet awakens a dreaded curse, one that will end in either damnation or salvation for the kingdom—all depending on the prince’s choice of future bride. Violet faces her own choice: Seize an opportunity to gain control of her own destiny, no matter the cost, or give in to the ill-fated attraction that’s growing between her and Cyrus.Violet’s wits may protect her in the cutthroat court, but they can’t change her fate. And as the boundary between hatred and love grows ever thinner with the prince, Violet must untangle a wicked web of deceit in order to save herself and the kingdom—or doom them all.
Young adult fantasy is my bread and butter I’d say. I think I (and many others) have Twilight to thank for that truly. Over the years I’ve found myself craving more romance and less adventure though. I think that when I fell in love I understood and appreciated how amazing of a feeling it is and I wanted to read about it - constantly. However in 2021 I rediscovered my love for YA fantasy, specifically through THESE HOLLOW VOWS by Lexi Ryan. Here in VIOLET MADE OF THORNS by Gina Chen I felt the same excitement I felt reading Ryan’s book but in VIOLET I was faced with more morally grey characters, antiheroes, and betrayals and twists I was NOT anticipating… AND I LOVED IT!
Something I appreciate in fantasy books are how complex the maps and magic systems can become. I love opening a book and seeing a beautiful map in front of me to explore. I received an ebook ARC from NetGalley and am extremely grateful, however, it was difficult going back and forth between the map and the current page I was on trying to visualize where my characters were. The world Chen created is makes me feel like I’m drawn into another time, with busy cobblestone streets, carriages striding past, and outfits I could only DREAM of trying on. Chen didn’t go into wild detail with the scenery but did just enough for the readers imagination to take over, for example Violet’s tower. It is a key piece in the story’s setting however the reader gets to make it our own for the most part which goes back to how magical YA fantasy is! I also appreciate the use of magic in this book. While Violet is a seer (which we’ve seen time and time again) is done in a way that feels refreshing and exciting, because she does not always want to see and SHE IS PURPOSEFULLY AMBIGUOUS WITH WHAT SHE SAYS SHE SEES! She bluffs! I love it! When reading these types of characters they either lie to get where they need to go or they always tell the truth because they feel as though lying is morally corrupt and awful. Violet however is just vague enough. She got to where she feels "safe" and doesn't need to see the world so black and white and the best thing is she doesn't, she's complex. I think she is a very well written character with flaws that any normal person has, but more on that later. I also love the idea of fate and the Fates throughout history so when I see that mentioned in a story I jump at the opportunity. The way the Fates are described here is very typical for the Fates: fickle, out for themselves, life is one big game and they’re in charge of it, you know how it goes.
The characters were charming, fun, and flawed and boy did I love it. Starting with our main character Violet, she does not easily trust (for no decent reason honestly), she believes she is always a step ahead because of her abilities, and she is a big fan of keeping your head down and doing what you’re meant to be doing. She plays her role as the king’s seer and does as he asks, it’s simple for her. She is overly protective of her heart and mind, I think because she knows how easy it is to be manipulated being that she tells people their "future" for a living, and bluffs when doing so. Yes, she IS a seer and can ACTUALLY see these things but when it's dangerous or not what someone wants to hear she takes it into her own hands. This kind of remind me of when your friend contacts their ex, and you know its a bad idea but you smile through it anyway. You lie to protect their feelings and that is such a human quality that I love seeing in book characters like Violet. Prince Cyrus is irritating and difficult, and hot, and everything you want in a leading man. Cyrus’s dialogue is smart and cute, and he is easy to visualize as a reader. He cares for his kingdom, he cares for his friends, and he doesn’t have all the answers he believes he does. The poor guy is meant for one purpose and keeps escaping it, but how long until the sand runs out? The two supporting characters in the bunch are Camilla, Cyrus’s eccentric but devoted twin sister who just embodies the princess stereotype perfectly, and Dante, Violet and Cyrus’s friend who they rely on to do research, get information, and help them solve the problems they’re all facing. Things aren’t always what they seem between each character and while some personality traits you can see coming (like Cyrus’s flirty side), some you just have to read and experience for yourself!
This story has so many layers, deals with many types of relationships, and isn’t just your generic YA fantasy novel. The ending catches you by surprise, and if you enjoyed it you’ll be craving more however it is satisfying in its own right and doesn’t leave us on a total end of worlds cliffhanger. Overall I really had a great time reading this story and I’m very much looking forward to the second book in this duology!
THIS BOOK RELEASED JULY 2022!!!! Preorder now!!!
Rating: 4.75/5
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