Rating: 4 Stars
Violet made of Thorns is full of suspense, dark prophecy, and court intrigue with a serving of enemies-to-lovers on the side. There is also plenty of magic in this story and prophesies that spell doom. If you like your fairy tales on the darker side, this is the book for you.
Violet is a young Seer working for the King. She is one of only a few in the world and her talents are highly sought after. However, she didn’t receive proper instruction on the use of her gifts and though the visions and dreams are easy enough, there are other things her magic is capable of that she has yet to discover. Of course, there are people who wish to exploit her youth and lack of knowledge.
The King being one of those that will use her for his own ends. He frequently asks Violet to lie about what she sees or does not see. The latest lie is about Prince Cyrus’s upcoming engagement, even though he has yet to secure a bride.
Also, there is a dark prophecy surrounding Prince Cyrus. The prophecy Violet has, or says she has, could have dire consequences for both herself and the realm. Ultimately, the choices she and Cyrus make will determine the fate of everyone.
There was a lot of tension between Violet and Cyrus. I get the resentment that the Prince felt toward Violet. He cared about her but didn’t like her being a tool for his father to use as he desired. I felt that resentment was a little misplaced. However, it did allow for the tension between them and this enhanced the plot.
What I didn’t get was the hot to cold thing that was going on between the two. One minute they were making out and the next the claws were out. This part of the story felt like it needed further polish. In addition, I would have loved just a little more character development for Cyrus. His character was not as rounded as Violet.
The plot was interesting and it moved nicely along. Though, I was not a fan of the ending. It was a bit rushed and left too much unanswered for me. Yeah, I get that it is the first book in a series. Even taking this into account, the ending was not as organic as it could have been. In short, I wanted a bit more of an ending. One more chapter would have been nice.
Despite the few minor complains I had, I liked this story a lot. I am eagerly looking forward to seeing what will happen next. If you enjoyed The Bear and the Nightingale, this book should be on your TBR list.
I received a free copy, via Net Galley, in exchange for my honest review.