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Vespertine
From the New York Times bestselling author of Sorcery of Thorns and An Enchantment of Ravens comes a thrilling new YA fantasy about a teen girl with mythic abilities who must defend her world against restless spirits of the dead.
The dead of Loraille do not rest.
Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who cleanses the bodies of the deceased so that their souls can pass on; otherwise, they will rise as spirits with a ravenous hunger for the living. She would rather deal with the dead than the living, who trade whispers about her scarred hands and troubled past.
When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia defends it by awakening an ancient spirit bound to a saint’s relic. It is a revenant, a malevolent being that threatens to possess her the moment she drops her guard. Wielding its extraordinary power almost consumes her—but death has come to Loraille, and only a vespertine, a priestess trained to wield a high relic, has any chance of stopping it. With all knowledge of vespertines lost to time, Artemisia turns to the last remaining expert for help: the revenant itself.
As she unravels a sinister mystery of saints, secrets, and dark magic, her bond with the revenant grows. And when a hidden evil begins to surface, she discovers that facing this enemy might require her to betray everything she has been taught to believe—if the revenant doesn’t betray her first.
The dead of Loraille do not rest.
Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who cleanses the bodies of the deceased so that their souls can pass on; otherwise, they will rise as spirits with a ravenous hunger for the living. She would rather deal with the dead than the living, who trade whispers about her scarred hands and troubled past.
When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia defends it by awakening an ancient spirit bound to a saint’s relic. It is a revenant, a malevolent being that threatens to possess her the moment she drops her guard. Wielding its extraordinary power almost consumes her—but death has come to Loraille, and only a vespertine, a priestess trained to wield a high relic, has any chance of stopping it. With all knowledge of vespertines lost to time, Artemisia turns to the last remaining expert for help: the revenant itself.
As she unravels a sinister mystery of saints, secrets, and dark magic, her bond with the revenant grows. And when a hidden evil begins to surface, she discovers that facing this enemy might require her to betray everything she has been taught to believe—if the revenant doesn’t betray her first.
397 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 5, 2021
1,071 people are currently reading
70.9k people want to read
About the author
Margaret Rogerson
6books15.7kfollowersMargaret writes fantasy for young adult readers. She lives near Cincinnati, Ohio, and when she's not reading or writing she enjoys drawing, watching documentaries, making pudding, gaming, and exploring the outdoors in search of toads and mushrooms.
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August 20, 2021Update: I think digital ARCs have begun circulating, and wanted to mention that I'm doing further edits that will appear in the final version but not the ARC. Those of you who have advance copies will notice a lot of word repetition and, in general, prose that reads suspiciously as though it was written by a depressed AI struggling to imitate human behavior, which was my default state during Covid isolation, when I wrote the majority of this book. I'm currently working on that. Thank you for bearing with me!
Hi all, this is the book I like to describe as medieval Venom starring a nun and a ghost. It’s about a girl training to be a nun who awakens an ancient spirit bound to a saint’s relic, and becomes a Joan of Arc type figure as she wields its power to battle the undead. I can’t wait for you to meet Artemisia and the revenant—I hope you love them as much as I do!
You can see the cover reveal and read an excerpt
The cover artwork is by Charlie Bowater!
Trigger warnings
Self-harm, anxiety, disordered eating (minor), child neglect/abuse (past), trauma/PTSD (traumatic experiences in past). None of the abuse or trauma is sexual in nature. Very brief suicide mention in the epilogue, concerning a character from the past who never appears in the book.
If you have a question, please reach out to me via the email address on my website’s contact page, since I’m not active here on ŷ!
Hi all, this is the book I like to describe as medieval Venom starring a nun and a ghost. It’s about a girl training to be a nun who awakens an ancient spirit bound to a saint’s relic, and becomes a Joan of Arc type figure as she wields its power to battle the undead. I can’t wait for you to meet Artemisia and the revenant—I hope you love them as much as I do!
You can see the cover reveal and read an excerpt
The cover artwork is by Charlie Bowater!
Trigger warnings
Self-harm, anxiety, disordered eating (minor), child neglect/abuse (past), trauma/PTSD (traumatic experiences in past). None of the abuse or trauma is sexual in nature. Very brief suicide mention in the epilogue, concerning a character from the past who never appears in the book.
If you have a question, please reach out to me via the email address on my website’s contact page, since I’m not active here on ŷ!
October 20, 2021
Me to this book: "She was beautiful, graceful, unique, and just different from the rest. Basically, she wasn't like other girlies, and I was here for it."
Probably the most ✨unique� fantasy I've read this year; Ms. Margaret Rogerson does not disappoint!!
While it is a little slower and much more dialogue heavy than her other books, I still found plenty of things to enjoy about it and loved the relationship between ahem, *Artemisia* and the Revenant.
They both plucky little shits and one of them knows it lmao (iykyk).
However, still comes out on top! Probably will have to reread this before the sequel comes out though.
4 STARS
| | |
Probably the most ✨unique� fantasy I've read this year; Ms. Margaret Rogerson does not disappoint!!
While it is a little slower and much more dialogue heavy than her other books, I still found plenty of things to enjoy about it and loved the relationship between ahem, *Artemisia* and the Revenant.
They both plucky little shits and one of them knows it lmao (iykyk).
However, still comes out on top! Probably will have to reread this before the sequel comes out though.
4 STARS
| | |
September 27, 2021
ARC Provided by Simon & Schuster - thank you!
� An Enchantment of Ravens
� Sorcery of Thorns
"If I could read humans� minds, I wouldn’t have ended up trapped inside a little girl’s finger bone."
I have enjoyed everything that Margaret Rogerson has written thus far, but I do think Vespertine may possibly be my favorite of them all.
Artemisia is a Grey Sister, working alongside nuns at the convent, preparing dead bodies for their final rest. Before the convent, and when she was only a child, she was forced to use the most extreme measures to purge a revenant who was possessing her, and now has disabled hands. But because of her past, she likes to keep to herself and live a quiet life with very few friends. But when an army of possessed soldiers come to destroy the only place that has ever made her feel like home, she is forced to use a saint's relic that allows a very powerful revenant to share a body with her once again, while also protecting the monastery. But Artemisia quickly realizes these soldiers are not the only ones being possessed by so many different spirits of different powers, and the only hope for this world could be her and the spirit that is currently inhabiting her own body.
Word quickly sweeps across all the lands of a Vespertine who has the power to cleanse and save them all, but there are many who will stop at nothing to ensure she does not come into her full power with her revenant who remembers the past these people are trying to hide very well. But Artemisia must learn if she can even trust this spirit, especially because she has his relic which she must protect because if it is destroyed, the revenant will be destroyed with it.
"On this day, we honor her by denouncing the Raven King, bringer of the Sorrow, ruin of the Age of Kings. May his face remain forgotten. May history scorn his name."
I know the premise of possession can be a little questionable, but Artemisia and her revenant (and their banter) was truly my favorite part of their book. And their friendship, and their trust in one another, while also learning boundaries, was really enjoyable to read. Also, her having that relic and power over the revenant was very important for me, as a reader! And I think the author does a really beautiful job also always remembering and discussing Artemisia’s trauma from her past, while allowing her room to grow but to also decided for herself how she wants to heal and grow, regardless of how linearly the healing is throughout the story and throughout Artemisia’s life.
Artemisia is also very inspired from, who was also believed to be a saint under divine guidance from a higher power to save her people, even though she was “just� a young and poor girl. Since this is the first book of this duology, I do hope Artemisia does not meet the same end, but the parallels were very subtle and loud at the same time, but always very beautiful.
"I wondered if I should pray. But the stars were gone, the Lady’s gaze obscured. I had no sign save the hundreds of voices chanting my name outside."
I also really loved this whole entire world and magic system. The different castes and hierarchy of spirits and discovering all their different levels and powers was so absolutely fascinating. Even how the cause of death would impact what kind of spirit manifested! I also loved every stop Artemisia and her revenant would make on this journey, and all the new things about these spirits we, as the reader, would learn alongside Artemisia. If you’ve read the author’s previous works, you know that they just really excel at world building and crafting the most beautiful settings, and Vespertine was no different. And I was happily exploring cities and inns, and cathedrals and crypts, with Artemisia.
Overall, I just really loved this and it was a true joy to pick up each time. The side characters were also very amazing, and each friendship that Artemisia chose to start really was beautiful. And I loved seeing Artemisia realize that she is deserving of safety and happiness, regardless of what happened to her in the past. And also seeing her realize that the family you choose will always be more important than the family you were born into. I really recommend this one for so many reasons, but I also think most of you know I just have a really big soft spot for magical fighting nuns always, too. Happy reading!
Content and Trigger Warnings: abandonment, child neglect + abuse in past, possession (the mc uses self-harm in the past + threats of suicide to get spirits to leave her body - both very brief mentions), brief mention of animal abuse, mention of animal deaths, blood depictions, vomiting, drugging, anxiety depictions, talk of plagues, loss of a loved one in the past, mention of spiders, talk of suicide, death, and please note this is a book about sharing a body with an ancient spirit, so i can see that making some people uncomfortable, please use caution!
| | | | |
Buddy read with Ѳë & Evie! �
September 20, 2021
i was really looking forward to this one. MRs ‘a sorcery of thorns� blew me away, so i was excited to see what her next book would bring. unfortunately, this wasnt quite was i was hoping for.
the best way to sum up my thoughts is i just wasnt feeling it overall. perhaps because the storytelling doesnt really feel like MR to me. the world-building is a bit too big for itself and the writing is repetitious and almost aimless at times. meaning, theres action but i was often questioning what the point of that action was, which lead me to feel disconnected from the story/content. it picks up towards the end, but by then i had realised that the whole religious nun/demon possession/relics thing just isnt my cup of tea.
but the story is very joan of arc meets ‘wicked saints,� so i have no doubt most readers will really enjoy the unique world and magic. i also think its worth mentioning that there is no romance, which is very uncommon for YA fantasy but it totally makes sense regarding the plot. theres a lot going on in the MCs life, so including a love interest would be too much. so readers who prefer their fantasy stories to not include romance will enjoy this rarity.
all in all, im sad this didnt work for me personally, but theres a lot of material here that i think will please the vast majority of readers.
thanks simon and schuster publishing for the ARC!
� 2.5 stars
the best way to sum up my thoughts is i just wasnt feeling it overall. perhaps because the storytelling doesnt really feel like MR to me. the world-building is a bit too big for itself and the writing is repetitious and almost aimless at times. meaning, theres action but i was often questioning what the point of that action was, which lead me to feel disconnected from the story/content. it picks up towards the end, but by then i had realised that the whole religious nun/demon possession/relics thing just isnt my cup of tea.
but the story is very joan of arc meets ‘wicked saints,� so i have no doubt most readers will really enjoy the unique world and magic. i also think its worth mentioning that there is no romance, which is very uncommon for YA fantasy but it totally makes sense regarding the plot. theres a lot going on in the MCs life, so including a love interest would be too much. so readers who prefer their fantasy stories to not include romance will enjoy this rarity.
all in all, im sad this didnt work for me personally, but theres a lot of material here that i think will please the vast majority of readers.
thanks simon and schuster publishing for the ARC!
� 2.5 stars
October 2, 2021
the revenant<3
April 28, 2022
Continuing my streak in above-average teen-adult books, I’m going to have to relax my genre prejudices. Really, I shouldn’t have them; I grew up female, after all, and found a great deal of solace in books with female-centered characters. But the ones I remember were about identity and self-power, and not all wrapped up in which boy was the better love interest ( has a lot to answer for).
I found Vespertine by way of Jennifer’s fun review that noted similarities to a certain misanthropic A.I. Indeed, the lead character Artemisia is very much at odds with most people, but like ‘Bot, she has good reasons to be the way she is. Artemisia was found by the Grey Sisters, a devotional order that serves the Grey Lady by ‘tending to the dead� so that their spirits don’t rise and corrupt the living in both mental and physical ways. It occurred to me at some point or another, that this could be of Joan of Arc re-telling. I mean, I have no idea if this is true or not; I avoid historical fiction like the—ahem–plague. Artemisia transforms in a way that was unexpected, perhaps largely because of the large gulf that separates her from other people during so much of the story.
“Gritting my teeth, I forced my clumsy fingers to open the tiny hatch and fumble with flint and incense. The scars were the worst on my left hand, where the shiny red tissue that roped my palm had contracted over time and pulled my fingers into permanent claws.�
So though a lot of it feels like a pastiche–‘Bot comparisons noted, there’s also very strong similarities to Novik’s Scholomance series and Muir’s Locked Tomb series–it is well written, with occasional passages that made me stop occasionally in admiration. Towards the last third of the book, it loses the bitter edge and sense of danger in favor of mutualism and seemingly inevitable self-sacrifice (which it also has in common with the aforementioned books. Honestly, I don’t remember my childhood books hitting this theme so hard either. Only the dogs died [, which speaks to my next point.) ‘carol,� I hear you saying, ‘surely the threat of self-death is biting and dangerous?� Actually, my friend, and I say this with the perspective of fifty years of life, no, particularly when it is in service to a greater good. No, and a thousand times more, no.
“It wasn’t a visiting pilgrim; it was Mother Katherine, her downy white head bent in prayer. She looked frail. The observation swooped down on me without warning. Somehow, I hadn’t noticed how old she’d gotten–it was as though I had wiped the dust from a painting and seen it clearly for the first time in years, after ages of simply forgetting to look.�
It got a little long at the end, mostly because, well, I’m apparently old and thought we were just drawing out the drama at a certain point. However, it deserves accolades for having believable character growth and for–gasp–passing the Bechdel test. In a young adult book, no less (which, incidentally, my books rarely had. The friends were always books or dragons). This book stands alone just fine (the author says it is the first in a series), but I’ll be looking out for the sequel.
I found Vespertine by way of Jennifer’s fun review that noted similarities to a certain misanthropic A.I. Indeed, the lead character Artemisia is very much at odds with most people, but like ‘Bot, she has good reasons to be the way she is. Artemisia was found by the Grey Sisters, a devotional order that serves the Grey Lady by ‘tending to the dead� so that their spirits don’t rise and corrupt the living in both mental and physical ways. It occurred to me at some point or another, that this could be of Joan of Arc re-telling. I mean, I have no idea if this is true or not; I avoid historical fiction like the—ahem–plague. Artemisia transforms in a way that was unexpected, perhaps largely because of the large gulf that separates her from other people during so much of the story.
“Gritting my teeth, I forced my clumsy fingers to open the tiny hatch and fumble with flint and incense. The scars were the worst on my left hand, where the shiny red tissue that roped my palm had contracted over time and pulled my fingers into permanent claws.�
So though a lot of it feels like a pastiche–‘Bot comparisons noted, there’s also very strong similarities to Novik’s Scholomance series and Muir’s Locked Tomb series–it is well written, with occasional passages that made me stop occasionally in admiration. Towards the last third of the book, it loses the bitter edge and sense of danger in favor of mutualism and seemingly inevitable self-sacrifice (which it also has in common with the aforementioned books. Honestly, I don’t remember my childhood books hitting this theme so hard either. Only the dogs died [, which speaks to my next point.) ‘carol,� I hear you saying, ‘surely the threat of self-death is biting and dangerous?� Actually, my friend, and I say this with the perspective of fifty years of life, no, particularly when it is in service to a greater good. No, and a thousand times more, no.
“It wasn’t a visiting pilgrim; it was Mother Katherine, her downy white head bent in prayer. She looked frail. The observation swooped down on me without warning. Somehow, I hadn’t noticed how old she’d gotten–it was as though I had wiped the dust from a painting and seen it clearly for the first time in years, after ages of simply forgetting to look.�
It got a little long at the end, mostly because, well, I’m apparently old and thought we were just drawing out the drama at a certain point. However, it deserves accolades for having believable character growth and for–gasp–passing the Bechdel test. In a young adult book, no less (which, incidentally, my books rarely had. The friends were always books or dragons). This book stands alone just fine (the author says it is the first in a series), but I’ll be looking out for the sequel.
June 3, 2022
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley (thank you Simon & Schuster Canada). All thoughts and opinions are my own.
� Characters
� Magic and spirits
� Pace
� Plot
� World-building
✅� Action
🆗 Ending
❗️❗️ Contrary to Margaret Rogerson's previous books, there is no romance in Vespertine
In the realm of Loraille, boys and girls with the sight (that allows them to see spirits) are taken in by the Clerisy and raised in different groups. The boys are sent to monasteries to become soldiers or monks, and the girls are trained to take care of the dead or become a priestess. 17 years old Artemisia has been a member of the Grey Sisters' convent of Naimes since she was a child. The Grey Sisters are dedicated to purifying and preparing the bodies of the dead. If a deceased is left unattended, its spirit will rise, and depending on the type of death the person had, the spirit can be dangerous and malevolent. Spirits can also be bound into relics (bone of a saint, jewel, etc.) that allow their owner to use the spirit's power, but the owner also risks possession if he is not strong enough to control the spirit bound into the relic.
Here is a recap of the hierarchy of spirits. It can be found at the end of the book.
- First Order � Order of the innocents, this is what happens to a soul if the dead body is not properly treated and prepared by the Gray Sisters.
- Second Order - Souls lost to the forces of nature such as famine, fire, or drowning
- Third Order - Souls lost to illness and disease: fever, blight, flux, pestilence, etc.
- Fourth Order - Souls lost to violence: death by battle, murder, execution, or slain cleric
- Fifth Order is composed of the Seven Revenants, harbingers of death.
Artemisia is a solitary and socially awkward teenager, she was possessed by a malevolent spirit when she was a child, and still bears the physical and mental scars of it. She is happy to stay alone and care for the dead until she is forced to use a powerful relic to protect her convent, and the Fifth Order Revenant contained in the relic enters her body. From that moment, Artemisia is on the run. Fleeing from the confesser Leander who wants to catch her probably to exorcise her, she also has to fight possessed soldiers, while trying to figure out who is using Old Magic to control these spirits, and what their evil plan is.
I don't want to reveal too much information about the plot, but there is action and magic. Humans and spirits are fighting together, and against each other, and even though it is a 400 pages book, it was a fast read. The pace is good, and it just sucks you into the story from the start. There are some unexpected turns of events, and I wasn't sure where this story would lead until the last part. One downside of this book though is the weirdly anticlimactic ending. There is a great buildup to a final big confrontation between powerful revenants and spirits, but then it just ends and we are at the epilogue... I was hoping for something grander, but it is still a very enjoyable book.
Artemisia is a nice main character, she made me laugh a few times with her awkward tentative conversations and nice gestures. Her snarky interactions with her spirit were also funny, and I like the evolution that we saw in Artemisia's character, but also in her relationship with her Revenant and her interactions with her allies. She went from being a recluse that couldn't talk to anyone, to having kind-of friends, and realizing that having people around her actually felt nice. Also take note that there is no romance at all in this book, which is not a bad thing because let's be honest, Artemisia is very socially anxious (and awkward), and she has too many things on her plate right now to focus on romantic feelings. She would probably feel nauseous just at the thought of it.
The world-building is simple enough, yet intriguing, and I really liked the system of clerics and saints, and the use of relics to control and combat spirits. Some parts of the hierarchy or the Clerisy were not completely clear at first, but it didn't prevent me from understanding and enjoying the story, and everything becomes clearer as the book progresses, giving us a better grasp on what's happening to Artemisia, and what she's up against.
🙂
� Characters
� Magic and spirits
� Pace
� Plot
� World-building
✅� Action
🆗 Ending
❗️❗️ Contrary to Margaret Rogerson's previous books, there is no romance in Vespertine
In the realm of Loraille, boys and girls with the sight (that allows them to see spirits) are taken in by the Clerisy and raised in different groups. The boys are sent to monasteries to become soldiers or monks, and the girls are trained to take care of the dead or become a priestess. 17 years old Artemisia has been a member of the Grey Sisters' convent of Naimes since she was a child. The Grey Sisters are dedicated to purifying and preparing the bodies of the dead. If a deceased is left unattended, its spirit will rise, and depending on the type of death the person had, the spirit can be dangerous and malevolent. Spirits can also be bound into relics (bone of a saint, jewel, etc.) that allow their owner to use the spirit's power, but the owner also risks possession if he is not strong enough to control the spirit bound into the relic.
Here is a recap of the hierarchy of spirits. It can be found at the end of the book.
- First Order � Order of the innocents, this is what happens to a soul if the dead body is not properly treated and prepared by the Gray Sisters.
- Second Order - Souls lost to the forces of nature such as famine, fire, or drowning
- Third Order - Souls lost to illness and disease: fever, blight, flux, pestilence, etc.
- Fourth Order - Souls lost to violence: death by battle, murder, execution, or slain cleric
- Fifth Order is composed of the Seven Revenants, harbingers of death.
Artemisia is a solitary and socially awkward teenager, she was possessed by a malevolent spirit when she was a child, and still bears the physical and mental scars of it. She is happy to stay alone and care for the dead until she is forced to use a powerful relic to protect her convent, and the Fifth Order Revenant contained in the relic enters her body. From that moment, Artemisia is on the run. Fleeing from the confesser Leander who wants to catch her probably to exorcise her, she also has to fight possessed soldiers, while trying to figure out who is using Old Magic to control these spirits, and what their evil plan is.
I don't want to reveal too much information about the plot, but there is action and magic. Humans and spirits are fighting together, and against each other, and even though it is a 400 pages book, it was a fast read. The pace is good, and it just sucks you into the story from the start. There are some unexpected turns of events, and I wasn't sure where this story would lead until the last part. One downside of this book though is the weirdly anticlimactic ending. There is a great buildup to a final big confrontation between powerful revenants and spirits, but then it just ends and we are at the epilogue... I was hoping for something grander, but it is still a very enjoyable book.
Artemisia is a nice main character, she made me laugh a few times with her awkward tentative conversations and nice gestures. Her snarky interactions with her spirit were also funny, and I like the evolution that we saw in Artemisia's character, but also in her relationship with her Revenant and her interactions with her allies. She went from being a recluse that couldn't talk to anyone, to having kind-of friends, and realizing that having people around her actually felt nice. Also take note that there is no romance at all in this book, which is not a bad thing because let's be honest, Artemisia is very socially anxious (and awkward), and she has too many things on her plate right now to focus on romantic feelings. She would probably feel nauseous just at the thought of it.
The world-building is simple enough, yet intriguing, and I really liked the system of clerics and saints, and the use of relics to control and combat spirits. Some parts of the hierarchy or the Clerisy were not completely clear at first, but it didn't prevent me from understanding and enjoying the story, and everything becomes clearer as the book progresses, giving us a better grasp on what's happening to Artemisia, and what she's up against.
🙂
January 15, 2022
once again, I am undone by my weakness for kickass warrior nuns
February 10, 2025
4.35/5 �
*talking to the mood readers* Do you know that sensation resembling a ravenous hunger you suddenly have for a random book on your TBR that you didn't plan by any means to read too soon. Still, you want to read it right now because you feel like it will be good? Well, Vespertine was the book for me.
I randomly stumbled across it and was in the most significant mood for it so of course I had to pick it up as soon as possible.
Wonderful thing that I did. Do you know why? Because this has been a fantastic read.
The story is dark, cold, and mysterious. It gives off the same mystically magical vibes the story of the Salem witches is giving off throughout time and history. The setting: a dark forest, mist and crips wind. Sounds of crows and cracking branches. It smells like pine and death.
Don't tell me that doesn't give you goosebumps, because I'll most definitely not believe you. The setting is amazing.
And the plotline itself is charged with the elements of this setting. The magical aspect gets a religious view in the way the sacred meets the profane. There is talk about sanctity and purity, but also, the whole point of this whole action is based on the premise of possession.
Yes, you heard me right. Our main character, Artemisia, accepts to be possessed by the spirit of a so-called ancient revenant that has been trapped in a relic only Artemisia would be able to wield.
You might think, why would she accept that?
Well, my friend, this is simple: she's a kind person. And kind people understand that sacrifices should be made in order to do good. And also because Artemisia's character is inspired by Joan d'Arc, the woman who went down in history for her bravery and determination.
Plus, there is a trick to it too - the revenant is very snarky and (believe it or not) their banter is very witty and extremely fun in such a great way that it actually leads to a friendship between the two.
And as dark and sombre as this book was, the friendship between the revenant and Artemisia lightened up the tone of the book, which is what stories like this with powerful symbols behind the plotline need.
This wasn't all about magic. This was about bravery and insanity, this was about friendship and trust, good and evil, sacred and profane, child neglect and abuse, blood, anxiety, self-harm.
On the surface, this is just a fantasy story, but in the end, after you read the book, you will get hit by all these hidden meanings and truly learn to appreciate the story overall.
It is sad and heavy in a way, but enjoiyable nonetheless.
*talking to the mood readers* Do you know that sensation resembling a ravenous hunger you suddenly have for a random book on your TBR that you didn't plan by any means to read too soon. Still, you want to read it right now because you feel like it will be good? Well, Vespertine was the book for me.
I randomly stumbled across it and was in the most significant mood for it so of course I had to pick it up as soon as possible.
Wonderful thing that I did. Do you know why? Because this has been a fantastic read.
The story is dark, cold, and mysterious. It gives off the same mystically magical vibes the story of the Salem witches is giving off throughout time and history. The setting: a dark forest, mist and crips wind. Sounds of crows and cracking branches. It smells like pine and death.
Don't tell me that doesn't give you goosebumps, because I'll most definitely not believe you. The setting is amazing.
And the plotline itself is charged with the elements of this setting. The magical aspect gets a religious view in the way the sacred meets the profane. There is talk about sanctity and purity, but also, the whole point of this whole action is based on the premise of possession.
Yes, you heard me right. Our main character, Artemisia, accepts to be possessed by the spirit of a so-called ancient revenant that has been trapped in a relic only Artemisia would be able to wield.
You might think, why would she accept that?
Well, my friend, this is simple: she's a kind person. And kind people understand that sacrifices should be made in order to do good. And also because Artemisia's character is inspired by Joan d'Arc, the woman who went down in history for her bravery and determination.
Plus, there is a trick to it too - the revenant is very snarky and (believe it or not) their banter is very witty and extremely fun in such a great way that it actually leads to a friendship between the two.
And as dark and sombre as this book was, the friendship between the revenant and Artemisia lightened up the tone of the book, which is what stories like this with powerful symbols behind the plotline need.
This wasn't all about magic. This was about bravery and insanity, this was about friendship and trust, good and evil, sacred and profane, child neglect and abuse, blood, anxiety, self-harm.
On the surface, this is just a fantasy story, but in the end, after you read the book, you will get hit by all these hidden meanings and truly learn to appreciate the story overall.
It is sad and heavy in a way, but enjoiyable nonetheless.
Want to read
March 10, 2021I HAD TO RUB MY EYES TO MAKE SURE I WAS SEEING THIS CORRECTLY...everyone say thank you margaret rogerson for the best news of 2021
January 8, 2022
Seriously considering finding an evil spirit to possess my body and remind me to drink water
October 26, 2021
4.5 Stars
Beautiful cover! Great story!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Beautiful cover! Great story!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
October 5, 2021
This is a fun start to a new fantasy series about a young introverted nun who gets pushed out of her comfort zone and must take down an unknown force.
Since the age of ten, Artemisia has been a Gray Sister, tending to dead bodies lest they become corrupted and a danger to the living. Artemisia understands the dead, the living, not so much. When it’s time for her class of nuns to be tested to determine their futures, Artemisia plans to fail in order to remain at the convent and continue looking after the dead and avoid human interaction. However, when the convent suddenly comes under attack, Artemisia becomes half-possessed by an ancient revenant and has to contend with sharing her headspace with the snarky spirit. Together, they must unravel a mystery involving saints, nuns, Old Magic, and deception.
I’ve read and loved Margaret Rogerson’s past novels, so I thought this would be no different. While I enjoyed this, I didn’t love it as much as the previous two standalone books; it was still a solid read.
There’s the right amount of atmospheric writing with a couple of heart-pounding action scenes. I took off 1.5 stars because the narration was a tad slow and aimless at times (I read somewhere that the author started another round of editing after e-galleys became available, so the final copy might be less rambling). Overall, I felt that the author introduced the world in easily digestible amounts.
The revenant and Artemisia are the dynamic duo I didn’t know I needed. Their endless banter had me chuckling more than a few times.
I am excited for the sequel.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Thank you to Margaret K. McElderry Books for the arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Since the age of ten, Artemisia has been a Gray Sister, tending to dead bodies lest they become corrupted and a danger to the living. Artemisia understands the dead, the living, not so much. When it’s time for her class of nuns to be tested to determine their futures, Artemisia plans to fail in order to remain at the convent and continue looking after the dead and avoid human interaction. However, when the convent suddenly comes under attack, Artemisia becomes half-possessed by an ancient revenant and has to contend with sharing her headspace with the snarky spirit. Together, they must unravel a mystery involving saints, nuns, Old Magic, and deception.
I’ve read and loved Margaret Rogerson’s past novels, so I thought this would be no different. While I enjoyed this, I didn’t love it as much as the previous two standalone books; it was still a solid read.
There’s the right amount of atmospheric writing with a couple of heart-pounding action scenes. I took off 1.5 stars because the narration was a tad slow and aimless at times (I read somewhere that the author started another round of editing after e-galleys became available, so the final copy might be less rambling). Overall, I felt that the author introduced the world in easily digestible amounts.
The revenant and Artemisia are the dynamic duo I didn’t know I needed. Their endless banter had me chuckling more than a few times.
I am excited for the sequel.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Thank you to Margaret K. McElderry Books for the arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 12, 2022
Vespertine was exactly the break I needed from the monotony of flittering fairies, flawless young heroines and their generically attractive, mysterious, dark-haired love interests that dominate YA fantasy.
A young woman bearing scars inside and out, Artemisia is not your typical fantasy protagonist. For one, she’s a nun-in-training, who are usually not found gallivanting about on magical adventures (unfortunately). Instead she helps tend to dead bodies and their spirits after they’ve passed on. Taken in by the convent as a child, Artemisia is not looking for anything other than the simple, predictable life of a Gray Sister. But the Lady appears to have made other plans for her.
After a sequence of jarring events, Artemisia finds herself in possession of a reliquary, but also possessed by the corresponding revenant. Possession isn’t at all like she expected it to be, though, and once Artemisia and her revenant stop attempting to kill one another, they actually develop a delightfully snarky dynamic. Between the two of them, an easily-ruffled former roommate of Artemisia’s, Marguerite, and a wonderfully affable horse, you could almost forget the maniacal priest or vengeful spirits chasing them down.
If you do decide to pick up this book, I cannot recommend the audiobook enough. The narrator, Caitlin Davies, flies between extremes in character and temperament. One moment shes half-growling as the revenant, the next squeaking terrified replies as Marguerite. She brings so much comedic timing to what could easily turn into a drab chronicle of monochromatic nuns. I deeply enjoyed the color she injected into these characters and would love to listen to more from her.
I do think the magic needed more explaining. It was a lot of the author simply telling us the way something was as opposed to explaining how it works. What are the rules? Where does the power originate? What are the limits? It appeared to expand and contract at times based on how it was needed to forward the plot in that moment, and left me partially unfulfilled. An itch not entirely scratched.
I wasn’t exactly sure how I was going to rate this. I’ve been teetering between 4 and 5 stars, but I think that’s probably going to hold it back for me. Maybe as a stand-alone it actually would have worked better—what’s the point of getting deep into the mechanics if the magic is just a vehicle for a fun, character-driven fantasy? But with the announcement of a series, I’m going to be expecting a stronger foundation on which to build. But the upside is there’s now an opportunity for Margaret Rogerson to fill in those gaps if she wishes to, so I’ll be looking forward to that!
**For more book talk & reviews, !
A young woman bearing scars inside and out, Artemisia is not your typical fantasy protagonist. For one, she’s a nun-in-training, who are usually not found gallivanting about on magical adventures (unfortunately). Instead she helps tend to dead bodies and their spirits after they’ve passed on. Taken in by the convent as a child, Artemisia is not looking for anything other than the simple, predictable life of a Gray Sister. But the Lady appears to have made other plans for her.
After a sequence of jarring events, Artemisia finds herself in possession of a reliquary, but also possessed by the corresponding revenant. Possession isn’t at all like she expected it to be, though, and once Artemisia and her revenant stop attempting to kill one another, they actually develop a delightfully snarky dynamic. Between the two of them, an easily-ruffled former roommate of Artemisia’s, Marguerite, and a wonderfully affable horse, you could almost forget the maniacal priest or vengeful spirits chasing them down.
If you do decide to pick up this book, I cannot recommend the audiobook enough. The narrator, Caitlin Davies, flies between extremes in character and temperament. One moment shes half-growling as the revenant, the next squeaking terrified replies as Marguerite. She brings so much comedic timing to what could easily turn into a drab chronicle of monochromatic nuns. I deeply enjoyed the color she injected into these characters and would love to listen to more from her.
I do think the magic needed more explaining. It was a lot of the author simply telling us the way something was as opposed to explaining how it works. What are the rules? Where does the power originate? What are the limits? It appeared to expand and contract at times based on how it was needed to forward the plot in that moment, and left me partially unfulfilled. An itch not entirely scratched.
I wasn’t exactly sure how I was going to rate this. I’ve been teetering between 4 and 5 stars, but I think that’s probably going to hold it back for me. Maybe as a stand-alone it actually would have worked better—what’s the point of getting deep into the mechanics if the magic is just a vehicle for a fun, character-driven fantasy? But with the announcement of a series, I’m going to be expecting a stronger foundation on which to build. But the upside is there’s now an opportunity for Margaret Rogerson to fill in those gaps if she wishes to, so I’ll be looking forward to that!
**For more book talk & reviews, !
September 26, 2023
The revenant had devoured the populations of entire cities; it was also the entity who ordered me to eat my pottage.
This review is so overdue as it's been nearly a year since I read Vespertine, but I'm trying to finally catch up on my unwritten reviews and it says a lot that, despite my poor memory in general, I still remember this reading experience vividly enough to warrant a full review! In case you couldn't tell, Margaret Rogerson's books have made a tremendous impact on me, every last one of them, and while I can't possibly choose a favorite of her titles, I can tell you that Vespertine is as flawless as can be.
They would martyr me themselves to satisfy their hunger for a saint.
First, I have to say that I love fantasy books with interesting religious backdrops (especially with flawed churches and leaders—blame it on the religious trauma� of my upbringing), and this book does it so well! I was absolutely enthralled by the entire setting of the convents and the back story of the nuns' jobs. Most of all, I loved the orders of the spirits and the fact that they differed from one another so much, as well as how intricate the revenants were! I'd love a short story collection about each of them if the urge ever tickled Margaret's fancy because they were totally fascinating to me.
“If there’s one thing I can always rely upon, it’s the reassuring dependability of human idiocy. Give your kind a century or so, and they’ll happily repeat the exact same mistakes that nearly wiped them all out a few generations before.�
Of course, our revenant was the best of them, and honestly, I don't have words for how much I adored his banter with Artemisia. These two characters are so brilliantly suited to work alongside one another with their dry outlooks and senses of humor. I'm tempted to include a photo of my copy of this book at the end of the review just to show how many tabs I put in this book, because 90% of them were me highlighting bits of dialogue that made me smile or snicker.
“You must be popular at the nun parties. Do you have any friends? Just out of curiosity.�
More than anything else that I loved about this book, though, is the pure adoration I hold in my heart for Artemisia herself. She is brilliant, brave, kind, and incredibly over it—the sort of heroine who would give her last breath to save someone as long as they promise not to make too big a fuss about it at her headstone afterward. She doesn't fit in well with other people at all because she accidentally terrifies everyone, and as someone who was "the weird kid" who didn't know how to blend in or mask my matter-of-fact nature and macabre interests until the damage was done... well, let's just say that I felt very seen, and I'm pretty sure Artemisia and I would get along great (calmly, from opposite sides of the room, in contented silence).
In case I haven't gushed enough, let me be clear: Margaret Rogerson has hit it out of the park again and I fully recommend picking up a copy of Vespertine as soon as you can (along with all of her other books, because they're all delightful). I can't wait to see what she writes next.
I read a final copy I purchased myself, but for the sake of disclosure, I was also sent an early review copy by the author/publisher. All thoughts are honest and my own.
� Representation: Artemisia is aromantic, asexual, has PTSD, and has physical scarring
� Content warnings for:
—Ĕ�
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Want to read
March 11, 2021
October 7, 2021
YYYYESSSSSSSS! This sounds SOGOOD! I loved Sorcery of Thorns, so I am so extremely ECSTATIC to see another book of hers ( and it's coming out this yearrrrr!!! Yeeeeee!)
April 20, 2022
Vespertine is all kinds of awesome if you, too, are a creepy and intense loner. I can't recommend reading it at 2am when you have insomnia (a terrible choice, not so much due to the restless spirits as my desire to keep flipping pages - my friend keeps Walden by his bed because he is much smarter than I am), but an excellent read at any other time. Creepy dead things galore. Deep, old secrets and conspiracies. Snarky misanthropes. Score!
By page 15, I knew I was going to get along with our prickly main character Artemisia when she says, "If I was selected for a higher education by the Clerisy, I would have to talk to people. Then, after I completed my studies, I would be ordained as a priestess, which would involve talking to even more people and also trying to solve their spiritual problems, which sounded horrific - I'd probably make them cry."
But wait, it gets better. Artemisia, a novice in an order that lays the dead to rest so that they do not rise again, is forced into awakening one of the really old, powerful revenants bound to a relic. It wants to eat her soul. It wants to possess her body. It's...rude?
It's like Artemisia accidentally downloaded a Murderbot.exe and now two caustic, poorly socialized misanthropes have to live in the same headspace. All while saving the world from being overrun by shadowy conspiracies and the unbound spirits they are awakening. What starts as a mistrustful truce between these two misfits - a spirit that has eaten thousands of souls yet forces Artemisia to take care of herself, a girl so forbidding that an ancient revenant wants to know how she makes people blanch and run away from her - slowly becomes one of the oddest and most beguiling friendships I've come across.
The world-building is solid, and the characters - several of whom do not turn out to be what they seem - are nuanced. There's some thoughtful commentary on religion and faith and the difficulty of interpretation when you really want to see something as a sign. And can I say how refreshing it is to have a YA book in which friendships, not romance, are key?
I enjoyed Margaret Rogerson's first two books, but Vespertine is the first one I would buy for my own library. 4.5 stars.
By page 15, I knew I was going to get along with our prickly main character Artemisia when she says, "If I was selected for a higher education by the Clerisy, I would have to talk to people. Then, after I completed my studies, I would be ordained as a priestess, which would involve talking to even more people and also trying to solve their spiritual problems, which sounded horrific - I'd probably make them cry."
But wait, it gets better. Artemisia, a novice in an order that lays the dead to rest so that they do not rise again, is forced into awakening one of the really old, powerful revenants bound to a relic. It wants to eat her soul. It wants to possess her body. It's...rude?
Gray eyes, stark against a filthy face smeared with dirt and dried blood. The skin underneath ghastly in its pallor, surrounded by a tangled curtain of long black hair, snarled like a bird's nest with burrs and leaves. Overall, not the worst I had ever looked first thing in the morning.
I felt the revenant recoil.
"If we come across the priest, he won't recognize me," I pointed out.
"If the Clerisy sees you like this, they'll think you're a thrall!"
"My eyes aren't glowing."
"That isn't always a reliable sign," the revenant snapped.
It's like Artemisia accidentally downloaded a Murderbot.exe and now two caustic, poorly socialized misanthropes have to live in the same headspace. All while saving the world from being overrun by shadowy conspiracies and the unbound spirits they are awakening. What starts as a mistrustful truce between these two misfits - a spirit that has eaten thousands of souls yet forces Artemisia to take care of herself, a girl so forbidding that an ancient revenant wants to know how she makes people blanch and run away from her - slowly becomes one of the oddest and most beguiling friendships I've come across.
The world-building is solid, and the characters - several of whom do not turn out to be what they seem - are nuanced. There's some thoughtful commentary on religion and faith and the difficulty of interpretation when you really want to see something as a sign. And can I say how refreshing it is to have a YA book in which friendships, not romance, are key?
I enjoyed Margaret Rogerson's first two books, but Vespertine is the first one I would buy for my own library. 4.5 stars.
October 29, 2021
Vespertine is a new series, from a new-to-me author. There has been a huge stream of authors who are women and are young, hip, and smart. I think that this model will not be sustainable as few people read books, compared to moviegoers, or sports fans.
This writer has alas not been that inspired in her writing here. She struggles to do the basic stuff. This means e.g. tracking the passing of time. It may also mean - it does also mean - the changing of setting of the story. The concept is stellar, but the delivery leaves to be desired.
Margaret Rogerson is an intelligent author. She will learn from her shortcomings. I forgot the true name of the main character, but it is she who gets to be the Vespertine, a fifth order relic holder. This means she is a saint, and people pray to her. Despite all this the writing is as wooden as The Tree of Life.
Two stars is a bad rating, there is no getting past it. One of the annoying things about the book is that the author felt the need to include a love interest. Add that to the mix, and an enemies to friends to lovers (eventually) trope and the die is cast. Reading this book was a discovery, so I don't regret doing so. But it was not enjoyable.
This writer has alas not been that inspired in her writing here. She struggles to do the basic stuff. This means e.g. tracking the passing of time. It may also mean - it does also mean - the changing of setting of the story. The concept is stellar, but the delivery leaves to be desired.
Margaret Rogerson is an intelligent author. She will learn from her shortcomings. I forgot the true name of the main character, but it is she who gets to be the Vespertine, a fifth order relic holder. This means she is a saint, and people pray to her. Despite all this the writing is as wooden as The Tree of Life.
Two stars is a bad rating, there is no getting past it. One of the annoying things about the book is that the author felt the need to include a love interest. Add that to the mix, and an enemies to friends to lovers (eventually) trope and the die is cast. Reading this book was a discovery, so I don't regret doing so. But it was not enjoyable.
January 23, 2022
I really should've dnf'd this book when it started to become a struggle to read around the %50 mark. I really liked how it began. It was brutal, interesting, dark but then a ton of flaws started to surface.
Full review to come on my YouTube channel:
Full review to come on my YouTube channel:
September 28, 2021
ARC received in exchange for an honest review 💀
Artemisia is training to be a grey sister, a nun with the ability to make sure the deceased don't return from the grave. Because in Loraille, the dead dont rest. Ever since the Raven King warped the gates of death, every soul that isn't cleansed will return hungry for the living. When returned soldiers breach Artemisia's convent, she must make a deal with a powerful revenant to save her sisters and conquer a growing malevolent presence.
I liked the character that Rogerson develops in Artemisia. She's had a difficult childhood, with the physical scars to prove it, and struggles to interact with her fellow nuns in training, and hates any kind of attention. She just wants to live a secluded life, one where she can hide away from everyone. However, destiny clearly has other plans as she is often thrust into the spotlight and forced into uncomfortable conversations in front of people. I really liked this aspect of her personality, and thought it was thought out and developed well.
I also really enjoyed Artemisia's relationship with her revenant. It's quite often a sassy little miscreant, with a quick quip or a well placed comment to counter Artemisia's self doubts. Their friendship is developed well too, with an undercurrent of danger to it as the revenant sometimes slips in a threat or two. By extension I also liked Artemisia's small circle of (eventual) friends. They all feel well fleshed out, and near the end we see glimmers of true friendship - however I do think they are woefully underused.
I also wasn't keen on the magical system, which at times feels a bit clunky and overwrought. I don't think it needed the addition of old magic on top of the concept of holy relics, possession and various types of revenants. There's a lot going on, and adding another layer on top of a concept that I didn't think was developed fully enough to start with just left the world feeling a bit messy. I could have done with more backstory on the original high order revenants and what they are, as well as the decision behind the Raven King's actions to really understand the plot better.
I do enjoy Margaret Rogerson's writing, and the pacing is great. There are plenty of well thought out action scenes and there's constant new developments and movement of characters to keep the reader engaged. I do get the feeling that this isn't a standalone, given how this ended, which I find a little disappointing. I wanted just that little bit more of a definitive ending. However I'm certainly intrigued enough to continue on.
Artemisia is training to be a grey sister, a nun with the ability to make sure the deceased don't return from the grave. Because in Loraille, the dead dont rest. Ever since the Raven King warped the gates of death, every soul that isn't cleansed will return hungry for the living. When returned soldiers breach Artemisia's convent, she must make a deal with a powerful revenant to save her sisters and conquer a growing malevolent presence.
I liked the character that Rogerson develops in Artemisia. She's had a difficult childhood, with the physical scars to prove it, and struggles to interact with her fellow nuns in training, and hates any kind of attention. She just wants to live a secluded life, one where she can hide away from everyone. However, destiny clearly has other plans as she is often thrust into the spotlight and forced into uncomfortable conversations in front of people. I really liked this aspect of her personality, and thought it was thought out and developed well.
I also really enjoyed Artemisia's relationship with her revenant. It's quite often a sassy little miscreant, with a quick quip or a well placed comment to counter Artemisia's self doubts. Their friendship is developed well too, with an undercurrent of danger to it as the revenant sometimes slips in a threat or two. By extension I also liked Artemisia's small circle of (eventual) friends. They all feel well fleshed out, and near the end we see glimmers of true friendship - however I do think they are woefully underused.
I also wasn't keen on the magical system, which at times feels a bit clunky and overwrought. I don't think it needed the addition of old magic on top of the concept of holy relics, possession and various types of revenants. There's a lot going on, and adding another layer on top of a concept that I didn't think was developed fully enough to start with just left the world feeling a bit messy. I could have done with more backstory on the original high order revenants and what they are, as well as the decision behind the Raven King's actions to really understand the plot better.
I do enjoy Margaret Rogerson's writing, and the pacing is great. There are plenty of well thought out action scenes and there's constant new developments and movement of characters to keep the reader engaged. I do get the feeling that this isn't a standalone, given how this ended, which I find a little disappointing. I wanted just that little bit more of a definitive ending. However I'm certainly intrigued enough to continue on.
April 3, 2022
"I preferred the company of the dead to that of the living. They didn't gossip about me, for one thing."
January 21, 2022
What is it with all the fantasy books I’ve picked up this year just letting me down? Sorcery of Thorns were my first encounter with Rogerson and one of my favorite books. So I expected a lot from this book. I mean, it was described as “medieval venom�, so who wouldn’t be excited?
But it failed to deliver. To begin with, the world building is too big for itself. There’s so many places and so many different types of ghosts and spirits that I couldn’t even keep track. All the ghost came with different abilities, but if you tied them to relics they had other abilities. It was too much to remember and I had a hard time even keeping up with the story.
It didn’t improve by the fact that there’s so much happening. There was like non-stop action and it all sort of blended together. But I still didn’t know why it was happening, because it felt like the explanation got lost somewhere in the middle. Sometimes I came across a sentence and I had absolutely no idea how we got there.
But the worst part was the main character. I can’t stand Artemisia. I could get behind that she was both crippled, and had social anxiety and PTSD. It would be impressive that she faced both that and an invasion of ghosts and overcome it, that could be something to look up to. But she was so righteous, that she became stupid. She turns back into danger so she can save the big bad evil guy, so he can continue to do big bad evil things. She refuses to sit down and rest, because she is wasting time when she could save someone! She refuses to eat and drink, because someone might need it more! It ends with her either passing out or she gets sick or injured. Then she looses several days, because she has a fever and is totally delirious. Bet that was so much more effective than just sitting down and drinking a cup of water, right? You dimwit.
There is an explanation to why she is acting like this, but at that point she was beyond any redemption for me.
The only saving grace is the revenant, that is so deliciously snarky throughout the book. But for being a harbinger of death, it was irritatingly soft and mellow. It couldn’t even bring itself to inflict a cut on Artemisia even when it was needed.
I don’t know if just snark is enough for me to continue the series. We’ll see.
But it failed to deliver. To begin with, the world building is too big for itself. There’s so many places and so many different types of ghosts and spirits that I couldn’t even keep track. All the ghost came with different abilities, but if you tied them to relics they had other abilities. It was too much to remember and I had a hard time even keeping up with the story.
It didn’t improve by the fact that there’s so much happening. There was like non-stop action and it all sort of blended together. But I still didn’t know why it was happening, because it felt like the explanation got lost somewhere in the middle. Sometimes I came across a sentence and I had absolutely no idea how we got there.
But the worst part was the main character. I can’t stand Artemisia. I could get behind that she was both crippled, and had social anxiety and PTSD. It would be impressive that she faced both that and an invasion of ghosts and overcome it, that could be something to look up to. But she was so righteous, that she became stupid. She turns back into danger so she can save the big bad evil guy, so he can continue to do big bad evil things. She refuses to sit down and rest, because she is wasting time when she could save someone! She refuses to eat and drink, because someone might need it more! It ends with her either passing out or she gets sick or injured. Then she looses several days, because she has a fever and is totally delirious. Bet that was so much more effective than just sitting down and drinking a cup of water, right? You dimwit.
There is an explanation to why she is acting like this, but at that point she was beyond any redemption for me.
The only saving grace is the revenant, that is so deliciously snarky throughout the book. But for being a harbinger of death, it was irritatingly soft and mellow. It couldn’t even bring itself to inflict a cut on Artemisia even when it was needed.
I don’t know if just snark is enough for me to continue the series. We’ll see.
September 29, 2023
3.5 ⭐️
A pretty fun read!! 🥰🥰 I wasn't obsessed but it was still very enjoyable and a great pick if you want a unique fantasy standalone 💜💜
“Sometimes, if you want to save other people, you need to remember to save yourself first.�
Vespertine follows our mc Artemisia, who is training to become a Gray Sister, tasked with cleansing the dead so that their spirits can pass on- or they would rise with a hunger for the living. Then Artemisia's convent is attacked and in order to protect it, Artemisia awakens an ancient evil spirit called a revenant. Only a vespertine is able to wield a revenant's power and Artemisia doesn't have the proper training- but her and the revenant may be Loraille's only chance against the forces of evil descending on it...
“If there’s one thing I can always rely upon, it’s the reassuring dependability of human idiocy. Give your kind a century or so, and they’ll happily repeat the exact same mistakes that nearly wiped them all out a few generations before.�
This is my third book by this author- I have also read Sorcery of Thorns and An Enchantment of Ravens and really enjoyed both of them, so I wanted to pick up another of her books!! And while this is not my fav Margaret Rogerson book, it was still pretty good 🫶🫶
Starting with what I enjoyed!! ✨️ I must say, Margaret Rogerson's writing was probably one of my fav parts bc the way she writes is just so gorgeous! 😍😍 I love the descriptiveness of it 💘I also thought this book was super unique and interesting, and had a couple of surprising twists near the end, which was nice.
Plus the characters were also quite good!! 🥰🥰 I thought Artemisia was a very interesting character and very unique from most ya fantasy protagonists- she's been through a lot and has become quite prickly and unlikeable because of it. I liked seeing her open up and become stronger throughout the story. However, my fav character was definitely the revenant- tell me why it's this evil spirit that isn't even a human being but it still had a PERSONALITY?? And I loved it smm?? 🤭🤭 The fact that it reminded Artemisia to drink water and sleep 🥹🥹💜💜
“I wished I were better at speaking. All those thoughts were in my head, but I didn’t know how to get them out.�
However, I had a couple issues:
� The pacing of this one was really weird- some parts were super drawn out, while others felt quite rushed 😬😬 It just felt very unevenly paced and i wish there had been a bit more happening in the middle part of the book 🫤
� While I appreciated that this book was very unique, the magic system was super confusing and it took me ages to figure out what was going on. I feel like it wasn't explained well enough so for the first 100ish pages i was so lost 🙈🙈 It made sense later on but i still wish it had been expanded on a bit more 😕
� There was no romance!! 😭😭 I know this is a personal preference but the lack of a romance subplot made me sm less invested in the story 🙈
“I’ll have you know that I’m very good-looking by undead standards�
Overall, an enjoyable read! 💜💜 Would recommend if you want:
� Unique magic system
� Interesting characters
� Good fantasy standalone
It was a fun time 🫶🫶
� 2023 Challenge: Book 118 of 110!! �
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This was an enjoyable read!! 🥰🥰 nothing amazing but I still thought it was a very entertaining ya fantasy 💜💜🫶🫶
RTC!
A pretty fun read!! 🥰🥰 I wasn't obsessed but it was still very enjoyable and a great pick if you want a unique fantasy standalone 💜💜
“Sometimes, if you want to save other people, you need to remember to save yourself first.�
Vespertine follows our mc Artemisia, who is training to become a Gray Sister, tasked with cleansing the dead so that their spirits can pass on- or they would rise with a hunger for the living. Then Artemisia's convent is attacked and in order to protect it, Artemisia awakens an ancient evil spirit called a revenant. Only a vespertine is able to wield a revenant's power and Artemisia doesn't have the proper training- but her and the revenant may be Loraille's only chance against the forces of evil descending on it...
“If there’s one thing I can always rely upon, it’s the reassuring dependability of human idiocy. Give your kind a century or so, and they’ll happily repeat the exact same mistakes that nearly wiped them all out a few generations before.�
This is my third book by this author- I have also read Sorcery of Thorns and An Enchantment of Ravens and really enjoyed both of them, so I wanted to pick up another of her books!! And while this is not my fav Margaret Rogerson book, it was still pretty good 🫶🫶
Starting with what I enjoyed!! ✨️ I must say, Margaret Rogerson's writing was probably one of my fav parts bc the way she writes is just so gorgeous! 😍😍 I love the descriptiveness of it 💘I also thought this book was super unique and interesting, and had a couple of surprising twists near the end, which was nice.
Plus the characters were also quite good!! 🥰🥰 I thought Artemisia was a very interesting character and very unique from most ya fantasy protagonists- she's been through a lot and has become quite prickly and unlikeable because of it. I liked seeing her open up and become stronger throughout the story. However, my fav character was definitely the revenant- tell me why it's this evil spirit that isn't even a human being but it still had a PERSONALITY?? And I loved it smm?? 🤭🤭 The fact that it reminded Artemisia to drink water and sleep 🥹🥹💜💜
“I wished I were better at speaking. All those thoughts were in my head, but I didn’t know how to get them out.�
However, I had a couple issues:
� The pacing of this one was really weird- some parts were super drawn out, while others felt quite rushed 😬😬 It just felt very unevenly paced and i wish there had been a bit more happening in the middle part of the book 🫤
� While I appreciated that this book was very unique, the magic system was super confusing and it took me ages to figure out what was going on. I feel like it wasn't explained well enough so for the first 100ish pages i was so lost 🙈🙈 It made sense later on but i still wish it had been expanded on a bit more 😕
� There was no romance!! 😭😭 I know this is a personal preference but the lack of a romance subplot made me sm less invested in the story 🙈
“I’ll have you know that I’m very good-looking by undead standards�
Overall, an enjoyable read! 💜💜 Would recommend if you want:
� Unique magic system
� Interesting characters
� Good fantasy standalone
It was a fun time 🫶🫶
� 2023 Challenge: Book 118 of 110!! �
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This was an enjoyable read!! 🥰🥰 nothing amazing but I still thought it was a very entertaining ya fantasy 💜💜🫶🫶
RTC!
Want to read
September 23, 2022Yaaas! I was waiting for another book by Margaret Rogerson! ❤️
Well, that cover is cute and all, but it looks exactly like every other YA fantasy cover of the last years and I’m sad they didn’t stick with the same style as the other two.
Well, that cover is cute and all, but it looks exactly like every other YA fantasy cover of the last years and I’m sad they didn’t stick with the same style as the other two.
August 7, 2022
قلم راجرسون به وضوح توی این کتاب پیشرفت کرده، شخصیتپردازی� خیلی خوبه و از اون دست کتاباست که میشه یه سیکوئل براش نوشت ☺️
داستان کتاب حس و حال دارکی داره و طوری نوشته شده که زمین گذاشتنش راحت نیست.
از خوندنش واقعا لذت بردم.
داستان کتاب حس و حال دارکی داره و طوری نوشته شده که زمین گذاشتنش راحت نیست.
از خوندنش واقعا لذت بردم.
May 24, 2022
4.5/5 stars
Artemisia is a young woman whose hands are covered in scars. She lives with the Gray Sisters, devotees to the goddess named the Gray Lady, living day by day the tasks of a novice. Like all the Gray Sisters, she possesses the sight, the ability to see the numerous types of undead spirits. But then a confessor named Leandor comes to the convent, searching for a very specific girl. Aretmisia turns out to be that girl and against her will, Leandor tries to take her away. An attack by soldiers possessed by spirits throws a wrench into everyone's plans. During the attack, Artemisia travels to the convent's crypt to keep the relic of Saint Eugenia safe--but something else goes wrong. The revenant, an all-powerful undead spirit confined to the relic takes possession of Artemisia but is able to defeat the possessed soldiers. From there, Artemisia is thrown into a world of even more spirits, wondering what the Lady has in store for her, and a volatile relationship with the revenant. She must defeat the amassing undead before she exhausts herself to death, or something worse happens.
Inspired by one of my favorite subject matters, medieval nuns, and containing echoes of The Locked Tomb series, Vespertine is a refreshing drop in the otherwise predictable and unremarkable lake of YA fantasy. There is so much to love here from the prose, to Artemisia's character arc, and to how Margaret Rogerson handles certain themes. Rogerson has really done her research here regarding nuns and the lives and activities of medieval women saints and handles the subject matter seriously and maturely. What I appreciated the most about Vespertine is how differently it handles the issues of faith and religion, not only from other YA fantasy, but from other fantasy books covering the topic in general. In a lot (but certainly not all) of recent books, it's usually discovered that the god(s), or whatever the central figure of worship is, aren't there and the whole religion is a lie. I understand why this is done, but it gets predictable quite quick. While some of the religious authorities of figures in Vespertine have suspicious goals and motives and Artemisia even questions if her prayers will reach the Lady though she does believe in her, Rogerson avoids most of these tropes. She takes the religion and Artemisia's concerns and doubts seriously. There is a nuance and no beating over of your head.
Speaking of avoiding of tropes and stereotypes, I praise Rogerson for avoiding so many of the YA clichés with Artemisia. In the beginning, Artemisia is a somewhat cold and closed off figure. Some of the other girls are afraid of her because of both her attitude and of the reasons she came to the convent in the first place. Artemisia doesn't put much faith in a lot of people and she's a bit of a grump, but Rogerson avoids the "Not like the other girls" and "girlboss" pitfalls. Artemisia doesn't think she's better than the other girls, nor anyone else, nor does she feel herself entirely and overtly special despite being possessed by the revenant and endowed with its powers. She is a loner and tries to act this way throughout the majority of the book and thinks nobody can do anything to help her, but Marguerite, another girl from the convent, calls her out on this.
Thank you, Rogerson, for being the exception not the rule.
The most interesting part about Artemisia is how closely she resembles actual medieval holy women and saints, particularly with regards to her own denial as to being a saint and how she treats her body through the book. Many real-life medieval holy women and saints did not come forward to their confessors or other Church officials with their visions or miracles because they feared as being branded as heretics, witches, fakers, or even insane. The ecclesiastical process for determining whether one was actually experiencing visions from God and having miraculous abilities--especially for women--was a long and arduous one. Not everyone who came forward, whether willingly or unwillingly, was exalted as a holy person. Artemisia's denial seems to extend from her reluctance to engage with other people and her fear of the power of the undead. Also like Artemisia, many medieval holy women and saints often neglected their bodies. They often starved themselves or beat themselves to atone for their own sins and/or the sins of the world. Artemisia is often indifferent to the exhaustion and scars her body receives; it possibly extends from when the fire spirit first burned her hands a child, but also because she believes there are more important matters at hand.
Artemisia denies her sainthood, though most saints did too. In fact, there is a subtext peppered throughout the book about how the Lady often chooses and moves people who don't want to do Her tasks to begin with but have to anyway. Through these themes and concerns, Artemisia's arc is one of gradual and genuine change that is done very well. She has changed somewhat from who she is in the beginning and has the potential to change even more. I am very satisfied with it all. Special attention deserves to be focused on Artemisia's desire for self-sacrifice. Her reasons for it feel legitimate and her dedication for it, if it should happen, are not anything I've ever seen in a YA book before. Usually self-sacrifice is avoided because an author believes it shouldn't happen or it because it skirts too closely to being religious (usually depends on how the situation is presented honestly). However, when you really think about it, Artemisia's desire for self-sacrifice comes form an altruistic place, To echo my friend carol., when it's done for greater good self-sacrifice can be portrayed well.
The magic system regarding the order of spirits and how they work is solid to me. There's a few confusing points at times though, but nothing that prevented me from enjoying the rest of the story. The world-building is even more solid; Rogerson is able to describe ecclesiastical politics of the world and what the world looks like without info-dumping and in readable prose. The prose in general is amazing! It's pretty without being too pretentious and is still able to be approachable to YA audiences, in my opinion at least. It definitely feels like genuine fantasy prose, but I couldn't help but feel a Gothic-esque tone to it all.
The pacing is a bit slow in the beginning, but it picks up as it goes on. Again, the prose really aids here. I don't recall much info-dumping, or at least it isn't very heavy. I also enjoyed most of the other characters, particularly the revenant. The revenant was one of the sassiest undead spirits I have ever had the pleasure of encountering. It made a great foil to Artemisia and it changed too over the course of the book. Like Artemisia, the revenant has a hidden side to it that comes to the surface over the course of the novel. I genuinely cared for the both of them.
I am happy with what happened in this book and how it was portrayed. It feels like an actual story and that things were accomplished in this book. Apparently, Rogerson is writing a sequel so I am interested to see where Artemisia and the revenant will go from here.
This was such a hidden gem among YA fantasy. I've heard is like this as well, I can't wait to get to it.
Artemisia is a young woman whose hands are covered in scars. She lives with the Gray Sisters, devotees to the goddess named the Gray Lady, living day by day the tasks of a novice. Like all the Gray Sisters, she possesses the sight, the ability to see the numerous types of undead spirits. But then a confessor named Leandor comes to the convent, searching for a very specific girl. Aretmisia turns out to be that girl and against her will, Leandor tries to take her away. An attack by soldiers possessed by spirits throws a wrench into everyone's plans. During the attack, Artemisia travels to the convent's crypt to keep the relic of Saint Eugenia safe--but something else goes wrong. The revenant, an all-powerful undead spirit confined to the relic takes possession of Artemisia but is able to defeat the possessed soldiers. From there, Artemisia is thrown into a world of even more spirits, wondering what the Lady has in store for her, and a volatile relationship with the revenant. She must defeat the amassing undead before she exhausts herself to death, or something worse happens.
Inspired by one of my favorite subject matters, medieval nuns, and containing echoes of The Locked Tomb series, Vespertine is a refreshing drop in the otherwise predictable and unremarkable lake of YA fantasy. There is so much to love here from the prose, to Artemisia's character arc, and to how Margaret Rogerson handles certain themes. Rogerson has really done her research here regarding nuns and the lives and activities of medieval women saints and handles the subject matter seriously and maturely. What I appreciated the most about Vespertine is how differently it handles the issues of faith and religion, not only from other YA fantasy, but from other fantasy books covering the topic in general. In a lot (but certainly not all) of recent books, it's usually discovered that the god(s), or whatever the central figure of worship is, aren't there and the whole religion is a lie. I understand why this is done, but it gets predictable quite quick. While some of the religious authorities of figures in Vespertine have suspicious goals and motives and Artemisia even questions if her prayers will reach the Lady though she does believe in her, Rogerson avoids most of these tropes. She takes the religion and Artemisia's concerns and doubts seriously. There is a nuance and no beating over of your head.
Speaking of avoiding of tropes and stereotypes, I praise Rogerson for avoiding so many of the YA clichés with Artemisia. In the beginning, Artemisia is a somewhat cold and closed off figure. Some of the other girls are afraid of her because of both her attitude and of the reasons she came to the convent in the first place. Artemisia doesn't put much faith in a lot of people and she's a bit of a grump, but Rogerson avoids the "Not like the other girls" and "girlboss" pitfalls. Artemisia doesn't think she's better than the other girls, nor anyone else, nor does she feel herself entirely and overtly special despite being possessed by the revenant and endowed with its powers. She is a loner and tries to act this way throughout the majority of the book and thinks nobody can do anything to help her, but Marguerite, another girl from the convent, calls her out on this.
Thank you, Rogerson, for being the exception not the rule.
The most interesting part about Artemisia is how closely she resembles actual medieval holy women and saints, particularly with regards to her own denial as to being a saint and how she treats her body through the book. Many real-life medieval holy women and saints did not come forward to their confessors or other Church officials with their visions or miracles because they feared as being branded as heretics, witches, fakers, or even insane. The ecclesiastical process for determining whether one was actually experiencing visions from God and having miraculous abilities--especially for women--was a long and arduous one. Not everyone who came forward, whether willingly or unwillingly, was exalted as a holy person. Artemisia's denial seems to extend from her reluctance to engage with other people and her fear of the power of the undead. Also like Artemisia, many medieval holy women and saints often neglected their bodies. They often starved themselves or beat themselves to atone for their own sins and/or the sins of the world. Artemisia is often indifferent to the exhaustion and scars her body receives; it possibly extends from when the fire spirit first burned her hands a child, but also because she believes there are more important matters at hand.
Artemisia denies her sainthood, though most saints did too. In fact, there is a subtext peppered throughout the book about how the Lady often chooses and moves people who don't want to do Her tasks to begin with but have to anyway. Through these themes and concerns, Artemisia's arc is one of gradual and genuine change that is done very well. She has changed somewhat from who she is in the beginning and has the potential to change even more. I am very satisfied with it all. Special attention deserves to be focused on Artemisia's desire for self-sacrifice. Her reasons for it feel legitimate and her dedication for it, if it should happen, are not anything I've ever seen in a YA book before. Usually self-sacrifice is avoided because an author believes it shouldn't happen or it because it skirts too closely to being religious (usually depends on how the situation is presented honestly). However, when you really think about it, Artemisia's desire for self-sacrifice comes form an altruistic place, To echo my friend carol., when it's done for greater good self-sacrifice can be portrayed well.
The magic system regarding the order of spirits and how they work is solid to me. There's a few confusing points at times though, but nothing that prevented me from enjoying the rest of the story. The world-building is even more solid; Rogerson is able to describe ecclesiastical politics of the world and what the world looks like without info-dumping and in readable prose. The prose in general is amazing! It's pretty without being too pretentious and is still able to be approachable to YA audiences, in my opinion at least. It definitely feels like genuine fantasy prose, but I couldn't help but feel a Gothic-esque tone to it all.
The pacing is a bit slow in the beginning, but it picks up as it goes on. Again, the prose really aids here. I don't recall much info-dumping, or at least it isn't very heavy. I also enjoyed most of the other characters, particularly the revenant. The revenant was one of the sassiest undead spirits I have ever had the pleasure of encountering. It made a great foil to Artemisia and it changed too over the course of the book. Like Artemisia, the revenant has a hidden side to it that comes to the surface over the course of the novel. I genuinely cared for the both of them.
I am happy with what happened in this book and how it was portrayed. It feels like an actual story and that things were accomplished in this book. Apparently, Rogerson is writing a sequel so I am interested to see where Artemisia and the revenant will go from here.
This was such a hidden gem among YA fantasy. I've heard is like this as well, I can't wait to get to it.
November 16, 2021
RTC when I rally my braincells from that AMAZING journey that, as the author says herself, is definitely an epic "medieval Venom with nuns and ghosts" that has me desperate for the sequel(s).
December 31, 2021
I think Margaret Rogersen and I just don’t click. I’ve read all three of her books, something about them always intrigues me and I get excited to read them. And they are written so well, believe me. She’s truly an amazing author. But for every single one of her books I get halfway through them and then I don’t care anymore. Maybe it’s too much time spent on worldbuilding and not enough on plot or characters. But she loses me.
I think I am an anomaly, lots of people love her books. But while Vespertine was great for the first half, I found the second half rushed/lacking. But bonus points to the cover art, it was incredible.
I think I am an anomaly, lots of people love her books. But while Vespertine was great for the first half, I found the second half rushed/lacking. But bonus points to the cover art, it was incredible.
Want to read
September 21, 2021Correct me if I'm wrong but is this about demons and NUNS?
I AM READY TO STAN
I AM READY TO STAN
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