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Vespertine, by Margaret Rogerson
Feb. 27th, 2022 11:53 amOkay now THIS is how to end a book in a way where it's clear there will be sequels that you want to read, but where the narrative of the individual book is still solidly and satisfyingly concluded.
Vespertine's pitch is that it's Venom but about a nun and a spirit in a medieval setting. It's also kind of Joan of Arc in nature? And clearly written by someone for whom the Sabriel-Lirael-Abhorsen books were formative (or if they weren't, then this is a person who clearly needs those books in her life because they'd be perfect for her!).
Anyway Artemisia is a young woman who's been scarred by her past and is very happy with the idea of just continuing quietly in a retiring role as a nun in a backwater and hopefully talking to as few people as possible, but circumstances conspire to make that not an option for her, and instead she's sharing her body and mind with a wildly dangerous being who could control or destroy her easily, but with whom she works out an uneasy alliance to achieve what they each want.
It's incredible. I was a little dubious going in, because it's very catholic imagery in a way I often find tired and overdone, but the more I read the more I was there for everything this book is doing.
The relationship between Artemisia and her revenant! And the one between Artemisia and Marguerite! and Artemisia and Leander! and Artemisia and her horse! and tbh the Divine and [uh, spoilers] too, and also everything about Mother Dolours, and and and. Love it. A whole bunch of people doing their best in miserable circumstances, and not always getting it right (sometimes drastically wrong, in fact!) but TRYING.
I love this book and I love the ending and I cannot wait to read more books in this series.
I've read one book by Rogerson before, her debut novel, and though I largely enjoyed that one, I still had some fairly significant quibbles with it. Not this time. I think she's really leveled up as an author since her debut! Love to see it.
Vespertine's pitch is that it's Venom but about a nun and a spirit in a medieval setting. It's also kind of Joan of Arc in nature? And clearly written by someone for whom the Sabriel-Lirael-Abhorsen books were formative (or if they weren't, then this is a person who clearly needs those books in her life because they'd be perfect for her!).
Anyway Artemisia is a young woman who's been scarred by her past and is very happy with the idea of just continuing quietly in a retiring role as a nun in a backwater and hopefully talking to as few people as possible, but circumstances conspire to make that not an option for her, and instead she's sharing her body and mind with a wildly dangerous being who could control or destroy her easily, but with whom she works out an uneasy alliance to achieve what they each want.
It's incredible. I was a little dubious going in, because it's very catholic imagery in a way I often find tired and overdone, but the more I read the more I was there for everything this book is doing.
The relationship between Artemisia and her revenant! And the one between Artemisia and Marguerite! and Artemisia and Leander! and Artemisia and her horse! and tbh the Divine and [uh, spoilers] too, and also everything about Mother Dolours, and and and. Love it. A whole bunch of people doing their best in miserable circumstances, and not always getting it right (sometimes drastically wrong, in fact!) but TRYING.
I love this book and I love the ending and I cannot wait to read more books in this series.
I've read one book by Rogerson before, her debut novel, and though I largely enjoyed that one, I still had some fairly significant quibbles with it. Not this time. I think she's really leveled up as an author since her debut! Love to see it.
