Maude hasn’t spoken to Odette, her childhood finest pal, in 4 years—ever since Maude’s magic “dried up.” But when Odette disappears and everybody assumes that she’s useless, Maude feels a mysterious pull towards Sicklehurst, an deserted energy plant that nobody appears to have the ability to bear in mind. As Maude enters Sicklehurst in search of Odette, she attracts power from the tales they used to share, tales of princes and monsters with completely satisfied endings. But the additional Maude ventures into Sicklehurst, the extra she discovers that her mysterious previous might lastly be catching as much as her.
In A Hunger of Thorns, Australian creator Lili Wilkinson creates a lush coming-of-age story that upends narrative expectations about witches and fairy tales. The world of the novel feels fantastical but acquainted: Magic exists, but it surely’s regulated by the federal government and managed by firms. Witches go to highschool, however the spells they study are superficial and commoditized—enchanted laundry detergent, charms to seek out misplaced keys. Maude has grown up on this world, however as she uncovers truths about her household, their residence and magic itself, she brings readers alongside by means of the twists and turns of a forgotten previous.
Wilkinson’s prose is full of sensuality, shifting between the beautiful and the grotesque. Maude’s fluctuating emotions have a visceral high quality; her obsession with Odette is all-consuming, and the loss of her magical powers is tangibly painful. The bodily physique itself can be a central concern. In one scene, Maude observes that the presence of magic looks like “a heavy pull in my abdomen, like I’m getting my period,” and the efficiency of magic can require all types of bodily fluids.
A Hunger of Thorns isn’t a e book for readers with weak stomachs or faint hearts, but it surely’s not devoid of hopefulness, both. Maude struggles with loss and loneliness but additionally finds a strategy to transfer past her previous and recognize her current. As she realizes how she’s allowed her seek for Odette to drive her—and trigger her to hurt others—she additionally takes accountability for her actions and holds others answerable for theirs. The narrative itself challenges Maude’s view of herself, demonstrating the ability in real, trustworthy self-reflection.
Gritty, daring and unflinching, A Hunger of Thorns turns a mirror on the darkest elements of rising up and asks readers to look carefully at what’s mirrored. Only by dealing with the reality, Wilkinson assures us, can we study, heal and develop. It’s an excellent learn for anybody in search of a stunning and unique witchy fantasy.
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