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A Hunger of Thorns #1
A Hunger of Thorns
Not yet published
Expected 2 Jan 79Be swept away by a lush, witchy tale about forbidden magic and missing girls who don't need handsome princes to rescue them. Perfect for fans of The Hazel Wood.
Maude is the daughter of witches. She spent her childhood running wild with her best friend, Odette, weaving stories of girls who slayed dragons and saved princes. Then Maude grew up and lost her magic--and her best friend.
These days, magic is toothless, reduced to glamour patches and psychic energy drinks found in supermarkets and shopping malls. Odette has always hungered for forbidden, dangerous magic, and two weeks ago she went searching for it. Now she's missing, and everyone says she's dead. Everyone except Maude.
Storytelling has always been Maude's gift, so she knows all about girls who get lost in the woods. She's sure she can find Odette inside the ruins of Sicklehurst, an abandoned power plant built over an ancient magical forest--a place nobody else seems to remember is there. The danger is, no one knows what remains inside Sicklehurst, either. And every good story is sure to have a monster.
Maude is the daughter of witches. She spent her childhood running wild with her best friend, Odette, weaving stories of girls who slayed dragons and saved princes. Then Maude grew up and lost her magic--and her best friend.
These days, magic is toothless, reduced to glamour patches and psychic energy drinks found in supermarkets and shopping malls. Odette has always hungered for forbidden, dangerous magic, and two weeks ago she went searching for it. Now she's missing, and everyone says she's dead. Everyone except Maude.
Storytelling has always been Maude's gift, so she knows all about girls who get lost in the woods. She's sure she can find Odette inside the ruins of Sicklehurst, an abandoned power plant built over an ancient magical forest--a place nobody else seems to remember is there. The danger is, no one knows what remains inside Sicklehurst, either. And every good story is sure to have a monster.
432 pages, Library Binding
First published April 18, 2023
108 people are currently reading
5473 people want to read
About the author
Lili Wilkinson
33 books367 followersLili Wilkinson is the award-winning author of eighteen books for young people, including The Erasure Initiative and After the Lights Go Out. Lili has a PhD from the University of Melbourne, and is a passionate advocate for YA and the young people who read it, establishing the Inky Awards at the Centre for Youth Literature, State Library of Victoria. Her latest book is A Hunger of Thorns.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 397 reviews
April 12, 2024
wtf did I just read?
The FMC was unhealthily obsessed with her former friend (who she hasn’t talked to in 4 years). And when I say obsessed - I mean the kind of obsessed that you need to see a psychiatrist about. This was disturbing.
I felt so uncomfortable reading this.
I hated the FMC. Not only was she disturbingly obsessed with Odette, but she was a total asshole to Rufus - who was her only real friend. She was mean to him for no reason at all. But obsessed with someone who abandoned her when she became useless to her.
* I read every word until the 50% mark - then I just couldn’t take it anymore and skimmed the rest.
———•
I have no idea what this is about. Simply bought it because the cover is GORGEOUS
Happy Friday everyone 💗 hope you get plenty of time to rest & read or do whatever you want to do this weekend xxx
The FMC was unhealthily obsessed with her former friend (who she hasn’t talked to in 4 years). And when I say obsessed - I mean the kind of obsessed that you need to see a psychiatrist about. This was disturbing.
I felt so uncomfortable reading this.
I hated the FMC. Not only was she disturbingly obsessed with Odette, but she was a total asshole to Rufus - who was her only real friend. She was mean to him for no reason at all. But obsessed with someone who abandoned her when she became useless to her.
* I read every word until the 50% mark - then I just couldn’t take it anymore and skimmed the rest.
———•
I have no idea what this is about. Simply bought it because the cover is GORGEOUS
Happy Friday everyone 💗 hope you get plenty of time to rest & read or do whatever you want to do this weekend xxx
November 11, 2022
I cry out for every girl who was told to comb her hair and wash the mud from her face. To keep herself contained. To be ashamed of her voice, her hair, her flesh. To be quiet and good and nice. Girls are not nice. Girls are wild and fierce and powerful, and I will not let anyone take that away. Not ever again.
4.5* wow. what a wild ride.
the vibes were immaculate??!
i am fascinated not only by the writing in this but the world the author created and all its characters. i loved every single one of them and i find it so hard to come across a book these days that manages to do that.. maude, our amazing MC, is a force to be reckoned with, and it was amazing to see her growth throughout the book.
i also feel the need to point out how crazy it is to look at this cover after reading the book, you see so much... highly recommend taking a few minutes to soak up all the amazing details hidden. the artist definitely understood the assignment.
4.5* wow. what a wild ride.
the vibes were immaculate??!
i am fascinated not only by the writing in this but the world the author created and all its characters. i loved every single one of them and i find it so hard to come across a book these days that manages to do that.. maude, our amazing MC, is a force to be reckoned with, and it was amazing to see her growth throughout the book.
i also feel the need to point out how crazy it is to look at this cover after reading the book, you see so much... highly recommend taking a few minutes to soak up all the amazing details hidden. the artist definitely understood the assignment.
June 14, 2023
DNF: 21%
I was shocked to discover this was Lili Wilkinson’s eighteenth novel because it read like a debut. The execution of backstory was clunky and didn’t flow into the story; rather, it took me out of the narration every time. Despite there being an abundance of details—that bogged down the pacing—they felt cumbersome and told, not showed, the reader what was happening. Overall, the story was weakly constructed and oftentimes confusing.
I define novels, such as this one, as being a case of “pretty cover, interesting synopsis, and poor execution.” The cover and the synopsis piqued my interest, and I was intrigued by the magical realism aspect, despite the setting being a fantasy world. However, the world-building was confusing and info-dumped on the reader. The author was reaching for a timeless feel, but it made the details feel vague and untethered. I couldn’t tell you what time period the story was set in (despite it seeming like an alternate Earth?) or how the magic system works. All in all, the story details and execution needed developmental refinement.
I want to touch on the backstory for a moment. Backstory is a necessary piece of story building. But, in the case of this novel, it was clunkily written into the novel. Nearly every backstory piece was an entire scene—and was granted scene breaks—and poorly transitioned in and out of. (Honestly, the backstory writing is why I’m shocked this is Wilkinson’s eighteen novel. It read amateurly.) I found myself craving other forms of backstory (such as short summary or in dialogue) outside of fully-fledged scenes. Alternatively, I wish this novel was written in dual timelines. It would have given the present and past moments an opportunity to breathe, and it would have been a diverting way to explore Maude and Odette’s relationship.
If there is one pet peeve of mine, it’s this: a young adult novel where the main character is obsessed with their best friend. The catch? The best friend is an awful person who doesn’t deserve a lick of the main character’s time or energy. Surely, there are cases where this can be done well—this novel is not one of those cases. If anything, this obsession stole away any of Maude’s agency. She was a textbook example of a people pleaser and even in the early chapters, did not give much indication of being willing to change to those ways. And if a character has an unwillingness to change and/or a lack of goal (in this case, Maude’s goal was to find Odette), the character loses its agency. I would argue that Maude didn’t have much agency at all.
In the end, this was a clunky novel that needed further refinement prior to publication. I found it difficult to connect to the main character or to sink into the story by any means. Unfortunately, this means I will not be reading any more of this author’s work in the future.
Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
I was shocked to discover this was Lili Wilkinson’s eighteenth novel because it read like a debut. The execution of backstory was clunky and didn’t flow into the story; rather, it took me out of the narration every time. Despite there being an abundance of details—that bogged down the pacing—they felt cumbersome and told, not showed, the reader what was happening. Overall, the story was weakly constructed and oftentimes confusing.
I define novels, such as this one, as being a case of “pretty cover, interesting synopsis, and poor execution.” The cover and the synopsis piqued my interest, and I was intrigued by the magical realism aspect, despite the setting being a fantasy world. However, the world-building was confusing and info-dumped on the reader. The author was reaching for a timeless feel, but it made the details feel vague and untethered. I couldn’t tell you what time period the story was set in (despite it seeming like an alternate Earth?) or how the magic system works. All in all, the story details and execution needed developmental refinement.
I want to touch on the backstory for a moment. Backstory is a necessary piece of story building. But, in the case of this novel, it was clunkily written into the novel. Nearly every backstory piece was an entire scene—and was granted scene breaks—and poorly transitioned in and out of. (Honestly, the backstory writing is why I’m shocked this is Wilkinson’s eighteen novel. It read amateurly.) I found myself craving other forms of backstory (such as short summary or in dialogue) outside of fully-fledged scenes. Alternatively, I wish this novel was written in dual timelines. It would have given the present and past moments an opportunity to breathe, and it would have been a diverting way to explore Maude and Odette’s relationship.
If there is one pet peeve of mine, it’s this: a young adult novel where the main character is obsessed with their best friend. The catch? The best friend is an awful person who doesn’t deserve a lick of the main character’s time or energy. Surely, there are cases where this can be done well—this novel is not one of those cases. If anything, this obsession stole away any of Maude’s agency. She was a textbook example of a people pleaser and even in the early chapters, did not give much indication of being willing to change to those ways. And if a character has an unwillingness to change and/or a lack of goal (in this case, Maude’s goal was to find Odette), the character loses its agency. I would argue that Maude didn’t have much agency at all.
In the end, this was a clunky novel that needed further refinement prior to publication. I found it difficult to connect to the main character or to sink into the story by any means. Unfortunately, this means I will not be reading any more of this author’s work in the future.
Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
July 4, 2024
It might have whimsied too close to the sun for my liking?
Cute tho.
Cute tho.
April 22, 2023
Review coming soon.
August 7, 2022
Thank you, NetGalley and Delacorte for providing me with a digital arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.
A Hunger of Thorns is an exquisite narrative of the magic of inner empowerment, friendship, love, and storytelling. Wilkinson’s descriptive, lyrical writing style easily sweeps readers away on main character Maude’s quest to metaphorically “slay the dragons” she usually confronts in her own stories. While it is clear inspiration was taken from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, A Hunger of Thorns’ originality comes from its amalgamation of discourses on sexuality and feminism as well as a unique take on fairy tale elements. I cannot rave enough about the book and its twists!
My only qualm about the story is my brain wanted this story to take place in a different time period than the present. Much of the story pulled me into a different world entirely and then there would be mention of hoodies or WiFi that was jarring to my personal reading experience. Other than that, this is a story I definitely would recommend to others.
A Hunger of Thorns is an exquisite narrative of the magic of inner empowerment, friendship, love, and storytelling. Wilkinson’s descriptive, lyrical writing style easily sweeps readers away on main character Maude’s quest to metaphorically “slay the dragons” she usually confronts in her own stories. While it is clear inspiration was taken from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, A Hunger of Thorns’ originality comes from its amalgamation of discourses on sexuality and feminism as well as a unique take on fairy tale elements. I cannot rave enough about the book and its twists!
My only qualm about the story is my brain wanted this story to take place in a different time period than the present. Much of the story pulled me into a different world entirely and then there would be mention of hoodies or WiFi that was jarring to my personal reading experience. Other than that, this is a story I definitely would recommend to others.
April 7, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was a DNF for me. By 14% I was already confused, annoyed, and bored. Any attempt at a plot is bogged down by superfluous descriptions of things that really make no impact on either the characters or the story (do I really need to know how Nan acquires her tea in bulk, how she brews it, how she adds what first or last for whatever reason?). I see the toxicity and borderline abusive nature of the "friendship" between Maude and Odette from a mile away and I'm not here for it.
There's apparently some attempt to throw in a "girl power, down with the patriarchy" message, but it's so hamfisted yet simultaneously sporadic that it just seems like a few seconds of preaching; it pops up when it's convenient, otherwise it's drowned out by Maude's effort to be a fairy tale equivalent of James Joyce (just more depressing).
Maude wants to be this girl that "rails against" what "nice" girls are supposed to do or not do; how can she fight against anything when she's little more than a doormat to everyone around her - her grandmothers, her school's head dude (was he the principal or the superintendent? Idk, idc), Odette, literally everyone. I already hate her, I came very quickly to hate Odette, the grannies are fine, and Rufus seems okay. That's it.
The constant back-and-forth from past to present is irritating. Please pick one portion of time in the story and stick with it. Some books can use this to great advantage; this is not one of those books. It's just annoying.
Also, where/when tf is this supposed to take place? Earth? An alternate Earth? England? Ireland? US? Today? The future? The fifties? You can't just throw in the trio of stereotypical means girls wearing gingham dresses and not expect me to question it. There's a power plant, so it's gotta be sometime after the 1880s. But nothing else makes sense in this book, so why should the setting, I guess.
Maybe it does indeed get better, but I'm at 18% and already have so many problems with it, so I guess I'll never know. I can't spend any more time on this one; I don't have the strength nor the interest to try.
This was a DNF for me. By 14% I was already confused, annoyed, and bored. Any attempt at a plot is bogged down by superfluous descriptions of things that really make no impact on either the characters or the story (do I really need to know how Nan acquires her tea in bulk, how she brews it, how she adds what first or last for whatever reason?). I see the toxicity and borderline abusive nature of the "friendship" between Maude and Odette from a mile away and I'm not here for it.
There's apparently some attempt to throw in a "girl power, down with the patriarchy" message, but it's so hamfisted yet simultaneously sporadic that it just seems like a few seconds of preaching; it pops up when it's convenient, otherwise it's drowned out by Maude's effort to be a fairy tale equivalent of James Joyce (just more depressing).
Maude wants to be this girl that "rails against" what "nice" girls are supposed to do or not do; how can she fight against anything when she's little more than a doormat to everyone around her - her grandmothers, her school's head dude (was he the principal or the superintendent? Idk, idc), Odette, literally everyone. I already hate her, I came very quickly to hate Odette, the grannies are fine, and Rufus seems okay. That's it.
The constant back-and-forth from past to present is irritating. Please pick one portion of time in the story and stick with it. Some books can use this to great advantage; this is not one of those books. It's just annoying.
Also, where/when tf is this supposed to take place? Earth? An alternate Earth? England? Ireland? US? Today? The future? The fifties? You can't just throw in the trio of stereotypical means girls wearing gingham dresses and not expect me to question it. There's a power plant, so it's gotta be sometime after the 1880s. But nothing else makes sense in this book, so why should the setting, I guess.
Maybe it does indeed get better, but I'm at 18% and already have so many problems with it, so I guess I'll never know. I can't spend any more time on this one; I don't have the strength nor the interest to try.
May 7, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
Thank you NetGalley and Bolina for this adventurous audiobook.
Maude is a young woman who loves storytelling. When she was younger, she used to spin an amazing story for her best friend Odette, fairytales with beautiful princes, foul creatures, and a lot of princesses to save. Maude also comes from a family of witches and Odette is always intrigued by her friend's power. Four years ago, coming into puberty, Maude loses her gift of practicing magic, Odette breaks their friendship and starts to ignore her.
But when Odette disappears for two weeks, Maude doesn´t care about the fact that they haven´t spoken for four years, she is blinded by the need to save her best friend like in one of her stories.
This book was a rollercoaster of emotion for me.
For one, I loved the writing. It was truly stunning and the voice actress did an AMAZING job in bringing to life this story.
The magic system was really interesting and the plot engaging.
But I had one big problem with this book. I hated the protagonist. Maude was childish and obsessed with Odette. She didn´t understand what was going on when for the reader it was pretty clear, and this just helps to make her more dumb to my eyes.
She tried to justify herself and her love for Odette, but by half of the book, I was so tired of her waining.
Eventually, she started annoying me greatly.
Rufus was the real star of this book for me.
All the supporting characters were. Even Odette is better than Maude, even if, at the beginning of the book she is the ´bad friend´ who abandoned her.
Anyway, this is a great book for lovers of witchy topics.
I would have loved to see more of a wild side to our young protagonist, but I know she had to arrive there slowly, VERY SLOWLY.
Thank you NetGalley and Bolina for this adventurous audiobook.
Maude is a young woman who loves storytelling. When she was younger, she used to spin an amazing story for her best friend Odette, fairytales with beautiful princes, foul creatures, and a lot of princesses to save. Maude also comes from a family of witches and Odette is always intrigued by her friend's power. Four years ago, coming into puberty, Maude loses her gift of practicing magic, Odette breaks their friendship and starts to ignore her.
But when Odette disappears for two weeks, Maude doesn´t care about the fact that they haven´t spoken for four years, she is blinded by the need to save her best friend like in one of her stories.
This book was a rollercoaster of emotion for me.
For one, I loved the writing. It was truly stunning and the voice actress did an AMAZING job in bringing to life this story.
The magic system was really interesting and the plot engaging.
But I had one big problem with this book. I hated the protagonist. Maude was childish and obsessed with Odette. She didn´t understand what was going on when for the reader it was pretty clear, and this just helps to make her more dumb to my eyes.
She tried to justify herself and her love for Odette, but by half of the book, I was so tired of her waining.
Eventually, she started annoying me greatly.
Rufus was the real star of this book for me.
All the supporting characters were. Even Odette is better than Maude, even if, at the beginning of the book she is the ´bad friend´ who abandoned her.
Anyway, this is a great book for lovers of witchy topics.
I would have loved to see more of a wild side to our young protagonist, but I know she had to arrive there slowly, VERY SLOWLY.
February 6, 2023
Okay so this book. This book. Well I loved this book! I loved the way the story was weaved with such beautiful descriptions. That the main character, Maude, was naturally flawed and it took time and development for her to see it and to be able to move on. The story was so well written and well layered. The characters were in Sicklehurst were beautiful and untouchable in the way any magical creature should be. And what they went through on the daily made me ache for them. I really enjoyed this book so much! It actually is the first finished book I have put into my reading journal. I have told friends to be on the lookout for it when it publishes and I plan to own a physical copy of it.!
December 29, 2023
Long immersive story about the impact of stories and of family and sacrifice and the corruption of magic.
Lovely writing.
Lovely writing.
February 6, 2023
I received a copy of this in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.
Let me just start by saying, I really really wanted to love this. Maude intrigued me as a character some of the time, but annoyed me at other times. I constantly felt like I was waiting for something... MORE.. to happen in the storyline. Everything just fell kind of flat? The storyline was .... basic, and slightly boring at times. There's something good there in the storyline and concept... but the author just didn't put in that final oomph to make it work. The execution was just lacking.
The cover of the book is gorgeous though!
Let me just start by saying, I really really wanted to love this. Maude intrigued me as a character some of the time, but annoyed me at other times. I constantly felt like I was waiting for something... MORE.. to happen in the storyline. Everything just fell kind of flat? The storyline was .... basic, and slightly boring at times. There's something good there in the storyline and concept... but the author just didn't put in that final oomph to make it work. The execution was just lacking.
The cover of the book is gorgeous though!
January 30, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC!
This is a magical YA book with hints of romance/potential romance. When I first started this book I had a difficult time getting into it as it seemed it began in an odd location. But after literally the first (maybe second chapter) the pace seemed to pick up quicker and I had trouble putting it down. This book is a legit fairytale come to life. And I do not believe I have ever read a book like it. It felt as so much happened in such a short time period. I believe only a few days or so? And it was such an adventure! And I am utterly obsessed with the take on magic and what it became. I felt as if there were a few instances where I was lost, especially with the concept of mettle. It didn’t feel it was explained until quite later on, which might have been the intention just wasn’t my preference.
This is definitely a unique, magic-filled book, and I can definitely say I enjoyed it. I can honestly say I was not sure I would expect it as much but I feel the concept of Sicklehurst and Maude's story-telling abilities is just a very interesting way to portray magic. I am under the impression there is a book two, (I could be wrong) but if there is a book two, I am very interested to see where Wilkinson will go with the story.
I do recommend this book if you like fantasy, fairytales, and magic.
This is a magical YA book with hints of romance/potential romance. When I first started this book I had a difficult time getting into it as it seemed it began in an odd location. But after literally the first (maybe second chapter) the pace seemed to pick up quicker and I had trouble putting it down. This book is a legit fairytale come to life. And I do not believe I have ever read a book like it. It felt as so much happened in such a short time period. I believe only a few days or so? And it was such an adventure! And I am utterly obsessed with the take on magic and what it became. I felt as if there were a few instances where I was lost, especially with the concept of mettle. It didn’t feel it was explained until quite later on, which might have been the intention just wasn’t my preference.
This is definitely a unique, magic-filled book, and I can definitely say I enjoyed it. I can honestly say I was not sure I would expect it as much but I feel the concept of Sicklehurst and Maude's story-telling abilities is just a very interesting way to portray magic. I am under the impression there is a book two, (I could be wrong) but if there is a book two, I am very interested to see where Wilkinson will go with the story.
I do recommend this book if you like fantasy, fairytales, and magic.
December 21, 2022
This was an ARC that I received on Netgalley:
I've been reading a lot of YA this year, usually with mixed reviews. There are several YA books that I read that I definitely did not connect with because the material was more immature or focused on things that would usually only appeal to that age group. However, there are plenty that I also read this year that I feel are better written the some of the adult novels I've read! This one definitely fell into the latter category for me! I read some other reviews who disagreed, but honesty? I really enjoyed it!
The main focus is on Maude, who is a 17 year old witch who has lost her magic. Her once best friend Odette has gone missing and instead of being the "good girl" she's expected to be, she decides to defy her grandmother's and the law to go find her. Instead she ends up lost in a magical world straight out of her own imagination! What I loved about this story was how it dove into toxic friendships/relationships and the impact it can have on both parties. It also explored someone trying to find their own identity outside of other people. Maude has to grapple with her own monsters to not only find Odette, but to find herself as well. I love that we don't just get the Mary Jane victim. Maude is flawed and those flaws come from not just her environment but also her own internal struggles.
The other element I loved was the story telling. I'm a HUGE fan of myths/folklore/fairytales/etc. Maude's greatest talent is her ability to weave stories and that is what has shaped the world around her. She also uses it as a way to become someone she wishes she could be.
Overall, the story was well told. I loved the descriptions of the world around our characters and I love how the story all came together in the end. It definitely felt like a dark fairytale and I think that's what made me connect with the story and with Maude. This was a definite win for me and I would recommend it as a YA novel that can still be enjoyed by an older audience.
I've been reading a lot of YA this year, usually with mixed reviews. There are several YA books that I read that I definitely did not connect with because the material was more immature or focused on things that would usually only appeal to that age group. However, there are plenty that I also read this year that I feel are better written the some of the adult novels I've read! This one definitely fell into the latter category for me! I read some other reviews who disagreed, but honesty? I really enjoyed it!
The main focus is on Maude, who is a 17 year old witch who has lost her magic. Her once best friend Odette has gone missing and instead of being the "good girl" she's expected to be, she decides to defy her grandmother's and the law to go find her. Instead she ends up lost in a magical world straight out of her own imagination! What I loved about this story was how it dove into toxic friendships/relationships and the impact it can have on both parties. It also explored someone trying to find their own identity outside of other people. Maude has to grapple with her own monsters to not only find Odette, but to find herself as well. I love that we don't just get the Mary Jane victim. Maude is flawed and those flaws come from not just her environment but also her own internal struggles.
The other element I loved was the story telling. I'm a HUGE fan of myths/folklore/fairytales/etc. Maude's greatest talent is her ability to weave stories and that is what has shaped the world around her. She also uses it as a way to become someone she wishes she could be.
Overall, the story was well told. I loved the descriptions of the world around our characters and I love how the story all came together in the end. It definitely felt like a dark fairytale and I think that's what made me connect with the story and with Maude. This was a definite win for me and I would recommend it as a YA novel that can still be enjoyed by an older audience.
November 26, 2022
Thanks to PRH and Delecorte books for a chance to read an e-ARC of this book. I give it 3.5 stars.
This book is a strange twist on Sleepy Beauty and The Secret Garden with witches involved in every aspect of the story. For most of the book Sicklehurst seemed to have a mind of its own with no explanation as to why. Maude was magical as a little girl, and then she wasn't. Odette didn't have magic, but she practiced it somehow? The parameters of magical rules felt a little hazy throughout. I appreciated how the end of the story looped back to the beginning and Maude's past and the town's past, but for most of Maude's journey in learning about herself and Sicklehurst I felt confused. The writing is solid; only my ongoing confusion led to me skimming through pure descriptive parts to better understand the world. Where Maude and the whole society is in time and space is never touched on. I would've liked to have some connection to our world or at least known for certain this is an entirely fantasy world.
All qualms aside, the story itself is entertaining and magical with a strong fairy tale vibe. From early on someone is presumably locked in a tower. Sicklehurst gives the feel of a faerie land where girls can lose themselves and with vast vegetation in a space confined by a brick wall. Maude is steadily determined to rescue Odette, Winnie, Ginger, and others, yet she never knows how she can manage that until she tries. Strong female power essence in most of the book, especially the latter half, with no one expecting a man to rescue them. The story even passes the Bechdel Test and has a bit LGBT rep. I'd recommend this to someone who wants a unique fantasy retelling story with a beginning and ending that are intricately tied together.
This book is a strange twist on Sleepy Beauty and The Secret Garden with witches involved in every aspect of the story. For most of the book Sicklehurst seemed to have a mind of its own with no explanation as to why. Maude was magical as a little girl, and then she wasn't. Odette didn't have magic, but she practiced it somehow? The parameters of magical rules felt a little hazy throughout. I appreciated how the end of the story looped back to the beginning and Maude's past and the town's past, but for most of Maude's journey in learning about herself and Sicklehurst I felt confused. The writing is solid; only my ongoing confusion led to me skimming through pure descriptive parts to better understand the world. Where Maude and the whole society is in time and space is never touched on. I would've liked to have some connection to our world or at least known for certain this is an entirely fantasy world.
All qualms aside, the story itself is entertaining and magical with a strong fairy tale vibe. From early on someone is presumably locked in a tower. Sicklehurst gives the feel of a faerie land where girls can lose themselves and with vast vegetation in a space confined by a brick wall. Maude is steadily determined to rescue Odette, Winnie, Ginger, and others, yet she never knows how she can manage that until she tries. Strong female power essence in most of the book, especially the latter half, with no one expecting a man to rescue them. The story even passes the Bechdel Test and has a bit LGBT rep. I'd recommend this to someone who wants a unique fantasy retelling story with a beginning and ending that are intricately tied together.
March 12, 2023
A Hunger of Thorns is a YA fantasy following Maude, a girl who lost her wild, uninhibited nature when she lost her magic. But when her old friend, Odette, is missing, Maude thinks she is the only one who can save her, just like she did in the stories she told growing up.
The first and second halves of this novel felt a little disjointed to me. Now I did put the book down about 50 or 60% in to come back to later because I was pretty bored, but not long after picking it back up it seemed better. When the plot really started moving, it almost felt like going on an acid trip (I mean this in a positive light). It was so crazy and horror-esque in ways that grossed me out and intrigued me at the same time. Once I got into it, I didn't want to stop reading. It was just a bit of a struggle to get to that part for a few reasons.
I don't always need likeable characters, but I disliked pretty much every character. I loathed Maude's connection to Odette despite how Odette treated her, and then how Maude sometimes reacted to Rufus really made me mad. She had no backbone with Odette through the whole thing, and I was hoping that would be an element of character growth we'd get from her because I feel it would have fit the story as well as the theme of girls being wild and free rather than quiet and perfect behaving little girls. I also felt that the build up to the climax just wasn't interesting enough most of the time, and the hints we got for where the story was going didn't give me the motivation to want to constantly keep reading.
The marketing for this story compares it to Melissa Albert's The Hazel Wood, and I think that is a fair comparison. There is a lot to enjoy from this story, and I really liked how we got to see the changes in the area after everything settled.
The first and second halves of this novel felt a little disjointed to me. Now I did put the book down about 50 or 60% in to come back to later because I was pretty bored, but not long after picking it back up it seemed better. When the plot really started moving, it almost felt like going on an acid trip (I mean this in a positive light). It was so crazy and horror-esque in ways that grossed me out and intrigued me at the same time. Once I got into it, I didn't want to stop reading. It was just a bit of a struggle to get to that part for a few reasons.
I don't always need likeable characters, but I disliked pretty much every character. I loathed Maude's connection to Odette despite how Odette treated her, and then how Maude sometimes reacted to Rufus really made me mad. She had no backbone with Odette through the whole thing, and I was hoping that would be an element of character growth we'd get from her because I feel it would have fit the story as well as the theme of girls being wild and free rather than quiet and perfect behaving little girls. I also felt that the build up to the climax just wasn't interesting enough most of the time, and the hints we got for where the story was going didn't give me the motivation to want to constantly keep reading.
The marketing for this story compares it to Melissa Albert's The Hazel Wood, and I think that is a fair comparison. There is a lot to enjoy from this story, and I really liked how we got to see the changes in the area after everything settled.
dnf
February 8, 2023I made it 50 pages into this book and had to DNF. It was not for me.
The writing is all over the place. Instead of moving forward with the story, Maude is constantly remembering parts of her childhood or explaining her magical world. It was very confusing to transition between so many different thoughts that frequently. Plus, every little thing is described thoroughly with too many similes and metaphors.
I also was confused why Maude even wants to find her “friend,” Odette. In the flashbacks, Odette seems very toxic and had abandoned her completely years ago. Sounds like an abusive friendship to me. Not interested in the rest of this story.
The writing is all over the place. Instead of moving forward with the story, Maude is constantly remembering parts of her childhood or explaining her magical world. It was very confusing to transition between so many different thoughts that frequently. Plus, every little thing is described thoroughly with too many similes and metaphors.
I also was confused why Maude even wants to find her “friend,” Odette. In the flashbacks, Odette seems very toxic and had abandoned her completely years ago. Sounds like an abusive friendship to me. Not interested in the rest of this story.
November 17, 2022
(4.5 stars) This book was not was I expected, it was better! I’ve never read a book quite like this. I loved the story and character building, along with all of the witchy vibes it gave me! (I mean obviously, she’s a witch, but the vibes were immaculate) I thought I knew what was going to happen all throughout this book but left and right things were changing and I loved it.
*I received this as an ARC from NetGalley for my honest opinion*
*I received this as an ARC from NetGalley for my honest opinion*
September 24, 2024
i don’t understand the plot, lore or characters in this book. there’s a vague magic aspect with some weird mystery elements that try to make the book suspenseful but it’s just confusing.
i think there was also an attempt at a ‘rebellion’ plot line but it just flopped.
the main character had no personality, and only felt sorry for herself. she was obsessed with holding onto her friend that was only interested in her magic and honestly, was just a bitch. the writing wasn’t doing it for me - it was trying to be poetic and deep but it described disgusting moments in way too much detail; i.e. ‘a sharp pain stabs at my gut and I discharge something watery and foul-smelling’. Like…i really didn’t need to know that.
the ending was dumb, rushed and didn’t make any sense whatsoever. frankly, i was underwhelmed.
i think there was also an attempt at a ‘rebellion’ plot line but it just flopped.
the main character had no personality, and only felt sorry for herself. she was obsessed with holding onto her friend that was only interested in her magic and honestly, was just a bitch. the writing wasn’t doing it for me - it was trying to be poetic and deep but it described disgusting moments in way too much detail; i.e. ‘a sharp pain stabs at my gut and I discharge something watery and foul-smelling’. Like…i really didn’t need to know that.
the ending was dumb, rushed and didn’t make any sense whatsoever. frankly, i was underwhelmed.
September 28, 2025
A Hunger of Thorns is a deliciously dark fantasy with a tinge of eco-horror, great rep (gay grandmas, hello?) and SO much heart. I didn’t love the climax, but it did make sense for the story Lili Wilkinson set out to tell, and the final chapter (which read like an epilogue) was everything I wanted it to be. I’ve also been in a (minor) reading slump this past week and found that this was just the thing to break me out of it!
May 7, 2024
It took me a while to start enjoying this book... the main character seemed too naive and predictable and the world confused me, but once i got through the first half and Maude started to get over her obsession with Odette I flew through the book. I also liked that despite there being so many hints at potential love interests, there was no actual romance!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2024
it started fine and it looked to be very interesting, but in the middle all the repititive descriptions of the places and all the moaning and illogical actions got to me i thought i would love this better, but it was not my kind of writing.
January 2, 2024
2,5 ster
Van A tot Z was dit boek niets voor mij :(
Hopen dat mijn volgende boek zorgt voor een beter begin van dit leesjaar!
Van A tot Z was dit boek niets voor mij :(
Hopen dat mijn volgende boek zorgt voor een beter begin van dit leesjaar!
July 25, 2025
Corruption and Witchcraft
Don't you really want to hear more about evil and dark magic from the evil witches who choose it as a career? After all, Satan (AKA Lucifer) is the most compelling character in Paradise Lost, and Darth Vader is a pretty cool dude, when you think about it. Surely the Wicked Witch of the West has something to say for herself? So, yeah, Wicked Witch point of view has been done.
But not with this kind of conviction. Maude Jenkins, the main character of A Hunger of Thorns is a witch, as are her two grandmothers and as was her late mother. Are they wicked? Well, some people think they are. They don't see themselves as evil, but then the evilest people never do. These witches are no innocent nature-loving Wiccans. If you're addicted to the same pop culture trash as I am, think Elizaveta Arkadyevna, or Dark Willow. Maude and Mam and Nan are dark, powerful, and dangerous witches. They sometimes hurt people, although only rarely intentionally. Maude doesn't think of herself as doing black magic, nor, I suspect, does author Lili Wilkinson, but that is what it felt like to me.
And, you know what? I'm good with it. Don't Wicked Witches deserve some representation? I say "Yes!"
I was taken by surprise by how pervasive corruption was in A Hunger of Thorns. I mean that in two ways. In its modern usage, corruption refers to persons who sacrifice their principles for self-serving reasons, e.g. a cop who ignores minor crimes in exchange for a mordida. Almost everyone in A Hunger of Thorns is to some degree corrupt, some deeply, some only in small ways.
But in its original meaning "corruption" meant rot, decay, corrosion. Corruption in this sense runs through and through A Hunger of Thorns. For instance, there's a scene in which Maude falls into a compost heap. The feel and smell of the decaying vegetables and the little critters that live in the compost are vividly, almost lovingly described. And that is just one mild example. Throughout the story, and especially in the ruins of Sicklehurst we have things rotting, rusting, crumbling to slime and dust, growing mold. If you are a sensitive, cleanly person you might find this disturbing. I would even go so far as to classify A Hunger of Thorns as horror. Indeed, I myself found it a little disturbing. But then a good novel should be disturbing. This, as much as anything, makes the dark magic convincingly dark.
A Hunger of Thorns is a creative, convincing, and slightly horrifying view of dark witchcraft. I enjoyed it.
Blog review.
Don't you really want to hear more about evil and dark magic from the evil witches who choose it as a career? After all, Satan (AKA Lucifer) is the most compelling character in Paradise Lost, and Darth Vader is a pretty cool dude, when you think about it. Surely the Wicked Witch of the West has something to say for herself? So, yeah, Wicked Witch point of view has been done.
But not with this kind of conviction. Maude Jenkins, the main character of A Hunger of Thorns is a witch, as are her two grandmothers and as was her late mother. Are they wicked? Well, some people think they are. They don't see themselves as evil, but then the evilest people never do. These witches are no innocent nature-loving Wiccans. If you're addicted to the same pop culture trash as I am, think Elizaveta Arkadyevna, or Dark Willow. Maude and Mam and Nan are dark, powerful, and dangerous witches. They sometimes hurt people, although only rarely intentionally. Maude doesn't think of herself as doing black magic, nor, I suspect, does author Lili Wilkinson, but that is what it felt like to me.
And, you know what? I'm good with it. Don't Wicked Witches deserve some representation? I say "Yes!"
I was taken by surprise by how pervasive corruption was in A Hunger of Thorns. I mean that in two ways. In its modern usage, corruption refers to persons who sacrifice their principles for self-serving reasons, e.g. a cop who ignores minor crimes in exchange for a mordida. Almost everyone in A Hunger of Thorns is to some degree corrupt, some deeply, some only in small ways.
But in its original meaning "corruption" meant rot, decay, corrosion. Corruption in this sense runs through and through A Hunger of Thorns. For instance, there's a scene in which Maude falls into a compost heap. The feel and smell of the decaying vegetables and the little critters that live in the compost are vividly, almost lovingly described. And that is just one mild example. Throughout the story, and especially in the ruins of Sicklehurst we have things rotting, rusting, crumbling to slime and dust, growing mold. If you are a sensitive, cleanly person you might find this disturbing. I would even go so far as to classify A Hunger of Thorns as horror. Indeed, I myself found it a little disturbing. But then a good novel should be disturbing. This, as much as anything, makes the dark magic convincingly dark.
A Hunger of Thorns is a creative, convincing, and slightly horrifying view of dark witchcraft. I enjoyed it.
Blog review.
May 4, 2023
The world-building and descriptions in this book are stunningly vivid. The only issue that I have with it was the repetitive reminder about the power of three. By the 5th chapter, I was already in love with this book. I found The Once and Future Witches to be the closest book I’ve read that I can compare it with. If you like the original style of dark fairy tales then I am fairly positive you’ll love A Hunger of Thorns. In my opinion, the synopsis does not fit this book. Elements of it do, but I’ll be honest, I was unprepared for the darkness, the wanting, the obsession.
There is so much about this book and the characters contained within that I would absolutely gush about but I don’t want to spoil their complexity for anyone that hasn’t read this yet. There is personal growth and realizations, even if they hurt and absolutely suck to admit. The same goes for the realizations – some were done by trying to do the best possible while others were just crushing. I thought that the lore around redheads in this book was interesting and I absolutely loved all of the plants! Even if I had to look up several – I just had to know what they looked like because there was a lot I wasn’t familiar with.
“I cry out for every girl who was told to comb her hair and wash the mud from her face. To keep herself contained. To be ashamed of her voice, her hair, her flesh. To be quiet and good and nice. Girls are not nice. Girls are wild and fierce and powerful, and I will not let anyone take that away. Not ever again.”
Lili – if you ever happen to read this, please… PLEASE, never stop writing fantasy. To whoever is reading my review of this book – just buy it, it is beautiful, tragic, tortured, and epic. Whatever comes after this – I am in, one hundred percent. I would like to thank TBR & Beyond Tours for the opportunity to be on the tour for this stunning book, Lili Wilkinson for creating something I will have issues ever forgetting & Delacorte Press for publishing this gem. All opinions are wholeheartedly my own.
There is so much about this book and the characters contained within that I would absolutely gush about but I don’t want to spoil their complexity for anyone that hasn’t read this yet. There is personal growth and realizations, even if they hurt and absolutely suck to admit. The same goes for the realizations – some were done by trying to do the best possible while others were just crushing. I thought that the lore around redheads in this book was interesting and I absolutely loved all of the plants! Even if I had to look up several – I just had to know what they looked like because there was a lot I wasn’t familiar with.
“I cry out for every girl who was told to comb her hair and wash the mud from her face. To keep herself contained. To be ashamed of her voice, her hair, her flesh. To be quiet and good and nice. Girls are not nice. Girls are wild and fierce and powerful, and I will not let anyone take that away. Not ever again.”
Lili – if you ever happen to read this, please… PLEASE, never stop writing fantasy. To whoever is reading my review of this book – just buy it, it is beautiful, tragic, tortured, and epic. Whatever comes after this – I am in, one hundred percent. I would like to thank TBR & Beyond Tours for the opportunity to be on the tour for this stunning book, Lili Wilkinson for creating something I will have issues ever forgetting & Delacorte Press for publishing this gem. All opinions are wholeheartedly my own.
August 31, 2023
I loved the world in this book. It was a great mix of fantasy and modern, with magic incorporated into everyday life. I'm always up for a fantasy set in a version of our time, it makes things easy to understand and I feel like we're only one step from living a fantastical existence.
The main character Maude goes through an interesting journey. She's obsessed with her ex-friend Odette, even though she dropped Maude years ago. I liked how Maude discovered a lot about herself and learned to be her own person and take control, but I was frustrated with her feelings for Odette and wanted her to get over it already. That girl was awful and I hated the things she said and did.
I got a bit lost in the middle, everything was happening a bit fast and I still didn't quite understand Sicklehurst, but I worked it out and thought the action in the last bit was very cool.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the copy.
The main character Maude goes through an interesting journey. She's obsessed with her ex-friend Odette, even though she dropped Maude years ago. I liked how Maude discovered a lot about herself and learned to be her own person and take control, but I was frustrated with her feelings for Odette and wanted her to get over it already. That girl was awful and I hated the things she said and did.
I got a bit lost in the middle, everything was happening a bit fast and I still didn't quite understand Sicklehurst, but I worked it out and thought the action in the last bit was very cool.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the copy.
August 31, 2023
"If you stay home all the time, stories never happen. Sometimes you have to break something in order for the story to leak out through the cracks."
I like the ideas in this - the forest, the magic, the mycorrhizal fungi. The world building is five star worthy (three times) but like a never ending stairwell up a tower, it went on and on and on. Less forest always gives more.
"To me, telling a story felt exactly like doing magic - reaching for invisible threads and weaving them together to make something greater than the sum of its parts."
*************
Pre-read 30/4/22
A world where the only people who can't do magic are redheads - bring it on.
October 31, 2022
A sweeping saga of magic and the fear and wonder it incites in others. Maude is a descendant of witches and lives during a time when magic is controlled by others. Her mother was one who rebelled against the tight control and suffered the consequences. Her grandmothers try to keep a tight rein on her, but her friend Odette encourages her to unleash all of the magic hidden inside of her. When Maude is unable to satisfy her friends wants, Odette abandons her and turns up missing. Maude then embarks on a quest to save her. The secrets of where she is lies inside of the last magical place of freedom, Sicklehurst. This book kept me intrigued but I wish it was set in the past instead of the modern era.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2022
I ended up DNF this one 11% in. This book just isn't for me. It sounded like something that I would enjoy, and it does has elements that I enjoy; but the execution just wasn't there. I enjoyed the concept of magic being a resource and being controlled and then having a main character that either doesn't have magic or their magic has disappeared. However, I felt like this would have been better if the characters had been aged up a bit. They just were a bit too young for me and then they read even younger.
December 10, 2023
"But it's just a story."
"Nothing is just a story."
"Nothing is just a story."
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