Tower of Thorns by Juliet Marillier (Blackthorn & Grim #2)
Fantasy
Released: November 3, 2015
Roc
Reviewed by Mandi
The second book in the Blackthorn and Grim series (see the first review here), and I am falling even more in love with these two. Before I go on, two things: One – this fantasy series must be read in order for it to make sense. And two, at this point, this is not a fantasy romance, just a fantasy. There are some romantic elements in side characters in this story, but it’s not a sex-it-up in fantasyland type of book. However! Blackthorn and Grim have their own special bond which makes me smile hard and there is a twist on love which will warm your heart.
Because there is a lot going on in this series, I’m going to insert the back cover blurb to give an overview of the book:
Disillusioned healer Blackthorn and her companion, Grim, have settled in Dalriada to wait out the seven years of Blackthorn’s bond to her fey mentor, hoping to avoid any dire challenges. But trouble has a way of seeking out Blackthorn and Grim.
Lady Geiléis, a noblewoman from the northern border, has asked for the prince of Dalriada’s help in expelling a howling creature from an old tower on her land—one surrounded by an impenetrable hedge of thorns. Casting a blight over the entire district, and impossible to drive out by ordinary means, it threatens both the safety and the sanity of all who live nearby. With no ready solutions to offer, the prince consults Blackthorn and Grim.
As Blackthorn and Grim begin to put the pieces of this puzzle together, it’s apparent that a powerful adversary is working behind the scenes. Their quest is about to become a life and death struggle—a conflict in which even the closest of friends can find themselves on opposite sides.
Blackthorn is becoming a favorite heroine of mine. She has overcome devastation as she had to watch her family burn. The only thing in life she wants is revenge on the man who did it. But now she must heal people for the next seven years until her contact with the fae runs out. This makes her so darn mad, but she knows if she goes against the fae, she won’t win. Blackthorn is so smart, so stubborn, and so courageous. She has dark demons and battles them quietly in her head, and has the support of Grim – who has become her best friend.
Grim’s loyalty to Blackthorn knows no bounds. A big man who many glance at and immediately think he must be dumb, he is anything but. He might not be able to read and write, but he can work with his hands. He listens and remembers things and is always on alert. He loves Blackthorn in his own way and it’s lovely. One big thing in this book is that Blackthorn may have a chance to out-wit the fae and exact revenge on her nemesis before her seven years are up, but this would mean she would have to trick Grim and leave him – and this causes her great angst. It caused me great angst as well.
We also have an evil monster trapped in a tower and a shady lady who needs Blackthorn’s help to remove it. It’s a little creepy and scary and I enjoyed it quite a bit. The author gives us Lady Geileis’s point of view – a woman who has been battling a curse for ages and a town who must suffer through agonizing noises. The author very slowly reveals the true story behind this curse and it’s very intriguing. I thought the end was going to be a little more dramatic – it seems to wrap up rather quick but otherwise it’s fun.
This series is an adventure. Each book has a new puzzle for Blackthorn and Grim to solve, all the while their overall arc of getting revenge on the man who killed Blackthorn’s family continues. It’s easy to read and the two of them make me smile. I really enjoy these books
Grade: B
Leave a Reply