Review Detail

A Hunger of Thorns is a wild ride about a girl obsessed with holding on to her best friend from childhood and a magical power plant filled with corrupted magic. It sounds like a wild ride, and I appreciated the nods to various fairy tales in this gothic wonderland, swan princess, and Bridge to Teribitha story. At the story's heart, we have two girls, Odette and Maude, who are potent friends with a childhood rich in imaginary play and magic. But like all childhood magic, things change, we grow, and sometimes we grow apart. A heart-wrenching event for Maude, but when Odette has gone missing for two weeks, she returns to their childhood playground of an old power plant to save her.
Maude and Odette are unique characters, and the relationship between the two is bittersweet. The world-building in this story feels wonderland-like as you are not sure what to expect as you explore the abandoned power plant you have been warned against exploring. There is an evil creature who wants to kill you, roses that create impenetrable walls, and mysterious mettle magic that has been corrupted. I walked away from this book in a bit of a fog, and I am sure I have to reread it before the sequel as it is one of those books you are sure you missed a thing or two the first time. A Hunger of Thorns is perfect for fans who like a little craziness with their fairy tales.