T. Kingfisher treats source material like a buffet; the result feels like a cozy but still perilous D&D adventure, full of found-family, second chances, and winks to the folklore that inspired it.
(Image credit: Tor Books)
In this droll, emotionally wrenching and profound memoir, novelist Brian Morton attempt to see his mother as a whole person — not just in relation to him, or, God forbid, as an eccentric "character."
(Image credit: Simon & Schuster)
Jori Lewis tells eye-opening stories of individuals despite scant historical record. At the outset she asks: "How do we tell the stories of people that history forgets and the present avoids?"
(Image credit: The Free Press)
unCovered review by Liz Sausto, ACLS Galloway Township Branch
Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson
was an interesting and enjoyable read. Taking place in a land ravaged by
vengeful spirits, Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who purifies
the bodies of the deceased lest their spirits rise and attack the living.
Although gifted with powers far beyond those of an ordinary nun, memories of a
traumatic past cause Artemisia to long for a quiet and mundane life that seems
to elude her thanks to rumors about that very past and her introverted
personality.
Artemisia’s hopes for a
peaceful life are shattered when possessed soldiers attack her convent and she
defends it by allowing herself to be possessed by a powerful spirit known as a
revenant. Forced to flee her home, Artemisia realizes that someone is forcing
spirits to attack and takes it upon herself to not only solve this mystery but
protect the innocent as well. But she must do all this while also fighting off
the revenant, which could overtake her the moment she drops her defenses.
Being a little socially
awkward myself, I was able to relate to Artemisia very well. She prefers to be
alone and being around large groups of people scares her to the point where she
has a large amount of anxiety. I’ve sometimes read books where the protagonist
is cut off from the world, but not to the point where Artemisia is. While our
reasons cannot be more different, I found it very easy to sympathize with
her.
I was also intrigued by
Artemisia’s relationship with the revenant. Although it is supposed to be an
evil spirit, it certainly doesn’t act that way. While the two are antagonistic
towards each other at first, they form a rapport that is not too dissimilar to
friendship. Because Artemisia tends to push herself to the point of exhaustion,
the revenant repeatedly reminds her to take care of herself. At first, this was
because Artemisia’s life was tied to that of the revenant, but it soon becomes
apparent that it has grudgingly started to care for her. Their conversations
were one of the best parts of the story, as the revenant’s dry humor adds some
much needed levity.
Vespertine
was without a
doubt an intriguing story that pulled me in from start to finish. I enjoyed it
so much that I will be looking into Rogerson’s other novels as well as anything
she will write in the future.