Reviews with content warning for Child abuse - Path of Thorns

Well, A.G. Slatter has done it again! After enchanting me with the gorgeous All the Murmuring Bones, she kept me glued to the dark and twisty Path of Thorns. I was fairly sure I would enjoy this one, and I was right!

Asher Todd is a fantastic main character. She is smart, capable, full of secrets... and out for revenge. But she was also wonderfully complex and moving in the morally grey space that I find fits the gothic setting so perfectly. This book also had basically all the elements I love: there is witchcraft (dark one, too), there are ghosts and other creatures of lore, there are family secrets, and there is murder. Lots of murder, actually. I kept turning the pages waiting for all the secrets to come to light, and they were each more delicious than the one before.

The setting was beautifully atmospheric and perfectly gothic. There are some horror elements, but not too much, so I'd define this as creepy more than outright scary. It does get pretty dark though, so be mindful if that's a concern for you. There's also quite a lot of injustice and sexism going around, as well as some abuse and very, very complicated relationships, so again be mindful if that's triggering for you.

The only part I wasn't too sold on was the romance, but it took up such a small part of the story that it actually didn't bother me all that much in the end. The rest of the relationships between the various characters were really masterfully drawn up, as each displayed their complexity to the fullest, as well as the darkness that can hide within. Several themes were running underneath the main storyline and helped to make this so much more than just another gothic fairytale.

Overall, The Path of Thorns is a perfect spooky season read, with its eerie vibes and gothic setting, perfect for lovers of fantasy and dark fairytales.

Content Warnings

kgeogheghan's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

A gothic fantasy, full of secrets, mystery and suspense. The tale of a young, cunning woman - Asher Todd - who takes a position as governess to the three children of Moorwood family, and her ulterior motives for taking on this role.

I love a dark, twisted fairytale, and thoroughly enjoyed The Path of Thorns. A story where witches, werewolves and ghosts are more than just myths. I loved learning of Asher's past, and watching as she learns that she's not the only in town with dark secrets.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Content Warnings

marleens's review against another edition

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dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I received an eARC of The Path of Thorns by A.G. Slatter through Netgalley, thanks Titan Books! This book comes out June 28th.

It’s a gothic fantasy with fairytale vibes, about Asher Todd who goes to Morwood estate to be a governess for three children. But both Morwood and Asher might have some dark secrets, and there seem to be strange creatures and magic about.

Main character Asher Todd is an interesting woman. She is more sassy and feisty than you might expect from a character in her position in that household (definitely more than the Morwood family was expecting…), and I enjoyed her interactions with the family, the rest of the staff, and the people in the surrounding village.

From the very beginning it is clear that there are lots of secrets and ulterior motives at play, and the story definitely requires some patience because it takes a while before we very gradually get any answers. I did get a little impatient along the way, but from about halfway through the story picks up. I liked how the plot developed, and the way different acts of magic or witchcraft are included. There is also a little insta-lovey romance sub-plot, which worked reasonably well for me, but I don’t think it added that much and the story could easily have done without.

Within the overall story there are many little fairytales and bits of folklore that characters tell each other, and I liked those a lot! In the rest of the story the writing is purposely old-fashioned and did take me some getting used to. I understand how it was intended to help set the Victorian-esque atmosphere, but it did feel needlessly archaic sometimes. I had to look up the meaning of many older words and wasn’t expecting to have to do that in a book published in 2022.

All in all I give this book 4 stars. I really enjoyed the setting and atmosphere and all the intrigue, and Morwood estate definitely gave me those gothic vibes I was hoping for. Also, what a great cover!

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