This was such a fantastic read, but I’m not surprised as I have loved everything I’ve read by Margaret Rogerson. I loved Artemisia so much, especially as like me she suffers from anxiety and Rogerson does a wonderful job of portraying this well. I also enjoyed the fact Rogerson stays focused solely on Artemisia's POV and didn’t switch around other characters, I found it useful that it focused on her narrative only. This was a joy to read and the world-building is absolutely fantastic. Thoroughly recommended and I can’t wait for more

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I should probably start this review off by saying that I adored An Enchantment of Ravens and Sorcery of Thorns from Margaret Rogerson, so I was pretty much expecting to love Vespertine. For some reason, I kept putting off reading it though and I guess I was a little scared it might have been a first book I didn’t enjoy, in some ways? I will hold my hands up though and admit it was foolish of me. This was yet another riveting story from Rogerson that grabbed me from the very beginning, with a whole host of lovable characters (more than in the previous books, actually), fantastic mental health representation and a story that will keep you on your toes.

First up, Artemisia. It took me a little while into the story to start to fully appreciate her character but that’s due to her past, she suffers from a degree of PTSD and social anxiety, making her start off as very withdrawn. I still liked her character from the beginning, but as time went on I got to understand her more through Rogerson’s excellent, heart wrenching writing and by the end of it I just full on loved her! She also has scarred hands due to her past, and Rogerson points out the limitations of these only whilst mentioning the things Artemisia can do very well, which I thought was a lovely way of incorporating this into the story.

Part of how she comes out of her shell is the revenant referenced in the synopsis, the malevolent being basically trapped inside her but really just wanting to possess her and kill lots of people. And, I loved it. It’s a sassy, snarky little character and from the minute he came into the story (very early on) everything got so much more fun. Is he the worst thing ever? You’ll have to read Vespertine to find that out. But is he powerful enough to kill pretty much everyone in a little town? Abolutely. Fun times.

With the revenant’s power, I could save everyone. But if I lost control, I might burn the world to ashes.

Artemisia’s closed off personality means that she doesn’t really think anyone actually cares about her, except the nun who saved her as a child from a traumatic experience. Part of what makes Vespertine so heartfelt though is her discovering how wrong she’d been, and there are a couple of characters she joins up with along the way that really end up surprising her.

Though she isn’t as alone as she thinks, as anyone who has social anxiety knows that doesn’t quite make things okay. If crowds make you have a panic attack, you can be with several people you trust and care for but you’ll still likely have an attack. And I loved that about Vespertine, it’s so honest in how things like social anxiety and PTSD have a power over you that you can’t escape, but whenever this happens there’s always someone who is considerate enough to make sure that Artemisia has space to breathe and collect herself.

This story ended in a pretty complete way but at the same time there’s so much scope for more to happen! Rogerson’s worldbuilding is rich, with an entire fantastical history and religion delved into. The first in a series, and I’m pretty sure this is a duology, I’ll be picking up the next book as soon as possible.

I bloody loved this book! It was so good! Artemisia was a wonderful character, flawed but so earnest and stronger than even she realised. The revenant was so sassy and a bit of a smart arse and their relationship was a brilliant journey. Just a great read.

5 stars all the way.

By all rights, Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson should have been a book that I adored. But just like her last novel, Sorcery of Thorns, somehow, I just did not click with it – maybe I should take that as a sign to stop trying and accept that this may be an author who is simply not for me, as much as the copy tempts me. Vespertine is the story of Artemisia, an apprentice nun, one of the Gray Sisters, who prepare the dead so their souls can pass on. When her convent is attacked, she ends up bonding with an ancient spirit bound to a saint’s relic and drawn into an epic fight. Think lots of bickering within Artemisia’s head between her and the spirit, unexpected bonding in various places, lots of moral gray areas, and greatness thrust upon our heroine in a grand quest. And I just don’t know why this didn’t do it for me. I started on the eARC, and struggled with it, and then went on to the audiobook which I did eventually finish, but feel very ambivalent about. I think it boils mostly down to me as a reader not meshing with this particular author’s style as, if I try to pinpoint where my issues lie, it largely is with a lack of emotional connection. I did find Artemisia rather annoying as she generally thinks she is always right and struggles to critically reflect on her own actions, so some of the interior monologues and conversations between her and the revenant ended up feeling repetitive. The other obvious issue I had with the story is that it felt like it had a romantic arc forced into the story that did not fit in there, between characters who do not have chemistry, and which, to me read more like ticking a box than something that grew organically. So all in all, a three star read for me.

VESPERTINE was so much fun!

This book has a very subtle aroacespec lead (written by an aroacespec author.) Subtle in that it's not a plot point - no wannabe love interest to deal with (aka, say no) and no other situation that brings up a discussion of Artemisia's sexuality. Sure, there are three main men she interacts with, but there's no tension or chemistry between them - and no desire for it.

It's the sort of rep that will be noticed by people who share the identity, or people who know in advance. Otherwise, people might (and do, based on reviews) assume the main character is straight and just "hasn't found the right man/was too busy to fall for one of the boys this time." This proves to me why we need more of this rep, so that people are aware of this identity. I mean, I loved it - because I share that identity and for it not to be made a big thing of? Just be part of her character without needing lots of time to focus on? It makes it not something unusual.

I also read Artemisia as being on the autistic spectrum (again, like me.) The way she struggled to deal with crowds and just people (displaying emotions in a way that other understand easily? It's hard!) Unlike the aroacespecness, this isn't confirmed anywhere, but it was nice to have that space to read it into a heroine.

The story itself is great.

Wight and ghosts and possession, and everyone accidentally taking Artemisia for a Saint when she's actually using the very power the religion condemns? I very much appreciated the slightly tongue-in-check commentary on Medieval Christianity's hypocrisy when it came to saints and its leaders.

The pacing is great, with plenty of "down time" between the action pieces for Artemisia and the revenant to bond. Their relationship (wholly platonic) is the heart of the story. I've seen this story pitched as "a Venom-like nun" and that is such a good description of it.

The revenant? <em>Hilarious</em>. All dry comments, sarcasm, and contempt for humans. But you can see how it comes to care for Artemisia as the tone of the comments change towards her (without losing any of the humour.)

This is the first in a duology. It reads as a standalone, and the second book is apparently also possible to read as a standalone. I can't wait for it!

This is my second book by Margaret Rogerson and I was very curious from the start. When I went into this, I knew very little about the plot. I was pleasantly surprised by this book and I can say it is one of my favourite books of 2021. With this, Margaret Rogerson has become one of my all time favourite authors.

Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who cleanses the bodies of the deceased so that their souls can pass on; otherwise, they will rise as spirits with a ravenous hunger for the living. She would rather deal with the dead than the living, who trade whispers about her scarred hands and troubled past. When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia defends it by awakening an ancient spirit bound to a saint’s relic. It is a revenant, a malevolent being that threatens to possess her the moment she drops her guard.

The magic and the plot are very interesting. The atmosphere is perfect for an October/November read. The whole idea of spirits rising up and how they are classified was so well done. I really hope there will be more novels in this world.

There are so many great characters in this book. Artemisia and the revenant have a special place in my heart, but every character has something special about them. The friendships are well built and even though you don't see each character a lot, you see their impact on Artemisia.

Lastly, but not the least there is some great representation for anxiety. For someone that has anxiety, I saw myself in Artemisia and I could relate to her so much. Nothing felt forced on this topic and I am so grateful for reading this and discovering this character. I have entire scenes highlighted that I had to read over and over again because of how important they are for me. This part of the book is by far my favourite, I have never read something that was so close to how I actually feel.

I cannot recommend this book enough and I feel so grateful for the experience of discovering and reading it.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an early copy of the book in exchange of an honest review
(yet I still finished it, a month after publication date🥲)

Starting this book I felt that it was going to be the best Margaret Rogerson book, as I was really enjoying the beginning.. Sadly I don’t know if I can say that..

The first 30% of the book started of amazingly, it was fast paced and every chapter made me want to read more and more! However after that, I felt like everything went down and the plot was boring. It may be just me but I didn’t care about the story at all and even though there was potential to the plot, it just didn’t give what could give. Also I found myself to be confused throughout the entire book and was disappointed by the world (I was kinda annoyed that we didn’t get a map this time but that’s okay, I guess).

Now the only reason I give this book 3 stars is because of the characters which I LOVED and think were SO much better than in her other books! I loved the main character Artemisia, I think she was very relatable and I like how her disability was mentioned more in the book. The Revenant was one of my favourite characters and I liked its development (I enjoyed their little banters and arguments). I also found to adore the side characters such as Marguerite and Leander which I was so happy that we got to read more about them later on the story! In addition Rogerson’s writing was unique as always and I love how she creates a very detailed and clear picture of what is happening but I believe that it was uninteresting and boring.

The ending was not the best but at the same time not the worst for me and I’m not sure if I will be reading her next instalment..

This book!
I love Margaret Roberson characters they are always relatable.

The banter between the characters (can't say who as it would spoil it) it's so well written, the humour is dark and so it pleased my little black heart

Didn't want this books to end.

I’ve read one of the authors books before and didn’t love it but this sounded so interesting that I wanted to give it a go and oh my gosh this was a masterpiece

I would definitely recommend this book it is so unique and unlike anything I’ve ever read but in a good way. The magic system was one of my favorite things. I loved the concept of relics and the hierarchy of spirits. I am so excited that it will be a series and I can’t wait for the next!

Thank you so much, NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's UK, for the chance to read and review this book in exchange of an honest review.

Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who takes care of the deceased's bodies so their souls can pass on. She'd rather do that, than be with the living who whispers about her, a girl who once possessed by a violent spirit.
When her convent is attacked, she fights back by awakening an ancient spirit bound to a high saint's relic, a revenant now whispering in her head. Now she possesses an extraordinary power, that's consuming both soul and body, she is the only one able to save Loraille when death comes to it. She's now a vespertine, a priestess able to wield a high relic. While investigating mysteries, magic and secret, will she be able to fight and defeat a dark evil power?

I loved reading Vespertine! It's the first book I've read by Margaret Rogerson and I fell in love with the writing style and imagination! The story is absolutely original and captivating and Artemisia is a fantastic main character, complex and intricate in her thoughts and actions and her difficulties in wielding so much power, her responsibilities...I loved how it was so relatable, even though it's a fantasy.
The story is full of twists and brilliant storytelling, the characters are so well written and I really loved being immersed in this adventure! I totally recommend it!

From the New York Times bestselling author of Sorcery of Thorns and An Enchantment of Ravens comes a thrilling new YA fantasy about a teen girl with mythic abilities who must defend her world against restless spirits of the dead. Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, Leigh Bardugo, Alexandra Bracken and Holly Black.

I absolutely loved this book! Necromancy is one of my favourite plot devices so I was ecstatic to see Rogerson was writing a book featuring it.

I absolutely devoured this book and just did not want to put it down. The plot moved at a good pace and I lived all of the characters!

I can't wait for book 2!

Margaret Rogerson is an author who gets better and better with each book. I read An Enchantment of Ravens and Sorcery of Thorns and enjoyed them, but this felt like a step up in terms of maturity and skill. Vespertine is a book about religion, faith, conspiracy, and confronting the way you interact with the world. Oh, and it's ridiculously good fun and filled to the brim with banter and friendship.

Loraille is a world with strong medieval France vibes that is filled with magic in the form of religion. Artemisia's faith in The Lady is explored through the book as she uncovers a conspiracy and reckons with her own power, and the question of faith plays an interesting, secondary role in the overall story. Religion and faith just isn't something I'm much interested in, to be honest it usually turns me off of a book, but Rogerson's light touch approach and the complexities she introduces are well done.

The characters and their relationships are where this book really shines. Artemisia is a departure from the self-assured, confident, and powerful girls so often seen in YA fantasy books. Instead she is an awkward girl with deep-seated traumas and anxieties. She struggles in her interactions with other people and has been 'othered' by her peers at the convent. Her relationship with the revenant is what helps her blossom. I absolutely loved their interactions -- the revenant is sarcastic, snarky, and rude and Artemisia is putting up with none of its bullshit. The two coax each other out of their respective shells and the masks drop, making their charming relationship something really special.

There are a number of side characters in this book that also have fantastic relationships with Artemisia. I really loved the people who she meets and interacts with later in the book, as well as her antagonistic relationship with our villain. Rogerson really nails the character interactions in this book, making it an absolutely joyful read.

I feel like this author is well known for her swoony romances, so it's interesting to me that this book just doesn't have any romance in it at all (although it's the first in a duology, so something may develop later). I actually really appreciated this -- it feels rare for a YA book to not have a romantic plotline. Vespertine really focuses on friendships and non-romantic relationships, making room for deeper character explorations we may not have gotten otherwise.

Vespertine is a fabulous YA fantasy book that I'd highly recommend, whether you're a fan of her previous books or not. A masterfully told story and a cracking good read, Vespertine is the perfect lightly spooky read for the winter.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

This was a five star read. No hesitations. I said to my husband when discussing it, that it was just utterly perfect. I could have quite happily listened to it being double the length, or a never ending podcast. That old sneaky “#1” has popped up next to the title on Good Reads, and I’m really hoping this means we’re going to get a sequel.

Artemisia is possibly one of my favourite protagonists ever, and I don’t say that lightly. She is awkward, uncomfortable, dealing with trauma and feel more comfortable with animals than people. Same here, girl. When she takes on the Revenant, she has no idea how to weild it, but, having been possessed as a girl by a lower level spirit, she can prehaps control it a bit more than someone else would have been able to.

It’s a very individual idea of a story; the “enforced contact of enemies” trope is always a fun one… but normally those are two seperate people. Here, we have one person, and an extra spirit living in her body. Most of the conversations in the book are between Artemisia and the Revenant, and while the Revenant might not be someone you’d trust, the character was written with such wit that I genuinely laughed out loud at many of its comments. It’s always wanting to kill someone, obviously.

Because of the enforced contact situation, they have to work out how to handle one another, and much to the Revenant’s surprise, Artemisia takes an unsual, blasphamous route: she works with it.

I listened to this as an audiobook, and it was so well done. The characters all felt well defined, and the different voices allowed you to follow the conversations easily without them feeling forced. It manages to be both relaxaing and requiring high levels of attention because there is just so much going on in it that you won’t want to miss.

There’s so much I want to say about this book that would lead to spoilers, but if you’re looking for strong characters, who are learning to heal, who learning to be better people, and a damn good story that will have you feeling every emotion going, you will not regret reading this book. It’s out now, and Artemisia is just waiting to take you on her journey.

After loving Sorcery of Thorns, I couldn't wait to pick up Margaret's next novel.

While very different to SoT and An Enchantment of Ravens in many ways, the writing was just as beautiful and I adored the main character Artemisia. She was refreshingly different from so many fantasy heroines and I felt a real kinship with her from the beginning. Accompanying her along her journey throughout the book was a real privilege and I am really looking forward to what happens next.

I absolutely adored this book! I'm a huge fan of Rogerson's writing and world building and Vespertine certainly didn't disappoint me. Would 110% recommend!

I am a massive fan of Margret Rogerson and once again she has hit the ball out of the park with this book!

There is never a dull moment through out this book which is one of the reasons I love Rogersons style of writing as it means I don’t get bored and there’s no “just get through the beginning and then it gets good” the style of writing is the girl who turns up to the party already drunk and ready to have fun while everyone else is trying to catch up and I’m here for it

I adore the main character she didn’t feel like the normal main character/hero and instead gave me anti hero vibes in the sense that she’s not the character you would of expected to save the world and in a way she didn’t really want to either she just wanted a quiet life and ended up getting roped in to it but she did it anyway even if she felt uncomfortable in some parts but she stayed true to herself through out the book as well which I really liked. I also appreciated the fact that her trauma was acknowledged through out the whole book there was never moments where she was suddenly cured or the trauma was swept under the rug like I have read in other books and instead it was made to feel realistic and helped to create a connection between the reader and character.

The story line is easily to follow and the world building is great

I loved the whole plot of the book I’ve never read anything like this it feels unique and like a breathe of fresh air I’m the fantasy genre.

Out of Margaret Rogerson previous two books, I DNFed Enchantment of Ravens, and Sorcery of Thorns is one of my all time favourite books so going into this book, I had no idea what to expect. After having read this one, I feel like it stands somewhere in the middle. I quite liked this book overall but it didn't grip me as I had hoped it would.

I really appreciate the author's writing style. This book especially is quite action packed so I think she did a good job of developing her main character along with the plot development. I honestly really liked the world and the magic system of this book, it felt refreshing to me and I feel like there's so much scope for how it can be explored further.

But, I feel that the main lacking point of this book was its characters. Its not that they are bad, it's just they felt too generic to me. None of the side characters shines out - I liked them but at the end they are forgettable. Leander showed some potential but I kind of predicted where the author was going with him, so again he failed to leave any lasting impact. Same goes for Artemisia (the MC) - I liked her, I think the author did a great job with her PTSD and I loved her relationship with the Revenant. In fact, I really liked how she grew out of her shell and starts to trust the people around her but sadly, that's the type of character I have read too often and while I appreciated her character development, she didn't stood out to me.

Overall, I thought this was an enjoyable read but not an outstanding one. I'll probably continue to read this series as I am interested to know how the author explores the world that she has created.

"For the past three hundred years, the Gray Sisters had carried out the sacred duty of tending to the dead..."
*
Gray Sisters are nuns who cleanse the dead so that their souls can move on. If this job is not completed then the spirits will return and attack the living of Loraille. Artemisia has her own dark past and now wears the physical scars as proof. She would rather the company of the dead to the living - they don't ask as many questions. But when her convent is attacked, Artemisia awakens the power of an ancient Revenant to protect it. But Artemisia is not a vespertine, a high priest trained to weild high relics. In fact, the only person left who knows the secrets of vespertines is the Revenant. The two must work together to stop a hidden evil. But can the Revenant be trusted?
*
"Whether we lived or died was up to us..."
*
Not going to lie, for the first 30% I was honestly debating if the love interest was going to be the priest that she hates or the Revenant spirit that is possessing her. Imagine my surprise when I realise, unlike Margaret's other two books, there is no romance. I tend to prefer my books with some sort of love story, even if it's not the main part of the plot so this was definitely something that just held me back from fully enjoying the story but it would be perfect for those who prefer no romance in their YA Fantasy books. Instead we see a strong female lead giving off some serious Joan of Arc vibes and leading in a fight against the spirits of the undead. It was nice to see how she went from social solitude to accepting friendships. I honestly loved the banter between Artemisia and the Revenant and it was my favourite part of the book. I did enjoy the world building and the magic system with the use of relics but especially the hierarchy orders of spirits and how their deaths influence the kind of spirit they become. I feel like Wicked Saints would be a book to recommend to readers who enjoyed Vespertine.
*
"Give your kind a century or so, and they’ll happily repeat the exact same mistakes that nearly wiped them all out a few generations before..."

Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the eARC of this book. It has not affected my honest review.

Content Warnings: Self-harm, anxiety, disordered eating (minor), child neglect/abuse (past), trauma/PTSD (traumatic experiences in past). None of the abuse or trauma is sexual in nature. Very brief suicide mention in the epilogue, concerning a character from the past who never appears in the book.

This review has taken me way longer to write than I would have liked, mostly because when I think about this book for too long I go completely feral and forget how to write coherent sentences. I’m going to start by saying that I am a Venom simp. I’ve read pretty much all the Venom comics I can get my hands on, and the 2018 movie is my favourite movie ever (I also loved Let there be Carnage, but maybe that’s a review for another day). So I was already predisposed to love this book when I saw Margaret Rogerson describe it as medieval Venom. Add to that a powerful demon and an undercurrent of religious trauma and I was in heaven.

Artemisia is going on the list of characters that I’m delighted to share a name with. She’s a Grey Sister doing her best to keep her head down as she works alongside nuns at a convent, trying not to draw attention to herself after being possessed as a child and living with the trauma of the things she had to do while under that revenant’s control. But when her convent is invaded by an army of possessed soldiers, she has no choice but to use a powerful saint’s relic and open her body and mind to a reverent far stronger than she has ever met before. Her journey turns her into a Joan of Arc figure, a Vespertine, and while some are trying to stop her from ever coming into her full power, others are shouting and screaming her name as she becomes their hero (I’m on the Saint Artemisia team).

The way that the possession was written was excellently done. There’s always a risk of this kind of thing coming off… icky with the consent dynamics inherent in possession, but I think Margaret Rogerson handled this fantastically. The way that Artemisia’s trauma around possession is handled is delicate and sensitive, and as Artemisia and the revenant grow closer and build rapport, it definitely doesn’t feel like there’s a power imbalance – which is helped by the fact that Artemisia is in control of the revenant’s relic and has the power to destroy him if she so chooses. Speaking of rapport… the relationship between Artemisia and the revenant is perfect. It gives perfect banter and I was absolutely melting as I watched them slowly learn to trust and protect each other. Artemisia is a compassionate and caring character and when I watched that start to rub off on the revenant, it made my heart warm.

I also really enjoyed the way that Margaret Rogerson explored the ideas of legends and saints and the way that she became a Vespertine and passed into legend in the blink of an eye.

"Perhaps this was how history treated saints. It didn’t matter what was real, what had truly happened. Even as they lived, their lives passed into legend."

The weight of those kinds of expectations is heavy on Artemisia’s shoulders and watching her struggle to balance the needs of the people, the revenant and herself is incredibly powerful. I think I was just blown away by how much Artemisia felt like a real, whole person and leapt off the page.

The world-building had all of Margaret Rogerson’s usual talent and twists, and I loved the way that the spirits were portrayed. The way that a person dies impacts the type of spirit they become and the power that they will then display and it’s a clever way to create a spirit power hierarchy. I also felt like the myths and legends Artemisia knew were somehow familiar, the way they were fleshed out and threaded through the story made them feel like my own childhood stories and the world felt very full and real as a result. This, combined with Margaret Rogerson’s usual easy to read and beautiful prose, made for a book that I just know I’ll be coming back to again and again.