Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson didn’t disappoint 😁 I have yet to read a Rogerson book I do not like. They all have innovative worlds and magics. Fierce, intelligent female leads. And every single one is standalone.

In Vespertine, I loved how there was hardly any romance. I love the MC’s background and her relationship to the spirit that possesses her. I love so many things about this book. It was by no means perfect but it was pretty good entertainment 😁 I gave it 4.5 🌟 in the end.

I read and thoroughly enjoyed Rogerson’s Sorcery of Thorns in 2019, and so it was with high hopes that I started Vespertine, her new novel (and, I believe, the first part of a series). I was not to be disappointed.

From the first pages I was fully immersed into this world where nuns train to serve the dead and dying — helping their souls to move on after death. However, they are also trained to deal with various spirits who did not get this kindness at the end of their life — maybe due to murder or battle, or illness in a remote village. These souls, depending on the manner of their death, become spirits with varying levels of ability to inflict harm on the living. The Grey Sisters, as the nuns are called, fight and release these spirits when necessary, with the more powerful nuns of their Order being able to wield relics left behind by the Saints — this may be a finger bone, or a mummified hand. Said relics contain the bound spirits of more powerful entities such as revenants, which, when released and used appropriately, can vanquish lower-level spirits intent on harming the living populace. This is a rare and potentially dangerous magic, and one that had me intrigued from the start.

Into this world we have Artemisia, who is training as a Grey Sister. Her hands are twisted and scarred from an incident in her childhood, and — along with her natural introversion — she is often the outsider. When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia has no choice but to taken up a relic herself and allow a revenant to possess her in order to defend her fellow sisters. In doing so, she invites the revenant into her mind, and must learn both how to overcome her avoidance of others and how to strike up a partnership with the revenant to the best of their own abilities and goals.

Artemisia ends up heading into the world outside her convent in order to find out who is behind the uptick in spirit activity all over the country, ranging from the harmless shades and wisps of the First Order of Spirits to the dreaded riveners of the Fourth Order or even the revenants of the Fifth Order. Her travels take her into the middle of battles and refugee camps, where her uneasy alliance with the revenant becomes in handy. And as she gets closer to the truth, more is revealed about her revenant, the history of Grey Sisters, and the impact and possibilities of magic. Add in politics, ace representation, reluctant heroes, betrayals, found family, and lots of twists, and you’re in for the ride of your life with this quick-paced, breathless story.

I loved this book. Artemisia is such a great heroine — she’s reluctant, a bit naïve, woefully untrained, sarcastic, and morally grey. Some of the things she does are awful, but they’re for the right reasons… Aren’t they?! The revenant is sulky and sassy all on his own, and downright scheming and manipulative, but also so very damaged from what has been done to him over the years. Marguerite is the strong, observant friend you never knew you needed, Jean the soldier with PTSD and a heart of gold, Charles the brave and valiant, and so many more. I thought the secondary characters were great foils to Artemesia and the revenant, whose name and history we eventually learn. And we must not forget the clever Trouble, whose appearances were pivotal.

This is a dark fantasy and does not shy away from that fact. It is eerie, creepy, and spooky. The atmosphere and heart-thudding fear are — at times — very real. As well as ghosts and spirits, we have a disabled protagonist with mental health issues, more mental health awareness and representation amongst the secondary characters, and questions about what constitutes good and evil, why we fight wars, and the fallout from such. There is obviously some influence from Catholicism here, too, ranging from the ideas of reliquaries, the entombing of important figures within altars, the censers and incenses, and so on. As a Witch, I adored the magic and supernatural aspects of this world and I am so, so very grateful that there will be (at least) a sequel.

After finishing the e-arc, I promptly bought the hardback edition and the FairyLoot exclusive edition as well! I loved this novel and it’s easily up there as one of the best reads of the year. In fact, I thought I’d already found my favourite read of 2021, and now I’m second-guessing that fact. Vespertine cements Rogerson as one of my favourite authors now. Highly, highly recommended.

I received an e-ARC from the publisher, Simon & Schuster Children's UK, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Another belter from the author.
This is the first in a duology introducing Artemisia, a socially anxious, friendless teenager. Having been possessed by a spirit at a young age, Artemisia is eventually rescued by a kind Sister and taken to live in a convent where she is exorcised and now in training to be a Gray Sister. However fate, or maybe the Gray Lady herself, intervenes and it’s down to Artemisia to take on the relic of a Saint and awake a powerful revenant in order to save her convent and ultimately humanity from falling foul to Old Magic. Will she be able to control the powerfully ancient spirit or will it possess her entirely?
I loved the world building, the awkwardness, humour and loyalty this book exudes. I can’t wait for the next one

This was very different to Rogerson’s previous work and I loved it! Artemesia was a wonderfully complex, hurt, vulnerable, gruff and fierce character and Rathanael, her Revenant was well matched. I loved the world created and the complex Hierarchy of Spirits which pervaded its society. This historical fantasy is reminiscent (to me) of medieval France, and the line between magic and faith has become blurred. Artemesia goes through a significant journey of character development which is heart warming: her cast of friends well drawn including a captain, a soldier, Leander and Jean and the ever underestimated Marguerite. Special mention to Trouble and Priestbane. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, but with scarred hands and a tragic past, whispers follow her wherever she goes.
When she unwillingly becomes a vessel for a malevolent spirit she must work alongside it to rid the world of something much worse.

This book is a triumph.
I was hooked from page one. Reading Vespertine felt like playing a video game - the action moves quickly but the descriptions are vivid enough that you feel as though you are in the novel itself.

The plot felt original and fresh and I was surprised to find that a romantic sub plot didn't quite come to fruition. I usually prefer romance in fantasy novels but this book managed to satisfy my need for a slow burn, well-developed relationship without incorporating a romantic storyline. It was refreshing - Rogerson has placed emphasis on relationships which value support and kindness.

The main character was strong and didn't plunge herself into bad decisions or idiotic reactions. The author's acknowledgments revealed that she wrote this during the pandemic and that isolation really comes across through Artemisia - particularly as she steps back into the world of friendships and sharing herself with others again. The relationship between Artemisia and the Revenant was really special to read.

The door has been left ajar - there could be further books which I eagerly await. The world building was layered and Rogerson definitely has more to explore here.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for the chance to read and review.

TW: Self-harm, anxiety, character doesn't recognise hunger or tiredness due to childhood neglect and abuse, child neglect/abuse (past), trauma/PTSD, vomiting, possession,

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster books for the eARC of Vespertine; all views and opinions are my own!

I think this may be my favourite Margaret Rogerson book so far. It took me a few chapters to get comfortable with the world but once I did I was fully immersed and along for the ride. I loved our host of characters; Artemisia and the Revenant were an absolutely iconic duo. I did not expect this book to be so funny but there are so many moments where I laughed out loud and that just absolutely tickled me. This book is able to balance such a range of things; humour, character development, world building, plot and story telling - with such ease that you just flow through the book. I'm very excited to see that this is a duology and intrigued to see where the next story is going to take us.

Absolutely brilliant and highly recommend!

I absolutely loved this! The thing is, with Margaret Rogerson I know what to expect. I’ve read her works in the past and I’ve loved them, the characters and the beautiful fantasy setting. This was beyond different however and it’s clear she took a different approach. But what can I say, I devoured this and enjoyed it more then I was expecting. So I can’t wait to see what else she has planned in the future. Everything about this was alluring and it’s the perfect fall read!

I loved Sorcery of Thorns so much I was very much hoping for a sequel but no matter because although sadly libraries don't feature in Vespertine as much (enough) it was just as clever and inventive as its predecessor.

There are some similarities in the beginning: outsider girls in vocational training, set aside by their gifts. But Artemesia isn't training to be a librarian but a nun. All who have second sight are taken for training to stop them being possessed by spirits - boys to the clergy or to train as soldiers, girls to convents. And Artemesia is happy in her convent - as happy as she can be. For she was once possessed and since then emotion is hard for her to feel or convey, she's as set apart by her past and strangeness as she is by the burns she inflicted on herself to stop the demon possessing her harming others.

Nuns and clergy carry relics, pieces of saints which bind spirits which they can use to banish harm and work other magics. And in Artemesia's nunnery one of the greats relics of all is carried, holding one of the greatest and most dangerous of spirits, one capable of destroying all humanity. But as spirit possessions spread across the land the holder of the relic will need to step forward and after disaster strikes the monastery, Artemesia finds herself responsible for saving the world.

This is a truly original fantasy with thoughtful worldbuilding, brilliant characterisation and some real humour amongst the darkness. Highly recommended.

I had pretty high expectations going into this book after loving Sorcery of Thorns and, while there was plenty that I liked about it, the bad outweighed the good and I just ended up not loving this story at all.

Artemisia wants one thing in life, to finish her training as a Grey Sister and spend her life servicing the dead so their souls can pass on. But fate has other plans. When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers Artemisia has to wield a Saint's relic, a highly powerful weapon with the revenant of a soul contained within. Having had no previous training on how to wield a relic, Artemisia is easy prey for the revenant to possess her, but for some reason it chooses to help her. For old magic is returning, old magic that could change the world as we know it, and it will take a Verspertine, someone who wield's a high relic, to save the world and everyone that inherits it.

Artemisia was a character I instantly bonded with. Someone who craves solitude. After the harrowing events of her childhood she finds it incredibly hard to interact socially and is seen as weird and different by her fellow initiates. Her time at the Convent has been the happiest of her life so far, and she would quite happily spend the rest of it there, but fate is determined to conspire against her. She is truly terrible at taking care of herself, and the more you learn about her childhood, the better you understand her now. Though she may not want to be a Saint, she is almost the living embodiment of one, never afraid to put her own life in danger if it means saving others, and that strength is something she comes to rely on for her journey.

As I said about, there were some things I loved about this book and others that I really didn't, so I'm going to start with the positives first. I loved the relationship between Artemisia and her Revenant, it was scary as well as hilarious in parts, neither quite wanting to trust the other; Artemisia because the revenant is the ghost of a once evil being and the Revenant because no one who has wielded them in the past has ever been nice, instead wanting to use them for their own goals. Seeing them come together, with the revenant almost looking out for Artemisia, even if they say it's for their own selfish reasons, was a great journey, and their interactions were my favourite parts of the book.

Now for the bad. If there was one word I would use to describe why I didn't end up loving this book it would be development. Nothing was really developed well enough for me to get a true grasp on it, even the side characters. We desperately needed some kind of history, or better understanding of the magic system, I just about grasped the basics and then another kind of magic was introduced and I just kind of gave up trying to get my head around it. The world building was similarly lacking for this reason. As for the side characters, were they fun? Yes. Did they add anything to the story at all? Not really. They seemed to be mainly used as an instrument to show Artemisia coming out her shell and making friends, but that was it and it just wasn't enough to make me bond with them in any way.

While some of the scenes of this book edged towards the dark and slightly creepy, the authors tone and writing style was just far too light for them to have the required effect. Because of that I never quite managed to feel the danger the character was in, and it just made the 'big' scenes a little anti-climactic. I also feel like the pacing was way off, for a book that gives us little in the way of history of magic or world the first 75% of the book is incredibly slow, and then the last 25% moved at a breakneck pace with a certain story line ending far too quickly for it to have an impact. I do like Rogerson's writing style, but feel that it fits better with the tongue in cheek style story and characters from Sorcery of Thorns, than the more serious style of this book.

Overall, this book was a 'meh' kind of read. I enjoyed it as a whole and never quite felt the need to DNF at any part, but though Vespertine is filled with plot twists and a unique and witty character duo, unfortunately they weren't quite enough to make sure that I enjoyed this book.

I enjoyed the dark and gothic feeling to this novel. I loved Artemisia as a main character and following her on her journey. I was surprised by the lack of romance but that definitely isn't a bad thing. If anything, it was refreshing to read about a strong female character and not need the romantic side of things. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would lobe to read more by Margaret Rogerson in the future.
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for this review copy.

I find with Margaret Rogerson books you either love them or hate them. I loved a sorcery of thorns but wasn't a huge fan of an enchanment of ravens. This book i'm still not quite sure how i'm feeling.

The world building was wonderful, the characters were great. I loved the magic and the fast paced plot. I'm still processing the whole thing. I will definately be doing a re read once its been released.

this book. oh my god, this BOOK.

this was so spooky and witchy and all dark gloomy gloriousness and i enjoyed it so very much.

i loved an enchantment of raven so, so much and so was very excited to read vespertine. a big difference between both of these novels is that vespertine isn't a romance! at first, that really took me by surprise as every book i read contains romance (i am a sucker for romance). i love reading about love. but vespertine was just so good the way it is.

i read this on a gloomy, rainy grey day and i cannot tell you how perfect it was for it. i loved artemisia and her dark past of being possessed by an aggressive spirit. there's so much action and magic and has the best spooky season vibes. i'm obsessed.

This was a really fun start to a new fantasy series about a young introverted nun who gets pushed out of her comfort zone and must take down an unknown force.

Since the age of ten, Artemisia has been a Gray Sister, tending to dead bodies lest they become corrupted and a danger to the living. Artemisia understands the dead, the living, not so much. When it’s time for her class of nuns to be tested to determine their futures, Artemisia plans to fail in order to remain at the convent and continue looking after the dead and avoid human interaction. However, when the convent suddenly comes under attack, Artemisia becomes half-possessed by an ancient revenant and has to contend with sharing her headspace with the snarky spirit. Together, they must unravel a mystery involving saints, nuns, Old Magic, and deception.

I hadn’t read any of Margaret Rogerson’s previous books, but reading that has left me wanting more so I may just have to pick up her other books while I’m at it.

There’s the right amount of atmospheric writing with a couple of heart-pounding action scenes. Overall, I felt that the author introduced the world in easily digestible amounts.

The revenant and Artemisia are the dynamic (and comedic) duo I never knew I needed. Their endless banter had me chuckling more than a few times. And I’m obsessed with Leander, excited to see where his character will go. I also appreciated there was no romance strangely enough, as I usually need a hint of romance to fully enjoy a book.

I am excited for the sequel!!

Artemisia is such a great character! She's complex, flawed and I loved following her journey. This book is dark and follows a very similar atmosphere to the author's other works, although it was darker and more gritty.

I was quite surprised to find that there was no romance in this book, and I found that that was something I really missed. We have a lot of action and adventure, but I couldn't really connect to the main character immediately. It took a while, but by the end I really loved Artemisia. I also loved the revenant and Artemisia's constant back and forth- their bickering really made this book highly enjoyable!

I would definitely recommend it!

At first I was a bit daunted about the sheer size of this book but I was not disappointed, this kept me gripped from the first word and having to put it down was highly inconsiderate of my mum life! I cannot wait to read more from this author and it was a fab start to my reading list from her

I have loved every book from this author so far and Vespertine was no exception!

I read this whole book in one sitting and I just can’t wait for the next book already.
I adored the storyline and the setting is perfect! I would 100% recommend this book!
I’ve seen it described as a medieval venom and it’s so accurate I love it! The revenant is funny and likeable and I found the dialogue funny and overall an entertaining and satisfying read!

Thank you to Margaret Rogerson and Simon and Schuster for an early copy.

Vespertine is a thrilling and inventive new YA fantasy and the first in a promising new duology about a teen girl with mythic abilities who must defend her world against the restless spirits of the dead - until she is possessed by an ancient spirit herself, written by bestselling writer Margaret Rogerson who rarely puts a foot wrong. 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. Wielding its extraordinary power almost consumes her--but death has come to Loraille, and only a vespertine, a priestess trained to wield a high relic, has any chance of stopping it. With all knowledge of vespertines lost to time, Artemisia turns to the last remaining expert for help: the revenant itself. As she unravels a sinister mystery of saints, secrets, and dark magic, her bond with the revenant grows.

And when a hidden evil begins to surface, she discovers that facing this enemy might require her to betray everything she has been taught to believe--if the revenant doesn't betray her first. This is a dark, twisty and enthralling read that is very difficult to put down. Rogerson is undoubtedly one of the most talented writers in YA fantasy at present with a staggering ability to remain consistently exciting at all times, and I was immediately entranced by Artemisia’s tense and captivating story. It is full of atmospheric detail, and the world is inspired by both Catholicism and the French era of Enlightenment, and you are swallowed into the immersive tale almost immediately. Artemisia is a strong and engaging female protagonist who it's easy to cheer for as she encounters dark forces, endless danger and hidden threats, and it is not just her life on the line; she is effectively fighting to save the world, and as you would imagine, along the way there are many setbacks and nail-biting moments filled with tension and surprises when you're not sure if she will be the one to survive and thrive it not. A mythology rich and enchanting coming of age yarn set in late-medieval France, this is a grim yet beguiling fantasy in which the action just keeps coming as Artemisia’s journey progresses at a flat out pace. Highly recommended.

"If I could read humans’ minds, I wouldn’t have ended up trapped inside a little girl’s finger bone."

This is the perfect book to top your autumnal spooky TBR, actually, it should be on any TBR, but if you need an excuse to buy it now, may as well highlight the ghostly focus which twists together with dark magic and deadly secrets. Or as the author herself described it a “medieval Venom starring a nun and a ghost”. Intrigued? Let me expand.

Artemisia is a Gray Sister, a low-level nun awaiting her trial which decides her fate- move on to further study and practice, leaving her safe haven behind, or staying to cleanse the bodies of the dead so their souls don’t rise as spirits that attack the living. After a rough childhood, and a little lifesaving exorcism (as you do), Artemisia has no plans to leave her sanctuary despite the cold shoulder and stinging remarks from her peers. However, when their convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia is forced to release a revenant, a highly powerful and malevolent being that could possess her and cause colossal destruction to spirits and humans alike.

The only known people who could control a revenant were the vespertine, highly trained priestess’s, taught to wield the power from a high relic in which the ancient spirit is trapped, but all knowledge known of vespertines is lost to time. So instead, Artemisia turns to the revenant, the last remaining expert on the subject. With a powerful being sharing her body, dark magic worsening the fight for freedom against an overwhelming tide of spirits and the ruling body out to imprison her for her unique and unapproved misunderstood bond with a malevolent spirit, Artemisia beings a journey she never could have dreamed off.

This is a well-written fantasy story that really evaluates aspects of belief and religion as well as breaking down first impressions and stereotypes to create three-dimensional characters and a well researched and thought out plot. In a story that could have easily coped out to play on the blanket ‘good’ and ‘evil’ aspect found in tales of spirits and religion, Rogerson throws that out the window to not only explore the growing relationship between Artemisia and the revenant but also explore the religious power structure and how faith and belief shape and change decisions. It was riveting and I found myself loving Artemisia and then characters I didn’t expect, as well as sympathising with preconceived antagonists.

I also really enjoyed how this wasn’t a romance, I went in half expecting a relationship between the revenant and Artemisia but instead, Rogerson really built their relationships and developed them as characters. The main characters are witty, and the plot is fast-paced with heart-wrenching character arcs. To see Artemisia’s emotional journey, not just her physical pilgrimage, was awe-inspiring.

Its serious, dark and gritty whilst remaining light and consumable enough despite heavy historical and religious references within a newly built world to be considered young adult and have readers of all ages. It may not be for everyone; it consists of heavy triggers (full list published by the author on the Goodreads page) and that’s understandable. Yet, it really divided into an area that really interests me, and actually is comparable to another one of my favourites- Small Gods by Terry Pratchett. The little details of the past, of the Raven King that changed the world forever and the ravaged landscape, have stayed with me and hopefully, we can have the chance to revisit this world and its characters again. For now, if you love any of the things I’ve said, I highly recommend this book!

"On this day, we honour her by denouncing the Raven King, bringer of the Sorrow, ruin of the Age of Kings. May his face remain forgotten. May history scorn his name."

Thank you to Simon and Schuster UK Children’s for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Vespertine is the perfect October read filled with spirits, possession (kinda...) and death. The book has shades of Shadowhunters and Shadow and Bone, so I highly recommend this book to fans of these series!

Firstly, Artemisia was an amazing protagonist. She was such a likeable character and her interactions with all the side characters were great. I liked that there was no romance in this book and I am so glad it did not as it could've led down the route of 'nun deviates from her practices for one boy.' The mental health representation (PTSD and anxiety), as well as disability representation (as a result of childhood trauma by supernatural means), was nice to see too, though I cannot comment on how well it was executed as I do not have a mental health condition or disability.

The Revenant is the character that stole the show! They are the spirit who 'possesses Artemisia and are never truly trustworthy but with them being such an integral character you can't not love them. They are one of my new all-time favourite characters, they were the perfect combination of dark, blunt and funny and had incredible chemistry with Artemisia. I would love to see more of the Revenant as I truly cannot get enough of them. I am positive everyone will love them.

One of the best things about this book, personally, was the setting. It felt like a spooky and dark French countryside and the writing amplified this greatly. Additionally, Rogersons exploration with religion in this book and how easily people are swept away in the 'allure' of other people was the perfect sub-plot. It also added to the scary aspect of this as people were worryingly enamored by Artemisia and treated her as a Saint, which also increased tensions as she was in hiding.

The book itself was also very fast-paced which was great as I thought it would be on the slower side, nothing felt too dragged out. However, I think that the ending was a little bit rushed and I wish it was at least 15 pages longer as we had an intense build-up to this moment but then the tension dissipated really quickly which was unfortunate. Another issue I had was a lot of infodumps within the first 20% which dragged down the start as it was a lot to take in at once when we are just becoming established in a new world. Though these infodumps did stop after then and the writing picked up.

I will definitely check out Margaret Rogersons other books; I am also pretty sure this is getting a companion book so I am very eager to get a copy when it comes out! Overall, this was a fantastic read and highly recommend it to everyone. - 4*

When I tell you I SQUEALED when I was approved for Vespertine. Thank you Simon and Schuster & NetGalley for this wonderful ARC. How do I express how brilliant this was?! I'm not even sure. This is my first Margaret Rogerson book and I'm so glad I requested it.

Artemisia is in training to become a Gray Sister; a nun who cleanses bodies of the deceased to ensure their souls pass on and their spirits do not linger to corrupt the living. Once possessed as a child, she's more at home with the dead than the living; the dead don't whisper about her behind her back.

Things I liked
-Evil-Spirit fighting NUNS?! Can I get an AMEN?!
-The Medieval France vibes are strong in this.
-The rich history of the world that feels effortlessly built around us. We've got history of saints, spirits, the cities and it all feels so natural. No info dumps - beautiful!
-The spirits and their categories/levels. Also, special shout out to the sassy Revenant who was my favourite character throughout..
-Morally grey main characters give me LIFE
-The pacing throughout was just so on point. I consumed this in 24 hours.

Things that could have been better:
-Side character development was a little lacking in parts.
-The ending left me wanting. It wasn't bad, but I didn't feel quite as satisfied as I thought I would. However, it's open ended enough for me to need more and I cannot wait for the 2nd instalment

Read if you like:
-Found family
-Spooky vibes - makes for a great October read in my opinion!
-Morally grey MC
- TV shows like Warrior Nun, Fate: Winx Saga, & Cursed.
-Magic/Sorcery
-LGBTQIA+ - Subtle ace representation; Rogerson has confirmed this is explored further in the sequel.

Would I reread? Yes! 4/5 for me; interested to see where this takes us in the 2nd instalment.