3 reasons A Treason of Thorns will make a gorgeous, unique addition to your fall reading list

Laura Weymouth’s A Treason of Thorns is a lush fantasy tale about a world full of sentient Great Houses and the Caretakers who sacrifice themselves for them.

There are a lot of familiar tropes in fantasy fiction. And Laura Weymouth’s A Treason of Thorns doesn’t indulge in many of them.

There’s no lost princess looking to reclaim a kingdom here, no scrappy young street kid discovering special magical powers. Instead, we’re plunged into a world that feels entirely new and fresh, set in a version of 18th century England in which five Great Houses control the well being of the entire country. These sentient buildings control the weather, make the crops grow, and otherwise take care of the land on which they sit. In turn, they are looked after by Caretakers, whose task is to devote themselves to the House’s care, safety and general happiness.

Violet Sterling is one such Caretaker. Well, not technically. Not yet. She’s the daughter of one of the greatest Caretakers there’s ever been, and she’s always wanted to become one herself, more than anything else. Because she loves the Sterling family home, known as Burleigh House. She’s loved it since she was a child, and it’s always been partial to her too. But in a world in which Great Houses are weakening, and some folks think the sentient buildings should be released from the control of the King and Caretakers entirely, her wish may or may not come true.

It’s true, A Treason of Thorns may not be turn out to be the book you think it is based on its title of (admittedly, gorgeous) cover art. But it’s a story that’ll likely surprise you – and here are three big reasons why.

An utterly unique and intriguing premise

If you’re at all familiar with Laura Weymouth’s first novel, The Light Between Worlds, then you’re probably aware that one of the hallmarks of her writing is its lush, otherworldly feel and the creative, distinct settings in which her stories take place. That’s absolutely the case here, as the driver at the center of A Treason of Thorns’ story is, in fact, its setting. Because that setting is a magical House that can think for itself.

Burleigh House is not just where the bulk of the story of this novel takes place, it’s also the reason for it. As one of England’s five Great Houses, it’s responsible for the wellbeing of the surrounding countryside. But it also has desires, feelings, loves and an agenda of its own, making Burleigh as much a character in its own right as Violet and Wyn are. The concept of the Great Houses, which have existed throughout history and around the world, moving as necessary, is fascinating, as is the idea that the kings of England have somehow bound the Houses to their service. Over the course of the story, we learn a bit of history about these Houses, particularly Ripley Castle, the mysterious Sixth, which basically destroyed itself when its Caretaker attempted to set it free.

The world building of A Treason of Thorns, particularly concerning the house that sits at its center, feels completely new and fresh, and definitely like something you won’t see in many fantasy novels this Fall. (I can’t recall any recent story with a premise that’s as original as this one, and that’s saying a lot.)

A deeply human heroine

Violet Sterling has spent most of her life dreaming of becoming Caretaker of Burleigh House, like her father before her. But when is charged with treason and Violet is exiled from the only home she’s ever known for seven years, some things change. But some things don’t. Desperate to get back to Burleigh following her father’s death, she strikes a deal with the King of England to try and save Burleigh, only to find her House dying, languishing in a state of extreme disrepair while the countryside struggles. As a result, Violet is determined in secret to finish the mission her father started, and free her s House from the bindings that hold it in thrall.

As far as fantasy heroines go, Violet’s pretty amazing. Warm, big-hearted and loyal to a fault, she loves and feels everything incredibly deeply. She’s loves Burleigh beyond what occasionally feels like all reason, sacrificing bits of herself to keep the House from destroying itself and its neighbors. But her growing feelings for her childhood best friend leave Violet torn between duty and passion, and her indecision about the best path forward for herself and Burleigh is extremely relatable. It’s easy to feel for Violet, who has lost so much and still fights so hard, and to hope she might somehow eke out a happy ending in the midst of so much strife.

A solid mix of secondary characters

Though this is primarily Violet’s story, A Treason of Thorns introduces several great supporting characters along the way. The most appealing is probably Esperanza, the progressive Princess of Wales, who harbors a secret husband and a desire to free all the Great Houses of England when she comes to her father’s throne. She’s an entertaining free spirit who also turns out to be a great friend, and I’d happily read a continuation in this universe about what her reign might be like.

Wyn, Violet’s childhood friend turned possible love interest, is saccharine sweet – I’d have preferred it if he’d had a little more bite to his character, personally – but the secrets he keeps are enough to keep his segment of the story interesting, despite his often bland nature. His dedication to Violet is both admirable and sweet, even if the immediacy of their re-connection feels perhaps more rushed than it ought to.

And though we only see her relationship with her father via flashback, it’s evident how much George Sterling impacted Violet’s life. The change in our understanding of their relationship over the course of the story is subtly done, and the emotional payoff at the end lands in ways both horrifying and satisfying ways.

A Treason of Thorns is available now. Let us know if it’s on your list of Fall reads?