Violet Made of Thorns is a fantastic tale of heroes, villains, and seers. After saving the life of Prince Cyrus, Violet Lune finds herself swept into a life she could only have dreamed- or seen in her visions. Violet and Cyrus soon clash, a Seer and Prince at odds. When strange beasts begin roaming the kingdom, the people fear that an ancient prophecy has been set into motion. Cyrus is tasked to find a bride and Violet races to understand the meaning behind her ominous visions. As Violet and Cyrus navigate the bitter and tangled emotions between them, the dark prophecy looms and they must work together to have any chance of saving the kingdom.

I loved Violet! She is such a strong and fierce character, unwilling to follow court nonsense and always standing up for what she believes is right. Violet’s magical powers as a Seer were fascinating. I enjoyed seeing Violet explore her powers and learn about her magical strengths. Gina Chen’s characters feel complex and multifaceted. Readers who look for morally gray characters will love Violet Made of Thorns. 

The banter and battles between Cyrus and Violet was delightful; I absolutely can’t wait to see how their journey continues! Chen uses many familiar fairy tale threads and then weaves them into a more nuanced and intriguing tale. The pacing was excellent; I didn’t want to stop reading. Violet is a character for the girls who never identified with the charming princess and instead wondered about the wicked witch in her tower. Needless to say, I loved it! 

I would highly recommend this for fans of Heather Walter (Malice duology) and Alix E. Harrow (A Spindle Splintered). Violet Made of Thorns is a riveting and unique fairy tale. Thank you to Gina Chen, Delacorte Press, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.