Book: The Thorn and the Blossom
Author: Theodora Goss
My Rating: 4 out of 5
2012 Challenges: Just for Fun
Synopsis from Goodreads:
One enchanting romance. Two lovers keeping secrets. And a uniquely crafted book that binds their stories forever.
When Evelyn Morgan walked into the village bookstore, she didn’t know she would meet the love of her life. When Brendan Thorne handed her a medieval romance, he didn’t know it would change the course of his future. It was almost as if they were the cursed lovers in the old book itself…
The Thorn and the Blossom is a remarkable literary artifact: You can open the book in either direction to decide whether you’ll first read Brendan’s, or Evelyn’s account of the mysterious love affair. Choose a side, read it like a regular novel—and when you get to the end, you’ll find yourself at a whole new beginning.
My Review (free o’ spoilers):
The novel is a quick read, but it’s quite sweet and clever. The book is written with the perspectives of two star-crossed lovers who bond over an Arthurian legend, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Shared dialogue is obviously the same, but it’s great to read how Evelyn and Brendan have similar thoughts about situations. I read Evelyn’s story first, which is a little magical and fantastical. Brendan is a little more grounded and realistic. Both stories are tragic in their own way. I just wish there was a little more length to the novel.
I read this as my January Just for Fun read. I heard about it on another book blog and thought it sounded like a neat concept. Although I could count it on a couple of other lists, I’m choosing this as my guilty pleasure read.
The Bottom Line:
Have you ever read a book and wondered what the other character was thinking or feeling? This is the book for you.
