The Thorn Queen - by Elise Holland (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Hidden to most, this glacial world once crackled with alchemy. Now it waits for war--divided and bound by strict rules. So when twelve-year-old Meylyne falls from a tree onto Glendoch's sickly prince, she must flee or face imprisonment in the Shadow-Cellars. The only way she may return home is with a cure for the prince's peculiar disease.

Convinced she will perish, Meylyne and her companions embark on their journey--and before they know it, they are knee-deep in a plot to sink Glendoch into shadow, like other worlds before it. Poisoned guardians, cursed wizards, and cunning witch-spirits bound into wands are just some of the dangers that dot the way of their travels.

And behind it all is the Thorn Queen. Mysteriously magnetic (or murderously vengeful, depending on whose side you're on), she is always one step ahead of them . . .

Review Quotes

"This middle-grade debut sees a young outcast discover her true potential while on a quest to save others...Holland excels in burying twists that flip the whole narrative on its head. Readers should wish for a longer stay in Glendoch. An effervescent fantasy crafted from the heart."

--Kirkus Reviews

"Middlegrade readers will enjoy the assortment of odd characters and predicaments Meylyne finds herself in. . . With clever writing and detailed world building, Holland draws us into the many wonders of Glendoch and its surrounding lands, all the while deceiving us with her nefarious plot twists that leave the reader wanting to know just how she fooled them."

--Alane Adams, author of the award-winning Legends of Orkney series