The Thorn Queen is the second book in the Rose Bargain duology by Sasha Peyton Smith, whose first series focuses on a young witch in early twentieth-century New York. The Rose Bargain introduced the story of Ivy, a young woman preparing for her debut in the English court in the late 1800s, trying to free her family from shame brought about by her older sister, Lydia.
The Thorn Queen picks up right where The Rose Bargain left off. Ivy has secured Bram’s hand and is now Queen of England. Fae queen Mor has been stripped of her title, every magical bargain of her 400-plus year reign undone. But Bram wasn’t the soft-spoken, gentle fae prince Ivy saw – he’s been ruling the fae realm of the Others since killing the king centuries ago, and crafted his own plans to unseat his mother in the human realm. Now the borders are open, Others returned to London, and chaos has been unleashed.
Ivy’s sister is missing again, along with Prince Emmett and former-queen Mor. Ivy and her friends suspect they’re prisoners in the fae world, but Bram won’t allow humans through, especially Ivy. Playing Bram’s doting wife to survive, trying to oversee British government, and maintaining some control over Bram’s fae court takes up most of Ivy’s time and energy. But she’s determined to get her sister back and be reunited with the boy she truly loves, even if it ultimately means sacrificing herself in the process.
The conclusion of the Rose Bargain duology steps further into the fantasy world of the Others, as Smith blurs the lines dividing that world from old London. More questions arise around choosing between yourself and those you love in The Thorn Queen, pushing the boundaries of trust and empathy. Themes of blood and found family are interwoven amidst the power of physical versus emotional pain as Ivy battles her way through the depths of her own despair and self-criticism.
With strong language, some graphic imagery, and more violence than The Rose Bargain, this book is suitable for readers 14+ who enjoy the crossover of fantasy and historical reality.
