Mysteries of Thorn Manor de Margaret Rogerson (Français/English)

Résumé

La suite tant attendue de Sorcery of Thorns ! Elisabeth Scrivener vit désormais auprès du sorcier Nathaniel Thorn et de Silas, leur compagnon démon, revenu auprès d’eux. Mais il se passe quelque chose d’étrange au manoir : les protections magiques de la résidence font des siennes et emprisonnent de force ses occupants. Il va falloir découvrir rapidement l’origine de la magie qui a détraqué ces défenses, car le fameux Bal d’hiver approche… Ce qui ne sera pas une tâche aisée quand la maison se révèle pleine de secrets inattendus, et que tout ce à quoi Elisabeth aspire, c’est de pouvoir embrasser Nathaniel en paix. Mais il devient bientôt clair que le manoir ne redeviendra docile que si on lui paie le prix qu’il exige…  L’édition française bénéficiera de contenu inédit. L’ouvrage sera disponible uniquement en version reliée avec jaquette. La couverture, illustrée par Charlie Bowater, sera dotée de dorure et vernis sélectif. S’ajoutent à cela des illustrations inédites pour les pages de gardes, un tranche file et des habillage pour la page de titre  et les en-têtes de chapitres!

Chronique (English below)

5 étoiles

J’ai toujours un peu d’appréhension lorsque je lis un livre traduit, certainement lorsqu’il s’agit de mes personnages favoris !

Et encore plus lorsque le livre contient énormément de réparties amusantes et d’humour sarcastique.

Mais le traducteur de Mysteries of Thorn Manor a fait de l’excellent travail et a su garder la fraîcheur et la vivacité de la version originale !

Ce livre se lit comme un long épilogue de Sorcery of Thorn et c’est un vrai cadeau de Margaret Rogerson à ses lecteurs !

Nous retrouvons Nathaniel, Elisabeth, Silas et maintenant Mercy emprisonnés à l’intérieur de Thorn manoir car les protections magiques de la maison agissent de façon très erratiques.

Attaques de ronces, tuiles qui s’envolent, grimoires oubliés devenus sauvages… tout y est !

Et pour remédier au problème, Nathaniel va devoir s’embarquer dans un quête dont je ne dirais pas plus afin de préserver la surprise !

Margaret Rogerson est restée fidèle à ses personnages. J’ai retrouvé « mes » Nathaniel Elisabeth et Silas préférés dans tout leur charme, enthousiasme et avec les réparties amusantes que j’avais tant adoré dans Sorcery of Thorns.

Nous retrouvons également cet univers magique rempli de grimoires animés. Ils se battent, sont grognons, timides… c’est absolument magique !

Une série que je recommande de tout mon cœur aux amateurs de Fantasy ! Merci @leyaclub et BIGBANG pour ma copie ! Cette édition est simplement superbe et pleine de bonnes surprises !

Review

5 stars!

This is a novella and feels like a gift from Margaret to her readers!

It’s an extended epilogue or a slice of Elisabeth, Nathaniel and Silas ‘s life after Sorcery of Thorns ended.

The intrigue is simple: the wards at Thorn manor are acting out and trapping Elisabeth, Nathaniel, Silas and their new maid Mercy inside of Thorn Manor.

They all will look at fixing the wards and it will result in a quest of sort that Nathaniel will have to accomplish.

All that I want to say is that Margaret Rogerson stayed true to the characters! I found “my” Elisabeth, Nathaniel and Silas again! With the humor, the banter, the charm and the enthusiasm!

Also that favorite world of mine was back once again with fighting and talking grimoires!

And I took tons of quotes! So many for such a short book!

Proof of my love for that duology!

I will type them all below and hope it will have you want to read that series!

When Silas appeared carrying a rectangular bundle…

“I take it we aren’t still discussing gingerbread,” Nathaniel said. “Or are we? Is it one of those loavesshaped like a person, that’s enchanted to run around screaming in terror until you hack it up with a knife? Sorcerer tradition, “ he explainedto Mercy and Elisabeth who were looking at him in horror.

“There’s no need to thank me, Scrivener, “Nathaniel said from the floor. He was still peering into cracks in the baseboard, creeping along on his hands and knees. “I’ll get down on all fours for you whenever you like.”

Why I still adore that universe so much!

“No wonder the escaped grimoires were squabbling with each other. The older ones would disagree with the changes written down in the younger ones; the younger ones would chafe against antiquated opinions of their elders. The drawers weren’t just meant to organize them, but to keep them separated from each other. Sorted chronologically, they would be filed with other grimoires they liked, or at least wouldn’t try to rip apart.”

When Nathaniel explains why it’s always the male in a sorcerer’s family who inherit the demon.

“Not many. Male heirs nearly always inherit the family demon, which is ridiculous, I know. Given my mother’s skill at tricking Maximilian into eating his vegetables, I suspect she would have been far better at managing a demon than most men on the council.”

When Mercy, their human servant explained she reached a truce with Silas.

“Mercy squared her shoulders. “Silas had a talk with me this morning about how he isn’t going to murder me and bury me in the back garden. He gave me his world as a gentleman.”

“That’s oddly specific, “ Nathaniel remarked. “Elisabeth, remind me to never dig up the petunias.””

Why I adore Elisabeth and who she is as a character deep down…Nathaniel gave her a family armor and this is what happened…

“She wore the armor for the rest of the day. She clanked happily through the halls. She clanked cheerfully up and down the stairs. Relieving herself proved something if an inconvenience, but this, too, she mastered after some strategic unbuckling in the powder room. When night fell, she was tempted to see what sleeping in the armor would feel like, until Silas gave her a disapproving look and she submitted to its removal immediately.”

My favorite quote from the book!

“Not every story has a happy ending, but most do if you are brave enough to keep reading to the end.”

Nathaniel, referring to a past situation:

“I wouldn’t say I collapsed. I was heroically recumbent. It’s a traditional vantage from which to make a romantic confession.”

And this one is so Katrien, Elisabeth librarian/scientist friend:

“Drawing near, Katrien said, “Tell Silas to warn me in advance the next time he delivers a mysterious package to the dormitory. Whenever I do that to someone, it’s booby-trapped. I nearly threw this dress out the window.”

I hope that with all these quotes I convinced you to read Sorcery of Thorns first and then this wonderful novella/extended epilogue Mysteries of Thorn Manor!

Thanks for reading.

Sophie