A hunger of thorns by Lili Wilkinson
Lovers of fantasy will welcome this original story with forbidden magic and strange plant life, set in a dark dystopian world. Maude and Odette were the best of friends when they were young. They ran wild together with Maud, the daughter of witches, making up wonderful stories of girls who saved princes and killed dragons. But Maude lost her magic and Odette was no longer interested in being her friend. She is more interested in the ordinary magic that is allowed by the government – glamours to make you look perfect and psychic drinks to give you energy. The strong magic that Maude’s grandmother and mother wielded is forbidden and Maude’s grandmother makes sure that she does not stray along the sorcerous path that led to her mother’s death. Then Odette disappears and everyone believes she is dead. Maude is determined to find her and goes to their childhood haunt, Sicklehurst, an abandoned power plant built over an ancient forest. There she relives the stories that she and Odette have played out, trying to find her lost friend.
Wilkinson has created a unique world, where the reader must navigate between what is real and what is imaginary. Maud’s adventures in the world around Sicklehurst are frightening, with strange stick people, treacherous waters and grasping plants all posing danger as she tries to find Odette. What is inside Sicklehurst? Who is the strange prince? How can she reconcile her stories and her quest for her missing friend?
What makes this a standout fantasy is the author’s original worldbuilding and lyrical prose. The plants described are fantastic and scary, and the combination of a normal world, with Maud dealing with school, and forbidden magic is managed so well that I was carried along with Maud’s storytelling.
A hunger of thorns is sure to appeal to readers who want a unique world with ‘a lost girl in an enchanted trope.’ It is highly recommended for school and public libraries. Teacher notes are available.
Themes: Fantasy, Magic, Friendship, Feminism,.
Pat Pledger
