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spot_the_book_unicorn's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use, Blood, Vomit, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Alcohol
introverted_reads's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
4.5 stars
Thank you to Harvey for sending me an ARC of their upcoming debut!
"You yearn for purpose and a future and control of your own life. You struggle and you let yourself, even blame yourself, yet you strive for greatness and are frustrated no one can truly help you ... those are not the traits of someone who knows they have eternity to do whatever they want. Cling onto that, Arlo, and never let go."
Murder! Immortality! Damnation! Blood! Listen up emos, goths, vampire enthusiasts, and angry socialists, we've got a new one. I fell in love with the world of Fallen Thorns, and the characters that Harvey Oliver Baxter has constructed. My My Chemical Romance, Creeper, and Anne Rice obsessed heart adored every page.
I'm going to nerd out a little about narrative voice right now, because I think they've done something really great. Harvey has a distinct voice as an author, and their dry wit and sense of humour cuts through the narrative. Tackling a polyvocal narrative in a debut is a bold move, but I think they've really made it work; it benefits the narrative, and serves a purpose, and it's a really interesting means of constructing an unreliable narrator; the novel is acutely aware of its unreliability, and consistently challenges the tension it creates between the two versions of narrative events.
Fallen Thorns is for the vampire lovers, but these are vampires as they haven't been seen before. Anne Rice's influence in the vampire subgenre is undoubtedly present, but this book teases traditional vampire media (shout out to the BiC pen, you had me on the floor) and offers a refreshing, contemporary take on the immortal creatures that have occupied the collective imagination for centuries.
Arlo's narrative is set against the landscape of an elite academic institution, enabling Harvey to offer an integrated commentary on issues of class and social elitism within the British university system. Arlo articulates a truth that no one really talks about: the culture shock and the encountering of the extent of the class divide, whilst at a prestigious university. It primarily focalises the class disparity across the north-south divide, but within the trend amongst "dark academia" books, it's refreshing to see a novel that doesn't just fall into complacency with the issues of class and social hierarchies within academia.
"Everyone already thinks there is something wrong with me [...] I just know. I can sense it and can't stand it."
Fallen Thorns is a distinctly character driven narrative, and each of the characters within Fallen Thorns are developed and carefully constructed. As an asexual, autistic reader, I felt a particular connection with Arlo; although not explicitly neurodivergent, I saw a lot of myself and my own experience of the world within Arlo's vocalisation of experience. The discourse that Harvey Oliver Baxter offers on asexuality is much more explicit, and much needed within media:
"... and you, Arlo, will never, ever, be alone. You are loved in so many ways and don't for one second think that because you don't want to romance that it makes you any less of a man or a human or even a goddamn being on this planet [...] You owe the world nothing. You are perfect just the way you are. Never forget that.”
Fallen Thorns is a strong debut of queer vampires, secret societies, murder, and ineffable cosmic forces. If you're a fan of vampires, If We Were Villains, silly queer characters, you can't miss this one (trust me), and the series of illustrations throughout the book mean that Harvey Oliver Baxter is truly a double threat.
Quotes taken from physical ARC provided by the author and may change in final published work.
And in response to your playlist, may I offer my humble (emo) contribution: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3cU2TmVi3znoQ7gh0aeHIe
Thank you to Harvey for sending me an ARC of their upcoming debut!
"You yearn for purpose and a future and control of your own life. You struggle and you let yourself, even blame yourself, yet you strive for greatness and are frustrated no one can truly help you ... those are not the traits of someone who knows they have eternity to do whatever they want. Cling onto that, Arlo, and never let go."
Murder! Immortality! Damnation! Blood! Listen up emos, goths, vampire enthusiasts, and angry socialists, we've got a new one. I fell in love with the world of Fallen Thorns, and the characters that Harvey Oliver Baxter has constructed. My My Chemical Romance, Creeper, and Anne Rice obsessed heart adored every page.
I'm going to nerd out a little about narrative voice right now, because I think they've done something really great. Harvey has a distinct voice as an author, and their dry wit and sense of humour cuts through the narrative. Tackling a polyvocal narrative in a debut is a bold move, but I think they've really made it work; it benefits the narrative, and serves a purpose, and it's a really interesting means of constructing an unreliable narrator; the novel is acutely aware of its unreliability, and consistently challenges the tension it creates between the two versions of narrative events.
Fallen Thorns is for the vampire lovers, but these are vampires as they haven't been seen before. Anne Rice's influence in the vampire subgenre is undoubtedly present, but this book teases traditional vampire media (shout out to the BiC pen, you had me on the floor) and offers a refreshing, contemporary take on the immortal creatures that have occupied the collective imagination for centuries.
Arlo's narrative is set against the landscape of an elite academic institution, enabling Harvey to offer an integrated commentary on issues of class and social elitism within the British university system. Arlo articulates a truth that no one really talks about: the culture shock and the encountering of the extent of the class divide, whilst at a prestigious university. It primarily focalises the class disparity across the north-south divide, but within the trend amongst "dark academia" books, it's refreshing to see a novel that doesn't just fall into complacency with the issues of class and social hierarchies within academia.
"Everyone already thinks there is something wrong with me [...] I just know. I can sense it and can't stand it."
Fallen Thorns is a distinctly character driven narrative, and each of the characters within Fallen Thorns are developed and carefully constructed. As an asexual, autistic reader, I felt a particular connection with Arlo; although not explicitly neurodivergent, I saw a lot of myself and my own experience of the world within Arlo's vocalisation of experience. The discourse that Harvey Oliver Baxter offers on asexuality is much more explicit, and much needed within media:
"... and you, Arlo, will never, ever, be alone. You are loved in so many ways and don't for one second think that because you don't want to romance that it makes you any less of a man or a human or even a goddamn being on this planet [...] You owe the world nothing. You are perfect just the way you are. Never forget that.”
Fallen Thorns is a strong debut of queer vampires, secret societies, murder, and ineffable cosmic forces. If you're a fan of vampires, If We Were Villains, silly queer characters, you can't miss this one (trust me), and the series of illustrations throughout the book mean that Harvey Oliver Baxter is truly a double threat.
Quotes taken from physical ARC provided by the author and may change in final published work.
And in response to your playlist, may I offer my humble (emo) contribution: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3cU2TmVi3znoQ7gh0aeHIe
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Eating disorder, Gore, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, and Alcohol