Saturday, October 12, 2019

How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse
(The Thorne Chronicles, #1) by K. Eason

Synopsis (via Goodreads): First in a duology that reimagines fairy tale tropes within a space opera—The Princess Bride meets Princess Leia.

Rory Thorne is a princess with thirteen fairy blessings, the most important of which is to see through flattery and platitudes. As the eldest daughter, she always imagined she’d inherit her father’s throne and govern the interplanetary Thorne Consortium.

Then her father is assassinated, her mother gives birth to a son, and Rory is betrothed to the prince of a distant world.

When Rory arrives in her new home, she uncovers a treacherous plot to unseat her newly betrothed and usurp his throne. An unscrupulous minister has conspired to name himself Regent to the minor (and somewhat foolish) prince. With only her wits and a small team of allies, Rory must outmaneuver the Regent and rescue the prince.


How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse is a feminist reimagining of familiar fairytale tropes and a story of resistance and self-determination—how small acts of rebellion can lead a princess to not just save herself, but change the course of history.

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I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

To be fair, How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse fell somewhere between three and four stars, but I don't normally do half-star ratings. It all boiled down to this: Would I read it again? No, I wouldn't. However, I really enjoyed the experience of reading it once, and I'm happy it happened. I thought the story was very unique and told with an interesting perspective. 

Unfortunately for me, I was oftentimes lost within the technical jargon of the book. We're introduced to new planets, moons, solar systems, etc. In addition to the setting, we're told about the intricacies of arithmancy and alchemy, how the two originated, and so on and so forth. I thought the arithmancy was interesting, but it was also a little confusing. Could anyone choose to be an Arithmancer, or was it similar to magic? Was magic real in this book? The addition of the faeries and their gifts made me think so. It was fascinating to see how the author integrated both the fantastical and the factual. It was just a smidge boring at times, especially when the lessons occurred at the start of chapters and didn't really tie into what was currently happening. 

Rory is a remarkable character, and I enjoyed seeing her navigate the political minefield she was thrust into. She's away from her planet, her family, and everything she's known since birth, yet she manages to thrive and find a way to survive. Her fairy gifts help, but also her training with the Vizier and Grytt. She was a well-rounded person, very thoughtful, and sincere even as a teenager. Yes, she was prone to tantrums and the like befitting her age, but she typically handled herself well when it mattered. She was clever and cared more about others than herself. She's also wicked smart and tended to outthink most of the people around her, which was really beneficial when she was surrounded by enemies. 

There's not much of a romance in this one, but it does play a role in the story. I wasn't a fan of how quickly the L word was used (they hadn't known each other long enough, or spent a significant amount of time with one another), but the feelings were there. I would have thought the two of them were too busy trying to stay alive and thwart a war to even consider the possibility of a relationship (other than a political one forced on them). I wish that had been left out, and the two of them had established a respectful, meaningful friendship instead (which I think does happen, but is overshadowed by the L word confession). 

The plot was discovered pretty early on, but it takes most of the book before Rory can act on the information she's accumulated. She actually stumbles across The Big Secret almost as soon as she gets to her new home, but the facts aren't confirmed until later on. It was quite the secret, too.

Overall, I'm very happy I took a chance on How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse. It didn't remind me of The Princess Bride or Princess Leia, but simply a space story with some fairytale references tossed in. I'm also not 100% sure when this book takes place, but there are references that make me think it's the distant future. I wish the time period had been more clear. I might read the second book when it comes out, because I'm curious how Rory will handle the new situation she's found herself in, but I'll probably wait until my library has a copy.

16 comments:

  1. Well, I can't say it's my genre, but it sounds really original! Though I don't understand the multiverse reference, because it doesn't sound like there's really any...

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    1. Very original! The multiverse reference does make sense when you read it, but I couldn't explain it to you. ;)

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  2. I like the sound of this one even if it is different from what I usually read.

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    1. Nice! Let me know if you decide to give it a go. :)

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  3. Ugh. I hate when they use jargons that only tekkies would understand. It makes for a dry read, for sure.

    Cool cover, though!

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    1. It was eloquently explained, but I wish it had been simplified and more detailed. I really wanted to understand how everything worked, but mostly I just kept reading without fully comprehending what was going on.

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  4. I've seen this book popping up and around recently, but I can't say I'm sold on the idea of the book just yet. I'm glad that you really enjoyed this one! It's interesting to me how we can enjoy a book but feel satisfied with only ever reading it once. It makes me all the more excited to discover the books that I want to read over and over again.

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    1. Yes! I read books all the time that are satisfying and enjoyable to read, but that I know I will not want to re-read. I only keep books on my shelves that I plan on reading again and again -- there's just no room otherwise! How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse was interesting and unique, but not something that rocked my world, you know?

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    2. What are a few books that you want to read over and over again? A Court of Thorns and Roses (the series) is one I read often and will grab randomly (love it so much). Harry Potter is another one. I recently re-read Daughter of Smoke and Bone so I can finish the rest of the series. :)

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  5. The Princess Bride meets Princess Leia is a heck of a description. Not being clear on the time period would bug me. I’m a stickler for stuff like that.

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    1. I think the references mean Earth is something that existed a LONG time ago, because the characters mention the fashions and furniture reminiscent of what we have today, but it wasn't clear. I also really like Star Wars and The Princess Bride is one of my favorites books and movies, so I was expecting something a little different. I don't think it was the best comparison for How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Universe. I also don't think she really DESTROYED it, but the actions of others really impacted the outcome. She just did what was right for herself and others.

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  6. I had such high hopes for this one. I'm sad it was a disappointment.

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    1. I wasn't disappointed exactly... the story itself was good, and I'm happy I read it. It's just not one of those books you want to read again and again, you know? At least it wasn't for me. The experience was fun! I thought Rory was an incredible character.

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  7. On paper, this is one of those books I'd absolutely fall in love with but the world building itself sounds just so overwhelming. I love the sound of Rory's Character though and that she doesn't shy away from her intelligence. Looking forward to giving this one a read actually. Glad you still enjoyed it Linds despite those few issues, brilliant review!

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    1. There's just a lot of world to build, haha. When you're describing multiple planets, their solar systems, etc., it can get a bit complicated. Also, I don't believe Tadesh was an actual planet, but something synthetic built to survive LIKE a planet in space. There was no sky or natural bodies of water. Everything was sealed against the elements, and magic kept the plants alive. I wish we'd explored the multiverse more, and been given a better explanation of how it was originally formed. Were there other species? Alien life forms? The beginning of the book makes me think so, but that was never expanded on either.

      Rory knows she's smart, but she also knows when to act like she's not. People often underestimated her because she was young and female. I think this is one you'd really like actually! :)

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“Stuff and nonsense. Nonsense and stuff and much of a muchness and nonsense all over again. We are all mad here, don't you know?”
― Marissa Meyer, Heartless