A Lesson in Thorns by Sierra Simone

A Lesson in Thorns by Sierra Simone

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Three stories of cold stone and glass should in no way feel as inviting and as enchanting as they do, and yet I feel utterly invited. Utterly enchanted.

Poe, a librarian with a reputation for constant daydreaming, travels back to Thornchapel, a mesmerising place from her childhood, to work catalogueing its vast library. However, she has a more pressing reason to be there. It was the last place her mother was seen alive. In hope that she may still be alive, or that there will be some sense of closure, Poe takes the job despite her tangled past with Auden, the now owner of Thornchapel, and his once friend, St. Sebastian.

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into A Lesson in Thorns to be honest. I had never read an erotica novel before this, but I am trying to expand my reading horizons, and this seemed like a good entry point into the genre, as it seemed to have a story that was interesting to me. I found some moments a little jarring, with Poe thinking about sex even while she’s discovering information about her missing mum, but I did get the hang of this as I continued reading. And blimey, I found it a very enjoyable read.

We spend the majority of the book with Poe, our daydreaming and secretly kinky librarian. The book is primarily in her first person perspective. She has a sweetness that was very appealing. Between some chapters there were short departures from Poe and we would get a third person perspective from one of the other characters. Initially this disruption to the narrative and established structure was unwelcome. Soon though, they became a wonderful way to get to know everyone. Poe, Auden, St. Sebastian, Becket, Delphine, and Rebecca were all great characters with a satisfying amount of depth. St. Sebastian especially is a character I would enjoy in my regular genres.

Thornchapel was a fascinating, Gothic setting that shrouded the characters and plot in a gauzy sense of mystery and entwined them in history. The manor sounded absolutely gorgeous, having stood the test of time for centuries. The nearby village of Thorncombe is steeped in the significance of Thornchapel as well, causing Poe to feel very much like an outsider in her new, temporary home.

Now to the romantic and sexual content. I was actually surprised to find how natural this aspect of the book became for me, once I became used to it. And, if I hadn’t already realised that I am bisexual, this would have been quite the eye opener. Speaking of which, there is one confirmed bisexual character, and the rest of the characters seem to be attracted to both men and women as well. There is also some polyamory representation that may not be overly present now, but will clearly become more prominent as the series progresses. I can’t say much about the accuracy of this representation, never having had a poly relationship myself. BDSM also plays a prominent role, which seems to be represented well, with the doms respecting their subs and their safe words, and partaking in aftercare as mandatory and important.

An interesting focal point that pops up here and there is Poe’s narcolepsy. Again, this is not something I’ve had any experience with, so I can’t comment on accuracy, but it was interesting to see. I believe the author suffers from it herself.

All in all, I believe this was a successful first foray into erotica, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the overarching plot and characters. I will be continuing this series, and intend to read Sierra Simone’s other works. If you enjoy erotica, or are looking to give it a go, I highly recommend A Lesson in Thorns.



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