Title: Threadneedle
Author: Cari Thomas
Genre: Fantasy, young adult, fiction
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Pages: 576
Publication Date: 13th May 2021
My Rating: 4.5/5
Hi everyone,
Within the boroughs of London, nestled among its streets, hides another city, filled with magic.
Magic is the first sin. It must be bound.
Ever since Anna can remember, her aunt has warned her of the dangers of magic. She has taught her to fear how it twists and knots and turns into something dark and deadly.
It was, after all, magic that killed her parents and left her in her aunt’s care. It’s why she has been protected from the magical world and, in one year’s time, what little magic she has will be bound. She will join her aunt alongside the other Binders who believe magic is a sin not to be used, but denied. Only one more year and she will be free of the curse of magic, her aunt’s teachings and the disappointment of the little she is capable of.
Nothing – and no one – could change her mind before then. Could it?
This is such an unusual story that I find it very difficult to review. It was completely unexpected and unlike any other fantasy books I have read previously. Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and it was a fresh take on contemporary fantasy.
The first in a new young adult fantasy series, the story follows Anna. She is raised by her strict aunt who isn’t affectionate and she suffers repeatedly at her hands. Anna was born with magical powers and has been raised to shun magic and avoid it. She has a journey of learning who she can trust in her life and discovering the world of magic and how it is perceived outside of her household. I really empathised with Anna in this story.
There is a group called the Binders who were terrifying. They believe magic is a sin and that they must bind the magic Anna has. She is waiting for the day when her magic will be bound and she will be forced to join her aunt in this group. Her life has been given a set course by her aunt, will she follow it through?
There was so much to love about this book. It’s unlike anything I have read before. It’s the kind of book that isn’t an easy read and makes you feel unsettled. This isn’t a bad thing though, it keeps you on tenterhooks wanting to find out what happens next. It’s a little slow-paced in places, but when the story gets moving you won’t be able to put the book down! With an exciting plot and equally wonderful characters, you will be hooked on Threadneedle.
This was a magical read and I need to read the rest of this spellbinding series. You do not want to miss this!
About the author
Cari Thomas has always loved magic, inspired by her upbringing among the woods and myths of Wales’ Wye Valley. She studied English and Creative Writing at Warwick University and Magazine Journalism at The Cardiff School of Journalism. Her first job was at teen Sugar magazine where she ran the book club and quickly realized she wanted to be the one writing the books instead. She went on to work at a creative agency, spending her spare time researching magic and accumulating an unusual collection of occult books. She wrote her debut novel Threadneedle while living in London, wandering the city and weaving it with all the magic she wished it contained. She now lives in Bristol with her husband and son, who bears the appropriately Celtic name of Taliesin.
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Thank you so much to Random Things Tours, HarperCollins UK and the author for a chance to read and review this book!
Happy reading,
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