Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie R. Wheadon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sisters bond in melodramatic, mature faerie finale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In THE THORN QUEEN, an influx of faeries in London use their nightly revels to torture humans with their manipulative bargains. King Bram is the one who invited his faerie friends from the Otherworld to wreak havoc and also the only one who knows where Ivy's sister Lydia and her beloved Emmett have gone. Ivy fears they're in the Otherworld in grave danger. In order to save England and her loved ones, Ivy decides to trick Bram into showing her the way to the faerie realm. From there Ivy and a small group of rebels can plot against Bram together. How unfortunate that Bram is steps ahead of Ivy the whole time. Her plans go awry immediately when Bram insists on a contest that will pit Ivy and Lydia against each other and possibly separate Ivy from her true love forever.
Is It Any Good?
Faerie fantasy finale capably shines a light on the complex sister bond, but there's too much crying and not enough story. King Bram always seems to be doing something despicable to set off Ivy, whether it be forcing her to hunt baby animals or just being a typical faerie who enjoys cruelty and doesn't understand love. But while Ivy's tearful outbursts are too plentiful, they can sometimes be useful, gaining her magical allies and pushing her to stay true to herself and reject Bram completely—despite his striking handsomeness. Too bad her sister Lydia still hangs onto feelings for Bram for so long. Why though? He's horrible.
And then there's Emmett, Ivy's true love, who is clearly hiding something. Outed secrets lead to more tears, of course. The melodrama overshadows other curious details, like Emmett's role at court and how Lydia and Emmett survived in the Otherworld together. A wider lens on the London and faerie societies would have rounded out The Thorn Queen nicely. And it's a crying shame most of Ivy's rebel friends are left behind in London without meaty roles to play. The broad cast of female characters were a real highlight of The Rose Bargain, and they are missed.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about empathy in The Thorn Queen. Why don't faeries understand the concept? How do Ivy and Lydia use their empathy to make their kingdoms better?
Ivy accepts a dangerous drink at a revel because she's upset. What happens next? How does your own decision-making differ when you're upset? Why is it important to have more and not less control over your inhibitions when you are already feeling off?
Ivy and Lydia make a lot of excuses for King Bram. Do you see him as they do, or as just a cruel but very handsome manipulator? What, if anything, is appealing romantically about faeries who can't understand love?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Graphic Novel
- Topics : Adventures , Competition , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Fantasy ( Fairies , Magic , Unicorns ) , Royalty ( Kings , Queens )
- Character Strengths : Courage , Empathy , Perseverance
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : HarperCollins Publishers
- Publication date : April 14, 2026
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 13 - 18
- Number of pages : 368
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : April 13, 2026
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate