I received this ARC through a Goodreads Giveaway. Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada.
If you have ever felt socially awkward, like your brain has gone blank when someone asks you a question, like you are freaky in some basic way, then Artemnisia is your girl. You see, she spent her childhood possessed by a spirit and confined to a shed by her peasant family. Not much opportunity to learn basic human skills. Now she is a nun who cleanses the dead to prevent such things from happening to others. But even in the convent she feels weird among the other nuns.
Truth be told, it's my belief that most of us feel like outsiders at one point or another. We doubt our abilities and our worth. That's why stories like this one resonate with so many of us. Learning to accept friendship and assistance is a struggle for Artemnisia. Perhaps it's a good thing, then, that during a battle at her convent, she ends up being possessed again, this time by a powerful revenant. There's no escaping this interaction!
I completely agree with friends who have noted that both Artemnisia and the revenant, Rathanael, have antisocial tendencies reminiscent of Martha Wells' Murderbot. As the nun and the revenant tentatively grope their way towards a partnership, I was reminded of Murderbot coming to trust Dr. Mensah and becoming protective of the survey team. Both authors use their novels to show the difference that can be made by recognizing the basic human-ness of revenants and self-governing SecUnits, not to mention other people.
So far, Rogerson has written three stand-alone books. I have to admit that I really like that. I enjoyed her first novel a lot and this one rates right up there with it. It's rather refreshing also, in a young adult novel, to have the plot revolve around non-romantic issues (that was my biggest issue with her second book, that is was far too obviously focused on a romantic relationship far too quickly). As a nun, Artemnisia isn't really available for a romantic entanglement, but she can and does learn how to make friends. It was great to see her realize how crucial communication is to friendship, something that Rathanael definitely helps with.
The ending was satisfying, although I saw some threads that could be put towards a sequel. I wonder if Rogerson had plans for another installment or if she's just keeping her options open?
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