By: Jamie Steinberg
I was absolutely fascinated and consumed by reading A Riddle of Thorns. A very intense page turner, you are immediately engrossed in the life of Sana Gupta who has returned home to celebrate her eighteenth birthday only for events to turn into a rivalry for her birthright that molts into a who-done-it. Authors and twin sisters Sarena Nanua and Sasha Nanua do an exceptional job at captivating readers – never giving away any possible clues as to the story’s outcome. Pick up this book and prepare for an afternoon on the couch without a moment of pause for breath.
Sana Gupta’s mother Tara disappeared when she was a young girl, so she was sent away to Canada. Tara was known for her love of botany and being a fan of puzzles/ciphers. With so much mystery surrounding her mother’s departure, Sana has always wondered if her mom is still alive. Close to her eighteenth birthday Sana receives a note inviting her back to Paris to the home she grew up in, making her think it’s time for her to claim her inheritance. What she finds upon arrival, besides her home now rundown, is her former Nanny Marta has invited three others to take part in a contest of riddles per Tara’s will. They have each received a cryptic invitation to participate in a contest of riddles where one winner earns the deed to the manor. Here we meet Isabelle, a former family friend, Fox, who has modeled and molded himself after Sherlock Holmes, and Minho, a handsome and smart young man who could be Sana’s undoing. None of this can be a coincidence so Sana tasks herself with not only winning the game but uncovering the long held secrets of her home. Each clue leads the quartet into a darker world and one step closer to their true prize – a flower that has long been told to hold the ability to grant any wish thanks to the goddess Flora.
Both Nanua sisters do an outstanding job of crafting this tale to where you don’t know where one author starts and the other begins. Certainly, you never know who to trust along the way as it changes from page to page. Readers will dive headfirst into trying to unravel how all of the players fit into this puzzle adventure that Tara has created. Puzzles, clues, mysteries and madness abound so you never know who to root for as each seems to be willing to do whatever it takes to make themselves the winner. Be prepared to desperately hope for Sana’s success while simultaneously being confounded at every twist and turn yet loving every moment of it.
Sir Walter Scott’s poem “Marmion” reads, “Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive,” and boy, does A Riddle of Thorns personify that adage. For those who find puzzles fascinating, messy family histories intriguing, gods/goddesses powers to be captivating and so much, do yourself a favor and read this perfectly designed page turner that will have you eager to solve it all if not for Sana’s sake but your own.