Girl, Serpent, Thorn

A dark fairy tale with a twist. Girl, Serpent, Thorn is kind of a cross between Frozen and Maleficent. A girl cursed to poison everything she touches. It starts asking that classic question of who really are the monsters? Can a curse be made for a positive reason? I have seen this marketed as YA and I know people who commented that the cover looked a bit feminine, but this is dark and interesting - much more so than would be expected looking at those two thing (though that being said, classic fairy tales are surprisingly dark when read as an adult).

I haven't read so much fairy tale fantasy, but this was a thoroughly enjoyable read and deserving of the buzz it has been generating. This was my first book received through the Fairyloot subscription and I was pleasantly surprised by this one - I signed up to Fairyloot to try and nab a few of their special editions but have decided to keep hold of the subscription on the strength of this!

Definitely more of a 3.5 but I'm rounding up.

I was fascinated by this book since I first read the blurb because any non-western mythology based storytelling gets me going. Ofcourse I had to wait a while to read because my library didn't buy a copy and decided to pick up the audiobook instead. And it definitely was fun.

The best part of this book is surely the inspiration it's based on - Persian mythology. I absolutely loved all the stories that form a part of this world, including the faith, their traditions as well as all the kinds of monsters. It felt very well fleshed out, with lush and vivid descriptions and other worldly vibes - almost making it feel like I was part of a fairytale. The writing is very easy to follow and once I started, I didn't feel like putting it down because the author managed to ensnare me in with her words. I also really enjoyed the liberal use of Persian words because even if I didn't understand the actual meanings, they just felt very familiar and comforting.

But it was the plot and execution where I think I felt a bit let down. The premise is so interesting that I think I expected a lot and that may have led to my disappointment, but I just felt like the book was missing a wow factor. The big reveal/twist that happens didn't feel that shocking at all and even if not in it's entirety, I did see a big part of it coming a mile away. After that, even though I was very engaged in the story, it didn't feel high stakes enough for me to be worried or tense.

It's hard not to empathize with Soraya despite her making some not so great decisions sometimes, because her circumstances are so unusual. She is perfect antihero material - with her anger and shame and self loathing - and while she does tend to let her baser instincts drive her sometimes, you never stop rooting for her. She is someone who has spent most of her life in isolation and starved of touch, afraid of succumbing to the poison in her veins and becoming a monster - and her journey of figuring out what kind of a person she can be if given the chance, with and without the curse, and what all she is ready to sacrifice for the sake of family - it's all very interesting to be a part of and I loved getting to know her.

While there are many other side characters who appear in the book, there are only a couple who feel fleshed out enough that we get to understand them a little. Azad is a fascinating character and reading about him and Soraya together is very intriguing because we get to see all the possibilities that their paths have taken and can take in the future; and how circumstances can alter the choices they might make leading to unexpected consequences. Parvaneh is another character whom I wasn't sure about for a while, but I loved the progression of her relationship with Soraya and the kind of trust they managed to build in such precarious conditions.

While we do get some insight into Soraya's mom and her decision making which leads to most of the plot, I still would have liked to see more of the bond between mother and daughter because they definitely deserved more time to explore the new nature of their relationship. Sorush on the other hand doesn't get much page at all and I honestly felt that he was very unfair to Soraya in the past and despite her actions, he deserved to spend more time trying to win her affections and he got let off easy.

To conclude, this book has a beautiful Persian mythology inspired world which sucks you in and a great main character whom you can't stop rooting for. If you are someone who loves fairytale retellings, then this book is perfect for you. It may not have completely lived up to my expectations (I surely would have loved some more of that promising sapphic romance), but I did enjoy my reading experience and would definitely recommend it. And I really loved the audiobook narration of Nikki Massoud but I have to mention that it may take a couple of chapters to familiarize yourself with the Persian vocabulary a little, but don't let that deter you from listening to it.

If this weren't s review copy, I would have DNFd this book before the 50% mark. It's been a few weeks since I read this now and it was so utterly forgettable that I've changed my previous (very generous) 2 star rating to just one star. You can add half a star in your mind for the stunning cover.

Full review on my blog.

Soraya was cursed at birth by a demon. She has poison running through her veins. She will kill anything that she touches. She must stay hidden with only her garden for company.
News reaches her that a demon has been captured and is being held in the dungeon. Could it possibly know how to cure her?

I loved this book! I loved the characters, the story, all of it. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that I guessed right away who the villain was.

Nikki Massoud is an amazing narrator. I would love to hear more books narrated by her. She made this book even more enjoyable.

I received a copy from Net Galley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH OH MY GOD??????????? I JUST WENT THROUGH EVERY HUMAN EMOTION AND THENSOME WHILE READING THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok first off the WRITING is SPECTACULAR!!!!!!!!!! Second off the Symbolism??? :chefs_kiss: PEFECTION!!!!!!!!!!! God and that ENDING HAS RUINED ME!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really REALLY wish there was a sequel now like PLEASE I NEED MORE OF THIS UNIVERSE!!!!!!!!! I can't even Begin to process all of my emotions after that!!!!!! HIGHLY recommend if you like well written high fantasy!!!!!!!!!! I need to lay down on the floor for a bit!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you to Goodreads and the publisher for a free copy via goodreads giveaway! I enjoyed this book! There were a few little issues I had, but overall, it was a fun read. The cover... gorgeous. The pace... a little slow in the beginning but picks up about 100 pages in. I wasn't sure how I felt about the story until the pace picked up, then I really started to enjoy it, and I'm glad I kept reading. I had to google so many terms because I was unfamiliar with Persian folklore, but after a while I got the hang of it. Soraya got a little annoying at times, but she's a teenager right? All teenagers get a little annoying. Her wishy-washy-ness between being a helpless, forgotten princess and a strong, poisonous woman gave me a bit of whiplash. I do love that (SPOILER AHEAD) Soraya ended up with Parvaneh in the end

My personal enjoyment was 2-stars, if I'm being fair 3-stars, but rating it on my YA rating, 4-stars. I highly suspect fans of Shadow and Bone and ACOTAR will like this one. For me this is was a no, likely for hitting the same tropes around toxic BS man, kidnapping, manipulating, blah blah blah, mixed in with romance and “I love you, you're so special,” no thank you! This may be blasphemous, but I think it's a MUCH better book than the former and either on par or better than the latter, IMhumbleO. It is cool to see a story merging and inspired by Western and Persian mythology and I do think there are some good lessons/themes for teens. I am certain 15-year-old me would have loved this for the world, fast-paced story and probably too for that stupid trope, gah.

I feel as if the plot was slightly rushed??? The plot twists were fine but god, some chapters had fast pacing.

I still liked the book though, really liked it actually. The main couple is rlly cute though I think them ending up together could have been better paced?

The cohet (compulsory heterosexuality) is so real tho, it frustrated me slightly (not in a bad way).