I’m obsessed with fairytales. Not the ones that have those Disney happily ever after, but the ones that are darker, riddled with curses and madness. The ones that deal with sacrifice. Where parents have kept secrets from their children, thinking that they could keep them safe from the terrors of the night. Not only does this story combine some beautifully dark fairytales, but does so with such a talented hand. I finished this story and was desperate for more from Melissa Bashardoust. I cannot wait to be able to share this read with more people! I encourage you to add it to your TBR. Pre-order it if you can. This is a dark fairytale you won’t want to miss out on.
Soraya has been cursed. A young princess cursed to have a poisonous touch. She’s lived her life hidden away from sight, safe only in her gardens. As her twin’s wedding day approaches, Soraya has to make a decision. In order to free herself from the shadows she’s confined to, she must reach out to the demon trapped in the dungeons who holds the answers to her freedom. There’s also the young man who isn’t afraid of her, someone who understands the person beneath the poisonous touch. When her choices lead to unimaginable consequences, she’ll be forced to contend with the question she never wanted to answer. Who is she becoming…princess or monster?
Goodness, this story begins with such a delightful prologue, which is about children who were and who were not, and the curses that they contain. It’s such a lovely lead into what the reader is soon to witness. Soraya is such a complex young woman. She’s bitter because of her circumstances, but still has so much love for her family. For the people that she’s protecting by hiding away. There’s a lot of introspection happening because she’s locked away, and I loved watching what happens when she begins to strip away at the lush prison she’s built for herself.
Nothing is black and white in this story, and I loved that aspect of it. There’s guilt to be shared by all, and most hands are not without blood on them. Azad and Parvaneh are especially fascinating to read about because getting into their backstories is so controversial within the story. Just how much betrayal are you willing to withstand? My poor sympathetic heart went out even to the villains. Beautiful and terrible, and yet so terribly sad. Some readers might disagree with me, but for once I felt torn.
The romance! Swoon worthy and so lovely. Each romantic scene is just stunningly crafted, glittering with beauty and potential betrayal. I loved trying to figure out where the loyalties truly were for these characters. I was definitely on my toes the whole time. Just what would Soraya choose for herself, princess or monster? The answer was certainly not an easy one to get to.
Curiously, there was one character that I truly wish I had seen much more of throughout the story and that is Laleh, Soraya’s childhood friend. I feel like there was so much to explore there, but at the same time, I do like what occurred between her and Soraya. I guess I just wanted more of her in the story. However, if I had to choose between her and the incredibly lush descriptions of this world, I’d likely go with world-building. Melissa Bashardoust’s world is lovingly crafted and gorgeous. It rings true to the Persian influences that this story stemmed from.
Often when stories are retold, it’s fairly easy to tell what parts came from which stories. In this book, everything is woven together so well, that you would swear there was no other way that this story could be told. It makes it truly unforgettable. You’ll definitely want to have a copy of this on your shelf. I don’t often re-read stories (save fairytales), but this is definitely one that I’ll likely be coming back to in the years to come.
I loved this story, it’s a 9/10 for me. 1 point short because I wanted more Laleh. With that said, go add it to your TBR! I hope you’ll consider adding this story to your collection. I can’t wait to see what other stories this author has to tell.
Girl, Serpent, Thorn is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers as of July 7th 2020.
Will you be picking up Girl, Serpent, Thorn? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
A captivating and utterly original fairy tale about a girl cursed to be poisonous to the touch, and who discovers what power might lie in such a curse…
There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away, apart from her family, safe only in her gardens, it’s not just a story.
As the day of her twin brother’s wedding approaches, Soraya must decide if she’s willing to step outside of the shadows for the first time. Below in the dungeon is a demon who holds knowledge that she craves, the answer to her freedom. And above is a young man who isn’t afraid of her, whose eyes linger not with fear, but with an understanding of who she is beneath the poison.
Soraya thought she knew her place in the world, but when her choices lead to consequences she never imagined, she begins to question who she is and who she is becoming…human or demon. Princess or monster.
