If you are into classic fairytale retelling this one is for you. It just has that feel. High fantasy with a cursed princess. But this princess doesn’t wait for a prince to save her, even if saving herself gets her into some trouble. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

I enjoyed the overall concept of the book but unfortunately this story fell a little flat for me. The world and mythology was so rich that I could have used a bit more world building and time with the characters to really connect with the plot. While it wasn’t a book I will return to, I would definitely be interested in seeing more from this author! More in my review linked below - timestamps: 15:29-17:35

“I am both the Sleeping Beauty and the enchanted castle; the princess drowses in the castle of flesh.”

-Angela Carter, Vampirella

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Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a heavily Persian influenced mythology retelling with elements from classic fairy tales like “Sleeping Beauty“, “Rapunzel” and “Rappaccini’s Daughter.” It tells the story of a young Princess who was cursed with the touch of poison after her birth, and has since been hidden away in one of her family’s castles to keep her ailment secret. But when the royal family returns to her castle for the season, they bring with them a captured div – a demon who tried to kill the princess’s brother – whom they are keeping locked in the dungeons. For Princess Soraya, this is her only chance to find a way out of the curse that has caused her to live a life without human contact. But Soraya quickly learns that nothing is given for free, and consequences weigh heavily.

“There was and there was not.”

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This unique retelling has been at the top of my TBR list for months. I originally found it on Goodreads while in one of a 3-hour book pit of browsing and knew it was going to be a top read of 2020. And though this story started out great, with rich culture spilling through the pages and a luscious world wrought with magic and danger, I felt myself begin to drift about 25% in.

It was an enjoyable read, but I was expecting an extra emotional punch and a little more excitement.

I hate to say it, but I was a bit bored for the middle and end of this book. I have been having trouble with YA Fantasy lately, so maybe it’s just me, but I just wasn’t as invested in the story as I wanted to be. I think a big part of this could be that the story went in a direction I wasn’t initially expecting it to. I guess I was expecting a “Throne of Glass” meets “Ash Princess“, and got more of a “Damsel” vibe that I wasn’t really feeling.

Soraya was an intriguing character at first, but her ‘doe in headlights‘ act started to get old pretty quickly. It bothered me how fine she was with her family practically shunning her and shoving her into a castle like Quasimodo, barely visiting her or even trying to communicate with her. I wanted her to show some semblance of anger or a grudge for her treatment, but it seemed innocence and being too trusting were her only major driving traits.

I also wanted her poisonous curse to be portrayed a bit darker.

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Obviously this story is going to be written how the author wants and with their own preference to overall lightness or darkness in terms of overall theme, but I was hoping this was going to be a grittier and more raw tale. I wanted to really dive into the way this curse made Soraya feel. How the solitude and isolation has contributed to her personality and thoughts, and what flaws it causes her to develop. Yes, the girl is naive. But this book left her feeling like a Disney princess, rather than a relatable female who has been thrust into horrible circumstances.

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The romance is a love triangle, and it was sweet and exciting in parts, but the original start between Soraya and Azad was…odd. I have a really hard time with insta-love and insta-intimacy. Upon their first actual meeting Azad basically professes his love and is shockingly not at all freaked out that one touch from Soraya will kill him instantly. He starts touching her hair (how did you know that her hair wasn’t also poisonous?!) and basically tells her how he’s always imaged being/rescuing/marrying her…? And Soraya instantly meets him halfway. What? This just felt so unbelievable for me.

I think the best part of this book is the world building and nod to Persian culture. Though this world isn’t as crazy outlandish and complex as some other YA Fantasies, it is perfectly detailed and the Arabian styled setting is described beautifully. Though of course more would have been so appreciated, the amount given is perfect for the reader to visualize and enjoy the tale.

By the end of Girl, Serpent, Thorn I was pleased with what happened, but I did find it a bit boring and somewhat predictable. I think I was just expecting a different story than what I got. It seems the majority of readers really loved this, so I would definitely read it and come to your own conclusion.

I really wanted to love this story, but there was just something that held me back. The romance felt underdone, and in my opinion could have been more developed. The story itself has such amazing potential, but for me it just fell flat. Bummer, as I was really excited for this one.

“Girl, Serpent, Thorn takes your expectations of a fairy tale and turns them on their head, creating an elaborate, unconventional and fascinating story, complete with heroes who are morally questionable and villains who you’ll fall in love with. Will they live happily ever after? We’ll let you find out for yourselves—but it probably won’t work out the way you expect.” —SciFiNow

"Girl, Serpent, Thorn" is a captivating and beautifully written tale that blends elements of Persian folklore with a feminist twist. Melissa Bashardoust masterfully weaves a story of a cursed princess who must navigate the dangers of the royal court to find her own power and identity. With vivid descriptions, dynamic characters, and a lush world-building, this novel is a must-read for fans of fantasy and retellings. The exploration of themes such as beauty, power, and sacrifice add depth to the story and make it a thought-provoking and empowering read. Overall, "Girl, Serpent, Thorn" is a stunning debut that showcases Bashardoust's immense talent.

Thank you for this arc copy of Girl Serpent, Thorn It wasn't; my type of book but others may like it. I did enjoy the cover picture though.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. If you like fairytale retelling, this might be a great choice for you. I loved this story, but especially the originality of the story. I read a lot of fantasy and fairytale retelling, and Girl, Serpent, Thorn was a a creative and refreshing change of pace.

I saw so much hype and love for Girl, Serpent, Thorn and when I was offered an ARC, I couldn't pass it up. Oh my gosh this book was fantastic! I'm so happy I read this and was given an opportunity to receive an ARC!

This book was okay. It wasn't really anything special to me, and I wasn't able to resonate with the characters. However, I really did enjoy the story, and it has kept me going throughout! All in all I can still recommend it.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust is a standalone young adult fantasy novel. The story within is a loosely based retelling of the tale of Rappaccini’s Daughter, the daughter of course being poisonous to others but this definitely takes on a life of it’s own.

Soraya has led a life of loneliness after being cursed at a young age bringing on her deadly touch. Always dressing with care to stay completely covered and going out of her way to never touch another for fear of harming anyone.

Now as the wedding of Soraya’s twin brother is quickly approaching Soraya finds that she needs to seek out a way to break the curse. Soraya thinks that a demon she’s heard is in the dungeon may hold the knowledge to how she can be freed from her curse and hurries to find the answers.

I should start with hey, look, a young adult fantasy I’m not complaining about for anyone that follows my reviews will know I often find myself not impressed. Melissa Bashardoust was not a new author to me though when picking this one up as I did read her debut which was a loosely based Snow White tale and I enjoyed it. I love finding an author that can take a thread of a story and weave a whole new world and that’s what I’ve found here yet again. I was also impressed with just how much is fit into one book not dragging out the story which is often my complaint. Overall, this one came in at a rating of four and a half stars and I will certainly look forward to more from this author in the future.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I wish this was a bit longer than it was. I feel like another 100-200 pages could have been good for this book. I enjoyed the characters and plot, but everything happened too quickly for me. It was an enjoyable read, enough to get a 3.5 star rating.

This is a book that took a few tries to get into, and I was worried I wasn’t going to mesh with Bashardoust’s writing, but once I got into Girl Serpent Thorn, this book was phenomenal! I loved the way Soraya was poisonous and lack of human touch had made her lonely, but with the progression of the story she comes into her power and strength. The magic and interpersonal dynamics were some of my favorite elements, and did so much to draw me into the book. Soraya is such a fascinating, complex character. She has been kept isolated and feared most of her life, and so it’s understandable that she’d fall prey to someone offering her softness and affection. But that in no way makes her weak, because she still fights for herself and for what she believes is right. I loved the romance and it made me clutch my chest in glee several times. Like, this is such a wonderful book and I’m so glad I didn’t completely write it off after struggling with the beginning!

I loved how you thought you knew exactly where this book was going, until suddenly, it wasn't going that way anymore. This one takes a bit to stick with, but once you do, the plot takes off and there's absolutely no going back.

The introduction is perfectly written with its foreboding and ominous tale that happens to be true.
Soraya and Sorush are twins. Soraya is hidden away because her touch is fatal. Sorush is the heir next in line to rule the kingdom.
On the day of Sorush and Laleh’s wedding announcement, Soraya meets Azad. He’s been awarded by Sorush for his bravery and for saving his life. Azad is immediately taken with Soraya even after he finds out about her fatal touch. The two of them sneak through secret passages to get into the dungeon so they can ask the prisoner div for help in breaking Soraya’s curse. A div is what gave her mother the curse years ago. The div tells her not to believe her mother’s story. As Soraya discovers the truth about her curse, her family becomes endangered and she has to do some clever thinking to save them. Soraya searches for allies and truths throughout the story as everything changes for her. Beautifully written and based on Persian mythology to give us this unique fantasy, 4 stars!

Thanks to Edelweiss and Netgalley for a digital copy of this book.

This was a great book to start out my year. It was beautifully written with an engaging story. All the characters had pull. Two out of two for Melissa Bashardoust!

Initial reaction: Finally finished this as my first read of 2021. Beautiful fairy tale that had me hooked from beginning to end. So much of the rolling conflict of the novel and lore really fascinated me. I enjoyed the complex relationships of the characters, the twists that kept me guessing, and rooting for the MC throughout. Probably rating this between 4 and 4.5 stars.

Full review:

My first read of 2021, and I loved just about every bit of this Persian/Zoroastrian inspired blended with a bit of Sleeping Beauty among other fairy tales. I had mentioned in my initial assessment of this book that the premise reminded me of the game "Code: Realize" where it centers around a girl who carries poison in her veins and the cursed existence she lives. It made sense that coming from that story that I would love something like this, though this was a very different experience. In "Girl, Serpent, Thorn", Soraya is a cursed princess, confined to wearing gloves and garments that cover her skin because of the poison that runs through her veins. Her twin brother is getting married soon, the chosen aspiring ruler, while she hides away from everything and everyone. Soraya wants nothing more to than to be rid of the curse within her. She finds a potential solution with the demon recently imprisoned in her Palace's dungeon, as well as the mysterious young man she's caught the eye of. However, things are not what they seem in the tales that she's been told all her life, and events that transpire cause her to question the people she trusts.

Soraya is a wonderful heroine to follow - complex because of her upbringing and wanting something more than the confined existence and fear of killing those around her. But it seems like every single time that she makes progress towards something she wants - like breaking her curse - it creates a rift between the situations and relationships that she already has. I loved her dimensional growth throughout the story and how she ultimately rises to the challenges she faces. I also really appreciated the dimensions of development in the surrounding characters, even the villains. You really feel like they have strong motivations for all the decisions they make, whether tentative alliances or betrayals. Soraya's situation is especially complicated because of the series of deals that she has to make and break in order to determine the truth of how her curse came to be and how she should break it without hurting the people she loves. I really liked the lore and expansion of the world based on the mythology as well.

It's a story that really carried through the motions with the overarching plot and conflict, leading to situations that surprised me when they hit. Overall, I fell in love with the way this story was told and the journey it took me on. Definitely a new favorite and I'm glad to have it in my personal library.

Overall score: 4.5/5 stars.

Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley from the publisher, and I also purchased a copy of the book.

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. There is a power to this book that can't be denied. Reading this book and getting to see Soraya journey to discovering that line between princess and monster. Her life is that something out of a fairytale. They dark and scary ones. She was born with poison under her skin that can kill human and div alike. This is her journey to get answers and help. She is trying to find the confidence and will to come out of the shadows to find her freedom, but the price that is offered might be more then she is willing to pay. It is a beautifully written story and has a poetic flow to it.

Soraya is the younger sister of the Shah, but she was cursed at birth with poison in her skin. Her family keeps her hidden away in the Spring palace, where she basically lives alone skulking around passages so she doesn't accidentally touch people and kill them. When her brother returns with a div, Soraya starts to see a way to end her curse and hang out with people the way she craves. Of course, things don't work out as she had planned.

One of the things I really loved about this one was the exposure to new mythological stories. This book uses Persian mythology and stories, and part of the book takes place at Nowruz. I love that the audiobook includes that author's note at the end.

Some parts of the book were predictable, and I agree with Renata that I'm not sure she had to be completely hidden away to not be touched, although I do get that part of it had to do with their fear that the Shah would be overthrown. Overall, an excellent read.

Very interesting to get the chance to read about a take of stories/fairy tales from other cultures. Was immediately sucked in! Unfortunately for me I was not in love with the main character - Soraya. I couldn’t get behind her but I did love the other characters.