Thank you to Macmillan Audio for approving my request to review via NetGalley their audiobook edition of ‘Girl, Serpent, Thorn’ by Melissa Bashardoust in exchange for an honest review.

This YA fantasy novel follows a princess cursed with poisonous skin as she tries to lift her curse and save her people.

I had already read this book prior to receiving the audiobook version, so it was nice to dive back into the world.

Nikki Massoud was the perfect choice for this book. She speaks fluent Parsi which allowed her to be confident with some of the words in the book. The characters were distinctive, which is so important in audiobook narration.

Both the narrative and audiobook are five stars.

My thanks to Macmillan Audio for approving my request to review via NetGalley their audiobook edition of ‘Girl, Serpent, Thorn’ by Melissa Bashardoust in exchange for an honest review.

It was published on 7 July 2020 though is currently only available in Canada and the USA. It is narrated by Nikki Massoud and has a running time of 10 hours, 6 minutes at 1x.

This YA/Teen fantasy was inspired by ancient Persian mythology. Its story centres on a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. Soraya has been hidden away by her family in a labyrinthine palace. When she is offered a way to break the curse it will take her down a dark path.

I was fortunate enough to have the ebook of ‘Girl, Serpent, Thorn’ at hand so I could could combine reading alongside listening to the audiobook. I very much enjoy this type of immersive experience.

Focusing on the narration: Nikki Massoud is an established actor with impressive television and stage credits. She was an excellent choice for this particular novel as she speaks fluent Farsi and was clearly confident with the Persian words in the text. I found her narration fluid and her voice rich. Each character’s voice felt distinctive and I found that she captured the voices of the younger characters effortlessly.

Nikki Massoud clearly loves the art of storytelling and this enthusiasm made listening to the audiobook a wonderful experience. For me the hallmark of an excellent narrator is their ability to conjure the setting, characters, and plot and so transport the listener into the narrative. I hope that she undertakes more audiobook projects in the future.

This was a 5-star book for me and also a 5-star audiobook in terms of performance and overall presentation. Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed this novel, especially the first half when the protagonist is learning her own history and that of her family. I listened to this on audio, and the narrator was great. It was also nice to be able to hear the pronunciation of some of the Persian words.

Soraya has spent her whole life hidden away. Poison runs through her veins, the result of a curse, making her touch deadly. When her brother, the shah, returns home for his wedding, Soraya catches the attention of one of his soldiers. Surprisingly, this young man doesn’t seem scared of her. With his help, Soraya begins to look for a way to get rid of her curse once and for all. But doing so could cost her everything.

Inspired by Persian history, mythology, and Zoroastrianism, Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a fairy tale about a princess who is cursed to be poisonous to the touch. It is a story of love, anger, betrayal, and revenge, with plenty of court politics, complex or morally gray characters, and mythological beings.

The early part of the book is very strong. It draws you into Soraya's world, hidden away and yearning for human touch, not to mention the fact that her brother (the Shah) is about to marry the girl she has loved since childhood. She is compelling, tragic, and you want to see her stand up for herself. But doing so might come at a cost and there are secrets that have been kept from her.

I don't want to spoil anything, so I won't say much more about the plot, but I think this book has interesting ideas, asking questions about love and what it means to be human. The authors note at the end is also fascinating and makes it clear that the author did a lot of research and poured a great deal of love into creating this world. And there were many things I liked about the book, but it's not perfect.

As I said, the early part of the book is very strong and the pacing is great. But then it begins to really drag. The plot begins to feel repetitive and the switch to focusing on the internal journey of Soraya without much happening externally felt less compelling than I wanted it to be. The ending was good, but I definitely lost steam and interest through the middle. I like what this book was trying to do and thing there is a lot to like, but this probably could have done with another round of edits. That said, I appreciate that the author is giving us a queer princess who learns to accept that even her barbs are a part of her and can be beautiful.

In terms of the audiobook, the narration is good, but not a standout. Since we only have one perspective character, that ends up being fine. I will say there was an odd echo effect, but I listened to this as an advance review copy through Netgalley and the sample of the finished copy on Audible doesn't seem to have that problem. That may have slightly affected my experience and listening to it as anything above 2x speed was incomprehensible. Thanks to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for an audio review copy! All opinions are my own.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a magical story filled with secrets, lies, alliances, and deceptions. It is full of complex characters and plot twists, some that I could predict and several that I did not.

I felt that the narration was very well done and enhanced the overall story for me very much. The accents really helped to draw you into this fantasy world. The pace was good, though I did speed it up just a little since I am an avid Audiobook listener.

Soraya was a fantastic lead character in this YA Fantasy novel. You could feel her loneliness and her feelings of abandonment from her family and only true friend. She was hidden away, shamed, and forced to do the only thing she thought she could to free herself from her poisonous curse. But she only found herself to be deceived once again. She is so strong though, and continues to fight in any way she can to free her family from the true Monster.

I felt that a large part of this story was about acceptance, and I was happy to see Soraya discover her place in the world and her purpose. I also liked how the roses in the beginning of the story come full circle at the end. I did feel that the story dragged just a little in the middle for me, but overall felt I had been totally transported to another world and those details in the middle were a necessary part of that.

The Authors note at the end of the book was a great insight in to the inspiration of Persian Mythology and fairytales for the story. Those elements of the story gave it something unique and special.

Thank you to Macmillian Audio and Netgalley for my copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book was okay. It wasn't the best YA fantasy I've ever read but it also wasn't the worst.

Soraya was cursed when she was a baby. She has poisonous skin. She has been hidden most of her life. In the shadow of her brother who is about to marry the girl Soraya had feelings for. This all sounds amazing right? I thought so but I just didn't like Soraya that much. She was dealt a really crummy hand in life.. I get that but I don't want to read about a girl whining all the time. She gets so much better at the end but it took awhile to get there.

The audiobook was fantastic. The narration was perfect for the story. Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan audios for the copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received a copy of the audio version of GIRL, SERPENT, THORN thanks to the publisher through NetGalley.

This story is a Persian version of CIRCE. I don’t think there is a better way to describe this mythology filled journey of self-discovery and family struggles.

Soraya is cursed because of something her mother did decades ago that went awry. She is poison personified, with literal poison ruin so strongly through her body that she kills anything she touches. To keep everyone in their kingdom safe, her family hides her away. She is forced to wear gloves constantly and travel solely through servant corridors hidden in the walls. While it is not an ideal life, it is what she was dealt and she accepted that as best she could. But when other options emerge, she realizes that her life does not need to be that way.

This story is lovely and narrated perfectly. This is the only other novel that has ever given me the feeling CIRCE gave me and I loved every second of it. I highly recommend reading this story (listening to the audiobook would be even better) so that you can travel with demons and figure out if a curse is really a curse.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC to review!
Rating (on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being excellent)
Quality of writing: 4
Pace: 3
Plot development: 3
Characters: 4
Enjoyability: 3
Ease of Reading: 3
Narrator: 2

Overall rating: 3 out of 5

I really enjoyed the main character, Soraya. She had a strong character arc, and was just a badass in general. I did enjoy that she was a different type of heroine, and also that she was a queer representation.

Let’s talk about the div. I kept thinking the narrator was saying thief or thieve. It wasn’t until 25% in I heard something different and went to google it. While this is the downfall of audiobooks, a simple goog does the trick and shows me all that I need to know. PS div is actually “demon” in Persian mythology. I loved that. It reminded me of how “Darth Vader” is literally dark father.

I loved the authors note which explained the different references and what this was inspired by. I did think of rappaccini's daughter in reading this, and I’m glad it was relayed that it was inspired by this.

I really enjoyed the audio of this. There was an echo in the audio, but I don’t know if that’s just a tweak for NetGalley’s new audiobooks.

Thank you much Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the gifted audio copy. ❤️

I listened to the audio version of this and enjoyed it. The author wrote a very unique story that was enjoyable to listen to. I liked the premise of a girl that was poisonous to those that touch her.

I love a good fairy tale retelling, especially when it's mixed with a different culture. The author succeeds in creating such a vivid setting. And although this was a retelling of a classic fairy tale, there were so many unexpected twists. I loved all the characters and I really like that even the villains were sympathetic. At the same time, no one was all good either. Just very well rounded characters. The plot is fast paced and the writing was beautiful. All together this was a thrilling read.

The emotional ups and downs, and the intricacies of families and just what mothers will do for their children, made this book a beautiful experience.  

This book was slow to start, and initially, felt like it was peaking too soon. I had my concerns, as I was worried we would peak and then remain stagnant for the rest of the book. I also was concerned about the love interests in this book and the paths they would take- because I've had my heart broken before by queerbaiting and I was so afraid this was that. Additionally, the relationship with the brother felt detached. While I don’t think this is incredibly important to the story, and I understand they were separated, the relationship still felt odd.

After the 40% mark, the story becomes an entire tale about Soraya, and finding strength in herself. Curse or no curse, recognizing the power that she has. I think there is a lot of layers of this story that one could get into- including the conversations about how women are often taught that having power makes them cursed- instead of just powerful. The author's note was also interesting to hear about, as it explains the Persian folklore pieces of the story are taken from.

The narration was well done, and the pacing of the story prevented listening to it from getting boring. As I’ve said in previous reviews from Netgalley’s new audiobook capability, I wish they would update it as the playback is a little painful to hear.
The review will be posted 7/24/2020

Audiobook
Written by: Melissa Bashardoust
Narrated by: Nikki Massoud
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Length: 10h 6m

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is an excellent pick for someone who is looking to start reading YA fantasy. The plot of this novel is fairly simple yet original and captivating. Soraya has been forced to live her life in seclusion after being cursed at birth. Soraya’s touch is poisonous. When a demon is captured and claims to know how to rid her of this curse Soraya contemplates risking everything to be rid of the poison.

This novel presents the reader with a smaller cast of characters, a simple magic system, and an enthralling adventure. I listen to this book in just of few sittings. Nikki Massoud did a phenomenal job of bringing this world to life. Her performance added vividness to an already colorful Persian inspired story. There is a wonderful f/f romance in this story but love does not overpower the plot. Soraya is not a helpless female waiting to be rescued. She makes her own decisions, learns from her mistakes, and tries to fix them.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time listening to Girl, Serpent, Thorn. 4/5 🌟

Audiobook provided by Netgalley and Macmillan Audio in exchange for an honest review.

Fascinating and original tale told by a mesmerizing narrator in the audiobook version. 5 shining stars from me.

Hear me out: I generally **hate** any books in the fantasy genre (okay, of course excluding Harry Potter and Twilight), so Girl, Serpent, Thorn was certainly a risky choice for me. However, I didn't really pay attention to what it was about because everyone kept raving about this book, and I absolutely LOVED the cover. Turns out, I didn't hate this book at all, but actually happened to REALLY like it.

Melissa Bashardoust is as magical a writer as is her story about a girl poisonous to the touch. In the time of a global pandemic, I could relate to Soraya who had to keep a distance from everyone for their own safety. However, unlike me, Soraya is an exception in her curse, and her family treats her like the worst burden. She is isolated and utterly lonely, But finally, she realizes that there may just be a chance for her to break free... if she's willing to take a great risk. Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a unique YA novel combining non-Western fantasy and f-f romance, which is unlike anything I have read before.

The author uses elements of Persian mythology to create a tale packed with magical realism, demons, and the right and wrong dilemma, which made it all the more unique. I also appreciated the LGBT representation in that the heroine is bisexual.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Girl Serpent Thron ⭐️
Soraya has been kept locked in a palace for as long as she can remember because anyone that touches her or anyone that she touches sure to die. She has a poisonous touch very much like the shatter me series.
We are set in medieval times so it was a bit harder to get into due to the language.
I thought the story flowed nicely but the characters were not defined. They didn’t have their own real personality they were sort of like your stereo typical runaway princess. She’s trying to break out of her shell and show that she’s more and see if she can deal with being this poisonous serpent to society and I liked her strength but it’s hard When the shatter me series is so beautifully written and amazing to separate them because Juliet has the ability to harm anyone that she touches and she’s locked away and then she’s on this journey and now we’re following this character and there’s just too many parallels for me.

Side note : I love the cover.

Thank you to Netfelly via McMillion Audio forsending me an ARC copy of Girl Serpent Thorn. Is already available for your reading pleasure.

“She likes to see the roses bloom for the first time in her garden, by her hand. It was proof that she could nurture as well as destroy.”
Melissa Bashardoust’s Girl, Serpent, Thorn piques the readers interest in the way that a beautifully strange rose will to a passerby; the Rose is spectacular, but wait until you feels the thorns press into your flesh.

“Soraya should have known better by now than to indulge in such fantasies. She had read enough stories to know that the princess and the monster were never the same. She had been alone long enough to know which one she was.”

Soraya’s tale is one often left out of the fairy tale canon and seeing as I’m currently writing a retelling unit for high school students, I have to order more copies for my students. Not only so my SWAsian/Middle Eastern students have cultural representation, but so that more students see fairy tales from a culture other than Eurocentric.

“Anger and shame fought for control within her, and so she forced her body into the position of shame, because it was safer.”

The prose is lush and at times lyrical. Characters layered and complex, especially Soraya. The plot is evenly paced, but turns happen quick enough that the sequence feels fast.

“ ‘You’re better than any story, shahzadeh banu... in my mind, you were only a shadow. But now, I can see you and know you for what you are, beautiful yet deadly. I can speak to you. I can touch you.’ “

At once an arresting, beguiling, gripping fairy tale, and also an exploration of the feminist lens, GIRL, SERPENT, THORN is the fairy tale I’ve been waiting for my whole life.

“You say you’ve been angry, that you’ve hurt others, that you’ve become something violent like him [...] very well, the. BE angry. Be violent. But not for his sake. Not to do as he commands. Be angry for yourself. Use that rage to fight him.”

Soraya is a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. She is hidden, kept secret to all outside of her family. But when she meets a young man who sees who she is beyond the poison, a story of betrayal, redemption, and unexpected love unfurl.

A fairytale retelling rooted in Persian history, I absolutely adored this novel. Bashardoust's writing is both wildly engrossing and deeply satisfying. Her fairytale retellings are so vibrant and beautiful, the reading experience is an actual joy. I just finished Girl, Serpent, Thorn, but I want to re-immerse myself in it immediately. It reads like a blanket of beautiful culture and beautiful words.

I actually listened to the audiobook of this one, and loved the narration as well.

I received a gorgeous copy of GIRL, SERPENT, THORN by Melissa Bashardoust in my June Fairy Loot box. I was also thrilled to get a complementary audiobook copy from Macmillan Audio through Netgalley. I wound up listening along with the print book in hand which made for a great reading experience!

GIRL, SERPENT, THORN begins with a curse. Born into the royal family, Soraya is cursed as a baby to be poisonous to the touch. She is kept hidden away, separate from her family and from anyone else for their safety and supposedly her own. Her twin brother is the Shah, ready to rule their people and about to get married to the girl Soraya once had feelings for.

As Soraya begins to contemplate stepping out of the shadows for the first time, she meets a man who seems to care for her just as she is, poison and all. Soraya makes decisions about her future which create devastating consequences for those around her and suddenly everything is turned upside down. Soraya seemed to be written in as the villain of her own story, but she must find her way to become the hero.

I really enjoyed this one! This book brings a lot fantastic elements to the table with family drama and political intrigue, flawed and multi-layered characters, romance and magic! I finished this book in less than a day because I was hooked on the story and the world that was being created. Some of the twists were ones that I could certainly see coming, but I didn’t find that detracted from my enjoyment at all.

I think this was a fantastic read on audio. The author pulled from Persian mythology and includes some great notes about the myths and characters at the end of the book. With some names and creatures being ones with which I am not familiar, having the audiobook narrator helped a lot! I thought the narrator did a great job of bringing the characters and story to life.

I would recommend this one for someone who is looking for a good standalone, well written fantasy read!

I received a free advance listening copy of this book from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Melissa Bashardoust's Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a gripping, suspenseful, absorbing story unlike any I've heard before. The book centers on Soraya, a princess who is cursed - her skin is poisonous, and anyone she touches will die. Her family keeps her hidden away, and she must maintain careful distance even from those closest to her. When presented with the opportunity to lift her curse, she cannot resist - but her actions unleash a series of events that threaten the survival of her family and home. Drawing on Persian folklore, Bashardoust's masterful storytelling and alluring descriptions bring the people and settings fully to life. The narrative has as many twists and turns as the vines on the rosebushes in Soraya's garden and the secret passageways hidden in the castle below.

The audio narration by Nikki Massoud greatly enhanced my enjoyment of the book, making the unfamiliar Persian words accessible, and the pacing added to the sense of tension in every chapter. I would recommend this book to anyone who is seeking a complete escape into another world with strong female characters. This is not a fairy tale in which the princess passively waits for rescue by a prince or shining knight but rather one in which the princess uses her own power to both propel her life forward and seek redemption. Although marketed as young adult, the book's themes about coming of age, self acceptance, and the heartbreaking choices we make to protect those we love resonate more broadly. In this story, as in real life, the demarcation between good and evil is not always binary nor is it immediately apparent. I do not typically gravitate to young adult or fantasy books, and yet I was completely captivated by this story and want to read it again to more fully appreciate its complex layers.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is an enjoyable YA fantasy novel. Soraya is cursed so touching anyone is poisonous. When Soraya starts her journey to remove the curse, she finds out the curse didn't originate the way she thought. Soraya is left wondering who she can trust. This is an interesting story.

The narration by Nikki Massoud is done well. I also really enjoyed the note at the end by Melissa Bashardoust.

I recommend this book to anyone that likes YA fantasy novels about a young woman saving herself and her family.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for an ARC in exchange of an honest review.