Initial Thoughts

I love a good novella so I was super excited to see this one from Intisar Khanani. I love seeing extra scenes or getting a little more background to a story.

Some Things I Liked

Length. I love a novella. This story was just the right length to capture the story of how Alyrra ended up on her journey in the beginning of Thorn.
Justice as a theme. I loved seeing a glimpse of the Alyrra we see in Thorn. She’s basically the only character with any sense of conscious here so I was glad to see her use it to dole out some justice.

One Thing I Wasn’t Crazy About

I didn’t love the abuse that Alyrra had to endure. Essentially, I didn’t love that the plot basically revolved around how terribly everyone treated her. Since I have already read Thorn, I know that this is a prequel to explain how she got into her awful situation in that book, but I just don’t love a story that revolves around bullying and mistreatment.

Series Value

There is strong series value here. I have already read the next book but I have book 2 in NetGalley right now and am excited to continue the story. I like the world building and am hoping for a lot more in the romance department.

I liked that this novella sets the reader up for the first book and can be read before or after.

Final Thoughts

I enjoyed this novella. It was a quick read and gave me backstory to an event that was crucial to the plot of Thorn.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommendations for Further Reading

Thorn by Intisar Khanani – if you read this series out of order, and read the novella first, try reading the companion novel next.
The Theft of Sunlight by Intisar Khanani – this title isn’t out yet, but again, if you enjoyed the writing, try the spin-off story.