The synopsis intrigued me. This was one of my most anticipated books.
However I struggled from the beginning. I felt early on I would be left disappointed. But I was willing to give it more time.
However by 67% chapter 21 I decided to DNF this. I just couldn't force myself to carry on reading this.
For one brief moment I was intrigued again but I soon stopped caring again.
My first thought of Azad character was he was like a creepy fan. Maybe not the best way to describe him. But the way he spoke about Soraya put me off him. But I also felt this was going to be an annoying insta love.
The first twist regarding his character surprised me. Which is why I was a little intrigued at that point.
I found the explanation for why the curse happened a little weak and underwhelming. But I had no theory of anything better either.
The book for the portion I felt was rushed at times. Instead of letting things develop a little more.
Maybe I'll try this again with an audiobook at some point. I'm not sure.

A lush & gripping fantasy! I love complex andnintriguing characyers and this book has many! Can't wait to see what Melissa Bashardoust does next!

[this review will be posted on my blog, acquadimore.wordpress.com, on May 6, 2020]

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a standalone YA fantasy novel inspired by ancient Persia, its folklore, and Zoroastrian beliefs. It follows Soraya, the shah’s reclusive sister, whose touch is deadly because of a div curse.

It’s the kind of fantasy story I prefer not to say a lot about, one I’d recommend going into without knowing much at all, because it’s really short and it’s hard to talk about it without spoiling it, as it’s true for most books that rely on not quite being what they seemed. It makes so much sense that the original title of this was She Was and She Was Not, as so much of Girl, Serpent, Thorn relies on shifts of the main character’s perspective on the world and herself. It’s intricate in an elegant way (as the cover is); a little game of characters-as-mirrors that comes together in a wonderful story about the inherent power of self-acceptance.
The new title is just as appropriate, for spoilery reasons I hope you’ll decide to discover for yourself.

I could continue by praising the atmosphere for paragraphs, or Melissa Bashardoust’s effective, light writing, but I want to say that a big part of the reason I loved this book is that I, too, would fall in love with the moth girl. (And I did, of course I did, it’s Parvaneh.) The F/F romance isn’t even that prominent, but it stole my heart in a few scenes. This book is so short, and yet it doesn’t feel like it, and I mean that in the best way.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is an atmospheric, almost fairytale-like story about growing up unloved, and the vulnerabilities that kind of experience opens; at the beginning of the story, Soraya can’t see other people, much less herself, clearly. (This also has one of the most chillingly realistic portrayals of lovebombing I’ve ever seen.)
It’s full of twists, betrayal, and trust, be it misplaced or not; it has as much beauty as it has thorns – and it has a lot of thorns, as the best stories featuring plant magic do. It also happens to have one of the best endings I’ve read in YA fantasy in a long time.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a refreshing story rooted in Persian culture and sprinkled with magic. It is effortlessly written and throws the reader into a dark fairytale of a hero struggling with what it means to hold a deadly power.

We follow Princess Soraya who has been cursed with the ability to poison every living creature she touches. She has been hidden away from the people and spends a great deal of her time in isolation. She is at a constant struggle with her deadly power knowing that she could take life with a simple touch and longs to be normal. Soraya is uncertain of what life holds for her until a mysterious guard named Azad begins to show interest in her and convinces her that he does not fear her. The story that follows is a tangled web of plot twists and dangerous encounters, which allows Soraya to learn more about both the curse and herself. Other magical elements of the story include 'divs' which are demons from Persian-mythology that add an interesting element to this world.

I did not anticipate the twists and surprise bombs that this threw at me. At one point I thought I had the story sussed out and then it took an even darker turn. I enjoyed Soraya's character and her development over the book to explore whether her power predetermined her for evil. She was unpredictable and there were moments when I thought she may turn into the villain of the story. Another factor I found refreshing was that the story did not have a heavy focus on the romance plot, as a whole it felt more like a journey of character growth and self-realization. However, I adored the unexpected f/f love interest that Soraya found in the dangerous, badass div Parvenah. A div on a mission to right her past wrongs. I loved Parvenah and Soraya scenes together they were pure magic. Their story flowed nicely alongside the broader plot of the novel and added a soft layer to the darkness of the story.

Overall, I would recommend Girl, Serpent, Thorn to lovers of fantasy who are hungry for something slightly different. This Persian-inspired world of magic and demons is a great standalone to sink your teeth into with a truly original story.

Recently, I have been struggling to find a book I really LOVE, but this was it. Girl, serpent, thorn was simply perfect.
Initially I was worried it would lack originality, as the storyline appeared to mirror Melinda Salisbury's Sin Eaters Daughter, which is about a young girl trapped in a palace who also has poisonous skin, but my concerns were completely unfounded.
The book combines fairytale magic, Persian mythology and the all important moral of self acceptance alongside stunning imagery and an enthralling pace. The result is quite an impressive read.
It was incredibly refreshing to see a main character who wasn't heteronormative or white and Soraya is a worthy protagonist in a story full of beautiful and powerful women. Azad makes a wonderfully nuanced and engaging antagonist, elevating the book from simply 'another YA fantasy' to something much more.
I also really applaud the (perhaps unconscious, who knows) choice to use a fantasy novel as a base to discuss overcoming an abusive and manipulative relationship. Soraya's internal conflict over her feelings for Azad, wanting to see the boy but knowing he can be a monster, is an obvious but also very powerful image.
The conclusion was thorough and satisfying. In fact, I was sorry to reach the end, so hopefully I get to see more from Melissa Bashardoust soon!

Title: Girl, Serpent, Thorn
Author: Melissa Bashardoust
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Published date: May 2020
Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with a copy for an honest review.

Overview

Soraya has been cursed since birth with a touch that can kill. She spends her time hidden away from the public at the palace.
The announcement of her twin brother's wedding and an unexpected captive in the dungeon, sets events spiralling in to motion. Soraya must decide whether she is a Princess or the Monster that everyone fears.

This has been the dark fairytale I've been looking for.

I just love that the inspiration has been taken from ancient Persian mythology (even if it was a little confusing to begin with).

Soraya was an easy character to connect with, I found the opening scenes highlighted her utter loneliness and had me wishing for her happy ending only 4 pages in!

This is a story based upon lies, betrayal and a thirst for power that almost consumes Soraya. There were a few times where I WANTED her to descend into the perfectly moulded villain. There were also times when I was so frustrated with her, especially to always feel the need to lessen other people's guilt.

I wouldn't say this is a romance, it's certainly your typical self discovery YA - but the the chemistry between both potential love interests was fun to read.
Until towards the end, I really wasn't sure who I wanted her to be with, as both were dark and neither thought of her curse as a curse. Both felt like she deserved more and both fought in their own ways to ensure she became who she needed to be!

The conclusion was so satisfying. It could only end one way and I'm glad this story gave me closure.

Things I loved

A bisexual MC without the cliche that usually comes attached with them. The chemistry felt genuine and was just so refreshing to read!

The Author's Note at the end help clarify the choice of names with the explanation of using Old, Middle and Modern Persian.

The cover!

Wish list

The first half of the book is full of Soraya quite literally moping about in the shadows feeling sorry for herself. Initially I felt sorry for her. I then started to worry that she was ANOTHER damsel heroine. Soraya needed a back bone when speaking with her mother.

I feel like the world building could have been mapped out a little better. Even now, I'm still a little fuzzy on the details.

The beginning was over complicated without really telling me anything that would have an impact on the story.

Would I recommend?

Yes, if you enjoy self discovery YA stories with a dark fairytale twist.

Link to Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3291250150
Instagram: hklovesbooks

4.5 Stars

What I love about Melissa Bashardoust is the way in which she write completely unique and original versions of fairytales that you wouldn’t know were retellings unless being told. I also adore Bashardoust’s feminist themes within her stories which I highly appreciate. Packed full of suspense and tremendous character development and world building this is truly a book to pick up upon release.

The only reason for me that this is 4.5 stars is because I didn’t love it as much as Girls Made of Snow and Glass however I think I have found a new favourite author!

This YA Persian-inspired Fantasy had an interesting premise. A girl locked in a tower who is poisonous to the touch and as the plot unfolds all the lies and mysteries that surround her also begin to fall apart. I love fairy tale re-tellings and so I had to give this one a chance. I couldn’t put this book down because of the mysterious plot and the the Persian mythology that has inspired the book. I felt the book was thoroughly YA In terms of it being for a younger audience and maybe lacking some real depth in character. The main character is very morally grey and she needs to find out for herself whether she is the hero or the villain of the story. I liked the book but for me it lacked real depth and richness of character; like, for example, ’The Daevabad trilogy’, which it reminds me of in some aspects. I enjoyed it but i didn’t love it and I think maybe it’s something more for younger readers.

I'd heard soooo much about this and was definitely not disappointed. It was as captivating and well written as I expected. I'm usually not into fantasy but this was perfect.

Ever since this book was released as an eARC everyone has been talking about it, I was go glad to finally read it and see what everyone was talking about.

I will be honest I thought in the first 25% I was going to get bored of it and it was going to have a predictable story line and they would all love happily ever after.

How wrong I was, this book took a major turn as the plot grew, and became a book I have been looking for were the female MC actually saves herself. The love interest wasnt how i thought it would be and refreshingly so.

Over all this book is in my top 5 books of this year and would recommend everyone to read it

What a joy this was to read. A blend of fairytales that cans to life on the page. A heroine poisonous to the touch must overcome her fear, her anger at her life, and learn to trust and believe in herself in this amazing story that really packed a punch. The writing was fluid and the characters fully developed. This fantasy story has it all, magic, battles, love, and plenty of action to keep me turning the pages. Thoroughly enjoyed this story and I look forward to reading more from this author..

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is not my usual genre, I’m more into romance stories and girlie books therefore am extremely pleased and grateful to them for opening up my mind to something totally different.

I enjoyed this very much. 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

GIRL, SERPENT, THORN feels like reading a fairy tale retelling, even though it's an original story. It has that feel of being a well known, and beloved story with a new spin. I kept reaching moments and thinking "this must be a clever play on a particularly point in the fairy tale - if only I could remember which fairy tale". I loved it, as it made the story both familiar and excitingly new all at the same time.

The world is so rich, full of magical beings called divs - all of whom carry an air of danger even if their allies. I particularly loved how easily the palace was conjured - from her private golestan (I'm not sure the exact translation, but it's described as an enclosed rose garden) to the gardens and secret passages. There's a lot of transliterated Persian included in the text, all of which can be worked out from the context, and it helps bring the world alive a bit more.

There are a lot of twists in the book, as characters hide secrets from one another and make choices that lead to even worse situations than the ones they're trying to escape. I particularly loved all the turns about her curse and the ones about the feather. There is something so ironic and human in how undoing one thing triggers a worse disaster that could have been solved if you hadn't done the thing.

It all ties in so well to her emotional journey - embracing the inherent strength she has while retaining what makes her her. I loved the play between anger and compassion, and trying to learn where true strength lies on that spectrum.

Melissa Bashardoust’s GIRL SERPENT THORN is a stunning original fairytale about Soraya, who poisons everything she touches and wants more than anything to be able to live like a normal girl.

This book took me on a JOURNEY. In the beginning, I found it rather slow, and so was struggling to get myself to read it, but then it all took off at around page 80ish, and boy did it TAKE OFF.
First of all, I adored the setting that Bashardoust created in this book, the world was so rich and beautiful and I felt really immersed within the cultural setting. The magic system was really unique, and very well explained so easy to understand. I especially loved the two main plot twists in this book, one of which I was *not* expecting at all.
I love the main character, Soraya, and from the start of the book, I was rooting for her. I really empathised with her and my heart broke over how she was outcast from not only her whole family but also society as a whole. So, when she hears that the demon locked in the dungeon knows how to rid her of her curse, I was instantly backing her and hoping to see her live life normally.
I have to say, the f/f romance in this book was actually unexpected for me, which doesn’t happen very often! But, it was *so* cute and I really enjoyed the dynamic between the two characters and how much they helped each other.
This story is gorgeously written and I loved learning about the Persian influences within the book. However, something about it was just lacking? I think almost all of the characters were slightly underdeveloped and Soraya’s male love interest was so very annoying at points. Parts of the book also dragged along a lot and made me want to pick something else up, but then this was recovered by the many plot twists within the book. Without lingering on the negative, I will say I enjoyed reading this book! The sapphic romance is gorgeous and I especially loved Soraya’s partner. The ending of the book was very satisfying too!

Over the past couple of years, I've been noticing that among the books I enjoy most are the ones that are based on mythology and fairy tales. Having a gem like Girl, Serpent, Thorn be based on myth from a culture that is all too rarely represented in YA fantasy is refreshing and made me love the book from the beginning - before reading this, I had never considered that 'Once upon a time...' is a Western concept, and of course stories based in other cultures would follow different rhetorical conventions. I had simply not interrogated the customs of storytelling - which is silly, given that I have done multiple university degrees in literature, history and related subjects - and I now want to go back and read as much traditional storytelling in a form as close to the oral tales as possible, because I am curious about how these customs of storytelling differ between cultures. So what I mean to say is that Girl, Serpent, Thorn is an amazing book, and has already affected me in ways I haven't thought possible for a single book. Or maybe quarantine is doing funny things to my brain.
Anyway, Girl, Serpent, Thorn is full of beautiful, lavish prose, evoking a world of mystery and betrayal. It is compulsively readable, and the pacing works well. The plot is twisty and not what you expect - there is no rescuing the princess in this book! Soraya makes for a great main character. Over the course of the story, she undergoes character growth, and develops from a mostly weak and scared princess into a complex, morally gray character to be reckoned with. She is also obviously bi - and I'm all here for that rep! She also forces her way into so much agency, something which is all too often sorely lacking in YA fantasy. Not only does she make mistakes, she owns them, she lives with them, and she actively tries to do better. We need more characters like her. The romance is slow-burning and seductive, which is wonderful too, but I don't want to say too much about it because I don't want to spoil anything...
This is it. We need more books like Girl, Serpent, Thorn. Publishers, listen up, and commission them, please!

Thank you for this ARC.
Wow, to start off let's say after reading a significant amount of YA books the plot, the characters and the overall feeling becomes quite repetitive but let me tell you this wasn't the case at all.
Beautiful crafted story with great representation and diversity - need I say more. It was like a breath of fresh air and we could do with more stories of this quality.
It kept your attention all the way through and was an absolute joy to read.
I've recommended this story to many readers and I cannot wait to read more of this authors work

I absolutely adored Girl, Serpent, Thorn. I read it in a day, I just found it so addicting.

I felt all of the emotions whilst reading it. Empathy, fear, shock (I mean I didn’t see THAT plot twist coming), love and anger. I felt them all, and I feel it’s quite rare to get all of those emotions packed in one book. A credit to the author.

It is a beautifully written book that I think will appeal to many. I personally love Persian themed book, the author clearly did her research, writing Persian folklore into the pages.

It has love, loss, resentment, a queer love story.

A fairy tale about Soraya, a princess cursed with a poisonous touch, who is cut off from the world. Then a div, a demon like the one responsible for her curse is caught and Soraya lets her hopes soar for a cure. But there are obstacles to her quest and surprisingly a heroic young man, name Azad, who is not afraid of her.

This captivating tale presents a beautifully written narrative, tinged with the melancholy of the protagonist's loneliness. Including a wondrous and rich mythology, with vivid descriptions that bring this world alive. Descriptions that could sometimes be called poetic, for their gorgeous play of words.

How important is freedom? To be seen and acknowledged? Is it worth betraying everything? Soraya is faced with an impossible dilemma. A dilemma that could lead her down a dangerous path. A path that could easily turn her into what she fears the most. A monster.

Playing with the notion of good and evil, the author brilliantly shows the protagonist's teetering on the fine line between them. I love Soraya's conversations with the div Parveneh, that tug-of-war of conscience, belief and the meaning of power. Also adore Azad, his determination, those actions and words that make you want to smile. Until...

Another important theme is betrayal and can it be overcome? Is forgiveness a possibility? And to what point are you responsible for actions of others?

Some truths will make you gasp and there's a gigantic twist that you will not see coming. A twist that changes everything. Like the classic fairy tales we love, everything goes wrong and a hero must save the day. But who will be that hero? Amongst the chaos who will reign triumphant?

This story was so good, with a truly remarkable villain. Plus lots of surprises, dangerous games, unexpected allies and feelings, atonement and final sacrifices. An original tale that you definitely should not miss.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a big 'meh' for me. It's not it was bad or I didn't like it but I wasn't much invested in the story or the characters. It just didn't have that 'spark', you know?

I liked the writing of the author, the whole 'fairytale' thing, how she introduces you to story and some of the characters.
I also liked some of the choices she made, for example in the romance or the post twist before the half of the book.
It felt all a little bit rushed thought, I would have loved to know more about the villain. I think he would have been such an interesting character but sometimes I didn't really get why he did some of the things he did.
Also I think the card of the 'poison' could have been played better, turning the story in something more dark and interesting.
The setting is inspired by Persian Mithology and it was interesting to read about the Divs but at the same time I wanted more 'Persian' vibes, I don't know if you get what I mean. The only two elements it had where the creatures and the names, I wanted more atmosphere!

Overall It was not a bad book and I recommend it if you want an easy read, but it was not great either... it just missed something.

I don’t know why I haven't heard more about this book. Why hasn’t it been in my twitter feed more? ITS FANTASTIC, but we’ll get to that in a moment. I didn’t realise two things when I started reading this, 1) it’s a Persian inspired fairytale 2) ITS QUEER, but it’s not a love story! But I'm so glad I read this because throughout my whole reading experience it felt like there was magic on the page. It’s a book I think we all need to keep an eye out on in the future because it’s something so special and dark and I'm SO here for it!

In Short: Dark + Twisted + Fairytale + Persian Inspired Setting = Girl, Serpent, Thorn.

My favourite element about this book is how at first glance it feels idllic but then on closer inspection you see small cracks in the illusion that make this story feel magical. Inside these small cracks are moments of darkness and fear, scenes which will make you hold your breath thinking, “NO HOW COULD SHE!”. This book masters the art of creating a lush and beautiful world, as you go through all the different settings in the book each new place feels real and fully realised and beautiful in its own way. If I could sum up this book in just two words I would probably use the words “Twisted Beauty”. It’s hard to explain without giving any of the best bits away, but the way the author has managed to make even the most ordinary things stunning to read about whilst turning the story into something you don’t expect.

As I started this book I thought it was a love story, it is not a love story. It’s a story all about power and realising that things aren’t always as they seem and sometimes you will make mistakes and sometimes you’re forced to pay for your mistakes even in books. I think that’s why I loved this book as much as I did, because behind every stupid or naive action there was a fully realised consequence which most of the time ended up causing huge damage, which made me go ‘FUCK’ a bit too much. It reads like a fairytale and it is basically a fairytale (I think) but it’s expansive and goes to places I really didn’t expect it to and it’s so cleverly done I'm still in awe of it.

Talking about the characters though there’s probably 3/4 characters that are fully fleshed out, but for me and for this story it didn’t really matter that everyone else wasn’t as in-depth as those 3/4 characters because the story travels around so much those other characters feel of very little consequence. The only issue I would have with the story is that Soraya's (the main character) mother and brother weren’t fleshed out a bit more and they felt very empty, towards the end you saw more of her mother, but when the consequences got high you didn’t really care a much as you would have done if there was more of a connection to those two. But talking about that at the same time I can totally see why the mother and the brother weren’t as in-depth as Soraya because that also fell into the narrative of Soraya being all alone and not feeling part of the family which did in a way feel more powerful because you rarely saw the mother or brother.

You might be wondering why I haven’t spoke about the big bad or anything more substantial to the plot apart from the fact that it travels and is so grand enormous it ended being bloody wonderful. Well this is mainly down to the fact that I don’t want to spoil anything for you. The world that’s been so carefully built has myths and lore that feed into real myths and lore and it’s so cleverly done with all the surprises and turns in the story that I don’t want to spoil it for you at all!

All in all though, this book is brilliant, it’s a Persian inspired fantasy that deserves to b up there will all the new big releases in 2020. It’s stunning, grand and a book that everyone who likes fairy tales or books that's have a dark edge to them should read. It’s a book all about power, secrets and family. If you’ve been wondering about this book or haven’t heard of it before, check it out right now! Add it to your TBR because trust me if you want something to immerse yourself in then this IS the book for you! Thank you to Hodder for giving me an ARC through NetGalley to read early!