*E-Arc received from the publisher, via net gallery, in exchange for a honest review *

I'm a massive fan of fairy tale retellings. So that is what initially drew me in to Girl, Serpernt, Thorn. The Persian folklore throughout the story made it ever more interesting for me. I loved that at the end themes and some of the words throughout were explained by the author.

There's not much I can share past the synopsis without spoiling the story for anyone. The twists in this story are brilliant and I didn't expect them at all, which is unusual as I normally guess what's about to happen before it does. I will definitely check out Melissa Bashardoust's other work.

Thank you net gallery for another gripping read.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is getting a lot of raving reviews and there is a reason for that. A captivating story mixing fairy tales, magical creatures, and Persian culture with well-developed characters and a fantastic world-building.

Soraya is a princess, but she is a princess with a curse. Her body is full of poison that can kill at the touch so she is kept isolated from everyone. Feeling alone and rejected from her family, Soraya tries to put an end to her curse, but the consequences are worse than she imagined…

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a compelling story of diversity and acceptance and also a story of self-discovery as Soraya’s search for normalcy and inclusion leads her to question who she is and who she wants to be. Soraya and the other main characters are deeply flawed and they make many mistakes that make them more human. Even the villain of the story, who makes horrible things, has its own humanity and the more you find out about him, the more you get to understand him and feel (a bit) sorry for him. I liked how the characters develop as the story progresses and they try to correct their mistakes, especially Soraya, whose choice at the end of the book I found perfect, emotional, and very well-thought.

Of course, there is romance, but not the usual love story you would expect. I won’t say much about it to not spoil it, but it’s full of surprises that you won’t see coming and it splendidly grows throughout the story.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a beautiful and addictive novel. It’s just a bit more of 300 pages, but a lot happens in those pages and you won’t regret reading it.

I've been wanting to read something by Melissa Bashardoust since Girls Made of Snow and Glass was released (that has been sitting on my shelf since releases, I know, I should be ashamed, haha). Girl, Serpent, Thorn caught my attention when I saw the cover. It's stunning even though I didn't quite understand it at first. After reading I can tell you that the cover makes so much sense when I finished the story.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a Persian inspired retelling mixed with mythology and fairy tales. This author's writing is beautiful and magical and kept me reading. Her way with words really flowed, which made this book a really fast read. Our main character lives her life in a very isolated way in her brother's court. If Soraya touches any living thing, it dies. This makes Soraya's life very lonely, because friendship or even love is out of the question. Especially when her brother doesn't want the people to know of her curse. So when a demon was captured and rumors arise that this could be the answer to her curse, Soraya has to find out if this is true.

Once she's free of this curse, she comes to find out that this may not be a great thing after all. Girl, Serpent, Thorn is filled with a lot of twists I didn't see coming and is really fast paced. For me it was too fast at times. I loved all the twists and the events that lead up to the ending, but I needed more time to build up to everything playing out! At times it felt like I blinked and something big happened. For me, I would've loved to have just one more big so things could've had a little more time to develop. Same for the romance, I loved the f/f relationship, but it barely gets any time to develop and is kind of just there all of a sudden. I mean, I don't need the whole book focused on the romance, but I need a little more than this.

That being said, I still enjoyed this story. And Soraya ended up being a character I really enjoyed. I loved how strong she becomes. She starts off as not really having an opinion or place in the world, but fights for what she thinks is right. Finding out the secrets of her family was really interesting and how everything played out with Soraya was awesome. She becomes so powerful, because she stands up for herself and finds out what she needs to fight.

Even though I did have some issues, I loved the Persian folklore and mythology in this story. Girl, Serpent, Thorn has such an interesting concept, but it kind of left me wanting more. All in all, I will be keeping an eye on this author to see what she gives us next.

That I was going to love this book was never in question. Persian mythology, princesses and curses? Yes. All of it. And I did love it. So much so that once I actually started reading it, I could barely stop until suddenly it was over and I'd lost most of a day.
The first half reads like a fairytale. Initially I thought the pacing was a little off, but it really just had this dreamlike quality where one scene bled into the next, and the next, and so things just kept moving.
Similarly there were occasional moments where things seemed to happen too easily, or when information was needed and it really was as easy as just walking up to someone and asking, "hey, where are you keeping this secret magical artifact?" It was strange, but it also worked. I didn't really question it because the story just flowed so naturally, and in the quasi-mythological setting, it just made sense that secrets are just there for the asking.
And after the halfway point the whole plot starts to twist and turn in a way that I was definitely not anticipating when I first picked this up, but was no less delighted with for that. It picks up speed quickly, racing towards a deeply satisfying conclusion.
On a different note, Soraya has to be, hands down, one of my top characters of the year. She is just so heartbreakingly strong and genuine. It was easy to love her, and easy to hope with her. The growth and character arc especially are just so, so good. Words cannot describe.
I could ramble for pages if I let myself. The Hades and Persephone analogies especially had me gone like an absolute sucker. I'll certainly be throwing copies at my harried friends for at least the next year.

An excellent fantasy book that kept me hooked till the last page.
I loved the unusual world building, the well thought characters and the plot that flows.
This is the first book by this author and won't surely be the last.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Content warnings: violence, death, battle

Four words: Persian inspired sapphic fantasy. This was enough to get me super interested in this book. I’d heard good things about Bashardoust’s previous novel, Girls Made of Snow and Glass, so I immediately added this to my TBR.

Soraya was cursed from birth. She has poisonous skin and will kill anyone who touches her. She decides to seek information from a div that her brother captured (a demonic servant) to find out how to fix her curse. But finding out this information leads to some serious consequences that Soraya never anticipated.

The biggest standout for me in this novel is the characters. They’re all so fantastic and well written and defined. Each character had their own goals and different morals that I found really compelling. Soraya is morally grey and I loved that for her. She didn’t make the best decisions at times and I just found her super interesting. Throughout the novel, she goes from being a scared recluse to an impassioned young woman willing to fight to make up for her mistakes.

I also really loved the villain, he had that kind of sinister charisma that a lot of good villains have. I was never sure if Soraya was actually going to be swayed by him because he was just that alluring.

Something else that I loved about this novel was Bashardoust’s ability to describe landscapes and settings. There were some scenes in a forest and I really did feel like I was in a spooky forest with that kind of eery mist around my feet.

I think what kept this from being a favourite was just that I felt like the romance didn’t have enough build. It was a good romance and enjoyable when they’d actually kind of defined the fact that they liked each other, but prior to that, I wasn’t sure where it was going. I think maybe twitter swayed me into thinking this would be more romance heavy than it is, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment.

All in all, I definitely enjoyed Girl Serpent Thorn and if you’re looking for either a sapphic fantasy or just a wee fantasy fix without it being attached to a big series I think this is a great one.

I loved this book!
The dynamic between the characters are so delicious to read, the dialogues... Awesome!

Thanks for the opportunity to read this book. However I really tried to push through with it, but had to stop reading at 30%. It just didn’t draw me in enough and by this point I’d expect to be keen to know what happened next but I was just a bit bored unfortunately.

This is a brilliant Persian Fairytale inspired fantasy full of magic, deception and secrets.

4.75 Stars

Synopsis: “There was and there was not.” Soraya is cursed, her touch is poisonous and she lives her life in the shadows. She is a princess unable to be with her own family but things are about to change. For the first time in her life she may be able to get the answer she so desperately wants – how to be free. But just how far is she willing to go, and what consequences will arise as a result of her choices? And what truly makes you a monster?

Girl, Serpent, Thorn, by Melissa Bashardoust is a brilliant and imaginative fairytale inspired story with dark and monstrous twists that are captivating and compelling. This book is beautifully written, the prose flows easily and the descriptions are gorgeously crafted. Each of the settings are vivid and come to life due to the immersive imagery and beautiful descriptions, the writing is evocative and emotive creating a strong atmosphere and empathy allowing a strong connection with the characters.

The narrative is strong and intriguing as we read from the perspective Soraya who has spent her life in the shadows due to her curse. Her perspective is interesting because it is limiting but also insightful – she craves human connection but even the slightest touch from her would kill them, she is fully aware of the consequences of her curse but why it was cast upon her is a mystery. Moreover, despite being royalty she doesn’t have much knowledge regarding the monsters that threaten their lands so as she finds out more information more mystery is built up. The limits of her perspective allows this story to be full of tension and mystery, all of which makes you want to keep reading.

Due to the narration we get a lot of insight into Soraya’s thoughts and feelings allowing us to understand her behaviour even when it seems rash or the decision seems poor because to her it is justified. Soraya deals with a lot of internal conflicts over the course of the story from feeling neglected to battling with whether or not she herself is or will be a monster – it ties in nicely with the themes of identity as Soraya is trying to figure out who she truly is as she tries to understand her curse. The realistic struggles of who she truly is combined with the physical struggles of those who begin to oppose her work extraordinarily well together in order to create a deep and dynamic story.

I will admit that initially this story seemed rather formulaic – very much fitting the fairytale narrative – but I was definitely proven wrong. While the story starts with some classic fairytale motifs it takes a drastic and captivating turn that truly turns this story into something much more original and unique. The plot twists and shocking turns in this book really makes it stand out and turns this fairytale into a delightfully monstrous but charming tale with a thrilling dark streak. I loved absolutely every minute of this story and thoroughly enjoyed the plot as Soraya is forced to make more difficult decisions and untrustworthy alliances in order to achieve what she wants most.

The story is very compelling, as it the worldbuilding and magic. The monsters and magic are very intriguing and make for a multi-layered world full of depth. I really loved the exploration of morality through the monsters and Soraya herself as we are challenged to see what truly makes someone a monster.

The characters in this story are brilliant, they are realistic because they have flaws, their desperation or ambitions actually lead them to make challenging decisions and their relationships are complex. (Representation: Bisexual MC) I loved all the characters in this story, and particularly Soraya’s story arc, but as a whole the entire cast is excellently written, the villains are compelling and cruel, morally grey characters and choices are challenged and the resolutions are unexpectedly satisfying.

The ending of the story was something I particularly loved for many reasons but specifically I like how it rounded off on the theme of self-identity and solved the conflict between human and monster. This story was truly outstanding and memorable, a fantastic read and the Persian Fairytale influences are prominent but unique.

I definitely recommend this to fairytale lovers, fantasy lovers and anyone looking for a thrilling dark fairytale read with excellent characters and an epic story.

*Thanks to #netgalley #Hodder&Stoughton #Flatironbooks for the eARC in exchange for an honest review*

New to me author Melissa Bashardoust has captivated my attention with this vibrant story that perfectly combines Persian folklore, magic, curses and self-discovery.

Princess Soraya has been cursed to have a poisonous touch, so she lives her days hidden away from the world and kept at arms lengths by her family, confined to her chambers and the palace garden. But Soraya is determined to break her curse so when the opportunity presents itself she needs to decide if the consequences of making a deal with a demon are worth taking.

The worldbuilding is beautiful, with vivid descriptions of landscapes that create an idyllic atmosphere. The combination of multiple fairytales and myths make this story a compelling read that can easily sweep away the reader.

The story was told in third person POV with fairly paced action that left room for character development. I wasn't Soraya's biggest fan at first but the more the storyline progressed the more I started to understand her and the choices she made. I loved that she wasn't portrayed as the typical fairytale princess, she had flaws, she made mistakes and that made her a relatable character relatable. Her journey of self-discovery was well presented and felt genuine.

Lies, deceit, twists and turns, a mysterious and charismatic villain, all these elements were beautifully woven into the story. I would have wanted a bit more from the romantic aspect but that's just me, I always want more romance. All in all, I enjoyed this book a lot and I'm looking forward to reading other books from the author.

Plot:
There was and there was not a princess who was poisonous to the touch, who lived alone in her family’s palace with only her garden for company. The princess, Soraya, was sad and she was angry, she longed for a normal life and she worried that she might be more monster than girl. Until an alluring new guard and a mysterious div who could be the key to breaking her curse arrived and brought the princess hope.

My thoughts:
I really enjoyed this book! It’s an enchanting, beautifully written fairy tale inspired by Persian mythology full of magic, curses and morally grey characters.

This book was a joy to read and incredibly well written. I was also impressed that this high fantasy managed to be full and fleshed out in a fairly short standalone novel. The Persian mythology and fantasy setting were gorgeous and fascinating and I really enjoyed reading and learning more about them. The magic system in particular was incredibly rich. I loved the theme of stories and myths throughout this book, it’s one of my favourite things in a book and I just really adored it here. In particular, I loved the prologue, the style it’s written in is gorgeous and it immediately hooked me and set this book up as a story to be told around a fire and be passed down through generations, much like the myths it was inspired by.

I really liked Soraya as a main character and her journey and development; I thought it was incredibly well done and I loved where she ended up. I loved that she was morally grey - she was selfish and naive and made bad decisions and it was really refreshing to read. Soraya’s relationship with her mother meant so much to me, particularly the scene with Parisa. However, my favourite relationship had to be between Parvaneh and Soraya, I just really loved their trust for each other and morally grey monster girls bond. I especially loved their scene in the woods with the moths, it was just the sweetest and really stood out as especially atmospheric and enchanting. The way that Parvaneh stood by Soraya and accepted her when no one else did was incredible, I loved that Soraya had this unconditional relationship which she lacked even from her own family. I also really liked the bi rep in this book, it wasn’t a major theme or even discussed, it was just there and I appreciated that! My friend, Sasha, who’s bi wrote a bit about how much this rep meant to her in her review if you want to know more: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3169764426?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

Unfortunately, I did have a couple problems with the book - I found it quite difficult to get into to begin with, though this may be at least in part due to my reading slump and difficulty reading fantasy recently. However, once I was around 30% in, I really got into it and flew through the rest of the book! I also found a lot of the plot twists and revelations quite underwhelming and predictable. I think that at least some of them are supposed to be slightly obvious to highlight Soraya’s inexperience and naiveté but I was cringing early on because I found it so obvious (which might also be why I struggled with the beginning).

Overall, I did really enjoy this book but it didn’t blow me away. I really liked the characters, bi rep, setting and magic system and I definitely recommend it!!

3.5 stars

This was a really interesting take on the traditional fairy-tale princess story. I am not overly familiar with Persian mythology but this has really sparked an interest, (Bashardoust has included from referenced at the back of the book which I am going to check out, this is really appreciated.). It is somewhat hard to describe this book. It is like an amalgamation of rapunzel, sleeping beauty and mythology into a flowing story which has Soraya battling with all the various images she has of herself to find who she truly is. All the tales are seamlessly blended into a single narrative.

I really enjoyed Soraya as a character, she really explores the depths of her emotions during the course of the story, from acting in hot headed irrational anger to contemplating simple and beautiful moments we get the full scale of her emotional journey. This is something that is truly beautiful about the writing. It really does expertly capture the emotional battle that Soraya is having within herself. However, this also makes the pacing rather slow. As we weave in an out of the various tales it could occasionally get repetitive with the wording of Soraya’s internal monologue. She would often repeat the same sentiments to her self and occasionally that would become a little stale. As while she did learn from the various moments in the narrative, it was at a slow and steady pace, again with a lot of introspection for the character.

We also get a rather interesting love triangle that intermingles though out all the story weaving just a complex web as the blending of the fairy-tales. The Bisexual rep is prominent from the beginning, which is a big plus, but the triangle was not the one I had originally predicted from the first few chapters. The overlapping storylines for the love interests is also really interesting and I did enjoy reading the romance, however there was a little too many who will she choose flip flopping overall, which again slowed the pace.

One aspect that did disappoint me is we do have a real lack of world building. If you are looking for a story with rich description of the Persian setting you will not find it here. we get lots of information about the various div throughout the novel, and some description of the customs and beliefs of Soraya’s world, we get little to no description of the world its self. This made it a little difficult for me to imagine and place the characters in. I am very fond of rich world building that envelopes me in the world and I just didn’t find it here. It kept me distant from the story and I just didn’t feel as invested.

I still think this is a great read! Its so well structured that is it easy to just ride along with the story. It really has sparked an interest in the origin tales that this retelling has stemmed from. I am also keen to pick up other work by Bashardoust as she really does have a unique quality to the writing.

This story follows Soraya, a girl cursed with poison running through her veins. She has spent all her life locked away, hardly seeing anyone and never touching them without gloves, skin to skin touch brings instant death to the recipient. I can see why this book is receiving lots of attention, the cover is beautiful and the whole premise of the story is enough to draw you in. The story reads very much like a fairytale and is influenced by Persian culture and mythology. It is imaginative and well paced and it was engaging enough to make me want to keep reading to the end. Despite the fact I enjoyed the book, I wasn’t jumping up and down with excitement when I finished it. The plot, the world and the setting were amazing, but I had issues engaging with the writing style, which lacked richness and complexity, and the simplicity of it read like a much younger YA novel.

The story is full of characters both human and mythological, which the author has described well and with great care. I would have liked to have seen much more depth to these characters, particularly with the leading characters which felt a little shallow and under-developed. I was hoping the romance between Soraya and Azad would develop into a beauty and the beast scenario and I was almost willing this to happen throughout the book. Both romances felt a bit flat and needed more build up and integrity to make them a little more believable.

What I thought was brilliant was the world and the magic system. I loved this very interesting concept and the Persian setting was unique and interesting. The author has spent a lot of time drawing on the history, language and mythology of Persian and this really shines through in the novel. My much younger self would have rated this book so much higher, but my older self looks for much more in a book. The foundations were all there for an outstanding novel but sadly in my opinion it did not quite deliver. You will love this book if you are a younger YA reader, or a reader who desires a quick and easy fantasy read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this novel.

4.5 stars

When I first started this I knew I would love it. This is the type of book that expands and expands as you turn page after page and at any point if you go back a few chapters you will see how much more narrow-minded you were back then.

For this reason it’s hard to talk about it without taking away something from the reading experience of future readers. There’s a lot of depth to the events of this book and I really appreciated how there’s probably not one thing that two people would agree on if they were to discuss some spoilery things that happen here. I think it’d actually make a perfect book to discuss with a book club because I feel like everyone would be able to contribute with something.

It is at its core a book about self acceptance, and about how even when you have lost something you didn’t even realize meant a lot to you, it’s still possible to find new parts of yourself, something better or transformed within you that you can embrace, this time without fear.

I also really liked the villain here, in that way that a villain can be fascinating because you see something in them that you know you would fall for, too. Or perhaps, scariest thing of all, you see how you, or anyone, could have become them. Those are the best villains to me, personally, and that’s the reason I couldn’t be mad that the protagonist spent so much time with them.

This is a rather short book in terms of pages but it seemed to take me a long time to go through. I think it felt that way because something was always happening, not in a very adventurous way but in a way a standalone fantasy has to be packed with everything within 300 pages or so. And I think the pace was actually really good, it managed to be slow enough for you to get to know all the players on the board and fast enough to pull you in to see what the next event would be. The only aspect that suffered a bit is the f/f romance, not in terms of how believable it was (I think it was very believable actually) but just in terms of timing. But I understand why it had to be that way and I really liked it. What it might have lacked in terms of page time it made up for in intensity of their scenes together.

I’m not knowledgeable enough about ancient Persia, the culture that inspired this story, but I really appreciated the author notes at the end of the book. All I can say is that it felt like a well researched and rich world that I felt like taking my time trying to get to learn about, instead of skimming paragraphs or shrugging when meeting a name I didn’t remember.

All in all I can say that while this book won’t be perfect for everyone I also think everyone can enjoy it because of how many different elements it had and how well balanced they all were. The writing was also gorgeous and the characters not easily forgettable, so it’s worth trying to read for yourself.

Bashardoust has such an evocative, beautiful style of writing that I never fail to get completely entranced by. It happened with her debut Girls Made of Snow and Glass and it happened again with this gorgeous tale inspired by Persian mythology. I love how her stories feel like legends of old, with this magic surrounding them. Also, the fact that they’re so enveloping in terms of plot and scale, yet are perfectly encapsulated as standalones really shows her skill. She really excels at reimagining and adapting fairy-tales through her own, utterly unique lens.

Here, she has woven such a lush, rich fantasy with an expansive mythology and intricately detailed world that I could easily envision. The mythology felt really fleshed out and enjoyable, showing how she had brought in elements of Persian mythology, but had tinkered with them just enough to create an intoxicating, original tale. Basically, Bashardoust has cemented herself as an auto-buy author for me.

I really loved Soraya as a protagonist as she had such a strong voice and I really enjoyed spending time in her head. She’s no clear-cut Disney princess, instead she’s a morally grey, conflicted almost anti-heroine. Her whole life has been spent in isolation and fear of herself, stewing her emotions up in such a way that leads to a really believable pull between light and dark. This is fundamentally her story, the events unfold around her own journey of self-discovery and search for her identity. I also loved how dark she went at times, as often authors hold their protagonists back from truly awful acts but Soraya goes there in order to protect herself and her people.

The rest of our characters are also really strong and well-crafted. Their appearances are often deceiving, with far more depth to them than meets the eye. They all have their own loyalties and secrets that gradually come to light. The villain in particular is a fascinating character, with their toxicity hiding in the background of their character with subtle hints leading up to the big reveal. Manipulation lies at the heart of the book, as well as a lot of discussion around our perceptions of ourselves and others. Also, the romance in the book feels very natural and builds gradually, rather than being insta-love. The progression is thought-out and believable, with the chemistry crackling beneath the whole time.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a gorgeous, sapphic fairy-tale that will cast a spell on you from a master of the form.

It's been like 3 years since I've last read YA fantasy and holy smokes, this was so worth it! Persian mythology inspired + bisexual anti-heroine? Sign me the fuck up! I love the fact that the author took bits and pieces of a fairytale and mixed them with magical elements of Persian culture to create her own unique story.
Let me get into the protagonist's character development and her inner battles that she's had to fight through in this book... Very realistic and well-written, in my opinion. This book was different than what I thought it would be because there were so many twists and turns that I didn't expect. Besides, I also didn't truly understand the title of the book until the end. Overall, a captivating and unexpected read.

Author: Melissa Bashardoust
Genre: YA Fantasy
Format: E-book advanced reader copy
Published: 7th July 2020
Pages: 336
Rating: 4.5 Stars

*I received a copy of this via NetGalley from the publisher, however, this in no way influenced my opinion. Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with a copy.*

This novel follows Soraya a young princess who has a dark secret – she has poison running through her veins, therefore anyone who touches her dies. This has resulted in Soraya being isolated and hidden away from the rest of the kingdom so that no one finds out. However one day her brothers' soldiers catch a demon who may hold the answers that Soraya craves.

This is my first Melissa Bashardoust novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it, I especially liked her writing. I really liked that this story was inspired by Persian mythology as I don’t know a lot about this subject so this was an interesting aspect of the story that I enjoyed. I also loved the author’s note where she discusses how the mythology inspired the story so I highly recommend reading that. There are some really interesting plot twists in this novel, some were predictable such as Azad’s betrayal which I seen coming, however others were unexpected. One issue that I have is that I found the pacing to be off in some places. I especially enjoyed the last 10% of this book, it was fast-paced and intense.

I absolutely adored the characters in this novel, especially Soraya. She was a badass and I loved her development throughout the story. She started off the novel hating the fact that she had a gift that isolated her and no one could touch her, however by the end she grew into her powers and wasn’t ashamed of having them. I also love how morally grey she was, she wasn’t a perfect character, she made mistakes and betrayed her family. Our main villain, who starts out as one of the love interests is the Shahmar, who is cunning and manipulative. I thought was a great villain and I’m glad he wasn’t one dimensional like some other YA villains. Parvaneh was our other love interest, I liked her character and I enjoyed learning about her background and why she was shunned by the rest of her kind but I do wish that she was a little more developed.

Overall this was a well-written, cleverly plotted YA Fantasy novel inspired by Persian mythology with a f/f relationship, a bisexual main character and morally grey characters. I recommend this, especially if you love YA fantasy.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a rich, Persian-inspired feminist fairytale steeped in Iranian culture that sweeps you up within the first couple of pages and doesn't let you go until the conclusion. It is heavily influenced by the nineteenth-century short story Rappacini’s Daughter and follows semi-protagonist Soraya, the twin sister of the Shah, the ruler of the country, who has a peculiar condition; she is poisonous to the touch due to a curse bestowed upon her by a div (demon) meaning if she comes into contact with another person or living creature they die almost instantly. Cursed from birth, she hides away from the world behind the palace walls but hopes beyond hope that she can somehow attend her twin brother's upcoming nuptials. In her fight to free herself from her curse, she seeks out a demon who seemingly holds the answers she is looking for. When a captured div is brought to the palace she decides to talk with her and ask how to break free from the ties that bind her.

This is a richly imagined and spellbinding mix of Persian and Zoroastrian mythology which creates a intensely captivating and intriguing story with a series of unpredictable and well-executed twists in the tale. Soraya is what really makes this tale as riveting as it is; she's morally grey and conflicted on whether she is a monster or princess. This is a recurring theme throughout the book and raises the topics of fate, identity and belonging and the conflicts we often have within our own heads. Watching Soraya evolve and grow into her own was especially engrossing. There was also LGBTQ+ representation which fitted perfectly with the narrative and wasn't overdone. This is a lush and beautifully developed world and some of the most incredible worldbuilding I've encountered in a while. It is subversive, original, lyrical and asks the question: what does it mean to be a monster? Highly recommended. Many thanks to Flatiron Books for an ARC.

I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.

I’m not quite familiar with Persian fairytales or anything else for that matter so I was curious as to what Girl, Serpent, Thorn would be like. I fell in love instantly. Melissa’s writing is beautiful and I could follow the story easily at all times. The story was full of plot twists and unexpected betrayals, while also giving me a sense of familiarity and comfort.

The story follows Soraya – our cursed princess. I liked her from the beginning; she tends this beautiful garden full of roses (which I love!!) and her development throughout the story is really inspring. I love her growth. The way she makes mistakes and learns from them. She’a definitely a badass, especially when she realises what power she holds. I think her starting to love herself for who she is, is my favourite part of the book. Also, she’d make a great villain!

Girl, Serpent, Thorn doesn’t have a whole lot of characters, which makes it easier to get to know most if not all of them. I didn’t quite know what to think of Azad for a while… I sort of liked him, in a way. But I also found him a bit creepy. And I wasn’t wrong about it! Parvaneh is probably my favourite. I love her with all my heart and will protect that little demon with all my might. Parisa only played a small – yet important part – but I want to mention her simply because I love her name and another reason I won’t name for spoilery reasons!

I love it when book titles actually make sense in the literal way! At first, the plot is pretty straightforward. It wouldn’t say it’s actually predictable, but you get a sense, you know? I think it’s needless to say that I was so surprised at all the plot twists, surprises and betrayals. Melissa knows how to write a good plot twists, that’s for sure! Not only plot twists, by the way, but romance as well! Girl, Serpent, Thorn has a bisexual main character and I loved how normal it was. Same goes for the f/f romance. It was beautifully done, I just wish there was more! Cause let’s be honest, you can never have enough f/f romance!

I loved Girl, Serpent, Thorn. It’s a beautifully written story with shocking plot twists and amazing character development. Definitely a must-read!

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a magical Persian inspired fantasy, with notes of fairytales and epics. Also, it's sapphic! It's a truly wonderful story, like a layered pastry where each layer just makes it more and more delicious. There are so many elements at play here, from characters to plot to unexpected reveals to romance, and Melissa Bashardoust weaves everything together deftly and with confidence.

While the main reveal of the plot actually occurs fairly early on, the rest of the book still carries the high stakes and sharp turns that were set up by this reveal. Without going into spoiler-y detail, there's a pretty massive plot twist fairly close to the beginning, but in a way that makes you look back and think 'wow, there were so many hints to this, I can't believe I didn't realise' or alternatively 'yes, I was right! But I also really didn't want to be right'. It's with this twist that the stakes rise through the roof, with a kingdom and Soraya's family on the line.

A lot of the story is character driven, especially by Soraya, our main character. She's been living with a curse, never being able to touch a living being, not even the powerful div that threaten her country. She's a very complex character, who does a lot of thinking about how her curse affects her motivations, and whether having such power over others drives her ambition and can turn it dark. This is a really fascinating perspective to have, especially considering the lengths she feels she could go with it, as well as the lengths she goes to get rid of it. In a way, she's an immensely morally grey character because of her actions, and also because of the way she grapples with the reality of this curse. She's also not completely defined by her curse and her poison, because she's cultivated a certain set of skills and she is able to adapt to situations and think on her feet. Having a character like this as the main character was really awesome, and it made the book a really gripping read because of how versatile Soraya was as a character and because of the potential she had in so many ways.

The characters in general were well fleshed out and balance each other well, notably the antagonist. He was very much a parallel to Soraya, especially in terms of what makes a monster and the role that free will plays in deciding what to do with the expectations that people have of you, and how you can control or give into these expectations. There was a lot of nuance to his character but also a lot of finality to the idea that your actions have impact on others and choosing to harm is going to change you. Parvaneh was another complex character, though in a more subtle way. She also parallels Soraya and the antagonist, though in a more subversive way, and her layered backstory as well as the fact that she is a div weaves an interesting thread into the way the plot plays out. She's never just treated as a tool to change Soraya's perspective though, which I really appreciated.

Though the romance is fairly subtle, it's still really wonderful. There's a decent amount of pining and of tension, especially in terms of how it occurs alongside the plot, and there's really something quite tangibly satisfying about a good enemies to reluctant allies to lovers relationship. It's also something that's treated in much the same way as the straight potential romance, which was very enjoyable to see. Soraya's attraction to one or the other these two people is never invalidated solely because of her attraction to the other person, which I also really liked.

The prose is beautiful, captivating the reader in a way that adds depth to the experience of reading. The narration was particularly on-point, and everything felt like it added to the story. The pacing was also excellent, balancing the plot development needed in a single fantasy book while also taking the time to indulge in the world and the characters.

If fairytales or epic fantasy or stories examining what makes a monster and what doesn't, Girl, Serpent, Thorn is absolutely the book for you. It's layered and packed with little tidbits, and only gets better as it lingers in the edges of your mind post-finishing it, piecing together the hidden intricacies. I highly enjoyed it and I strongly encourage picking it up if anything in this review appealed to you.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!