Skip to main content

THORN review, the cure to my Juliet Marillier Hangover

Image result for thorn intisar khanani




Rating:  ★★★★★


Plot:

A princess with two futures. A destiny all her own.
Between her cruel family and the contempt she faces at court, Princess Alyrra has always longed to escape the confines of her royal life. But when she’s betrothed to the powerful prince Kestrin, Alyrra embarks on a journey to his land with little hope for a better future. 
When a mysterious and terrifying sorceress robs Alyrra of both her identity and her role as princess, Alyrra seizes the opportunity to start a new life for herself as a goose girl. 
But Alyrra soon finds that Kestrin is not what she expected. The more Alyrra learns of this new kingdom, the pain and suffering its people endure, as well as the danger facing Kestrin from the sorceress herself, the more she knows she can’t remain the goose girl forever. 
With the fate of the kingdom at stake, Alyrra is caught between two worlds and ultimately must decide who she is, and what she stands for.


Review:
I have been highly anticipating Thorn ever since I first spotted an announcement of its release somewhere across the bookish internet & I am chuffed to let you all know that the book met (&arguably even exceeded) my high expectations! 
While I've been known to love a good fairy tale retelling, it is actually quite rare for me to stumble upon one that not only works within a frame offered by a fairy tale, but actually reads and feels like a fairy tale in and of itself. However,Thorn excels in that respect - from the language, the atmosphere and the whimsy of the story, down to smaller, more specific elements, from the three trials to the talking horses and the kind-hearted princess with a heart of gold who can also do the hard work of the lower classes (and delight and take pride in it), which are recurring of so many of the fairy tales of my childhood. Additionally, there was something about this story that I can't quite pinpoint, be it the main character or tone, that reminded me a lot of Juliet Marillier's writing, specifically her Seventwaters books, which in my book (pun intended) is the highest praise I could give someone. 
I became so easily invested in Alyrra's journey and her fate and could not wait to see how she would handle all the things that were being thrown at her. The more the story progressed, the more I found myself eager to keep turning the pages and unable to stop, often to the detriment of my sleeping pattern, but such is life. 
With its phenomenal character journey, its mysterious antagonist, its complicated morals, the heartfelt writing and slowest of slow burn romances, this book stole my heart in no time and I am so excited to scream about how great it is to everyone and anyone willing to listen. Don't think there is a confirmed sequel in the works, but I loved these characters' story so much and found myself hopelessly compelled by the world and would love to read something else set in this world!

 Thanks for reading, 
Gabbie.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PAPER LANTERNS ISSUE 3 // review

Paper Lanterns is a new literary journal, founded in 2020 by Grace Kelley, Ruth Ennis and Amy O’Sullivan, to be published four times a year. Acting as a platform to promote the voices of young people in Ireland and across the world, this journal provides new and exciting content for a teen and young adult audience. It is also perfect for enthusiasts of teen and YA literature; from teachers and librarians, to parents and youth workers. This is a YA journal for writers, artists, dreamers, and doers. This is a space for the underrepresented voices and a platform for publishing and promoting young writers and artists so they are seen and heard. We also make space for those who were once young adults to submit their work! Those who proudly and loudly represent young voices in today’s world. (Paper Lanterns) by Rebecca Johnson and cover design by Eleanor Braydon   Yet another stellar issue from Paper Lanterns ! If you were to check my previews reviews , it'd be easily apparent that I am...
1 comment
Read more

YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN // book review

YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN BY LEAH JOHNSON ★★★★★ CW: anxiety, panic attacks, mentions of death of a loved one, illness of loved one, homophobia (challenged) & outing    Synopsis:      Liz Lighty has always believed she's too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it's okay -- Liz has a plan that will get her out of Campbell, Indiana, forever: attend the uber-elite Pennington College, play in their world-famous orchestra, and become a doctor.       But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz's plans come crashing down . . . until she's reminded of her school's scholarship for prom king and queen. There's nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, but despite her devastating fear of the spotlight she's willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington.   ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Gods, monsters and ugly sea fish - Frances Hardinge's DEEPLIGHT

Rating:  ★★★.75 / 5 Plot: For centuries the gods of the Undersea ruled the islands of the Myriad through awe and terror: they were very real, and very dangerous. Sacrifices were hurled into the waters to appease them, and every boat was painted with pleading eyes to entreat their mercy. They were served, feared and adored. Then, thirty years ago, the gods rose up in madness and tore each other apart. Now, none remain. The islands have recovered and the people have patched their battered ships and moved on. On one of these islands live Hark and his best friend Jelt. To them, the gods are nothing but a collection of valuable scraps to be scavenged from the ocean and sold. But now something is pulsing beneath the waves, calling to someone brave enough to retrieve it. Review: The more I think about this book, the more in awe I am even though it's been a while since I've finished it. I had heard people singing Hardinge's praise for age...
Post a Comment
Read more