Name: Kaitlin Simpson's review of Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
Item: Girl, Serpent, Thorn
Rating: 3
Author: Kaitlin Simpson

Melissa Bashardoust

As the day of her twin brother's wedding approaches, Soraya must decide if she is willing to step outside of the shadows for the first time. Below in the dungeon is a demon who holds knowledge that she craves, the answer to her freedom. And above is a young man who isn't afraid of her, whose eyes linger not with fear, but with an understanding of who she is beneath the poison. But choices have consequences, and Soraya begins to question whether she is human or demon, princess or monster

Girl, Serpent, Thorn

vonias

“I think you have so much power within you that it scares you, and that you make yourself small on purpose because you don't know what you'll become if you ever stop.”

Savannah Winchell

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is “an alluring feminist fairy tale” (Kirkus Reviews) about a girl cursed to be poisonous to the touch and who discovers what power might lie in such a curse. There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away, apart from her family, safe only in her gardens, it’s not just a story. As the day of her twin brother’s wedding approaches, Soraya must decide if she’s willing to step outside of the shadows for the first time. Below in the dungeon is a demon who holds knowledge that she craves, the answer to her freedom. And above is a young man who isn’t afraid of her, whose eyes linger not with fear, but with an understanding of who she is beneath the poison. Soraya thought she knew her place in the world, but when her choices lead to consequences she never imagined, she begins to question who she is and who she is becoming...human or demon. Princess or monster.

Kaitlin Simpson

Bria

** spoiler alert **
           There's just something about Soraya that I love. I hate that she had to really mess everything up before helping her brother create the world their father always hoped for, but I'm glad it turned out well for everyone. And I'm happy that she's finally comfortable in her own skin. Although, I wasn't expecting her to be a full div by the end.

Loved this book, the plot twists were really interesting and unexpected and i really liked how it ended. I could’ve read so many more chapters of this. I really just couldn’t put it down.

Marie

i’m honestly impressed with how much we were given in a relatively short book. i could’ve read a whole series based off of it.  

samantha lias

I feel as if the plot was slightly rushed??? The plot twists were fine but god, some chapters had fast pacing.

I still liked the book though, really liked it actually. The main couple is rlly cute though I think them ending up together could have been better paced?

The cohet (compulsory heterosexuality) is so real tho, it frustrated me slightly (not in a bad way).

I feel as if the plot was slightly rushed??? The plot twists were fine but god, some chapters had fast pacing.

I still liked the book though, really liked it actually. The main couple is rlly cute though I think them ending up together could have been better paced?

The cohet (compulsory heterosexuality) is so real tho, it frustrated me slightly (not in a bad way).

Lauren Nicole

After reading some of the reviews for Girl, Serpent, Thorn, I was unsure if I’d like the book, especially after reading Malice (another Sleeping Beauty retelling) and enjoying that one quite a bit. But this book was entirely different and I will always love a good story entangled with folklore. 

I almost rated it 3.5/5 stars, but something about the last 50 pages or so just tied everything together so well that I couldn’t help the extra 0.5. But, I wish the book wasn’t a stand alone. I was kind of intrigued about the world building and I honestly want more of who Soraya became in the end.

Overall enjoyed!

When I first started reading this book, I thought nothing would ever top that prologue. I was wrong. I spent four hours straight in the fantasy world built by the author, and I was so engrossed in the story that I never saw any of the twists coming. This book also does something that I love but don't see very often - it raises questions about who the real hero is. Or more precisely, what makes a real hero. It did it so effectively that I empathised, not sympathised, with the villain as his story was told. 

Aparna 

Jamieson

inspired by Persian mythology, has a morally grey bi mc who is spending the book teetering on the edge of villainy, monster girlfriends, transportive writing that sucks you directly into the world and SO many twists and turns, please add it to your pre-order lists

full review to come

grace richards

wasn’t really what i expected it to be and the plot was a bit weak
it’s a solid book i just didn’t enjoy it as much as i expected especially after i’d heard it was really good

tahmida tasmia

I love Sci-fi and Fantasy books and I loved this book. It is a Persian story based on Sleeping beauty. The writing is beautiful and I really enjoyed reading Girl, Serpent, Thorn. So much so, I finished it in two sittings. I have heard great reviews about Melissa Bashardoust's other book Girls Made of Snow and Glass, which is a retelling of Snow White. However, I decided to give this book a read first and I was not disappointed. It had some amazing plot twists that I definitely didn't see coming. I loved the representation in the book a lot. I would very much recommend this book for a quick standalone sapphic, Sci-Fi read.

Ivy X

3.5 
A Persian fairytale inspired by Sleeping Beauty + the poisonous girl in a garden from "Rappaccini's Daughter." It also has bi representation. This story was so fun to read but it definitely could've been better and more fleshed out -- to be fair, it is a standalone so maybe that limits how in-depth we can go with this story. 

- I wish Soraya wasn't so wishy-washy about whether she liked her powers or not. It got frustrating after a while, and I wanted her to be full-on evil at one point. 

- The plot was predictable for the majority of the first half. There were some twists and turns in the later half, but the ending was still what I had predicted. The author used the lack of communication between characters to drive the plot forward (example -her mother not telling her the truth behind her curse which led Soraya to put the entire city at risk, etc) 

-Azad/Shahmar was fairly predictable too, and his soft spot for Soraya made no sense to me. Like yes they were similar....but not really? Also, there were so many parts in the beginning when Soraya talked about how Azad always said the right things and made her feel so comforted that I just started cringing. It was so obvious he would not be good, and it was too convenient for the plot whenever Soraya was like, "I trust him. He's the only one on my side." 

-The Shahmar backstory was interesting but I feel like it wasn't fleshed out. It just felt like he was a morally flawed character who helped Soraya's character development. It made me question how he had so much influence and power.

- I did like how Soraya noticed the divs were more than just an army who listened to the Shahmar. They had their own agendas and beliefs that were not influenced by the "villain" and it was interesting how the author gave the divs ulterior motives outside of their facade. 

-Parvaneh was so fascinating in the first half of the book, but as her relationship developed with Soraya, Parvaneh became increasingly bland as a character. I did love the constant comparisons to her kisses being gentle like moths in comparison to Azad's violent/aggressive kissing. Parvaneh is so soft and welcoming compared to what Soraya was exposed to prior. 

-Soraya's family pissed me off. Tbh all the humans were annoying. 

 Quotes: 
-"Do you see now why I recognized you? You're my favorite story. I feel like I've known you for a long time." 

-"The gulf is not as wide as you think," he said quietly, like he was telling her a secret. 

-If she had stopped trying to hide the veins of poison under her skin, if she had pulled back her hair and shed her gloves and not been ashamed to look anyone in the eye, then would she have had this same aura of majesty? 

-"In the dungeon, I used to like making you angry, "Parvaneh said. ......... "But I think I like making you laugh even more." 

-"....Either you're his prisoner while he does as he pleases, or you're by his side, with the power to influence him. Perhaps he could be useful to you as well."

Briar Rose

Lush, lovingly described YA fairy tale with characters I liked and some twists I definitely didn’t see coming. I found the ending satisfying for a standalone, but I’d still like to read more in this world.

Isabela H 

I think that this book was another that could've been a lot better than it was. In my opinion, the book was overhyped, which led to me having inflated expectations that were ultimately disappointed. I do appreciate the amount of work that went into the creation of the world and the narrative. Unfortunately, though I did enjoy the read, it was nowhere near as good as it could have been.

Ashley Wendt

So many mixed feelings. While the prose of this book was so beautiful. It felt so much like a fairy tale. I do love that it was beautiful fantasy wrapped up in a stand alone. I feel like that is not always an easy feat these days. However, I do feel as thought so much more of the story could have been more fully fleshed out over 1-2 more books. Some of the relationship aspects felt a bit sudden. And this is where I am torn...while I they were a bit sudden, the writing was so incredible, it felt palpable. I just can’t help but wander what this story could be in a duology or a trilogy.

Katie

I went into this story knowing very little about it, and honestly, it was probably the best decision I have ever made! A lot of the story reminded me of Rapunzel/Tangled instead of Sleeping Beauty, but maybe that's just my mind knowing the Rapunzel story better. Melissa Bashardoust's writing is one that grips you from the start and you find yourself emerged into the story without a second glance. Soraya might be what some consider a morally grey characters, but honestly, if she wasn't, I don't think that the story would have worked the same. The romance in this was so perfectly executed that for once I was not annoyed about it being in the story. Plus, seeing how Soraya came to terms with bisexuality (while subtle at times) was one of the best of the things about her story and seeing her grow as a character!

Turtle lover

dnf but not. lets say I just scanned through the chapters. it was not for me :<

jess

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I loved Melissa Bashardoust's first book, Girls Made of Snow and Glass, so I was incredibly excited to pick up Girl, Serpent, Thorn, and I'm so glad I did. Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a lot different from Girls Made of Snow and Glass, but is every bit as enjoyable. This book is a powerful fairytale based off of Persian mythology and folklore, with lyrical writing and a protagonist at war with herself. 

Our protagonist is Soraya, a princess cursed with poison so that if she touches another living being, they will die. As a consequence, Soraya's been locked inside rooms at the golvahar--the palace--having no company except her garden. Soraya starts off as an achingly lonely girl, who never really has had the chance to go out and interact with anyone or anything, and even though it makes her naive and overly trusting I really enjoyed Soraya. She's somehow gentle yet full of anger at the same time, and it works really well to show how her motivations and actions guide the story. She has such a wonderful character arc and so much internal struggle, and I loved reading about her.

Despite Soraya being the princess, her most notable relationships aren't with the royal family (which I sort of wish I'd seen more of!). Instead, she spends time with the divs--magical creatures who are a mix of human and animal and are feared in society. There's Azad, a soldier who takes a liking to Soraya immediately, and Parvaneh, a prisoner who helps Soraya learn more about herself. I found both Azad and Parvaneh very interesting characters with a lot of backstory between them that all connects up so well. 

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a very short book, so the plot seemed a bit truncated to me, and so much of it is based on story and mythology even inside the plot. It did take me away from the main story a bit and slows the pace, and I found my attention wavering because of it. I feel as if the faster paced parts of the story went jarringly fast, and what was happening was somewhat predictable. However, in the end I'd say that the book is is definitely character- rather than plot-driven. 

One of the things I loved most about this book was how wondrously atmospheric it is, and I think Bashardoust very much excels in this regard. Girl, Serpent, Thorn had a very whimsical vibe, and it contrasts and combines beauty and monstrosity with each other. The divs were really interesting to read about. The worldbuilding was also excellent. The world of Girl, Serpent, Thorn is based on Persian mythology and folklore, and the book reads like a fairy tale with lyrical prose and fascinating characters. 

I highly recommend Girl, Serpent, Thorn for anyone who loves fairy tale retellings and atmospheric books. If you liked Girls Made of Snow and Glass, Girl, Serpent, Thorn does not disappoint, and I will certainly be keeping an eye out for Bashardoust's future books. 

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with a review copy!

Shereen Evans

This book had me on the edge of my seat a good portion of the story. There were times I would next expect something to happen and it would. The characters were developed fairly well. The main character did irritate me a little with the way she acted until she owned who she was. I liked this book so much that I have passed it onto another book lover to read it.

aaliyah

this is hard to rate cause i really did enjoy reading it i just wanted it to be… better. the premise was amazing and i loved the character backstories and the setting of the story. buttt it was fairly one dimensional and the main character was unconvincingly indecisive. and by that i mean… we totally know where she’s going at the end of the book even with her hesitations. 

i liked the villain a lot and his backstory was really interesting, he deserved more substance too. 

it was pretty insta-love and i couldn’t buy into the romance despite really really wanting to since it was wlw and i love wlw.

it read like a fairytale which i think was the point, and as i said i really did enjoy reading. so, the star rating is actually a solid 3.5/5

Meghan M

~3.5~
This book honestly surprised me, and got better as it went on. The beginning was a little slow, but the author using inspiration from the story of Rappaccini's Daughter with being untouchable due to her poison. The Persian based tales that were weaved into the story were fascinating too, and the queer rep that I was completely and pleasantly surprised by.

Jordan /

My toxic trait is I’m always rooting for the morally grey or villain character and forget when it’s YA that doesn’t happen.

Sarahi

A Persian-inspired spin on the tale of Sleeping Beauty, with a sprinkle of Rapunzel factor. 

	The Good:

		It was refreshing to read folklore and stories that were not from the West. The imagery truly made the story for me, the author’s writing style is really beautiful. I loved reading the tidbits of information concerning the DIvs, the curses, and just the overall power structure of this world. Soraya’s bisexuality was well written and it was nice to see her have romantic feelings for multiple characters and with no real stigma.

	Irksome Factors:

	The Div was unlikeable, and despite being a rather gullible villain, he was the most well-rounded character in the story. Parvaneh was quite good, she was sure of herself, her alliances, and did not hesitate. The chemistry between the characters in the love triangle was alright. There was a much stronger development of a relationship with the Div on the page, while Parvaneh’s development was mostly implied and off the page. The most direct clue to their involvement is the fact that she likes the poisonous aspect of Soraya; the adoration of each other’s flaws was quite endearing and quite honestly the major takeaway of this story.

 Issues:

	The majority of the characters felt one-dimensional and some of the relationships were underdeveloped. Soraya was frustrating, lacking common sense, extreme indecisiveness, and with a tendency of rushing to conclusions with little evidence. The middle of the story dragged on for far too long, and the ending was a bit unsatisfying, given the supposed stakes.

	The Bad:

	The stakes did not feel real. I kept reading because I hoped for her to regain her deadly powers and cause some real damage, and while that happened, it didn’t really impact the story the way it should have. In the end, Soraya’s character development seemed to vanish as she allowed others to take action on her behalf. 

I think as a whole, this is a good starter book for readers looking to get into the fantasy genre, particularly sapphic fantasy books. It only gets better from here. Melissa’s other book, Girls Made of Snow and Glass is a good follow-up read, with much more compelling characters and a concise plot.

elif sinem

who is the agent/editor and why did they let this first draft pass through? I wanna talk and represent the author when I sue them. shame. all of this is a shame. it's almost ridiculous.

Elizabeth Neill

The narration was very easy to follow along, though I did have some trouble keeping up with the characters at some points in the story. I do wish that I knew more about the world Soraya and why people acted the way they did. I just wished there was more and it was a little longer. I did really enjoy the characters even if I hated some. They made the story more interesting and I will be picking up a physical copy of this book very soon.

Savannah Winchell &
Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

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