Imaginative Persian-inspired YA fantasy novel with a compelling protagonist and LGBTQ+ representation. The writing was very vivid, especially around touch and sense. Will be looking out for more from this author.

My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton Books for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Girl, Serpent, Thorn’ by Melissa Bashardoust in exchange for an honest review. It was published on 7 July 2020.

This YA/Teen fantasy was inspired by ancient Persian mythology. Soraya is a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. She has lived her life hidden away in Golvahar, an old labyrinthine palace. Once a year her family arrives to stay for the spring, including her twin brother, Sorush, the young shah of Atashar. Soraya is upset to learn that Sorush is to marry Laleh, her childhood friend. Laleh and her brother, Ramin, are the only ones outside the royal family that knows of the nature of her curse. She knows that she should be happy for her friend and yet feels bitter.

As her brother’s wedding approaches, Soraya is feeling increasingly restless. When she learns that a demon with the knowledge of how to break her curse is being held in the palace’s dungeons she has an important choice before her.

In addition, in the royal party is a young man whose eyes linger upon her without fear. It is intoxicating for Soraya after so many years in the shadows. She begins to question whether she is human or demon - a princess or monster.

I will refrain from further details in order to avoid spoilers though I will say that Soraya’s desire for freedom from the curse leads her down a dark path.

This was a wonderful tale and while it contains the often encountered YA trope of a romantic triangle, I felt that Melissa Bashardoust presented it in an organic way as part of Soraya’s emotional and sexual awakening.

In her Author’s Note she writes: “Girl, Serpent, Thorn is the result of my lifelong love of fairy tales (particularly “Sleeping Beauty”), a fascination with the concept of a poisonous girl in a garden from “Rappaccini’s Daughter,” and my more recent desire to know more about the myths and legends of my own culture.”

She includes notes on her use of language and how “the novel’s cosmology is a fantastical, fictionalized, and truncated version of Zoroastrian beliefs from ancient times.” There is also a glossary of terms and beings depicted in the novel and suggestions for further reading. I am always interested in this kind of background material and so its inclusion was appreciated.

While intended for Teen/YA readers I feel that this is a novel that will be appreciated by lovers of fantasy and fairy tales of all ages.

Overall, I found this well written with rich descriptions and three dimensional characters that were brought vividly to life. I have already obtained Melissa Bashardoust’s first novel, ‘Girls Made of Snow and Glass’, and look forward to news of her future projects.

Highly recommended.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for sending me an Advanced Review Copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Soraya is princess in the royal family and was cursed as a baby. Her touch is poison and anyone (or anything) is killed slowly and painfully by her hand. She is careful to avoid touching even insects as she hates the thought of hurting anyone. She has been kept hidden away for her whole life, staying in her castle year round while her family travel to separate palaces each season. Her family have now returned, and also brought a demon back who is currently in the dungeon.

I really loved this book! It is beautifully written with a great story, and a lovely romance too. I felt like Girl, Serpent, Thorn had elements of Rapunzel as well as Sleeping Beauty, but while it felt inspired by other fairy stories, to me it was definitely its own entity. The author's note says that this was inspired by Persian mythology which is something I know nothing about but it has made me want to learn more! It was such a gripping and refreshing read!

The romance in this story was beautifully written. It was so sweet and touching, and just felt so natural. It was completely believable. I also really loved that there was an LGBT romance too!

The characters themselves are also brilliant and well-rounded. I even found myself feeling such sympathy and care for the 'bad' characters in the story, which I think is so hard to do. I liked it was so multi-faceted! Soraya herself is a really interesting character. I really like having grey morality from protagonists, it makes them so much more engaging and interesting (and relatable!). There is a lot of themes around her finding her voice and working out what she wants from her life.

The story had so many twists and turns! I was gripped throughout the story and the way it ended was definitely not what I expected! Just as you think 'oh, that's that then', suddenly new events are thrown in motion. In parts I was so angry for Soraya and in others I was so pleased for her. This is a beautiful book about the consequences of our actions and what makes a monster. If you enjoy reading twisted fairy tales then I definitely recommend this one!

There wasn't a single detail about this book that I didn't absolutely love.

Bashardoust's writing is, as expect, of a magnificent beauty. It was one of the reasons why I requested this book. The other reason being its sapphic contents.

Soraya is one of the best morally grey characters I've read about! Her internal fight between embracing her powers and being "bad" and then her trying to get rid of her curse because she wanted to be "good" and free. It was a phenomenal journey.

Also her being in love with both Azad and Parvaneh and having to choose a side? Amazing!

(I'll upload a review onto my channel in the following days!)

I expected to like this more than I did. The writing is a bit stilted in parts, and there's a lot of over-explaining going on. The most interesting characters are not actually the main characters, and I wished the book had been written from Parveneh's point of view - her story is far more gripping. I loved learning about an area of myth and fantasy I (shamefully) knew little about. I'd love to have had more from that angle.

2.5 ⭐️

I’ll be honest, I struggled with this book. The cover is beautiful, it hooked me in, but the story didn’t match those expectations. The story is a fairy tale, Soraya has been cursed since she was a child, isolated in hiding because her touch is poisonous, she dreams of love and company and yet all she can do is watch her family, including her twin brother, rule the land. Then she catches Azad’s eye, a mysterious young man who wants to help make her dreams come true and unravel the truth of her curse.

My biggest issue with this book was Soraya - her circumstances are incredibly sad, her loneliness is the true poison in her blood and yet I had no sympathy for her because she was constantly the victim, even when her actions hurt (and kill) people. Other characters hurt her out of thoughtlessness, or rather too much thought, their intentions are routed in a misguided kindness, however her own actions would very clearly cause harm and even after that, she’s still complaining about people not looking at her or getting the right love. I found her quite insufferable in that way. I did like Parvaneh though, I would have actually preferred a lot more about her sisters and her. I found her sweet, determined and interesting in a way that made me wish she had a 1st person POV.
The romance as well - literally 1 character has 2 romances, 1 for each half and neither are developed to believability and she betrays both, it’s just instant love, there was even a 3rd character hinted about that they loved! Yes I get that a character isolated will have limited emotional maturity and a desperate need to be loved but that damage isn’t even explored.

To balance it out, I will say that the book is enjoyable, if you can get past the main character. It didn’t feel new but there’s something comforting in reading a book that takes you to a destination you know.

Thank you netgalley for the book in exchange of an honest review.

"Stories always begin the same way: There was and there was not. There is possibility in those words, the chance for hope or despair."

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is based on Persian mythology. It centres around a princess who was cursed by a div to be deadly to anyone who touches her. She is kept a secret, locked away and confined to a life of loneliness and solitude.

This book drew me in from the first chapter and kept me wanting more. I really enjoyed the Persian mythology, I hadn’t heard the stories before, and I am interested in hearing/reading more of them.

This story isn’t clear cut good-evil. There is a moral ambiguity to the main character that makes her interesting. She is trying to navigate a world that she thought she knew. She’s trying to cope with lies that she has been told. Can anyone blame her for the steps she takes in this novel? Her internal conflicts and struggles are portrayed extremely well.

I would’ve like to have seen more of the Soraya beyond her curse and as a character who’d been locked away it would’ve been interesting to see her navigate and interact with the world more. To see her learning new things about it. I would’ve also liked to see more of the side characters and her relationships with them.
Shahmar, the main antagonist is a strangely interesting character. He is complicated, twisted and yet still human beneath his demonic façade. We got to hear about how he became the person that he is, through manipulation and destiny and it added layers to his character.

Parvaneh was another character I really enjoyed. She is flawed, she made a big mistake that she has spent her life trying to fix. Her story showed just how powerful words can be. Just with her words she caused a pretty major event to happen.

The budding romance that develops in this novel doesn’t detract from the overarching story, and I really liked that we got to see that develop alongside the main plot. The scenes where you see their blossoming relationship are beautiful and the girls really support and trust each other.

This story is intricate, enthralling and well-written. Bashardoust writing style flows well and is poetic. The characters are complex, and the question of what makes a monster runs throughout the novel. It reads like a fairy-tale and with each rising tension, she had me wanting more. I highly recommend the novel and look forward to seeing what she writes next.

There was real potential for this fairy-tale based on Persian mythology to break new ground but while the marketing focuses on this an the thread of queer romance what the reader is actually presented with is a rather stale and derivative fantasy. Yes, there's a hint of queer feelings between Soraya and her twin's wife but this is largely overtaken by a very traditional fantasy love between Soraya and one of the male characters for much of the book. Neither relationship is convincing. Soroya, whose touch is poison to anyone she touches feels childish and self-pitying throughout, she can never see why others might see or feel things differently to herself and lacks any depth or development that would keep this from being anything except extremely irritating.

The biggest weakness is the painfully wooden writing. Every event and emotion is explained so that the reader has no input or investment. Everything is unambiguously telegraphed so that characters are utterly flat and the plot easy to predict. Almost impossible to finish.

“𝐵𝑒𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒾𝒻𝓊𝓁 𝓎𝑒𝓉 𝒹𝑒𝒶𝒹𝓁𝓎, 𝒽𝑒 𝒽𝒶𝒹 𝒸𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝒹 𝒽𝑒𝓇. 𝒮𝑜𝓂𝑒𝒽𝑜𝓌, 𝒽𝑒 𝓂𝒶𝒹𝑒 𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝓈𝑜𝓊𝓃𝒹 𝒶𝓈 𝓈𝓌𝑒𝑒𝓉 𝒶𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑜𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇”

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a book based on Persian mythology and is centered around a princess who was cursed by a demon (or Div as the book refers) to be poisonous so that anyone who touches her dies almost instantly. As a result of this, she is kept a secret, confined to a life of mostly solitude and loneliness.

Tempted by a demon lying below the palace she resides in that could hold all the answers she craves and a mysterious soldier who does not treat her a something to be feared she makes choices that lead to consequences she never could have expected. This leads her to question the type of person she really is; good or evil, princess or monster.

REVIEW
I was drawn in by the description of this book but I have to say It completely surprised me and was not at all what I expected. I expected some romance with some fantasy elements thrown in but what I got was an empowering tale with twists and turns that gripped me so much that I read most of the book (27 of the 30 chapters) in one day.

The book had a fast pace that kept me interested from the beginning, and even though I usually manage to guess big reveals in books this one managed to surprise me. The Persian mythology throughout was exciting and new to learn about as I’d never encountered it before and was extremely refreshing.

I loved the moral ambiguity and greyness of the main character as she tried to navigate what to do as the world she new quickly changed- Is it right to lash out against those who have wronged you? Or does that make you no better than them? The way her internal struggle was depicted was very believable.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, though at times I did feel that I didn’t know much about the main character, Soraya, besides her curse but that may be deliberate since being locked away as a secret meant she didn’t really have a chance to live. However, I would’ve enjoyed learning more about her as it would have added more depth to her overall character. The ending seemed a bit rushed however it was a satisfying conclusion to the book and I recommend reading it.

–

I received an eBook ARC from Netgalley of Girl, Serpent Thorn in return for an honest review, this does not affect my opinion or rating in any way.

I absolutely adored this book. Melissa Bashardoust's vivid and lush writing makes this read like an epic or fairytale. Right from the first few pages, I instantly connected with the characters, and the skillful writing made it easy to fully imagine them and understand their motives and actions. I tore through this and read it in just two days. I found the story to be mystical and compulsive and I honestly can't wait to read more from Bashardoust.

A princess locked away for safety. Not her own safety, but the safety of her people, thanks to her curse. A mysterious boy who sees her for who she is, not the title she holds. Sounds like your average fairytale right? You would be completely wrong.

What can I say about this book? I knew it was going to really enjoy it by the time I got to chapter six, and fell in love by chapter twelve. The storyline was intriguing and kept me wanting more. Soraya's character development was a breath of fresh air, not the typical 'boy saves princess and releases her from her curse so she has no personality' trope.

The book was welll paced, and I didn't feel overloaded with unnessecary informationthat you needed to hold on to for 10 chapters ahead. My only complaint is that the story had to end!

I am sad that I didn't like this book as much as I wanted to. I really loved the Persian elements, she clearly did good research. The characters were good but didn't have great depth for me. I also found the pacing to be a bit off towards the middle/end of the book. I did enjoy reading this, it is by no means a bad novel, just wasn't my cup of tea.

I’m always in for a good fantasy book, let alone DIVERSE fantasy books. Girl serpent thorn met almost all my expectations.
Beyond this gorgeous cover, we discover a story, a tale. Of a girl with a poisonous touch.
And what a story it was! Really fast paced, A page turner! I was surprised by some part of the plot and I had not seen coming some things and I enjoyed it!
The retelling of various tales made me want to read the original story!

The only thing I regret here is that it’s a bit to fast paced. I would’ve like the story to be longer even though it’s a one shot because at some point I felt like the author wrote in a hurry to finish the story and it’s too bad because the story had a lot to tell us!

I was sent a copy through netgalley in exchange of an honest review

This book surprised me in all the best ways. I fell in love with the persian-inspired world, a type of fantasy which was new to me, and with the characters wirhin it.
Soraya is such an interesting main character to follow, as she was realistically naive due to her upbringing, but also had a much darker side which was really interesting to see explored. Her arc within the book is really enjoyable, as you watch her to come into her own. I wouldn't be doing the book justice if I didn't mention the inclusion of the female x female romance, which while not heavily focused on, was brilliant to see all the same.
Overall, I found this to be an easy and enjoyable read, which I would definitely recommend others to check out.

this was such a great fantasy and something unique with our main character being poisonous with touch and really enjoyed the twist and turns this fantasy took us on, I really enjoyed the characters full of magic, royalty, political intrigue and some backstabbing all in the mix.

definitely recommend this one and can't wait to see more from this author

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a beautifully unique and whimsical fairy tale based on Persian mythology and I adored it! As soon as I heard about this novel I knew I needed a copy to read as soon as possible and I was not disappointed. This YA story is based around a princess who’s touch is deadly, cursed since birth, Soraya must forgo the touch of any other living creature or become a killer. I haven’t read anything similar to Girl, Serpent, Thorn before so reading about curses, demons and monsters from Persian mythology was absolutely fascinating.

The world building within this novel transported and immersed me within the scenes instantly, I could feel how isolated Soraya was within the walls of her rooms, I could envision the palace and structures of the world, the author has written a spectacular novel and included every small detail to create beautiful images within your imagination. I haven’t read a novel with a similar magical system to GST but it was explained so accurately that I understood every part of it perfectly, I am very impressed with how compact yet detailed this standalone novel is.

Not only does Girl, Serpent, Thorn fit the bill for fairy tales, castles, curses and monsters it also features a LGBTQ+ main character, the f/f romance within this novel is quite slow but enchanting. The scenes featuring the blossoming relationship between Parvaneh and Soraya were most definitely my favourites, although their initial kinship is built out of necessity their ensuing friendship and relationship is strengthened by their unwavering trust in each other, we love monster girls supporting each other!

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is an amazingly atmospheric fantasy world with morally grey characters and a queer romance neatly packed into about three hundred pages, I also loved the added detail within the Authors note where Melissa has included a glossary of the inspirations behind this novel. It is refreshing to read a novel based on a culture and mythology I am unaware of, everyone needs a new fairy tale to fall in love with and I would highly recommend Girl, Serpent, Thorn.

Soraya is a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. Hidden away from the rest of her family, and the wider world, she must learn to step out of the shadows of her torment in order to protect her kingdom after she makes a terrible mistake. By her side is Azad, the handsome guardian who is unafraid of Soraya’s deadly touch, and whose eyes linger on her deadly potential. On her other side is the mysterious Pavenah, a demon with moth wings who may hold the answers to lifting her curse, but will pull her into the darkness to do so.

I really enjoyed the dynamics between the three main characters. Pavenah and Soraya have a great chemistry that simmers with heated looks and sensual touches. She’s the living embodiment of how Soraya sees herself – a monster like those depicted in the myths and legends told throughout her kingdom. But Pavenah is happy as she is – she’s strong, powerful and beautiful and it’s only when Soraya starts to see this in Pavenah that she starts to understand it in herself. By comparison, Azad is the stereotypical handsome hero who wants to protect and shield Soraya. Although he sees her inner fire, he nurtures this anger into his manipulation of her character. He tries to shape her into what she always wanted to be, rather than what she should be. The two are the light and dark of Soraya’s personality, and it was interesting to watch the dynamics between them shift continuously as the story progresses and Soraya struggles internally to decide on the right path.

Soraya’s character is definitely a highlight to this novel. I found her very well developed, with a lot of internal conversations about what the right thing to do is. She has grown up her whole life isolated from everyone and everything, living her life through the people she sees from her palace rooftop, and as a result she’s a very lonely woman at the start of the story. She’s also envious, jealous of her brother’s soon to be bride who will remain in the limelight with her brother while she’ll be forced back into the shadows. She wants to prove herself, prove her worth and there’s a lot of philosophical discussions about whether the hunt for a cure for Soraya’s curse is actually turning her into more of a monster than the actual curse itself because of a few rather ‘choice’ decisions she makes. She’s an extremely interesting character.

I also loved the rich descriptions of the lush settings and the small hints we get at the wider world and its mythology were utterly captivating. It’s based on Persian mythology, and I loved the inclusion of old heroic stories told by Soraya to help shape the story and I liked the way these stories eventually intertwine with Soraya’s tale. However, I do wish that more time had been spent expanding this world. We get far too few glimpses into the various demons (known as divs) who live in the world, and we’re never really given an explanation into any sort of social constructs or hierarchy between them, except that the group Pavenah belongs too may be classed as intelligent winged spies. Some groups appear to be merely grunts, with a few well known individuals with given names and ‘specialities’ (such as a zombie type div who specialises in the dead), and I would have liked to have seen more of the history behind this.

I also found the pacing a bit off. The first 100 pages are rather slow and meandering, with very little in the way of plot development. However, after this point there’s a major plot twist and the action just keeps coming – to the point where the ending feels rushed and a little bit too neatly tied up, too quickly. Soraya seems to be able to overcome her many difficulties rather too conveniently.

That said, I found the characters and setting for this to be truly magical and unique. Soraya is a complex, well thought out protagonist and there are some interesting dynamics between her, Azad and Pavenah that I haven’t really seen before. If you enjoy YA fantasy, I would highly recommend this for an interesting new take on the genre that includes some wonderful Persian mythology.

Characters
I will be completely honest and say that the first 30% of this book didn't have me hooked. I didn't believe the interactions between Azad and Soraya, but boy was I wrong. I'm really going to try to keep this one spoiler-free, but DAMN.

Soraya, Azad and Parvaneh are all so beautifully morally grey. Soraya is our main character, but both Azad and Parvaneh are equally fleshed out and the intricacies of their personalities are just amazing.

Azad and Soraya are the same in many aspects, and THAT is what makes this book so GOOD. They're my ideal her0/villain combo and I am thriving for it. I don't have the words to describe how layered and well-written this book is.

Atmosphere
I am a big fan of worldbuilding done by the characters interacting with the world, not through info dumps or unnecessary dialogue. This book just does it so well. It's truly like reading a fairytale. It is SO atmospheric and I was eating it all up. I felt like I was in the world and part of the world.

The stories and the lore are just...I don't have the words.

Writing
I read Melissa Bashardoust's debut novel, Girls Made of Snow and Glass at the beginning of the year and it was pretty mediocre. This book was way above that. You can clearly see how much Bashardoust grew in her writing and how much it improved. It's absolutely phenomenal.

I love how to the point her writing is, and yet it's so layered and perfect. I am here for it.

Plot
The plot is where I completely lose all of my shit. IT IS DONE SO WELL. Everything that's set up at the start of the book pays off, everything that's even just mentioned in passing pays off. The story is so well set up and I'm still reeling from it.

It is so intricate and the fairytale aspect plays so well into the overall story. I already spoke about Soraya being a morally grey character and her character arc is just so amazing. She really toes the line between what is perceived as good and bad. All of her reasons are so believable and I would have rooted for her no matter the choices she made.

Intrigue
I think it's safe to say that this book is intriguing. I'm honestly a little bit sad that I haven't seen more hype for it. A story doesn't have to be part of a seven-book series or feature mediocre faerie dick to be hyped up.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn has an intriguing plot, excellent writing, great characters and believable romance. It deserves more love.

Logic
The magic system and the entire world is inspired by Persian fairytales and it is so beautiful. The magic made sense and played such an important part in this story.

Honestly, I'll probably never stop gushing about this.

Enjoyment
Obviously it's very clear that I love this book a LOT. It needs more hype and I will forever stan it.

This book was received via Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a Persian mythology based retelling of Sleeping Beauty. Soraya is the sister of the Shah and has been poisonous to the touch since she was born, cursed by a div. As a result, she lives shielded away in a palace, far away from her family, but when they return, they bring a new guard who seems to see Soraya for who she really is.

And what is this about the div in the palace dungeons?

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a brilliant retelling, entirely unique from the original fairy tale but still obviously inspired. Melissa Bashardoust crafts a interesting world, inspired by her own roots and family history. I enjoyed the details and it is clear the effort that went into its creating, from language to burial rights. All aspects work together to create a wonderfully immersive world that acts as a backdrop for this tale.

Soraya is an enjoyable character to read this story from the perspective of. She is a character kept isolated, who has feared and felt weak even in the face of her own terrible power. She is angry and jealous in a way that is completely human, even if she doesn’t want to be feeling those emotions. She takes an active role in her story, trying to fight for what she wants or needs, even if it doesn’t always work out. I also enjoyed her ending and the messaging of it - you may be thorny but you are allowed to be. I also enjoyed how her relationships developed and changed, both platonic and romantic.

(I won’t give too much away as it is connected to plot twists but I will confirm that this book has endgame girl love.)

The character of Shahmar, who acts as the main antagonist, is strangely interesting. He is complicated and twisted and yet obviously human through his demonic facade. Reading about how he became this person, how he was manipulated and had a form of destiny placed upon him, builds him as a enjoyable villain to the tale. His relationship with Soraya, wonderfully paralleling each other, also adds an extra layer to the story.

As mentioned above, I did enjoy the romance. At the beginning, there was some insta-love that I didn’t quite enjoy but, with the plot twist and Soraya’s situation at the beginning of the book, I can see how this trope has been turned into something else. The endgame romance is cute and fluffy and I did enjoy reading it.

Bashardoust’s writing style is poetic and easy. It reads a little like the fairy tale it was inspired by. I sped through the last 200 pages in a day because I was so eager to get to the end, to know what happens next, as tension built and built.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a unique twist on Sleeping Beauty, set in a world steeped in history that isn’t usually shared in YA, and has a decent message about self-acceptance - thorns and all. I look forward to seeing what Melissa Bashardoust writes next!

I enjoyed this one more than the previous book I read by this author, though it did have some of the same problems with slow pacing and lack of character development. I did appreciate that it was a different take on a fairytale retelling and I loved the Persian mythology influences in this book.