Author: Melissa Bashardoust
Publication Date: 7 July 2020
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Page Count: 336
Reading Method: Digital ARC
Synopsis:
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.
Review:
Soraya has been locked away for years, unable to touch anyone because of the poison in her veins. We are along for the ride as she attempts to break the curse, battle a dark force, and restore order to the kingdom. This tale is heavily influenced by Persian lore. I highly recommend reading the Author’s Note at the end because it was so interesting to see the original material that inspired the story.
I’ve been in a pretty major reading slump lately, especially when it comes to complex fantasy worlds, but this book pulled me right in. Bashardoust grabs the reader’s interest with the prologue, and from there the story develops beautifully and I didn’t want to put it down. The imagery, the settings, and the culture were vividly described, making it easy for the reader to envision our heroine on her journey.
There are several twists and turns throughout this book, some of which are easier to predict than others. The thing I really loved about this book is how organically it all seemed to flow together. There weren’t any instances that came across completely outlandish, or where I thought “meh, that wouldn’t have happened like that.” While Soraya certainly makes mistakes along the way, it all seemed so very human.
Soraya, our main character, has a tendency for self-doubt. There is a darkness inside her that I would have liked to see explored more. I think the connection she shares with the Shahmar is fascinating. There is enough material here, in my opinion, to have been a duology, at the very least. If we had been offered a bit more of what is lying under the surface of all of the characters and the events leading up to this point, I would have felt more fulfilled. That’s not to say that anything felt incomplete, I just wanted a little bit more.
This is very much a female power, kick ass story filled with beautiful magic, complex relationships, twists and turns, betrayal, familial love, and redemption.
You can purchase a copy of Girl, Serpent, Thorn here
