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amandaquotidianbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I enjoyed the world building. It was thorough enough to feel real without being bogged down. I enjoyed the Persian rather than European foundation. I think we weren’t given enough time with Soraya before the action to understand what her life was really like and to be able to notice how much she changes. I wish the context of Soraya’s bisexuality had been better placed in her world (is it acceptable or subversive?). I also think the two relationships Soraya had were unevenly developed and explored, which was a shame. Overall though, I enjoyed this fresh, dark take on fantasy.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Torture, Violence, and Murder
achingallover's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder
memorable's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
At first, it took me some time to get into it and I didn’t feel the urge to keep reading, yet it was totally worth it! I love the mystery and not knowing what character had what motives! The author’s note helped understand this masterpiece even more!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Murder
papercraftalex's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Girl, Serpent, Thorn is like a YA, Persian Frozen, but gay. Once this book got rolling, I could not put it down. I was so intrigued to find out what would happen next. Some parts are predictable, but others truly surprised me. I love how the readers really got to feel how conflicted the main character felt about her decisions and the side characters really added to the story. Bashardoust has a romantic style of writing that fits well with the story and definitely gave it fairy tell vibes. If you like morally gray sapphic main characters and stories rich with mythology, then you'll love this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Blood
books_and_mags's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is one of the best books I’ve read in a while. The writing is lyrical and gorgeous. It pulled me in and stayed with me all day, even at work when I couldn’t keep reading. I loved how the author portrayed Soraya’s internal struggle with good and evil and everything in between. I loved how the author writer her attraction to men and women as a bisexual character. I was happy to see that the book included a guide in the back explaining all the Persian influences in the book. Perfect book!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
morebedsidebooks's review against another edition
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence
booksthatburn's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
GIRL, SERPENT, THORN is a queer story about monstrosity and beauty, full of secrets and longing for what's just out of reach.
This book was absorbing, totally compelling. The style is simple and clear like a great fairy tale, but the characters have depth and feel so vibrant within the easy prose. I like the premise (girl has a curse where she can't touch anyone or they'll die), and the way the nuances of that premise are explored throughout the book was great. It could easily have been a series of people and things she can't touch, but it goes somewhere much more interesting and I like it a lot. One of its strengths is the way the antagonists show a lot of nuance and depth while also being believable as friends or potential romantic interests. How the narrative shifts to change who is thought of as a hero and a villain throughout the story was really good.
This first part of the book was a bit frustrating for me because I spent the first half wishing that the characters could just talk to each other instead of not saying things and then having everything go badly because of a lack of communication. The justifications for why certain things were kept secret felt like it boiled down to "if they talk to each other the plot won't happen, shhhhhhhh stop asking". I liked the second half a lot better, partly because the secrets starting coming out and communication got a lot freer. I love the ending, it lands in a place that feels like real growth for the MC and secondary characters. It fits the story without undercutting the earlier struggles. Overall the story arc makes sense and it needed to establish the frustration of living with all these secrets in order for there to be any tension when they slowly get revealed and resolved, but it did make this a book where I wanted to just stick the characters in a room and make them have a conversation, or several. Eventually those conversations do happen, to be clear. I just get stressed out by this kind of tension in general.
This book was absorbing, totally compelling. The style is simple and clear like a great fairy tale, but the characters have depth and feel so vibrant within the easy prose. I like the premise (girl has a curse where she can't touch anyone or they'll die), and the way the nuances of that premise are explored throughout the book was great. It could easily have been a series of people and things she can't touch, but it goes somewhere much more interesting and I like it a lot. One of its strengths is the way the antagonists show a lot of nuance and depth while also being believable as friends or potential romantic interests. How the narrative shifts to change who is thought of as a hero and a villain throughout the story was really good.
This first part of the book was a bit frustrating for me because I spent the first half wishing that the characters could just talk to each other instead of not saying things and then having everything go badly because of a lack of communication. The justifications for why certain things were kept secret felt like it boiled down to "if they talk to each other the plot won't happen, shhhhhhhh stop asking". I liked the second half a lot better, partly because the secrets starting coming out and communication got a lot freer. I love the ending, it lands in a place that feels like real growth for the MC and secondary characters. It fits the story without undercutting the earlier struggles. Overall the story arc makes sense and it needed to establish the frustration of living with all these secrets in order for there to be any tension when they slowly get revealed and resolved, but it did make this a book where I wanted to just stick the characters in a room and make them have a conversation, or several. Eventually those conversations do happen, to be clear. I just get stressed out by this kind of tension in general.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Bullying and Blood
Minor: Homophobia and Torture
CW for homophobia, confinement, bullying, violence, blood, torture (not depicted), parental death, major character death, death.chloeschapters's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, and Kidnapping
herk's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Blood
Minor: Animal death and Torture
reading_between_the_trees's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Soraya is born with a curse. Poison flows in her veins so that anything she touches dies. Her poison could be her greatest strength or her greatest weakness. It could make her fold inward or stand tall in power. I mean, what a premise. I was drawn into this story immediately, and every bit of wonderful literary potential was pulled out of this incredible set-up.
In a sea of patriarchal fantasy and heteronormative romance, this book was a breath of fresh air. Everything about it was feminist in the best way. The female bi protagonist drove the story with her flaws center stage right next to her self-reckoning and strength. But her moments of weakness were just as exquisitely written. It is just so hard to put the perfection of this book into words. Where is the sequel? I need more of Bashardoust's writing.
In a sea of patriarchal fantasy and heteronormative romance, this book was a breath of fresh air. Everything about it was feminist in the best way. The female bi protagonist drove the story with her flaws center stage right next to her self-reckoning and strength. But her moments of weakness were just as exquisitely written. It is just so hard to put the perfection of this book into words. Where is the sequel? I need more of Bashardoust's writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Child abuse, Mental illness, and Torture