When I started this book, I didn’t exactly have high hopes. The excerpt hadn’t caught my eye, and the title seemed a bit simple, but the cover was gorgeous. In the end, I gave in to the hype and requested a copy of the novel to read, and let me just say, I was not disappointed.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a completely original fairytale inspired by Persian mythology and like nothing I’ve ever read before. The novel focuses on Soraya, a princess locked up in her family’s castle because she’s been cursed with a poisonous touch. However, Bashardoust takes the typical cursed princess trope and turns it upside down. While Soraya does spend the novel grappling with her curse, it’s not in the traditional manner. Soraya must decide whether she wants to be human, monster, or both.

There are two main groups within the book: humans, and divs. Humans live in fear of the divs, killing them when necessary, but mostly hoping to be left alone. Divs are monstrous creatures, the Persian mythological equivalent to demons. Soraya begins the book doing everything she can to break the curse that makes her div-like. She often appears weak and apprehensive, content to fall for the boy who offers her an escape from the isolation her curse creates. However, just when you think you’ve figured out what will happen and that Soraya will ride off into the sunset, the book changes direction in a way I never saw coming.

Plot twists abound in this book. Every few chapters seems to offer a new action or idea that I never saw coming. I read the book in one sitting because I just had to know what happened. The foreshadowing is subtle and caused me to gasp in realization more than once throughout the book. While it is a fast-paced, the novel never seems overly complicated. The typical fairytale plotline is subverted in ways that force the read to question everything they thought they knew.

The worldbuilding throughout the story was lush and complex. As the story is rooted in Persian mythology, many of the locations, events, and terms throughout the book are Persian. The characters are also, of course, of Persian descent. (It’s always nice to read a book where the majority of characters are people of color.) We learn more about the Bashardoust’s world as Soraya sees it, as the story is told through her point of view. Because of that, the complex world become something easy to understand. Bashardoust includes this amazing glossary at the back that defines words and includes more general background information about Persian mythology. It helped to clarify any of the more complex parts of Persian mythology/Zoroastrianism that I was unsure of.

Soraya herself is an utterly unique character, which is hard to come by in a young adult novel. She’s a giant blob of contradictions, in the very best way. Despite being incredibly powerful, Soraya is often hiding in the shadows, acquiescing to other’s wishes. She is both a soft and hard character, reckless and cautious. The story isn’t about her using her poison to gain power or her finally becoming free from the curse. Instead, the story focuses on accepting what makes you unique and appreciating it, no matter what that may be. While Soraya desperately wants to be rid of her curse, her love interests constantly question how she doesn’t view the curse as a beautiful part of herself. I loved that Soraya didn’t necessarily have to become something entirely different to find love. Instead, as she learns more about who she really wants to be, Soraya realizes that she can make her own choices and that she deserves the same love she watched everyone else receive.

The love interests were also a high point for me. Soraya is a bisexual woman of color. She admits to having a crush on a female friend when she was younger and has a romance with a young male guard. However, the main romance of the book is F/F and I WAS HERE FOR IT (and that’s pretty much all I can say about that without spoiling anything). Neither of her love interests are what we would consider morally good, but then neither is Soraya. As a reader I desperately wanted Soraya to find happiness with someone who wouldn’t lock her away. The complex nature of the relationships makes it difficult to decide who to vote for at times. My only complaint with the love interests is that Soraya seems to be a much more complex character than either love interest is. I would have loved it the characters were expanded upon.

This book isn’t about falling in love. It’s about figuring out who you are and who you want to be. It’s about making mistakes and redeeming yourself and what freedom truly means. And that’s what makes it magical.

{I received this book as an ARC on Netgalley in exchange of an honest review}

I am giving this book a 1/5. When I first saw this book on Netgalley I was extremely excited. It sounded like the perfect morally grey/ medusa styled book. That being said, I went into the book with really high expectations. My expectations were not met.

I hated Soraya and found her extremely whiny. I know that in a book the world revolves around the main character, but Soraya was a bit pathetic. The descriptions were a little bit weird, especially when it came to the div.

Maybe it was just me, but I really didn't like this book. It did have a lot of potential though and Mellisa Bashardoust does seem like she'll release some really good books.

This book was exactly what I needed. Quick read full adventure. Soraya is a princess cursed at birth with poisonous skin. She spends her life isolated and afraid. She sees herself as weak. Her only desire is to rid herself of the monster within. This story is about coming to terms with all parts of oneself and choosing acceptance...something most people can relate to.

**Review to be posted on my blog on 5/4/2020, closer to publication date**
***3.5 Stars***

Thank you to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this eARC.

This story is fascinating with it having Persian mythology elements. It reads like a fairy tale and has a queer love story.

Soraya is cursed, she kills with a touch. All she wants is to get rid of the curse and live a normal life. She gets a chance to make that dream come true but there are major consequences. This story is filled with hard choices, action and love as well.

What I Liked:

*I am not familiar with many Persian mythologies so this caught my attention right away. Soraya is cursed and she wants to be free from this curse but it isn’t so easy to lift the curse. She has to make some hard decisions and at some point you wonder if she has become a villain too.

*The world building is wonderful. We are introduced to this world of divs – who are creatures with powers. A div was who cursed Soraya in the first place.

*There are some surprises in the story and mostly because I was thinking of a fairy tale when a girl meets a boy (which she does)…but it doesn’t turn out the way you expect. I like that it took different turns and dark ones at that. This is a dark fairy tale, like I said Soraya makes some hard choices when it comes to her curse or her family.
I love the cover of this book – it’s gorgeous.

Things That Made Me Go Hmm:

*One of the surprises came with the romance part of the story and I liked that it didn’t turn out as I expected but I also felt like Soraya’s romantic interest in Parvaneh was quick. Soraya is attracted to Azad as first but that got nixed when he reveals himself!

*As far as connecting with the characters, I didn’t feel a strong one to anyone in the story. I sympathized with Soraya and at times wanted to shake her – she is a complicated character and I liked that she owned up to her anger and jealousy.

Final Thoughts:
Soraya walks a fine line between good vs evil and which way is right for her. She has been someone cursed, shunned for life to live alone, knowing she can kill with a touch and wondering why…why her? Why was she cursed? There are secrets to be revealed and the lives of her family are at stake. Soraya’s journey is filled with mistakes, and consequences but she learns to gain her power back too and right her wrongs. If you like your fairy tales a little dark with some twists and turns, you will love this story.

fantasy usually isn't my thing anymore but some titles just make me want to give it another try and unfortunately, this one wasn't for me

I loved Bashardoust’s first novel Girls Made of Snow and Glass so I was very excited when I heard about her new book. It was inspired by the poisonous girl in a garden from Rappaccini’s Daughter and the Persian epic Shahnameh (or the Book of Kings.) Reading this solidified how I want to start reading more non-Western fairy tales and myths in the coming year.

Soraya was cursed to be poisonous to the touch and consequently hasn’t touched anyone in 18 years. She wears gloves at all times and remains in Golvahar, the oldest of the palaces. Her twin brother Sorush is the shah and about to be married to her former friend Laleh, bringing her family back to Golvahar. My heart really went out to Soraya. Can you imagine never touching anyone or being touched in return? She experienced so much loneliness and isolation with no hope of reprieve unless her curse can be broken. Because of this isolation, she knows very few people but we get to know those people fairly well as things unfold and they brought so much to story.

I don’t want to say much more than that because I loved experiencing all the twists and turns of this plot. Not everyone is who they seem and many of the characters have secrets. Add in Soraya’s determination to break the curse at almost any cost and you have a high stakes plot that doesn’t quit.

One of the most interesting parts to me was how much longing and yearning Soraya experienced and how she kept having to tamp down her hopes of ever having more. Then to not have that barrier in place anymore…whew. The story does a great job examining the line between hero and monster and what it means to belong. Soraya has to really grapple with who she is and what her power means. She can be dangerous if she wants but is that what she wants and what will it mean for her family if she acts on that?

She really comes into her own as the story progresses and it was such a great evolution of her character. She’s strong but imperfect and that’s all I ever want in my heroines. The odds were really against her as the Shahmar takes control. I loved watching her navigate all the political intrigue and betrayal, especially as she had to reconcile with her own actions. The Shahmar is a layered character in his own right but I’ll let you figure out why for yourself.

Soraya is bisexual and while there are a couple of possible love interests, the moment we met Parvaneh, I knew something more was there. Parvaneh is a pairk, the most human-looking of the divs, and a prisoner when we first encounter her. I loved how Soraya and Parvaneh danced around one another at first. I do wish we’d gotten to see more of them together at the end, once the dust had settled, but that’s a minor wish compared to how thoroughly I enjoyed this story. I can’t wait to see what Bashardoust does next.

CW: isolation, kidnapping, threat of murder/execution, murder, villain executed his own family in the past, religious shaming

The most compelling part of this story was Soraya's journey but it was weakened by the fact that a lot of the surrounding stuff just wasn't as compelling, specifically her romantic relationships.

There is some excellent, unique worldbuilding; it feels very vivid. The opening chapter is just...wow. What a great way to twist your expectations. And Soraya's journey to figure out who she is and who she is meant to be is filled with a lot of neat twists; some of them are predictable and some of them less so. The first big twist is too predictable, though, and the relationship between Soraya and Azad was weak to begin with. Honestly found myself cringing at times with how obvious he was full of it. Their relationship eventually develops into something a bit more interesting but because of the weak beginning it doesn't feel quite earned. The same with her other relationship. I wish the author had spent more time building up the two at the beginning of the novel, so there would have been a bigger emotional payoff later, on both ends. Would have also liked to see a tiny bit more development between Soraya and her family, because I thought that dynamic was also really interesting.

Basically, this story won't be what most people expect and that is a good thing I just wish it had been a bit more developed but it is still a compelling, unique tale!

Discussed in bimonthly Whatcha Reading post: https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2020/02/whatcha-reading-february-2020-edition-part-two/

I just finished an arc of Melissa Bashardoust’s Girl, Serpent, Thorn. It’s a gorgeous YA fantasy based on Persian mythology (out May 12). It features a lonely bisexual princess whose touch poisons and murders anyone unfortunate enough to make skin contact.
I would recommend it with one caveat: the romantic endgame doesn’t work as well as I wanted it to because 1) the heroine spends WAY more time with the villain (terrific, nuanced, monstrous, and semi-sympathetic villain) than with the love interest and 2) the romantic development needed to simmer more due to the comparatively smaller on-page interaction. I adored what existed of the romance; I just needed more of it so I could buy the HEA. I would’ve loved the book more with the mindset of “read for the fantasy, not the romantic endgame.”

Caveats aside, I enjoyed the book immensely and would rate it as a B+. I’m still thinking about it days after reading and I want to reread it. That it’s stuck in my brain for so long tells you something!

This book WRECKED me! In the best way possible.

I'm still reeling and preparing to organize my thoughts for a longer review closer to pub date, but I had to put a few of my partially formed reactions down now.

I was immediately engrossed in the writing style and world building. From page one I felt I was there, caught up in the fairy tale, and completely committed to the story. I loved all the characters and felt their dynamics were fully formed and believable. Normally, insta-love is a complete turn off for me in a book, but since the main character was locked away her whole life and really only ever had a close-ish relationship to a handful of people it made sense and worked for me. It also helped that the Soraya actually questions these feelings and doesn't fall into the helpless heroine trap.

Main takeaway is this: I HIGHLY recommend this book and I'm sure I will be trying to force it on all my friends for the foreseeable future.

Persian mythology-inspired fantasy with a bisexual heroine, what's not to love? I adore that this brings pre-Islamic Iranian culture to a new audience. Interesting characters, difficult choices, and writing that immerses you in the world.

After reading Girls Made of Snow and Glass I was so excited to discover Melissa Bashardoust's new book and I was not disappointed.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a beautiful Persian-inspired fantasy book about a strong and unapologetic woman who isn't afraid of her power, and of being who she is.

Soraya is a poisonous princess who can kill people with just a touch, she's lived hidden for all her life, until she meets a new soldier who makes her feel seen for the first time. Between family secrets, monsters, love and betrayals, this book will take you along Soraya's path to discovering herself and to accepting who she really is.

This books feels like a mix of a Frozen and Beauty and the Beast retelling. The writing and the myths inside the story really make it feel like a proper fairytale. The worldbuilding was beautiful, it feels so great for once to have a fantasy world not based on a Western world. The characters were amazing, I adored Soraya from the start, I wanted to give her everything because she deserves the world. I loved all her relationships, the bad ones as much as the good ones. The relationships with her family, with Azad, with Parvaneh. All the characters were wonderful to love and hate. The twists and turns of the story kept me wanting for more, I couldn't put the book down.

If you like non-western sapphic fantasy about amazing women and monsters I highly recommend this book.

A nice break from my regular scheduled thrillers, in which the author created an amazing new tale on the original King Midas story. Found it to be very captivating, beautifully written, and the characters developed magnificently. Loved the use of fairy tale type story setting and highly recommend to those who love original and unique, but absolutely beautiful fairy tales. Look forward to more by this author!
Will make sure I buzz it up on the different platforms!

I really wanted to love this book, but found myself incredibly bored when reading it. I really love that the author is pulling on different myths and stories to create the world in this novel, but the way that it was done was clunky. There were large info-dumpy passages and very little natural world building. I also was getting really weird vibes from the male protagonist, whose whole thing was "my uncle told me a story about the princess that was locked away and I just assumed she was beautiful and is my favorite story and I want to rescue her". It just felt really uncomfortable and cringey. This book has promise, and if you aren't as invested in world building and magic systems, you might really enjoy this.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a unique fairy tale that should have been my number one read of January. However, there was something about the cast of characters that didn't grip me. I didn't feel compelled by their journey nor did I find their experiences something that I could relate too. This book wasn't for me and with that being said, I'm more than willing to retry in a few months (not relating to the characters may just be because of my state of mind).

An excellent read! A beautiful and lovely book about a curse that changes a young woman's life with devastating results, yet through these results she becomes so much more.
A must read!
#GirlSerpentThorn
#Edelweiss
#NetGalley

I really enjoyed this title! The play on fairy tales was clever and kept me reading. The protagonists' growth through the story was inspiring and i was very happy with where she ends up as a person.
A great story of forgiveness, empowerment, and love.

I had heard amazing things about this book before I picked it up, so I was very excited to read it. However, the first half of the book dragged on a little for me. I found it difficult to get into the characters, and the main character was not my favorite. But then action picked up and I found myself devouring the second half!

Princess Soraya has been cursed since she was a baby- her touch is poisonous to any living thing (except plants. This plays a role much later in the story). Two important characters in her journey are a handsome soldier and an awesome demon.

The first half of the book Soraya fights against herself, and I spent most of this time frustrated with her, if I'm being honest. However, once she starts coming into her own, accepting her power, recognizing her potential, and seeing those around her for who they truly are, I became more of a fan of hers. The way she claims her power later on, and how she interacts with the divs, was very very interesting to me and very unique.

Who really stole the show for me, though, was the female love interest. I can't get too much into it because of spoilers, but I absolutely loved seeing this part of the story develop, and I loved learning about her history. I'm hoping we get to see more of this character in future books!

I love a middle eastern fantasy, it started with authors like Renee Ahdieh, Sabaa Tahir, and Roshani Chokshi. I didn't know it was my thing, now I'm addicted. So, of course, I requested this book, and apart from a few minor things, I'm happy I did.
I appreciate when an author makes their characters complex and Soraya is definitely that. Cursed to be alone your whole life will do that to you. This fantasy was fresh and interesting, the romance light and I enjoyed that as well. Kudos to the cover artist because, wow.

Fascinating. Well written. Lush story telling. Everything you want in a fantasy novel that boasts a fairytale retelling.

Also, this book is a prime example of why you should always read the Acknowledgements. In fact you may want to read them first and really appreciate the mythology element of this book as you read. The author did an amazing job.

For complex, layered books, I love picking an element that could be debated. The idea of humanity -- or what it means to lose it-- resonates throughout these pages. At times I often thought of Victor Frankenstein's monster, although it's probably not an intended connection given the setting. Is evil made or are we born that way? Soraya and Azad dance around these ideas as their individual and connected stories unravel for the reader.

The subtle themes (and not so subtle themes) still fit well within the story, even if I am not personally a fan of the romance aspect the book took. But to be fair, I get a bit annoyed that every book seems to have a romance element. Given that this is a fairytale retelling, I can't be too disgruntled about the whole thing. Romance and fairytales do tend to go together like PB and J.

While I cannot give too much away, I can say that the setting is so richly developed that it is captivating from page one. I enjoyed Soraya and her journey to self-discovery. There are so many layers to her story and how they intertwine with everyone around her, that you cannot help but love her.

I fully expect to see this one pop up on the Teen Reads list for 2020.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinion was not affected by the free copy.

I've made it clear by now that I love fairy tales, and any time I see someone doing something new or different with them is exciting. So I was really excited to get into this one where the story is around a girl who poisons by touch. It started off about as I expected but went off in some strange directions. The conclusion felt right for the journey the girl went on, and reading that parts of this are based on Persian stories is really cool.

I usually get my critiques out of the way first. I think the one that really stood out for me was how repetitive it felt at times. I guess you could see that the main character just wasn't learning her lesson when she constantly got in the same messes over and over, but it did make me wish she went about situations a bit smarter or tried planning differently. I understand she was desperate for any kind of companionship and acknowledgment, but when she's thinking for the third time "how could I have gotten into this again", that's when you wish she would actually learn from her mistakes.

There's a lot of talk about choice and trust in this book. Again, I feel like the main character justified her actions with "I don't have a choice" a little too often, even after characters point out that she did have a choice, or she realizes that she had chosen a certain path because of certain reasons-- not because there were no other options. I feel like sometimes she just got lucky that someone else stepped in before she could follow through on her choices. You could say that part of the fairy tale/folk tale aspect is how characters make dumb choices or trust too easily or don't seem to learn, but I guess because this is a longer story she had more time to develop, grow and learn, and to me that means less of an excuse for acting this way.

With all that said, I did like how there were so many morally gray/questionable things that the main character did throughout the book. I like how she wasn't perfect or always nice, that she did have a violent and mean streak to her and she did lash out at people. There was one part of the story that for a long time didn't seem to have a reason and didn't really add up with the poison part, but in the end that made sense. There's a lot about two different viewpoints concerning a story or events, and I think that's pretty cool. There wasn't a lot that was definitively "right" or "wrong". Even things that do have clear morals to us feel like there's some wiggle room based on how this girl was raised and how she sees the world. It's pretty cool.

I also liked how the main villain did not leave the hero alone. A few times during the story she tried to trick him by saying things or acting a certain way, and the villain never hesitated in making her follow through on whatever she's saying. I feel like that's not done a lot in stories. Granted, the villain was a little eyeroll-worthy at times, and his identity was glaringly obvious to me, but he and the main character had a good connection and it was clear they understood each other and could relate with each other, which is cool and makes the struggle between them a lot more interesting.

This is different from most fairy tales and folk tales, and I really enjoyed it. There were things about it that remind me of something else that I can't say for spoiler reasons, but it's still unique enough that it's worth a read. Especially if you want the perspective of someone who isn't the typical hero.