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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
I don't usually give a book a five, but this one deserves it. Beautiful story. Can't wait to read more by this author!
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
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
Loved it!!
Ik heb echt genoten van dit boek, van begin tot eind fantastisch!
I enjoyed this a lot, though perhaps not as much as I expected to. The characters were fleshed out and real, the world building was distinct and vast, the story was magical and paced well, but I still feel like it was missing something, despite it's length. Perhaps the ending felt rushed, perhaps the romance didn't pay off enough for me, whatever the case, a very solid retelling.
This was good. It was a goose girl story, with only enough Middle Eastern influences to be barely noticeable.
Alyrra herself was the most interesting part: her past trauma, her timidity and kindness, and eventually her courage in speaking out. I liked her, and I felt for her. The relationship between her and the prince had a spark of something good too, and I think this could have been a very, very good story if it had been a little more well-drawn.
Instead, there were too many moving parts despite the story's slow pace. So many pieces that almost but not quite fit together. I want to say that these things will be explained in a further installment of the series, but the author seems to say that this is a standalone with only companion books coming in the future. If so, I really wish it had been built better.
Some questions:
This book has a good heart and good bones. I enjoyed it, but it could have been so much more.
Alyrra herself was the most interesting part: her past trauma, her timidity and kindness, and eventually her courage in speaking out. I liked her, and I felt for her. The relationship between her and the prince had a spark of something good too, and I think this could have been a very, very good story if it had been a little more well-drawn.
Instead, there were too many moving parts despite the story's slow pace. So many pieces that almost but not quite fit together. I want to say that these things will be explained in a further installment of the series, but the author seems to say that this is a standalone with only companion books coming in the future. If so, I really wish it had been built better.
Some questions:
• The prince knew what had happened to Alyrra from the beginning, which took the wind out of the entire deception. If he knew, why the dance? Why interview Alyrra over and over and over and yet let the impostor run free? I understand Alyrra's silence and inaction -- I don't understand the prince's. He knew magic was involved. He knew who was behind it. Why allow the plot to proceed, unimpeded? They could have solved the entire bodyswap problem just as easily 25% of the way through the book as they did at the end, and it's not at all clear why they didn't. The tension of mistaken identity could have been wrenching, but it wasn't because we all knew the truth the whole time. In that light, all the misdirection just seems fruitless and frustrating.
• The Lady. What happened to her? Alyrra saved the prince through the power of trust and idealism, which already seems like almost too much of a stretch, but the Lady explicitly refrained from renouncing her vendetta against all the rest of his family. What about his dad, the king? Is she still targeting him? What about Alyrra and the prince's eventual children? Are they marked for death? I don't understand if this actually solved anything or not.
• Falada seemed... weirdly shoehorned in. I know that's a strange thing to say given that he's a fundamental part of the goose girl story, but. He's part of a race of primordial sentient horses that no one has ever heard of, and he stays in the city seemingly for no reason but to go on walks and have philosophical discussions with Alyrra. He pretty much does nothing, at all, in the whole story except have these discussions and then die halfway through the book. He surrenders himself willingly to death, which accomplishes nothing. His presence in the story had zero practical impact. And can he speak from beyond the grave? Or not? It was never really explained.
• The Wind comes up like... twice. Once to be briefly introduced, and once to be finally revealed. That's it. The twist is nice, but this has got to be executed better, and it wouldn't have been hard to do at all. We all know this, because we've all read Goose Girl by Shannon Hale.
• All the relationships in this book were weak. It's important that we really invest in Alyrra's relationships with her fellow servants and townspeople, that we know who they are and feel how she feels at home with them. We learned some names and a few glancing details, but most of the time that could have been spent building some investment in Alyrra's life and choices was spent watching her have pointless, inexplicable conversations with the suspicious prince and philosophical conversations about morality with Falada. Those two were the only presences aside from Alyrra's that felt real in the book (besides the counterweight of her brother) and even they didn't justify all the time spent.
This book has a good heart and good bones. I enjoyed it, but it could have been so much more.
This is a hidden gem of a fairytale retelling.
Thorn is a retelling of the Goose Girl, a Grimm fairytale I was not familiar with. (I looked it up before reading this) For about half of the book, it remains a faithful, if unremarkable rendition. And then, the story hits its stride, and you have well rounded characters, an interesting relationship dynamic between the prince and princess, consequences of actions taken for everyone, not just the villains, and a realistic but satisfying ending. All in all, a 4.5 to 5 star story, no question.
*Here there be spoilers*
I was surprised and so, so pleased that Alyrra and Kestrin do not just declare their love for each other at the end, but recognize that there are fundamental problems with the way they got to know each other, that while saving each other earns respect, it might not necessarily mean love. I am a sucker for sap generally, but realistic depictions of relationships are so satisfying.
Thorn is a retelling of the Goose Girl, a Grimm fairytale I was not familiar with. (I looked it up before reading this) For about half of the book, it remains a faithful, if unremarkable rendition. And then, the story hits its stride, and you have well rounded characters, an interesting relationship dynamic between the prince and princess, consequences of actions taken for everyone, not just the villains, and a realistic but satisfying ending. All in all, a 4.5 to 5 star story, no question.
*Here there be spoilers*
I was surprised and so, so pleased that Alyrra and Kestrin do not just declare their love for each other at the end, but recognize that there are fundamental problems with the way they got to know each other, that while saving each other earns respect, it might not necessarily mean love. I am a sucker for sap generally, but realistic depictions of relationships are so satisfying.
https://librarianonthelake.wordpress.com/2015/06/17/thorn-by-intisar-khanani/
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Princess Alyrra does not have a charmed life. Abused by her family and ignored by the court, her only solace is in her friendships with the servants, and the mysterious Wind that talks to her. When her mother announces she’s to be married off to a neighboring prince, she’s filled with dread. Everything familiar will be gone, she doesn’t know the language of her new country and for all she knows the prince will be just as cruel as her family. When a spell is cast on her during the journey that steals her identity, she is thrilled to be able to start a new life of her own choosing, away from royal politics. She happily accepts a job as a lowly goose girl, and tries to forget her former life. But of course it’s not that simple. The prince is not what she expected, the woman who has assumed her identity is a monster, and building a life in her new country means she comes to care about what happens to it. She has to choose between living in peaceful anonymity or fighting for her rightful place where she can do some good.
This was a pleasant surprise. It’s a fairy tale retelling, but the tale it is based off of (The Goose Girl) was not one I was familiar with beforehand, so it read as something completely new for me. And I liked it! I definitely still got the flavor of a fairy tale, but didn’t have any expectations of how the story should go, and could just enjoy it. It’s got familiar fairy tale tropes, but also an edge of realism in the daily details and interactions. I was not surprised by the ending, but that didn’t detract from enjoying the story to get to it. It’s got some funny moments, and a heartbreaking one. The romance, while present, does not take center stage, which is refreshing in a YA-level read. Alyrra is relatable and likeable, and really draws one into the story. The part near the end with the source of the magic revealed and explored was not as compelling or convincing for me. But overall, I still really liked it.
If you are also a fan of fresh fairy tale retellings, give this a try.
Princess Alyrra does not have a charmed life. Abused by her family and ignored by the court, her only solace is in her friendships with the servants, and the mysterious Wind that talks to her. When her mother announces she’s to be married off to a neighboring prince, she’s filled with dread. Everything familiar will be gone, she doesn’t know the language of her new country and for all she knows the prince will be just as cruel as her family. When a spell is cast on her during the journey that steals her identity, she is thrilled to be able to start a new life of her own choosing, away from royal politics. She happily accepts a job as a lowly goose girl, and tries to forget her former life. But of course it’s not that simple. The prince is not what she expected, the woman who has assumed her identity is a monster, and building a life in her new country means she comes to care about what happens to it. She has to choose between living in peaceful anonymity or fighting for her rightful place where she can do some good.
This was a pleasant surprise. It’s a fairy tale retelling, but the tale it is based off of (The Goose Girl) was not one I was familiar with beforehand, so it read as something completely new for me. And I liked it! I definitely still got the flavor of a fairy tale, but didn’t have any expectations of how the story should go, and could just enjoy it. It’s got familiar fairy tale tropes, but also an edge of realism in the daily details and interactions. I was not surprised by the ending, but that didn’t detract from enjoying the story to get to it. It’s got some funny moments, and a heartbreaking one. The romance, while present, does not take center stage, which is refreshing in a YA-level read. Alyrra is relatable and likeable, and really draws one into the story. The part near the end with the source of the magic revealed and explored was not as compelling or convincing for me. But overall, I still really liked it.
If you are also a fan of fresh fairy tale retellings, give this a try.
This book was a very sweet retelling of the Goose Girl. I love the angle of healing from abuse/trauma and learning to trust and accept love from others. There were many characters that didn't receive adequate attention, though (as well as a few storylines!), so I'm pleased to see that there will be a companion novel released next year.