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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Absolutely beautiful retelling! I had never read the original "Goose Girl" fairy tale, so after starting, Thorn I paused to read the story. I love seeing all the connections between the original and the retelling.
Khanani did a great job including the central elements of the tale (Freaky Friday switch, talking horse, magical wind) while creating a story magical and uniquely its own. This is definitely a book I would recommend to others!
Khanani did a great job including the central elements of the tale (Freaky Friday switch, talking horse, magical wind) while creating a story magical and uniquely its own. This is definitely a book I would recommend to others!
This was a slow start for me and I didn't like it at first. But I'm glad I stuck with it and I'll probably finish the series.
I liked the under arching theme of victims of abuse finding their voice to enact justice and make positive change.
I liked the under arching theme of victims of abuse finding their voice to enact justice and make positive change.
3.5 Stars
So this was pretty good for early 2010s YA! Thorn was definitely ahead of its time, with an interesting female main character who doesn't fall into any of the 2010s stereotypes (she's sweet and hard-working and just generally a good bean, though not without her moral dilemmas), and a strong theme in its exploration of justice and revenge. There was a cool twist that I didn't see coming
Spoiler
Kestrin being the wind!On the other hand, the world-building was lacklustre, and the secondary characters a bit interchangeable. The middle of the story lagged for me, and involved some plot threads which diverged from the main plot too much; the snatchers subplot, for example, didn't really come to much in this instalment, and I think the time spent on that would have been better utilised developing the other aspects of the story.
This reminded me a lot of The Bone Houses, which I read last year. Like Thorn is has fairytale vibe, and I gave it 3.5*s too, for not being at all a bad book, but also needing something more to truly compel me. Perhaps if this book had focused more on the Lady and the magic than the more generic townsfolk storyline, it might have won me over. As it is, this book was just OK with me, albeit with some nice touches I wouldn't have expected from a 2012 YA book!
4.5
Oh. my. god.
This was so much better that I anticipated. Khanani weaves a magical fairy-tale full of curses, stolen identities, and cruel nobility. I was blown away by the intricate plot and the beautiful story.
Alyrra is a princess who finally gets a chance to escape her abusive family. But on her way to salvation, she is betrayed by her lady companion, and switches bodies with her. For awhile Alyrra is happy to be able to escape her fate, but she cannot outrun her destiny. It takes great loss and tragedy to finally let go of her fear and stand up for what she really believes in. I really, really, liked Alyrra. Though I did begin to get annoyed with her self-pity after awhile. I just wanted her to seize the day, instead of being so passive and happy cleaning horse and goose shit all day. But she's so kind, so smart, so likable that I couldn't help but see that this was just balm on her soul after years of abuse.
Our noble prince is certainly a flawed, but a lovable character. I really enjoyed the fact that their relationship was build slowly, on tentative trust, and loyalty. Both wanted to save the other because they saw the potential in them. I really liked the Kestrin kept reaching out to her, but at the same time gave her space to decide for herself and allowed her to make her own choices. The romance though was very underplayed and not the focus of the story, which I was extremely happy with.
I really liked all the supporting characters as well. Violet and Laurel, and the boys. Of course I cannot forget Falada. I loved all of them without question.
One thing I wished was better was the explanation and backstory for some things. At times it came too late and for awhile I'd be confused about things. Something were not explained at all. I would have liked to know more about the magic in this world and how some people get to know it. How does their city survive without justice when murders can basically get away with shit and guards only work for bribes?
Either way, I think this is fantastic story and I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy.
Oh. my. god.
This was so much better that I anticipated. Khanani weaves a magical fairy-tale full of curses, stolen identities, and cruel nobility. I was blown away by the intricate plot and the beautiful story.
Alyrra is a princess who finally gets a chance to escape her abusive family. But on her way to salvation, she is betrayed by her lady companion, and switches bodies with her. For awhile Alyrra is happy to be able to escape her fate, but she cannot outrun her destiny. It takes great loss and tragedy to finally let go of her fear and stand up for what she really believes in. I really, really, liked Alyrra. Though I did begin to get annoyed with her self-pity after awhile. I just wanted her to seize the day, instead of being so passive and happy cleaning horse and goose shit all day. But she's so kind, so smart, so likable that I couldn't help but see that this was just balm on her soul after years of abuse.
Our noble prince is certainly a flawed, but a lovable character. I really enjoyed the fact that their relationship was build slowly, on tentative trust, and loyalty. Both wanted to save the other because they saw the potential in them. I really liked the Kestrin kept reaching out to her, but at the same time gave her space to decide for herself and allowed her to make her own choices. The romance though was very underplayed and not the focus of the story, which I was extremely happy with.
I really liked all the supporting characters as well. Violet and Laurel, and the boys. Of course I cannot forget Falada. I loved all of them without question.
One thing I wished was better was the explanation and backstory for some things. At times it came too late and for awhile I'd be confused about things. Something were not explained at all. I would have liked to know more about the magic in this world and how some people get to know it. How does their city survive without justice when murders can basically get away with shit and guards only work for bribes?
Either way, I think this is fantastic story and I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Great fairytale retelling. Read for BBB Book Club. The author is cool; she attended our book club meeting about the book!!
Very solid 3 stars. Enjoyed it and characters were interesting. I like that it ends in a way that means it’s a stand alone (which I always thought it was) if you don’t wanna continue on with the series.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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