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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
I LOVED this book. Intisar Khanani impressed me once with 'Sunbolt' and when I saw that she's written a Fairy Tale Retelling, I HAD to pick it up. I knew she wouldn't let me down! 'Thorn' is a re-imagining of the fairly famous tale: 'The Goose Girl' which tells the story of a young princess on her way to marry a Prince from a different Kingdom who is betrayed by her maid and forced to switch bodies with her.
The first thing that really struck me was the style that Khanani adopted with this book. It really reminded me of a the way that Fairy Tales are usually written, but in more detail. Alyrra, the main character, was probably my favourite part of the book. She was witty and kind, and most importantly: clever. I've seen some reviewers wanting a little more action-filled 'badassery' about her but I strongly believe that a woman doesn't have to know how to use a sword or fight in Fantasy to become a 'strong, female character'. Her intelligence was more than enough for me. I loved that the book focused more on developing her as a person than it did on the romance between her and Kestrin (the Prince). It meant no insta-love which is a pet peeve of mine, and I loved them both all the more for it.
The world-building was good though a few things that Khanani wrote about didn't seem to amount to anything plot-wise (I'm mostly talking about the 'Snatchers' here). I really thought they would end up being a big part of the plot! I'm hoping this means a sequel or companion series of some sort! Overall though, this book really did impress me as much as 'Sunbolt' and I look forward to more from this Author.
5/5 Stars.
For a full review, see here: http://chasedbymyimagination.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/book-review-thorn-intisar-khanani.html
The first thing that really struck me was the style that Khanani adopted with this book. It really reminded me of a the way that Fairy Tales are usually written, but in more detail. Alyrra, the main character, was probably my favourite part of the book. She was witty and kind, and most importantly: clever. I've seen some reviewers wanting a little more action-filled 'badassery' about her but I strongly believe that a woman doesn't have to know how to use a sword or fight in Fantasy to become a 'strong, female character'. Her intelligence was more than enough for me. I loved that the book focused more on developing her as a person than it did on the romance between her and Kestrin (the Prince). It meant no insta-love which is a pet peeve of mine, and I loved them both all the more for it.
The world-building was good though a few things that Khanani wrote about didn't seem to amount to anything plot-wise (I'm mostly talking about the 'Snatchers' here). I really thought they would end up being a big part of the plot! I'm hoping this means a sequel or companion series of some sort! Overall though, this book really did impress me as much as 'Sunbolt' and I look forward to more from this Author.
5/5 Stars.
For a full review, see here: http://chasedbymyimagination.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/book-review-thorn-intisar-khanani.html
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
Thorn is a pleasant surprise of a novel. It grabbed me and took me on a journey, and I found myself whisked easily through this retelling. While dark and heart-wrenching at times, I truly liked the main character, the world, the legends, and the lore. Overall, it was a great read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Misogyny, Death of parent, Alcohol, War
Reread 12/23:
Rereading this so I can FINALLY read the sequel! I love this book very much, enjoyed it even more the second time!
—
”Dangerous is walking too close behind a skittish horse. Dangerous is going anywhere in this city at night. Dangerous is not helping someone stay safe.”
4.5 stars!! I really loved this one. It reminded me a lot of Stain by AG Howard, another retelling that I recently enjoyed. The writing, characters and world building all have a sort of magical charm to them that makes me really happy. I had no prior knowledge of the Goose Girl fairytale, but that definitely didn’t affect my enjoyment!
I loved Alyrra SO MUCH. Her personality is just a delight to read about and you can tell that her heart is pure and good. She has a tough go of it throughout this book but you always know that whatever she does, it’ll be inspiring and well-intentioned. I really loved how the darkness of her story was handled; there’s some great messages throughout about abuse and the victim’s relationship to it, and I thought it was perfectly interwoven into the fairytale-esque world.
The other characters were great as well! Krestin was an AMAZING love interest and I adored how his and Alyrra’s relationship was written. It was really a struggle to get there, and full of twists and turns but it felt really deserved at the end and I’m very happy with how they ended up. The found family aspect of the other workers at the stables was GREAAAAAAT! LOVE THAT JOURNEY FOR ME. It was so nice to see Alyrra in a familial, caring group of people. I also really loved her relationship with Red Hawk and his gang! Would 100% read a sequel about all of them making the kingdom a better place. Also, FALADA!!! LOVED HIM!
The only pitfalls I had with this was that some of the magical worldbuilding confused me a bit. I don’t really understand magic’s place within the world and the introduction of the Fae seemed less fleshed out. But otherwise, I totally loved this book!
TW: abuse, rape, murder, animal death
Rereading this so I can FINALLY read the sequel! I love this book very much, enjoyed it even more the second time!
—
”Dangerous is walking too close behind a skittish horse. Dangerous is going anywhere in this city at night. Dangerous is not helping someone stay safe.”
4.5 stars!! I really loved this one. It reminded me a lot of Stain by AG Howard, another retelling that I recently enjoyed. The writing, characters and world building all have a sort of magical charm to them that makes me really happy. I had no prior knowledge of the Goose Girl fairytale, but that definitely didn’t affect my enjoyment!
I loved Alyrra SO MUCH. Her personality is just a delight to read about and you can tell that her heart is pure and good. She has a tough go of it throughout this book but you always know that whatever she does, it’ll be inspiring and well-intentioned. I really loved how the darkness of her story was handled; there’s some great messages throughout about abuse and the victim’s relationship to it, and I thought it was perfectly interwoven into the fairytale-esque world.
The other characters were great as well! Krestin was an AMAZING love interest and I adored how his and Alyrra’s relationship was written. It was really a struggle to get there, and full of twists and turns but it felt really deserved at the end and I’m very happy with how they ended up. The found family aspect of the other workers at the stables was GREAAAAAAT! LOVE THAT JOURNEY FOR ME. It was so nice to see Alyrra in a familial, caring group of people. I also really loved her relationship with Red Hawk and his gang! Would 100% read a sequel about all of them making the kingdom a better place. Also, FALADA!!! LOVED HIM!
The only pitfalls I had with this was that some of the magical worldbuilding confused me a bit. I don’t really understand magic’s place within the world and the introduction of the Fae seemed less fleshed out. But otherwise, I totally loved this book!
TW: abuse, rape, murder, animal death
"This is how you survive: one breath to the next, refusing each thought as it comes to you. This is how you get through the worst of things."
Thorn by Intisar Khanani was originally independently published in 2012, and it is now being re-released by a publisher in 2020. I was lucky enough to score an ARC in exchange for an honest review, and I'm equally happy to be discussing the book today. Spoilers follow.
So What's It About? (from Goodreads)
"Between her cruel family and the contempt she faces at court, Princess Alyrra has always longed to escape the confines of her royal life. But when she’s betrothed to the powerful prince Kestrin, Alyrra embarks on a journey to his land with little hope for a better future.
When a mysterious and terrifying sorceress robs Alyrra of both her identity and her role as princess, Alyrra seizes the opportunity to start a new life for herself as a goose girl.
But Alyrra soon finds that Kestrin is not what she expected. The more Alyrra learns of this new kingdom, the pain and suffering its people endure, as well as the danger facing Kestrin from the sorceress herself, the more she knows she can’t remain the goose girl forever.
With the fate of the kingdom at stake, Alyrra is caught between two worlds and ultimately must decide who she is, and what she stands for."
What I Thought
When I'm in the right mood, there is almost nothing that makes me happier than a good fairy tale retelling. There's just something so endlessly comforting and magical and timeless about them to me, and I'm delighted to report that Thorn is not just a good fairy tale retelling - it is an exceedingly thoughtful, graceful and deliberate one. The Goose Girl is not one of my favorite fairy tales, partially because it has so many moving parts that never quite gelled to me, but they are actually all integrated seamlessly here in one cohesive tale. Everything from the talking horse Falada (who is a wonderful character) to the queen's protective charm, the sentient wind and the princess telling the true story to the hearthstones is included here. And in the manner of the best retellings, there are new and unique elements as well, breathing fresh life into the story.
In some striking ways I think Thorn is really different from the YA fantasies that have been the most successful in recent years, and I found that to be incredibly refreshing. The romance here is almost entirely weighty, thoughtful conversations and slow-building trust and if I remember correctly, they don't even kiss at the end of the story. The villain is ultimately revealed to be a nuanced character who listens to reason, has clear motivations for her actions and displays compassion at the end of the day. And, similarly to the other stories I have read by Khanani, the protagonist is deeply concerned with matters of personal accountability and justice.
One of Thorn's biggest themes is the examination of violence against women. Alyrra comes from a background of abuse from her brother and experiences attempted sexual assault during the story. In addition, her friend Violet dies after an attack and sexual assault. Finally, the main villain's motivation stems from the way that her mother was viciously murdered by a member of the royal family. This is a LOT of violence, and by now you probably know the standards that I've developed for judging whether violence against women is used in a meaningful, feminist way or an exploitative one:
1) Does the book present trauma in a psychologically accurate way, providing insight into the lived reality of survivorhood?
In Thorn's case the answer is a resounding yes. I think Alyrra is an unbelievably well-written character in all regards, but in this regard especially, and I'm still puzzling over how Khanani pulled off what she did with such a delicate touch. We see Alyrra stuck in silence and shame and absolute disbelief in her own worth and efficacy. There is a huge shift in her behavior after Corbe's attack and we see her initial shock and the way that her symptoms increase afterwards. She experiences dissociation and intrusive memories and can only sleep when she is protected by Falada.
A few of her thought processes in particular struck me as viscerally realistic and relatable. She is initially deeply wary and mistrustful of Prince Kestrel because SCHEMAS - before she knows him as a person she just thinks of him as another prince and princes are dangerous:
"Like my brother, he will either laugh at my anger or hold my impudence against me. I dare not answer him."
In addition, when she defends herself from Corbe's attack and hurts him her main thought after the attack is to blame herself - that she is just as bad as her abusive brother because she has hurt someone else just like he used to hurt her. I can't tell you how common this kind of thinking is in an abuse survivor. Finally, when she finally breaks her cycle of silence and tells her found family of fellow servants about Corbe's attack, the main thing that she feels afterwards is incredibly happy because someone believes her and cares about what has happened to her. To someone who hasn't experienced abuse this might seem like a really strange response to talking about being attacked but I immediately identified this as something that had happened in my own experience as well - there's nothing like the relief of finally being seen and being told that your experiences matter.
2) Does the book examine the patriarchal systems and beliefs that facilitate violence against women?
Again, the answer is yes here. We see this part of the story mostly with when Alyrra's friend Violet is killed. The book as a whole is deeply aware of class divides and the inordinate burden of violence and oppression that the poor people of any society face, and Khanani is very upfront about the way that justice for women is entirely a class-based affair:
"Justice for the poor?" He laughs, sitting back. "There is justice for the rich here, and justice for the powerful. But for the rest of us, there is very little of anything."
The guards are entirely apathetic about the fate of poor women. Violet is victim-blamed for what she was wearing and the guards are more concerned with whether she "belongs" to another man than they are concerned with actually seeking out justice - whether a man's proprietary claim has been violated rather than whether a woman's body and mind have been violated. What's more, privileged (and well-meaning) noble men like Kestrel are unaware of the extent of violence that is happening to poor people, and Alyrra's class mobility as goose girl and lost princess allows her to experience all of this and be a bridge between worlds and a fighter for what is right.
Another thing that I really enjoyed was Alyrra's struggle with the notions of retribution vs. justice. She is initially disgraced at court because of her willingness to stand up for a servant girl unjustly accused of a crime, and this sets the tone for the rest of the story and her concern with standing up for what is right. At first she is glad to have the men who killed Violent killed in turn, but later in the story when she is confronting the Lady she is forced to look at what the unyielding quest for retribution and vengeance may do to a person, and decides that there are other ways of finding justice that may be more effective. She even fights for the girl who stole her identity to be saved from her horrific punishment, although she is not successful in this regard. At the end of the story she states that she is still unsure of what the right answer is and is still trying to figure out the right balance between mercy, justice, retribution and vengeance:
"I don't know what justice really is," I tell him. "But I am trying to get right what I can."
I'm right there with Alyrra in this regard.
Another interesting aspect of the book is the extent to which it is a story about the act of acculturating to a new society. It helps that it is a beautiful Middle East inspired world, and it's especially interesting that while Alyrra loves her new home she is still able to see its flaws and decides to fight to make it a better place.
Ultimately, it's the story of a girl who has been hurt learning to overcome her lack of belief in herself to realize that she deserves to exist in the world and can change that world for the better, while also learning that she is worthy of love and connection and kindness for the first time. That is a story that I will read over and over again.
Thorn by Intisar Khanani was originally independently published in 2012, and it is now being re-released by a publisher in 2020. I was lucky enough to score an ARC in exchange for an honest review, and I'm equally happy to be discussing the book today. Spoilers follow.
So What's It About? (from Goodreads)
"Between her cruel family and the contempt she faces at court, Princess Alyrra has always longed to escape the confines of her royal life. But when she’s betrothed to the powerful prince Kestrin, Alyrra embarks on a journey to his land with little hope for a better future.
When a mysterious and terrifying sorceress robs Alyrra of both her identity and her role as princess, Alyrra seizes the opportunity to start a new life for herself as a goose girl.
But Alyrra soon finds that Kestrin is not what she expected. The more Alyrra learns of this new kingdom, the pain and suffering its people endure, as well as the danger facing Kestrin from the sorceress herself, the more she knows she can’t remain the goose girl forever.
With the fate of the kingdom at stake, Alyrra is caught between two worlds and ultimately must decide who she is, and what she stands for."
What I Thought
When I'm in the right mood, there is almost nothing that makes me happier than a good fairy tale retelling. There's just something so endlessly comforting and magical and timeless about them to me, and I'm delighted to report that Thorn is not just a good fairy tale retelling - it is an exceedingly thoughtful, graceful and deliberate one. The Goose Girl is not one of my favorite fairy tales, partially because it has so many moving parts that never quite gelled to me, but they are actually all integrated seamlessly here in one cohesive tale. Everything from the talking horse Falada (who is a wonderful character) to the queen's protective charm, the sentient wind and the princess telling the true story to the hearthstones is included here. And in the manner of the best retellings, there are new and unique elements as well, breathing fresh life into the story.
In some striking ways I think Thorn is really different from the YA fantasies that have been the most successful in recent years, and I found that to be incredibly refreshing. The romance here is almost entirely weighty, thoughtful conversations and slow-building trust and if I remember correctly, they don't even kiss at the end of the story. The villain is ultimately revealed to be a nuanced character who listens to reason, has clear motivations for her actions and displays compassion at the end of the day. And, similarly to the other stories I have read by Khanani, the protagonist is deeply concerned with matters of personal accountability and justice.
One of Thorn's biggest themes is the examination of violence against women. Alyrra comes from a background of abuse from her brother and experiences attempted sexual assault during the story. In addition, her friend Violet dies after an attack and sexual assault. Finally, the main villain's motivation stems from the way that her mother was viciously murdered by a member of the royal family. This is a LOT of violence, and by now you probably know the standards that I've developed for judging whether violence against women is used in a meaningful, feminist way or an exploitative one:
1) Does the book present trauma in a psychologically accurate way, providing insight into the lived reality of survivorhood?
In Thorn's case the answer is a resounding yes. I think Alyrra is an unbelievably well-written character in all regards, but in this regard especially, and I'm still puzzling over how Khanani pulled off what she did with such a delicate touch. We see Alyrra stuck in silence and shame and absolute disbelief in her own worth and efficacy. There is a huge shift in her behavior after Corbe's attack and we see her initial shock and the way that her symptoms increase afterwards. She experiences dissociation and intrusive memories and can only sleep when she is protected by Falada.
A few of her thought processes in particular struck me as viscerally realistic and relatable. She is initially deeply wary and mistrustful of Prince Kestrel because SCHEMAS - before she knows him as a person she just thinks of him as another prince and princes are dangerous:
"Like my brother, he will either laugh at my anger or hold my impudence against me. I dare not answer him."
In addition, when she defends herself from Corbe's attack and hurts him her main thought after the attack is to blame herself - that she is just as bad as her abusive brother because she has hurt someone else just like he used to hurt her. I can't tell you how common this kind of thinking is in an abuse survivor. Finally, when she finally breaks her cycle of silence and tells her found family of fellow servants about Corbe's attack, the main thing that she feels afterwards is incredibly happy because someone believes her and cares about what has happened to her. To someone who hasn't experienced abuse this might seem like a really strange response to talking about being attacked but I immediately identified this as something that had happened in my own experience as well - there's nothing like the relief of finally being seen and being told that your experiences matter.
2) Does the book examine the patriarchal systems and beliefs that facilitate violence against women?
Again, the answer is yes here. We see this part of the story mostly with when Alyrra's friend Violet is killed. The book as a whole is deeply aware of class divides and the inordinate burden of violence and oppression that the poor people of any society face, and Khanani is very upfront about the way that justice for women is entirely a class-based affair:
"Justice for the poor?" He laughs, sitting back. "There is justice for the rich here, and justice for the powerful. But for the rest of us, there is very little of anything."
The guards are entirely apathetic about the fate of poor women. Violet is victim-blamed for what she was wearing and the guards are more concerned with whether she "belongs" to another man than they are concerned with actually seeking out justice - whether a man's proprietary claim has been violated rather than whether a woman's body and mind have been violated. What's more, privileged (and well-meaning) noble men like Kestrel are unaware of the extent of violence that is happening to poor people, and Alyrra's class mobility as goose girl and lost princess allows her to experience all of this and be a bridge between worlds and a fighter for what is right.
Another thing that I really enjoyed was Alyrra's struggle with the notions of retribution vs. justice. She is initially disgraced at court because of her willingness to stand up for a servant girl unjustly accused of a crime, and this sets the tone for the rest of the story and her concern with standing up for what is right. At first she is glad to have the men who killed Violent killed in turn, but later in the story when she is confronting the Lady she is forced to look at what the unyielding quest for retribution and vengeance may do to a person, and decides that there are other ways of finding justice that may be more effective. She even fights for the girl who stole her identity to be saved from her horrific punishment, although she is not successful in this regard. At the end of the story she states that she is still unsure of what the right answer is and is still trying to figure out the right balance between mercy, justice, retribution and vengeance:
"I don't know what justice really is," I tell him. "But I am trying to get right what I can."
I'm right there with Alyrra in this regard.
Another interesting aspect of the book is the extent to which it is a story about the act of acculturating to a new society. It helps that it is a beautiful Middle East inspired world, and it's especially interesting that while Alyrra loves her new home she is still able to see its flaws and decides to fight to make it a better place.
Ultimately, it's the story of a girl who has been hurt learning to overcome her lack of belief in herself to realize that she deserves to exist in the world and can change that world for the better, while also learning that she is worthy of love and connection and kindness for the first time. That is a story that I will read over and over again.
Likes
# It was a page-turner. I didn't feel anything felt out of place or just a filler (though questions remain).
# First time reading a retelling of "The Goose Girl" so that was fresh.
Dislikes
# It took Alyrra way too long to make a choice to get herself out of the predicament she was in. As a result, I felt the ending wrapped up a little too quickly.
# Not sure if this will be covered in the sequel which is part of the same universe, but I wanted a better reconciliation and "closure" with Thorn and her friends.
# Teeny bit dark for what I see is marked as YAor maybe I'm just a wimp.
# I didn't get what the King was doing the entire time and what he was doing about Lady...? He was there in the beginning then at the end, and there was no explanation of his presence in the rest of the book.
# Lot of unanswered questions with some characters and plot points that I hope will be covered in the sequel.
Overall
It was unputdownable though I felt some places could've been better. I was so invested that I even switched to audiobook whenever I was unable to read physically.
# It was a page-turner. I didn't feel anything felt out of place or just a filler (though questions remain).
# First time reading a retelling of "The Goose Girl" so that was fresh.
Dislikes
# It took Alyrra way too long to make a choice to get herself out of the predicament she was in. As a result, I felt the ending wrapped up a little too quickly.
# Not sure if this will be covered in the sequel which is part of the same universe, but I wanted a better reconciliation and "closure" with Thorn and her friends.
# Teeny bit dark for what I see is marked as YA
# I didn't get what the King was doing the entire time and what he was doing about Lady...? He was there in the beginning then at the end, and there was no explanation of his presence in the rest of the book.
# Lot of unanswered questions with some characters and plot points that I hope will be covered in the sequel.
Overall
It was unputdownable though I felt some places could've been better. I was so invested that I even switched to audiobook whenever I was unable to read physically.
Alyrra feels trapped. Her family is cruel and it seems her only option for escape is through an arranged marriage to a prince from a neighboring kingdom. However, on the way to her new life, she is robbed of her identity and forced to become a lowly goose girl. Instead of letting this get her down, Alyrra embraces her new life. But the more she gets to know the people around her, the harder it
is for her to ignore her duty. Will she be content staying in the shadows or is it time for her to rise up?
Going into this book I had only ever read one other retelling of the goose girl which was, [b:The Goose Girl|179064|The Goose Girl (The Books of Bayern, #1)|Shannon Hale|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1617553319l/179064._SY75_.jpg|2715267] by Shannon Hale. It is one of my favorite books of all time so I had been putting off reading this one for quite awhile now in fear that it wouldn't live up to my expectations. When I first starting reading this one, without meaning to I had begun to play a sort of comparison game between the two. After I realized this though I could consciously separate them and ended up really enjoying the story that Thorn had to offer!
I think my favorite thing about this book was how it featured strong women who weren't pushing a feminist agenda. For example, Alyrra didn't think of herself as weak but she wasn't too proud to accept help from men and I think that's something we've definitely lost in literature today. I also liked how, in the end, not all of our questions surrounding the world itself were answered because now I'm intrigued as to the companion novels! Overall, I definitely recommend this book and look forward to reading more from this author in the future!
is for her to ignore her duty. Will she be content staying in the shadows or is it time for her to rise up?
Going into this book I had only ever read one other retelling of the goose girl which was, [b:The Goose Girl|179064|The Goose Girl (The Books of Bayern, #1)|Shannon Hale|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1617553319l/179064._SY75_.jpg|2715267] by Shannon Hale. It is one of my favorite books of all time so I had been putting off reading this one for quite awhile now in fear that it wouldn't live up to my expectations. When I first starting reading this one, without meaning to I had begun to play a sort of comparison game between the two. After I realized this though I could consciously separate them and ended up really enjoying the story that Thorn had to offer!
I think my favorite thing about this book was how it featured strong women who weren't pushing a feminist agenda. For example, Alyrra didn't think of herself as weak but she wasn't too proud to accept help from men and I think that's something we've definitely lost in literature today. I also liked how, in the end, not all of our questions surrounding the world itself were answered because now I'm intrigued as to the companion novels! Overall, I definitely recommend this book and look forward to reading more from this author in the future!
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
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
i did not intend to be writing this review so soon when i started this book three hours ago. but god it grabbed me by the hair and refused to let go. everything felt like it happened for a reason, i loved the characters- as Thorn learned the language of the land, so too did she learn to trust those around her and that’s BEAUTIFUL
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
A retelling of the Goose Girl. I think it has some slow moments and is longer than it needs to be but overall I enjoyed it. It has some powerful lessons on justice, classism, loyalty and honesty.
Princess Alyraa lives with her mother the queen and her abusive brother. Her mother doesn’t hurt her but doesn’t stop her brother. She also talks down to her. A king comes to ask for her to
Marry his son. No one can understand why she has been chosen. Her family things she is too
Honest and that it is not a good quality. She doesn’t want to go. She is afraid the prince will
Be like her brother. She speaks to her friend the Wind and the wind tells her not to be afraid.
There are many twist and turns in the story. The lessons learned are great.
Princess Alyraa lives with her mother the queen and her abusive brother. Her mother doesn’t hurt her but doesn’t stop her brother. She also talks down to her. A king comes to ask for her to
Marry his son. No one can understand why she has been chosen. Her family things she is too
Honest and that it is not a good quality. She doesn’t want to go. She is afraid the prince will
Be like her brother. She speaks to her friend the Wind and the wind tells her not to be afraid.
There are many twist and turns in the story. The lessons learned are great.