Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Firstly, I want to say thank you to The Fantastic Flying Book Club for sending me an e-arc of this book and for allowing me to be part of the blog tour. I am so grateful for this opportunity.
I must admit I didn't know much about Thorn when I went into it, I was more drawn in from the wonderful cover. What I didnt realise until I actually read other reviews is that this is a retelling of The Goose Girl. I had never heard of this until I have just done a bit of research and from what I now know I believe that the retelling was done well.
I really like the world that this was set in. I didn't see the early plot twist coming which meant that I was definitely taken by surprise. I did however guess the identity of the mage fairly quickly which I may have liked to be left in a bit more suspense for, but never mind. I feel like the plot points were fairly unique with themes that I haven't really ever read about before in this particular genre. I feel like Thorn had a real cultural feel to it, with very little atmosphere and execution of this theme. I would have loved to have seen a little bit more because I feel it would have helped to immerse me into the world a little bit more.
Can we just discuss Violet. What a wonderful character. My heart breaks for her, each time I think about her I relive her moments in the book and just realise how much of a good character she is. The other characters however I did struggle to connect with unfortunately. The main protagonist, the prince and all the others just didn't really speak to me. I found it really difficult to relate to them which led me to caring less about what happened to them which is a shame.
I did enjoy the fact that this was a slow burn book, there was no rush to get the information to the reader which helped you to learn the world and the magic at a nice steady pace instead of forever trying to keep up with what is going on. Considering this is a fantasy book, I devoured this in two sittings as I found it so easy to read and understand. It can come across as fairly daunting at a 400 plus page book but you will fly through the pages without even realising that you are doing so.
Whilst I found flaws in this book, and struggled to connect with the characters, I wouldn't say that it was a bad book. A lot of people really enjoyed this book, and as a whole I did too. I think you should definitely pick this book up and form your own opinion.
I must admit I didn't know much about Thorn when I went into it, I was more drawn in from the wonderful cover. What I didnt realise until I actually read other reviews is that this is a retelling of The Goose Girl. I had never heard of this until I have just done a bit of research and from what I now know I believe that the retelling was done well.
I really like the world that this was set in. I didn't see the early plot twist coming which meant that I was definitely taken by surprise. I did however guess the identity of the mage fairly quickly which I may have liked to be left in a bit more suspense for, but never mind. I feel like the plot points were fairly unique with themes that I haven't really ever read about before in this particular genre. I feel like Thorn had a real cultural feel to it, with very little atmosphere and execution of this theme. I would have loved to have seen a little bit more because I feel it would have helped to immerse me into the world a little bit more.
Can we just discuss Violet. What a wonderful character. My heart breaks for her, each time I think about her I relive her moments in the book and just realise how much of a good character she is. The other characters however I did struggle to connect with unfortunately. The main protagonist, the prince and all the others just didn't really speak to me. I found it really difficult to relate to them which led me to caring less about what happened to them which is a shame.
I did enjoy the fact that this was a slow burn book, there was no rush to get the information to the reader which helped you to learn the world and the magic at a nice steady pace instead of forever trying to keep up with what is going on. Considering this is a fantasy book, I devoured this in two sittings as I found it so easy to read and understand. It can come across as fairly daunting at a 400 plus page book but you will fly through the pages without even realising that you are doing so.
Whilst I found flaws in this book, and struggled to connect with the characters, I wouldn't say that it was a bad book. A lot of people really enjoyed this book, and as a whole I did too. I think you should definitely pick this book up and form your own opinion.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
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
An unexpectedly interesting read that gets darker as the story goes on.
⚠️ abuse, sexual violence and attempts of sexual, gruesome descriptions
Not sure if Ill be reading the rest as theyre based on other characters and I hate when authors do that. This book has been sitting on my TBR for years.
⚠️ abuse, sexual violence and attempts of sexual, gruesome descriptions
Not sure if Ill be reading the rest as theyre based on other characters and I hate when authors do that. This book has been sitting on my TBR for years.
Idk man. It had some good ideas, but I was just really bored for three months.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
This is a retelling (including someo of the tough parts of the story) of the Goose Girl. And a well told tale this one is. I wanted to press it into the hands of anyone who would sit still for long enough to listen to me once I finished it. I found it hard to put down.
Princess Alyrra suffers under the abuse of her mother and brother and tries to keep herself to herself and enjoys the support of the servants. Somehow she ends up being sent for a marriage alliance to a nearby kingdom but on her way there she is attacked by magic and her identity switched with the girl who should be her lady in waiting. Now she becomes the goose girl. Prince Kestrin is not what she expects and despite the tempation to leave all the pressure and politics of royalty but Prince Kestrin may need her to stay alive.
A good read, and while it's marketed at YA it might be suitable for anyone.
Princess Alyrra suffers under the abuse of her mother and brother and tries to keep herself to herself and enjoys the support of the servants. Somehow she ends up being sent for a marriage alliance to a nearby kingdom but on her way there she is attacked by magic and her identity switched with the girl who should be her lady in waiting. Now she becomes the goose girl. Prince Kestrin is not what she expects and despite the tempation to leave all the pressure and politics of royalty but Prince Kestrin may need her to stay alive.
A good read, and while it's marketed at YA it might be suitable for anyone.
challenging
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Update ; DNF for now. I’m sick right now and this tiny writing is giving me a migraine
———•
« For every girl who has ever doubted she has what it takes » ❤️
———•
« For every girl who has ever doubted she has what it takes » ❤️
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-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:
Complicated
This book was not at all what I expected. Going in I thought it would be just another romantic fantasy with magic and cliche tropes. It was so much more.
The romance in the book is minimal, the focus instead being on friendship. Real friendship, and what it can cost.
Yet even that theme is secondary to a realistic exploration of justice, the effort it takes to achieve it, and the harsh reality of it.
There is no neat and tidy ending, which I think is perfect for this story. It isn't a book meant to be read, enjoyed, and forgotten, and Khanani does an amazing job ending the book in a way that makes you truly think about what justice is.
Thorn is a loveable and refreshing main character. I enjoyed seeing a softer female lead and watching her learn how to be strong in a way that didn't involve becoming a master fighter.
It is easy to tell how much thought, passion, and conviction went into this book. It may not be my favorite story I've ever read, but I will never forget it or the questions this book makes you ask.
The romance in the book is minimal, the focus instead being on friendship. Real friendship, and what it can cost.
Yet even that theme is secondary to a realistic exploration of justice, the effort it takes to achieve it, and the harsh reality of it.
There is no neat and tidy ending, which I think is perfect for this story. It isn't a book meant to be read, enjoyed, and forgotten, and Khanani does an amazing job ending the book in a way that makes you truly think about what justice is.
Thorn is a loveable and refreshing main character. I enjoyed seeing a softer female lead and watching her learn how to be strong in a way that didn't involve becoming a master fighter.
It is easy to tell how much thought, passion, and conviction went into this book. It may not be my favorite story I've ever read, but I will never forget it or the questions this book makes you ask.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Sexual harassment