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redheaded_sunshine's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
i loved the story, and i think the only aspect i would have changed was a little more world-building, oddly enough! usually books tend to go too much into detail, but the characterization and plot were both so well executed that it’s a wonderful read nonetheless. with a fantasy world inspired with elements from persian culture makes the story all the more unique, and soraya is an amazing main character :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Death
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Sexism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Homophobia
pastelkerstin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Emotional abuse, Death, Abandonment, Blood, Toxic relationship, Murder, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, and Confinement
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Homophobia and Biphobia
rashellyreads's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
At first, upon reading this, it took me a second to truly get into it. The writing was kind of slow during some chapters but then the plot would move too fast, the general writing of the book was difficult to grasp. But then I just got pulled into the plot with all the different twists and turns.
First of all, I was told that this book was an enemies-to-lovers story, and although that may be true, I don’t really see it. I think that’s because when meeting the love interest, I fell in love with her immediately. They’re relationship was strained at first but they quickly became friends. I would say that it’s more of a enemies-to-friends-to-lovers story.
Another thing I loved about Girl, Serpent, Thorn was that I fell in love with the antagonist. I hate him, of course, because he’s the worst but I’m getting major Loki vibes. And I’m in love with Loki. Melissa Bashardoust does a great job of making the reader feel bad for the antagonist. One chapter I would feel sad for him and then another chapter I wanted to strangle him.
Lastly, I liked that the author incorporated mythology, history, and her culture into the book. I’ve never been exposed to Iranian culture in this way so reading “Shah”, “Shahzadeh”, “div”, and “parik” was new and fun. And the character’s names are so beautiful I had to take a moment when reading them for the first time. Soraya, Parvaneh, Sorush, Azad, and so on.
The incorporation of poison, serpents, and thorns was almost as amazing as the underlining theme of feminism. Strong women, sisterhood, friendship, and lesbian love. I’m so here for it! The bringing down of the male protagonist to his knees, gay panic, the feeling of being dangerous. All of it, I’m here for it!! This is an amazing book and I highly recommend!!
First of all, I was told that this book was an enemies-to-lovers story, and although that may be true, I don’t really see it. I think that’s because when meeting the love interest, I fell in love with her immediately. They’re relationship was strained at first but they quickly became friends. I would say that it’s more of a enemies-to-friends-to-lovers story.
Another thing I loved about Girl, Serpent, Thorn was that I fell in love with the antagonist. I hate him, of course, because he’s the worst but I’m getting major Loki vibes. And I’m in love with Loki. Melissa Bashardoust does a great job of making the reader feel bad for the antagonist. One chapter I would feel sad for him and then another chapter I wanted to strangle him.
Lastly, I liked that the author incorporated mythology, history, and her culture into the book. I’ve never been exposed to Iranian culture in this way so reading “Shah”, “Shahzadeh”, “div”, and “parik” was new and fun. And the character’s names are so beautiful I had to take a moment when reading them for the first time. Soraya, Parvaneh, Sorush, Azad, and so on.
The incorporation of poison, serpents, and thorns was almost as amazing as the underlining theme of feminism. Strong women, sisterhood, friendship, and lesbian love. I’m so here for it! The bringing down of the male protagonist to his knees, gay panic, the feeling of being dangerous. All of it, I’m here for it!! This is an amazing book and I highly recommend!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Minor: Homophobia
booksthatburn's review
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
GIRL, SERPENT, THORN is a queer story about monstrosity and beauty, full of secrets and longing for what's just out of reach.
This book was absorbing, totally compelling. The style is simple and clear like a great fairy tale, but the characters have depth and feel so vibrant within the easy prose. I like the premise (girl has a curse where she can't touch anyone or they'll die), and the way the nuances of that premise are explored throughout the book was great. It could easily have been a series of people and things she can't touch, but it goes somewhere much more interesting and I like it a lot. One of its strengths is the way the antagonists show a lot of nuance and depth while also being believable as friends or potential romantic interests. How the narrative shifts to change who is thought of as a hero and a villain throughout the story was really good.
This first part of the book was a bit frustrating for me because I spent the first half wishing that the characters could just talk to each other instead of not saying things and then having everything go badly because of a lack of communication. The justifications for why certain things were kept secret felt like it boiled down to "if they talk to each other the plot won't happen, shhhhhhhh stop asking". I liked the second half a lot better, partly because the secrets starting coming out and communication got a lot freer. I love the ending, it lands in a place that feels like real growth for the MC and secondary characters. It fits the story without undercutting the earlier struggles. Overall the story arc makes sense and it needed to establish the frustration of living with all these secrets in order for there to be any tension when they slowly get revealed and resolved, but it did make this a book where I wanted to just stick the characters in a room and make them have a conversation, or several. Eventually those conversations do happen, to be clear. I just get stressed out by this kind of tension in general.
This book was absorbing, totally compelling. The style is simple and clear like a great fairy tale, but the characters have depth and feel so vibrant within the easy prose. I like the premise (girl has a curse where she can't touch anyone or they'll die), and the way the nuances of that premise are explored throughout the book was great. It could easily have been a series of people and things she can't touch, but it goes somewhere much more interesting and I like it a lot. One of its strengths is the way the antagonists show a lot of nuance and depth while also being believable as friends or potential romantic interests. How the narrative shifts to change who is thought of as a hero and a villain throughout the story was really good.
This first part of the book was a bit frustrating for me because I spent the first half wishing that the characters could just talk to each other instead of not saying things and then having everything go badly because of a lack of communication. The justifications for why certain things were kept secret felt like it boiled down to "if they talk to each other the plot won't happen, shhhhhhhh stop asking". I liked the second half a lot better, partly because the secrets starting coming out and communication got a lot freer. I love the ending, it lands in a place that feels like real growth for the MC and secondary characters. It fits the story without undercutting the earlier struggles. Overall the story arc makes sense and it needed to establish the frustration of living with all these secrets in order for there to be any tension when they slowly get revealed and resolved, but it did make this a book where I wanted to just stick the characters in a room and make them have a conversation, or several. Eventually those conversations do happen, to be clear. I just get stressed out by this kind of tension in general.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Death
Moderate: Bullying and Blood
Minor: Torture and Homophobia
CW for homophobia, confinement, bullying, violence, blood, torture (not depicted), parental death, major character death, death.
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