A review by natashaleighton_
Bitterthorn by Kat Dunn

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Lush and hauntingly atmospheric, Kat Dunn’s breathtakingly vivid portrayal of love, loneliness and loss was an absolute pleasure to read! I absolutely adore gothic, dark fairytale style fantasy so knew I was gonna love this as soon as I read the premise. 

But, I have to say I was completely taken by surprise by how emotionally invested I became in our protagonist’s life. Mina (who reads like Cinderella, Belle and Aurora rolled into a single person), is such a kindhearted character whose eagerness to feel a little less of an outsider in her own home made me love her immediately.

Her longing for companionship (and a family that could actually love and care about her) had me absolutely livid on her behalf (especially when it came to her father) but her emotional journey was definitely worthwhile one and I’ll not be forgetting it anytime soon. 

I loved how vividly descriptive and rich in fairytale lore this was and with such a tender, sapphic romance at its heart, it wasn’t difficult for me to get completely lost within its pages. This is the first book by Dunn I’ve ever picked up, but given how thoroughly I devoured this, it’s certainly not going to be the last!  

I should also probably note that this is more of a character driven story, so the pacing might not be for everyone. Though, if (like me) you enjoy emotionally intense, slow burn narratives then you should definitely consider adding this to your TBRs— I promise you won’t be disappointed! 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings