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A review by bybookandbone
Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-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
5.0
Girl, Serpent, Thorn does not disappoint! I really connected with Soraya and her story.
She has suffered awful emotional abuse under the guise of protection, even if her mother thought she was doing the right thing.
The world building is fantastically intricate but doesn't bog you down with details. Golvahar, the surrounding lands and the mythology in this book are based on Persian mythology. Melissa Bashardoust did a wonderful job incorporating the culture into an almost fairy tale story. I cannot gush enough.
There's the 'protagonist lied to their whole life so they make a bad choice' trope, which I always find cathartic. I absolutely hate when guardians lie to children/people in their care to spare them. It's never the reality, it's to spare themselves having a tough talk and always goes badly. Obviously, in real life, these consequences don't usually include divs or magic but metaphors will metaphor.
Highly recommend.
She has suffered awful emotional abuse under the guise of protection, even if her mother thought she was doing the right thing.
The world building is fantastically intricate but doesn't bog you down with details. Golvahar, the surrounding lands and the mythology in this book are based on Persian mythology. Melissa Bashardoust did a wonderful job incorporating the culture into an almost fairy tale story. I cannot gush enough.
There's the 'protagonist lied to their whole life so they make a bad choice' trope, which I always find cathartic. I absolutely hate when guardians lie to children/people in their care to spare them. It's never the reality, it's to spare themselves having a tough talk and always goes badly. Obviously, in real life, these consequences don't usually include divs or magic but metaphors will metaphor.
Highly recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Violence and Abandonment