paperheartsink 's review for:

Thorn by Intisar Khanani
4.0

This is a retelling of the classic story the Goose Girl (which I haven’t read) and really enjoyed it! Well written, great characters and refreshing story.

Princess Alyrra is smart and super likeable. All the characters felt well fleshed out. I particularly liked the talking horse (which I thought was done really well), Prince Kestrin and the Red Hawk.

There were some sad parts that got me choked up. Alyrra had such a great journey though and I was rooting for her to come out on top. I thought the topic of abuse and manipulation was addressed really well by the author. Alyrra’s experiences affected her and how she approached relationships. I really connected with her.

A great read and a perfect standalone. Looking forward to the companion novel.