Girl, Serpent, Thorn book review [e-ARC]

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
on July 7, 2020
Source: Netgalley
Goodreads

A captivating and utterly original fairy tale about a girl cursed to be poisonous to the touch, and who discovers what power might lie in such a curse...
There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away, apart from her family, safe only in her gardens, it's not just a story.
As the day of her twin brother's wedding approaches, Soraya must decide if she's willing to step outside of the shadows for the first time. Below in the dungeon is a demon who holds knowledge that she craves, the answer to her freedom. And above is a young man who isn’t afraid of her, whose eyes linger not with fear, but with an understanding of who she is beneath the poison.
Soraya thought she knew her place in the world, but when her choices lead to consequences she never imagined, she begins to question who she is and who she is becoming...human or demon. Princess or monster.

I was so excited to get approved for an e-ARC of Girl, Serpent, Thorn, so thank you Netgalley for letting me review this book.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is set to be one of my favourite books of the year. Although I was excited about this book and story I was a little panicked at the thought that we might be on track for another Shatter Me experience and I just wasn’t up for that. Well what we got instead was a beautifully written story full of culture and beautiful characters, believable romance and a young girl finding out what it means to be yourself. I think the way this book presented itself meant that the pacing was brilliantly done and I loved the drama and the conflict. I think overall the best thing about this book was just how natural it all felt and nothing felt forced. It was really well done.

Ahh, I cannot wait to tell you how much I loved the characters in Girl, Serpent, Thorn. The best character was definitely Soraya, watching this young girl work out who she was and face the world alone was impressive, I don’t usually enjoy characters who are angsty but with her, it felt natural. I think it had a great set up with the story and watching her struggle with natural urges and wanting to touch and be touched but not sure how to deal with everything that comes along with that. It was beautifully done and one of my favourite parts of the story. My other favourite character would have to be Parvenah and the part that she had to play in the entire drama and I just loved her as a character. It was an interesting dynamic to watch and I thought that the romance that she is involved in developed so well and was so well written.

I don’t even know if I can condense my best bits of Girl, Serpent, Thorn down. This book surprised me. I knew it was something I would like, hence requesting it but boy did it blow me away in a way that I never expected. The world that this is based in is so beautifully written and the culture is stunning. I loved not only seeing all the characters grow and develop I also loved watching and learning about the mythology and the various mythical creatures. It was such a well-constructed book, and I don’t think I can pinpoint the best bits without spoiling the actual plot. But the arc in this book was so well done, and I was so pleased with how this all ended.

Nothing, absolutely nothing. I adored this book from start to finish and I can’t believe how enthralled it had me.

Recommending Girl, Serpent, Thorn to everyone! This book was phenomenal and I loved reading it and learning about everyone and the culture and the loves of everyone. I kinda wish that this was a series so I could love on it for a little longer.

Have you read Girl, Serpent, Thorn? What did you think? Are you excited for it to be released? Let me know!