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Thorn

(Dauntless Path #1)

Intisar Khanani (Goodreads Author)

4.01 · Rating details · 5,021 ratings · 905 reviews

For Princess Alyrra, choice is a luxury she's never had ... until she's betrayed.

Princess Alyrra has never enjoyed the security or power of her rank. Between her family's cruelty and the court's contempt, she has spent her life in the shadows. Forced to marry a powerful foreign prince, Alyrra embarks on a journey to meet her betrothed with little hope for a better future.

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Kindle Edition, 246 pages

Published January 2014 by Intisar Khanani (first published May 20th 2012)

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Fairy Tale Retellings: Hidden Gems

569 books — 983 voters

The Goose Girl Retellings

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· 5,021 ratings · 905 reviews

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Jan 29, 2015 Shelby *trains flying monkeys* rated it liked it

Recommended to Shelby *trains flying monkeys* by: Mada

Shelves: witches, netgalley, fairy-tales-do-they-come-true, young-adult, read-2015

A fairy tale re-telling of the "Goose Girl". I'm very pleasantly surprised at how good this book was.
3.5 stars

Princess Alyrra has never played well at being princess. She just wants to do her own thing and let her abusive brother and cold mother do as they want, as long as she escapes their clutches.
A traveling King shows up at the palace and makes an offer for Alyrra's hand in marriage to his son Prince Kestrin.
Alyrra doesn't have a bunch of choices. Stay and face more abuse at the hands of ...more

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Apr 30, 2012 Sarah rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: r2r-complete, favourite-books, read-2012

Thorn 99-cent Sale For A Cause -

All proceeds from this sale will go towards helping a good friend cover the cost of international adoption of a pair of biological brothers with Saethre-Chotzen Syndrome--a condition that results in brain damage unless treated in the first year. Evan (age 7) and Raymond (age 9) were each given up at birth, and were unable to receive treatment for their condition.

UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00869SADQ...
US: http://www.amazon.com/Thorn-Intisar-K...
B&N: ...more

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Aug 22, 2012 Pauline Ross rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-fantasy, 5-star, price-free, self-pub

I loved this book, absolutely loved it. Its an object lesson for me, actually, in not pre-judging a book, because this one ticks so many of my no boxes: its YA, its a fairy-tale retelling, its first person present tense (I back away..., I gaze at him), its more or less a romance, its about a princess who doesnt quite fit in, it has villains with no redeeming characteristics. Had I known all that beforehand, I would never have touched it and I would have missed a lovely, lovely story. As it was, I loved this book, absolutely loved it. It’s an object lesson for me, actually, in not pre-judging a book, because this one ticks so many of my ‘no’ boxes: it’s YA, it’s a fairy-tale retelling, it’s first person present tense (“I back away...”, “I gaze at him”), it’s more or less a romance, it’s about a princess who doesn’t quite fit in, it has villains with no redeeming characteristics. Had I known all that beforehand, I would never have touched it and I would have missed a lovely, lovely story. As it was, it popped up on a list of free books, I started reading the sample and just kept reading, couldn’t put it down, in fact.

For those who know their fairy tales, this is a reworking of the Goose Girl story. I didn’t know anything about it, so maybe I missed a few subtleties, but I felt it worked perfectly well without any prior knowledge, and apart from a few oddities (like the talking Horse!) there was nothing in there that couldn't be found in conventional fantasy. One of the great strengths of this book is that the characters all feel truly rounded, so even though they are fulfilling traditional roles (the princess, the prince, the witch and so on) they have great depth and believable personalities. The villains seem at first glance to be simplistically cruel and evil, but they all have enough backstory to make them credible, if not exactly sympathetic.

The magic in the book is quite powerful, but the fundamentals are explained clearly enough to be believable, even the talking Horse. The author has thought everything out very carefully, and it works so well that when the heroine is rescued by magical means, it makes perfect sense. Not that she has to be rescued very often, mostly she is perfectly resilient and self-sufficient, and manages to get herself out of trouble and help others as well. I liked, too, that the magic is simply an integral part of life, everyone accepts it and it’s properly regulated. Interestingly, there is also religion, never explained or central to the plot, but just there, as a natural and perfectly normal thing. There are also social customs which are alluded to without full explanations, like a system of debt between people (if someone helps you out, you owe them a debt of comparable value). At one point there’s a discussion of a gift, and whether it incurs an obligation (a debt) or whether it’s just a gift, freely given, and a decision is reached without any attempt to explain the ‘rules’ of such an arrangement to the reader. I rather like this relaxed attitude towards world-building. Some things just are, and don’t need to be elaborated.

The character of Alyssa, the princess, is central to the story, naturally, and the first person narration makes it imperative that she is both likeable and believable. I feel the author pulls this off magnificently. Of course Alyssa makes mistakes sometimes, but she copes well with the strange events which overtake her, and is strong-minded, caring and intelligent without ever turning into the tedious type of kickass female protagonist so often depicted in fantasy these days. On the contrary, she often feels overwhelmed and suffers a great deal, but she always tries to do the right thing, as far as she can. There is a certain amount of angsting, but it's actually understandable, given Alyssa's predicament.

The plot rattles along very nicely, with some unexpected twists and turns. There are villains, of course, so bad things happen, but there are also friends who help out from time to time, just as in real life. Also realistic is that physical encounters have physical effects - if you roll down a cliff, for instance, or get beaten up, there will be cuts and bruises, maybe even broken bones, and time needed to recover. The climax is a bit of a show-stopper, a wonderful outbreak of magical manipulation with everything at stake, and no real certainty of how things will go. And the author neatly side-steps the clichéd ending. It's a fairy story, so of course good triumphs over evil, but the way that is achieved is refreshingly different. And there's not the obvious happy ever after, either. Rather, there's an acknowledgement that a lot has happened and there are bound to be scars, and a tentative sense of moving forward.

This book surprised me. It may be YA, but it addresses some very profound issues, like the nature of justice, the corroding effect of revenge, questions of loyalty and trust and honesty, and the inner goodness (or not) of people, regardless of what they look like, or their rank. The romance element follows a traditional path but with great originality and commendable restraint. The writing style is eloquently literate, and I barely noticed the use of first person present tense. I had a very few minor quibbles - there were a few places early on where I wasn't clear about relationships or what exactly was happening - but nothing major enough to spoil my enjoyment. A terrific read. Five stars.
...more

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Jan 12, 2020 Lerizza Mae (books&teacups) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, romance, arc

Actual rating: 4.5 Stars

I received this ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

This book was first published in 2012 as an indie book and it is being republished now by HarperTeen because an editor fell in love with it after reading the book. And I can see the reason why.

This book has a slow start, that much I can say. So I didn't notice for a while that I came to love the story and much of its characters. I only did after I got to the middle part.

The story is so mesmerizing and at Actual rating: 4.5 Stars

I received this ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

This book was first published in 2012 as an indie book and it is being republished now by HarperTeen because an editor fell in love with it after reading the book. And I can see the reason why.

This book has a slow start, that much I can say. So I didn't notice for a while that I came to love the story and much of its characters. I only did after I got to the middle part.

The story is so mesmerizing and at times heartbreaking. It is more than a simple coming-of-age story. It is about knowing yourself, it is about trust, it is about deception, it is about revenge, it is about politicking, and most of all it is about learning that sense of justice is different for everyone. Moreover, it is about finding your path after a previously rendered road was taken away from you.

The protagonist, Alyrra, is written so magnificently. Although at first, she was described as somewhat a slow, shadow of a self, but other than that, she is caring, intelligent and had a high sense of justness. She had her doubts in her person but after a while, she came to believe in herself which magnanimously helped in the climax of the story.

Moreover, I loved the tandem between Alyrra and Kestrin. What they had is not an instant love between two people who are meant to be wed. They took their time to know each other and in turn trust each other. At the end of the book, Alyrra has not yet come to love Kestrin but is already furnishing the path to get there. And this is the kind of relationship that I love to read about: mutual respect and trust, not just about appearances.

This book is a retelling of the classic Goose Girl. Although I haven't read that particular book yet, I took the risk to read this before the classic. And I am glad that I did that, because this book left me enthralled and I'm sure that it will be one of my best reads this year. Hopefully.

Edit 16/01/2020

Even Ms. Intisar Khanani liked my review! I am so honored and thrilled! There's no doubt that I'm going to buy the book after its release. ...more

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Feb 08, 2020 Vibur rated it liked it · review of another edition

To be honest, I'm unsure what I should rate this novel. Thorn turned out different than what I'd been hoping forit was, to some degree, disappointing, but at the same time, a pleasant surprise? But I did like the protagonist well enough, so we'll focus on that particular positive in the meanwhile.

The thing about Alyrra is, that she isn't a 'strong female character' in the sense that she's assured and unafraid to assert herself. Rather, she's too passive. She accepts that she has no choiceno ...more

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May 23, 2015 Camly Nguyen rated it really liked it

When a king asks Alyrra's hand for his son in marriage, she accepts happily knowing that she won't have to live with her cruel brother and bitter mother.
On her way to the other kingdom, she is cornered by her maid that used some magic from an ancient witch to switch their bodies. At first, Alyrra hated the change but slowly, she learnt to cherish the simple life. No princes, no courtly lessons, no dances... But when prince Kestrin(the dude she was to marry) grew suspicious of the fake princess ...more

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Sep 01, 2019 Charlotte rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Read for my 2018 women of speculative fiction challenge.
"This is how you survive: one breath to the next, refusing each thought as it comes to you. This is how you get through the worst of things."

Thorn by Intisar Khanani was originally independently published in 2012, and it is now being re-released by a publisher in 2020. I was lucky enough to score an ARC in exchange for an honest review, and I'm equally happy to be discussing the book today. Spoilers follow, as well as a discussion of abuse ...more

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Nov 11, 2014 Katerina Kondrenko rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, touching-moments, royals, retellings, read-in-2015, reviewed-by-me-full, book-boyfriends, relatable-heroines, arcs

8 out of 10

Ревью в моем блоге/This review on my blog
Living A Thousand Lives (please use Chrome/Yandex browser or Android/IOS to see the page; otherwise, spoiler-tags I use to make my post compact may not work)

Genre: fantasy, retelling, YA
Stuff: a la The Goose Girl
Fail: a bit passive MC
WOW: prince, atmosphere
POV: 1st person, female
Love-Geometry: none

Quote-Core:

"I am the Lady who has lost her soul. I am the princess who has lost her self. I am the goose girl who has lost her way. I am the

...more

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May 09, 2015 Sophia Sardothien rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-review

Thank you Intisar Khanani and Netgalley for sending me this book in exchange of an honest review

Having never to read Goose girl, I pleasantly enjoy reading this book.

The plot was alright, interesting enough to kept me reading for the entire time. Despite the fact that the synopsis seems to empathise a lot on the romance, but the main focus was definitely beyond that. I would have elaborate more but I think it would be better getting in the story without knowing much.

The writing style is ...more

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Apr 21, 2015 Cee (The Mistress Case) rated it really liked it

Shelves: fairytales-and-retellings, kick-ass-heroines, arcs-r4r-first-reads

I wish safety for Krestin, as little as I understand him safety for him and from him.

I just this one line hit mehhh in the feels I cant.

Okay, okay, in all seriousness, lets get started.

If you read and liked The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale like I did, dont be afraid to pick up Thorn by Intisar Khanani. The storytelling is different, as I hoped it would it be. For one, there are Fey and sorcerers in Thorn and I dont recall any in The Goose Girl (which I read years ago, so I may be mistaken). ...more

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Jul 07, 2019 Candace Robinson added it · review of another edition

I love this cover! ARC received via publisher!

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Sep 30, 2014 Althea Ann rated it really liked it

A beautifully-done retelling of 'The Goose Girl.'
(http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm089.html)

As in the original Grimm brothers' fairy tale, a princess, on her way to meet her betrothed, is betrayed by her maid, who uses magic to force the two to change places. 'Thorn' adds an extra element of magic in that the women don't just exchange clothes; but actually switch bodies.

Prevented by a curse of speaking of what has been done to her, the princess Alyrra must make the best of her new situation and ...more

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Jan 08, 2020 Christina (Ensconced in Lit) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: publisher-sent

It isn't often that I pick up a book that grips me as much as Thorn did. It was highly unexpected, and I sobbed in many parts because it touched me so personally. I will be completely frank. It isn't a perfect book. But it is one of those rare reads that because of the way I feel about it myself, I rate it as a perfect 5 star because I don't really care that it isn't perfect. It's a raw and compelling story and the fierce and unyielding main character compensates for any other missteps. This is ...more

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Jun 08, 2015 Dana rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, historical-fiction, favourites, fantasy, netgalley, buy, 2015

This book is the only fairy tale retelling that I have actually enjoyed, and for that I am truly impressed and grateful. I really loved this story, and while the MC could be naive, I still found her very likable. The pace slows down a lot in the middle of the story, and for some this may drag too much. However I personally did not mind the slow pace, as I understood the MC's struggle and how hard it was for her to make a decision considering the life she had led.

I admit that I am not very ...more

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Feb 16, 2016 La La rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: on-my-kindle, blog-highlights, review-arcs-author-pub-copy, review-arcs-edelweiss, review-arcs-hardcopy

One thing which draws me in with Intisar's stories is the pacing. She has an impeccable sense of story flow. I'll be back with a full review after I've had time to compare some scenes with the previous edition. I love this retelling of The Goose Girl with all my heart. The wind and the horses are two of my favorites in this retelling. Many of the elements are applicable to the times we are living in right now.

I was approved for an eARC, via Edelweiss, in return for an honest review. I was also ...more

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Jan 11, 2016 Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ marked it as to-read

Shelves: ya-fantasy, fairy-tale, fantasy

Another retelling of the Goose Girl fairy tale, and a $0.99 Kindle special. I'm interested to compare this to Shannon Hale's version, which I adore.

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Jun 20, 2015 Jeannette Nikolova rated it it was amazing

Read on the WondrousBooks blog.

The acutal rating is about 4.5, but I'm pleased with Khanani, so 5 stars it is.
A couple of months ago I wrote about Intisar Khanani's Sunbolt. As you may have seen in that review, I liked the book but I wanted and expected more. I'm SO SO glad I decided to follow Intisar Khanani's work because Thorn is great!

If you are a fan of A Court of Thorns and Roses, you should be able to like this one too!

What's great about this book is that it has this lovely Read on the WondrousBooks blog.

The acutal rating is about 4.5, but I'm pleased with Khanani, so 5 stars it is.
A couple of months ago I wrote about Intisar Khanani's Sunbolt. As you may have seen in that review, I liked the book but I wanted and expected more. I'm SO SO glad I decided to follow Intisar Khanani's work because Thorn is great!

If you are a fan of A Court of Thorns and Roses, you should be able to like this one too!

What's great about this book is that it has this lovely fairytale-like quality. The main character Alyrra/Thorn is a perfect mix of our favourite Disney princesses: she is smart like Belle, humble and hard-working like Cinderella and kind like Snow White. I rarely fully approve of a YA character, but if there was ever one that I thought was worth of admiration, it's Alyrra. I had some issues with her stubbornness, but all of her other actions made me really, really like her. And it was her good heart that completely won me over.

The entire story was much better thought through than the one in Sunbolt and instead of being loaded with constant frenzy, it was slower(which is to say it wasn't slow, it's simply that Sunbolt is a very fast-pacing book), the plot was interesting, the characters had some thought behind them, something moving them and it was fun being able to glimpse into their personalities. The mystery in the book was also on a good level and there are still questions I'm asking myself, and therefore hoping for a second book(whereas I usually hope that a single book won't turn into a series). Among the things which intrigued me the most was Red Hawk. For the majority of the book I thought that he was Prince Kestrin and he was changing his looks through magic. But that theory turned out to be wrong. I still thought that there was nice chemistry between Alyrra and Red Hawk, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a possible next book.

That doesn't mean that I didn't like Prince Kestrin, though! I was very interested in how his personality is going to develop and what kind of person he is going to turn out to be. I was not disappointed. I especially loved the scene with the tree.

NOTE: Right before I posted the review, I took a look at the GoodReads page of the book, only to find out that there is an actual fairytale called Goose Girl. How I've never heard of it is a mystery to me, but I'd like to say to Ms Khanani: YOU GO GIRL! I really love good re-tellings of old fairytales. ...more

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Sep 19, 2015 Talltree rated it it was amazing

Shelves: genre-fantasy, fav-non-contemp

I love this book. I'd hug it if I could. It is beloved to me and will stay forever and ever on my reread shelf <3<3

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Feb 25, 2020 Umairah | Sereadipity rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4.5 stars

Thorn was a retelling of 'The Goose Girl' (a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm) that slowly unfurled its petals to reveal a tale that had me captivated throughout. Out of curiosity, I read The Goose Girl before reading this novel and I think it truly is a stunning retelling that keeps the best parts of the fairy tale whilst adding some much needed depth and character development.

Trigger warnings: physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault (off page), animal death (off page)

Plot: ...more

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Sep 01, 2012 Olga Godim rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-scifi

This novel is one of the few that have left me divided. On one hand, its too intense, too emotionally grueling for my taste. I wanted the heroine, Princess Alyrra (aka Thorn), to have a respite, to have something working for her, but the author wouldnt oblige. So in my head, I argued with her. I told her that she was wrong to subject Thorn to so many indignities. I told her that the test she devised for her hero, Prince Kestrin, was unfair and unnecessary cruel. I told her that Thorn behaved This novel is one of the few that have left me divided. On one hand, it’s too intense, too emotionally grueling for my taste. I wanted the heroine, Princess Alyrra (aka Thorn), to have a respite, to have something working for her, but the author wouldn’t oblige. So in my head, I argued with her. I told her that she was wrong to subject Thorn to so many indignities. I told her that the test she devised for her hero, Prince Kestrin, was unfair and unnecessary cruel. I told her that Thorn behaved foolishly. She could’ve found an easier way to deal with her problems. I told her that Alyrra’s friend, Horse Falada, is an inadequate teacher. He knows stuff but he talks in riddles and never explains anything as a teacher should.
Unable to persuade the author and the book to take a gentler road, I did it myself. In my few short breaks from reading, I imagined alternative adventures for the heroes. I gave them additional options and widened their choices. I came to love and respect the heroes too much to trap them into tight corners, as the author has done. So I pleaded with the writer to be kinder, and I raved, and I cried, but I couldn’t stop reading. The novel wouldn’t let me. I felt compelled to finish it even though I can’t say that I enjoyed it. But I can say that I will remember it.
Subjectively, I don’t like so much suffering for the heroes. I like a lighter read. Objectively, I know that this was one of the best fantasy novels I’ve read in some time. And I know that this writer is a master of her craft.
Besides my feeble squeaks fueled by compassion for the heroes, I have one serious editorial comment. There are two mysteries in the story that are revealed towards the end. They include the story of Valka’s hatred towards Alyrra and the story of the Lady’s hatred towards Kestrin. Both should’ve been explained in the beginning of the novel. The hatred of those two antagonists drives the plot, but for three quarters of the book, it doesn’t make sense, and the reader wonders where it comes from. What could humble, inoffensive Alyrra have done to deserve it?
Besides that one objection, there are only a few typos to distract the reader from this rich, soulful story. It’s powerful and cathartic; and I recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy.

...more

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Jul 30, 2018 Marquise rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: best-loved-reads, 5-stars, fantasy, fairy-tale-retellings, character-is-a-great-villain, exceptional-characterisation, oh-the-twists, the-long-road-to-redemption, wondeful-secondaries, prose-is-exquisite

A wonderful retelling of The Goose Girl fairy tale, that I liked tonnes more than Sharon Hale's unimaginatively entitled "The Goose Girl" retelling, which was too cloying, "fluffy" and unsubstantial to me.

This one has a very palpable Middle Eastern flavour, probably due to the author's background, which in itself was a very welcome change of ambiance from the European-like setting of most retellings, and though the world isn't especially complex or developed in every single painstaking detail, A wonderful retelling of The Goose Girl fairy tale, that I liked tonnes more than Sharon Hale's unimaginatively entitled "The Goose Girl" retelling, which was too cloying, "fluffy" and unsubstantial to me.

This one has a very palpable Middle Eastern flavour, probably due to the author's background, which in itself was a very welcome change of ambiance from the European-like setting of most retellings, and though the world isn't especially complex or developed in every single painstaking detail, it does feel real and relatable enough even for those who've not set a foot in any country from the Levant. Ms Khanani has even infused her book with "local" words and phrases in Menaiyan, the language of the kingdom where the story happens, not sure derived from which real language. The setting is urban, but not purely so, in case "Middle Eastern" has summoned mistaken visions of deserts, sand, and Oriental decadence. It's a world with magic, but magic in just the right amount as to not feel overwhelming and too Fantasy.

The characters are the best part, I loved the heroine and hero both, something not always possible for me. The heroine, Princess Alyrra, a. k. a. Thorn, whose first person POV in present tense narrates the whole story, is a teenager, but you'd not remember that from her "voice." I certainly forgot immediately that she's only fifteen or so, as she sounds older and mature. Maybe too old and wise for her stated young age, which theoretically should be a flaw, but given that girls this age are generally depicted as idiots or... too adolescent to be likable, I'll look the other way in this case. The romance is, thankfully, angst-free, instalove-free, contrivance-free, and handled credibly for the circumstance of royal arranged union that originates it. Besides, in this relationship, it's the girl who does the heavy lifting, if you get what I'm hinting at.

The world is just begging for more stories to be set in it, because we don't see that much but what's shown whets the appetite for more. Fortunately, I had the short story The Bone Knife together with the novel, so I know there's more coming. ...more

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Nov 18, 2015 Beth rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fairytales-retold, y-a, fantasy, loved-it, ebook-i-own, read-in-2015

I adored this retelling of the fairy tale about the goose girl. The prose was gorgeous and the story wrapped me up so tight, I stayed up till 2am to finish it...

I love strong female characters, and Intisar Khanani has created one of my new favorite female heroines. Her goose girl came from a life of privilege, but one of coldness from her royal family. She grew up only knowing the kindness of the court servants, her only true experience of what family should be. When she is betrayed on her way ...more

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Mar 01, 2020 Fanna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, arc, romance, mental-health, female-protagonist, first-person, standalone, own-a-digital-copy, digital-review-copy

March 30, 2020:

Consider this reading this review over on my blog!

➝ Sum it up in points!

✔ retelling of the Grimm's fairy tale: The Goose Girl
✔ female protagonist finds her strength & purpose
✔ societal themes of justice and entitlement
✔ free-thinking Horse + sentient Wind
✔ slow-building, genuine romance
✔ villainous witch & robinhood-type thief

Thorn is YA dark retelling of a fairy tale that doesn't confine to the mere recounting of fantastical occurrences but also explore themes important

March 30, 2020:

Consider this reading this review over on my blog!

➝ Sum it up in points!

✔ retelling of the Grimm's fairy tale: The Goose Girl
✔ female protagonist finds her strength & purpose
✔ societal themes of justice and entitlement
✔ free-thinking Horse + sentient Wind
✔ slow-building, genuine romance
✔ villainous witch & robinhood-type thief

Thorn is YA dark retelling of a fairy tale that doesn't confine to the mere recounting of fantastical occurrences but also explore themes important enough to discuss in a world of injustice, royal hierarchy, and risks imposed by hidden slavers and a revengeful witch. A wonderful storyline that empowers the female lead to strengthen her backbone for others and oneself, it definitely shows women empowerment without the usual support by males deemed necessary in such context. Shocking twists that are largely inspired by the original story, this fantasy hooks anyone interested in secrets capable of exploitation, regretful actions from the past, lost and found identities, and a serving of emotions with all of the above. Another aspect is the commendable representation of trauma that has risen from childhood familial pressure and grown because of constant comparisons to create bad impressions. The slow-pacing of the story is essential to its atmosphere but was a personal drawback. Overall, an emotionally heavy story that depicts excellent character development, especially of a female finding her purpose.

➝ Trigger Warnings

✔ domestic abuse
✔ belittling & bullying
✔ animal death (off-page)
✔ choking & authoritarian questioning
✔ physical & emotional abuse
✔ sexual assault

March 29, 2020: This took me so many days because I had to keep it aside at around 35% for the tough, traumatic, and slow-paced story line but once I returned, I was hooked because the plot does create more peaks during the later half of the story and I understood the representation from another perspective. Full review to come!

March 10, 2020:

✔ retelling of the Goose Girl story
✔ royalty & sorcery
✔ grounded, naive but strong female protagonist
✔ themes of finding one’s voice and standing up for others

Mentioned on the blog: Fanticipating Reads of March 2020 | Five Under-Hyped Diverse Books To Look Out For This Month

March 2, 2020: Buddy reading with Rameela and Kerys!

February 2, 2020: So excited to be a part of the blog tour for this fantasy retelling of the Goose Girl fairy tale. Thank you, FFBC Tours & HarperTeen for the digital review copy via Edelweiss! ...more

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Jun 21, 2015 Kirstine rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, ebooks, netgalley, reviewed, sow-2015, 1-women, r-2015, fairytales-or-inspired-by, retellings

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy (even though the publication date was in 2012/13). GO READ THIS BOOK.

I have before me now a new life, if I choose to take it. I feel a ripple of something sweet and wonderful wash through me. I am done with that, I think. I wonder if it is joy I feel.

With fairytale retellings popping up everywhere, its easy to think they might not be worth your while. But this one is, I promise you.

Other than being a standalone book, which is rare enough, its ...more

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Jun 09, 2012 Shy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Anyone who loves Mercedes Lackey would enjoy this

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, kindle, fantasy-fairy-tale-retellings

Disclaimer: I read an ACR copy of the revised 2020 version of the book from the author. However, I am keeping my original review of the 2012 publication below as well, which I purchased on my own.

I have had the privilege of watching this book grow and mature from a solid good story to a highly polished gem. Intisar Khanani has put in an enormous effort (an extra 20,000 words!) into fleshing out Alyrra's emotional growth and character development and the book has only gotten stronger for it. Disclaimer: I read an ACR copy of the revised 2020 version of the book from the author. However, I am keeping my original review of the 2012 publication below as well, which I purchased on my own.

I have had the privilege of watching this book grow and mature from a solid good story to a highly polished gem. Intisar Khanani has put in an enormous effort (an extra 20,000 words!) into fleshing out Alyrra's emotional growth and character development and the book has only gotten stronger for it. This is a book of self-discovery, healing, the debate on what is right and what is just and what the law is and should be for people. It is about finding yourself and personal responsibility. I cannot stress enough how much I find the newly published book to be inspiring. As Intisar's dedication states this book is "for every girl who has ever doubted she has what it takes."

Original 2012 review:

Wow. I was not expecting to be this swept up in the tale - I could not put it down and read the whole thing in one go, to the detriment of some sleep. So if this review rambles a bit, it's all because I stayed up all night reading.

I guess I should start with the unexpectedness - I found out about this book on Facebook as it was published by a high school classmate of mine. This was the only reason I went to look at in on Amazon and as soon as I saw that it was a fantasy genre I decided, why not give it a go in a show of support? But that was about all the background I had to it.

I must be one of the only people not to know the fairytale story of the Goose Girl so aside from a broad archetype tale of lost heroine looking for her happy ending I really had no clues to the plot at all. It was a wonderful read for me. The only bad thing I can say about this book is that I rather dislike narrative in the present tense. I was quite disappointed at the first page when I realised it was going to be told this way, but within a couple of chapters it stopped mattering, which to me means the prose flowed well enough that I could sink into the whole tale and envision it around me as I read without being distracted by clumsy narrative or forced descriptions or anything. Yes, I'd still prefer my fantasy in the past tense, but it did not spoil the enjoyment for me at all when reading Thorn. I was in Thorn's world from beginning to end and nothing in the writing made me stop and go "oh, well that was awkwardly put..." Some people commented on wishing more explanation about the magic. It might be a place to go for future novels but I didn't feel the omission was too detrimental. Maybe it is just easy for me to suspend disbelief for novels like these but the fact that Thorn doesn't practice any herself made it ok for me to not know more details. I don't think there is anywhere in the narrative where that kind of information would have sat well, in my opinion.

I love the fact that, for a book categorised as Young Adult fiction, it deals with very serious themes. It does not hide cruelty. It does not sugarcoat people's vices. To me Thorn read very much to me now in my thirties the way my first Mercedes Lackey book read easily in my teens, with an appreciation that young people can have a lot more depth and maturity than adults frequently imagine. Books are a safe way to explore the world and question actions and consequences. I was even surprised that the "happy ending" is not quite as happy as a fairytale would be. There is sadness and regret and hesitation but also the start of something more positive and I hope to get the chance to read more novels about Alyrra and Kestrin in the future to take me back to my daydreaming days. ...more

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Mar 02, 2015 Ivie ✩Born to Magic-Forced to Muggle✩ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya, very-good, favourite, awsome, amazing, broom-rider, uberville, color-me-surprised, chocolate-sweet, fantastical

When I was a little girl, I had a cassette tape with old fairy tales on it. The lady reading them had the most magical, softest voice you could imagine. I used to listen to that one tape every single night for ages, and it never got old. Amongst the stories was the one called Princess Goose Girl and it told a tale similar to this. Stolen lives and treachery, from riches to ashes, from darkness to light. Reading Thorn was an unique pleasure for me. There aren't too many novels out there that I ...more

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Sep 29, 2015 Marina rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 5-star, own-ebook

4.5

Oh. my. god.

This was so much better that I anticipated. Khanani weaves a magical fairy-tale full of curses, stolen identities, and cruel nobility. I was blown away by the intricate plot and the beautiful story.

Alyrra is a princess who finally gets a chance to escape her abusive family. But on her way to salvation, she is betrayed by her lady companion, and switches bodies with her. For awhile Alyrra is happy to be able to escape her fate, but she cannot outrun her destiny. It takes great loss 4.5

Oh. my. god.

This was so much better that I anticipated. Khanani weaves a magical fairy-tale full of curses, stolen identities, and cruel nobility. I was blown away by the intricate plot and the beautiful story.

Alyrra is a princess who finally gets a chance to escape her abusive family. But on her way to salvation, she is betrayed by her lady companion, and switches bodies with her. For awhile Alyrra is happy to be able to escape her fate, but she cannot outrun her destiny. It takes great loss and tragedy to finally let go of her fear and stand up for what she really believes in. I really, really, liked Alyrra. Though I did begin to get annoyed with her self-pity after awhile. I just wanted her to seize the day, instead of being so passive and happy cleaning horse and goose shit all day. But she's so kind, so smart, so likable that I couldn't help but see that this was just balm on her soul after years of abuse.

Our noble prince is certainly a flawed, but a lovable character. I really enjoyed the fact that their relationship was build slowly, on tentative trust, and loyalty. Both wanted to save the other because they saw the potential in them. I really liked the Kestrin kept reaching out to her, but at the same time gave her space to decide for herself and allowed her to make her own choices. The romance though was very underplayed and not the focus of the story, which I was extremely happy with.

I really liked all the supporting characters as well. Violet and Laurel, and the boys. Of course I cannot forget Falada. I loved all of them without question.

One thing I wished was better was the explanation and backstory for some things. At times it came too late and for awhile I'd be confused about things. Something were not explained at all. I would have liked to know more about the magic in this world and how some people get to know it. How does their city survive without justice when murders can basically get away with shit and guards only work for bribes?

Either way, I think this is fantastic story and I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy. ...more

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Sep 03, 2014 Gail Carriger rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, fantasy, historical

A retelling of the Goose Girl fairy tale as a YA fantasy. At first I thought it would be very like To Play the Lady, but it turned out to be much darker and less romantic. It's beautifully written and easy to gobble up with a clean plot and some stunning imagery. At times, I found myself a little annoyed with the main character, she's quite passive, but this may be a consequence of the base material (after all, that's what most fairy tale heroines are = passive). In the end, I wished the romance ...more

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Oct 16, 2019 Kristen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4.5 stars

This was REALLY good! Very sad in parts though and just broke my heart a little. Will there be more? I will miss these characters so much

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Oct 04, 2019 Suzannah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, fairytale-retellings, rating-pg-13

As luck would have it, I became a raving fan of Intisar Khanani's fantasy right around the time that THORN was withdrawn from circulation preparatory to being traditionally published. So...let's just say I've been waiting for this one for a while.

And it did NOT disappoint.

THORN is gorgeous, mesmerising, leisurely, deep, and gutwrenching. I knew it was also a retelling of the Grimms' fairytale The Goose Girl, which I have always loved and never seen retold before. It is that, and it hews As luck would have it, I became a raving fan of Intisar Khanani's fantasy right around the time that THORN was withdrawn from circulation preparatory to being traditionally published. So...let's just say I've been waiting for this one for a while.

And it did NOT disappoint.

THORN is gorgeous, mesmerising, leisurely, deep, and gutwrenching. I knew it was also a retelling of the Grimms' fairytale The Goose Girl, which I have always loved and never seen retold before. It is that, and it hews surprisingly close to the original fairytale, but it's also very much its own creation, something startling and new and very far from simple. It's both darker and more mature than fairytale retellings tend to be, but despite (or perhaps partly because) of that it also falls into the category of "YA books I would actually give to young adults."

I'm doing a bad job of this. Let me talk about some of the things I really loved.

I really loved how the book was challenging and deep and honest about the bad things that happen in life, while maintaining a deft touch that never becomes explicit or melodramatic, and equally gives such things the weight of grief they deserve. It's HARD to walk that line well, but Intisar does it gracefully and I'm so happy that there are books out there like this.

I really loved the strong theme of justice - what it is, what it isn't, and why it is important. Everything about it rang so true and went far beyond simple answers and again, I'm so happy this book is out in the world.

I absolutely adored the...I almost don't want to call it a romance? Because the heroine is not in love with anyone at any point in this book. THORN is not a love story so much as it's a respect story. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that love stories aren't fantastic. But no amount of love can build a healthy relationship if there isn't a ton of respect, and I think respect is a ton more romantic than it's often depicted as. (Jane Austen knew it. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE is explicitly about the importance of respect, yet how often does anyone point that out?) THORN is all about our heroine learning to trust and respect someone who, at times, I despaired of. Their interactions were my favourite scenes in the book because the stakes were so high, and the heroine so vulnerable. I did not know if it was going to work out in a way that would satisfy me, but it did and I'm applauding.

THORN is surely one of my favourite reads of 2019. I did think the book could have been a little shorter and tighter. The heroine seemed a whisker passive at times and some of the story elements could have been either utilised more or trimmed - eg., the main villain has a fascinating backstory, but she and her motivations are sidelined for much of the story while smaller conflicts play out. These are issues that I can be super impatient with, so it's a testament to everything this book does RIGHT that THORN kept me eagerly turning pages. I loved it, and I can't wait to read whatever Intisar writes next. 4.5 stars. ...more

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What's the Name o...: SOLVED. YA Fantasy retelling princess works in stables after magical betrayal. [s]	6	24	Nov 30, 2018 06:43PM
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About Intisar Khanani

Intisar Khanani

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Intisar Khanani grew up a nomad and world traveler. Born in Wisconsin, she has lived in five different states as well as in Jeddah on the coast of the Red Sea. She currently resides in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her husband and two young daughters. Prior to publishing her novels, Intisar worked as a public health consultant on projects relating to infant mortality and minority health, which was as ...more

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Quotes from Thorn

“Should I run so far that I reach the sea, I should not have run far enough, for the thing I run from rides on my back and in my blood and will not be shaken.” — 24 likes

“We all need our quiet, I think. We all have our unspoken wishes, hopes we cannot mention, choices we may yet regret.” — 14 likes

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