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Thorn

Intisar Khanani (Goodreads Author)

4.01 · Rating details · 4,594 ratings · 734 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 25th 2012)

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Fairy Tale Retellings: Hidden Gems

535 books — 958 voters

The Goose Girl Retellings

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4.01 ·

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· 4,594 ratings · 734 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: fairy-tales-do-they-come-true, netgalley, read-2015, young-adult, witches

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 he ...more

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

Shelves: r2r-complete, read-2012, favourites-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: http: ...more

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

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

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 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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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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Nov 11, 2014 Katerina Kondrenko rated it really liked it

Shelves: arcs, read-in-2015, fantasy, retellings, royals, young-adult, reviewed-by-me-full, read-in-english, magic, high-fantasy

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 chi

...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 ext ...more

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

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

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 can’t.

Okay, okay, in all seriousness, let’s get started.

If you read and liked The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale like I did, don’t 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 don’t recall any in The Goose Girl (which I read years ago, so I may be mistake ...more

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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 ad ...more

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Jun 08, 2015 Dana rated it really liked it

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

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 famili ...more

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

Shelves: fantasy, 5-stars, authorial-style-i-like, bonus-points-for-creativity, exceptional-characters, fairy-tale-retellings, most-outstanding-pairings, oh-the-twists, prose-is-exquisite, romance-done-well

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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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 fairytale- 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: fav-non-contemp, genre-fantasy

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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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, 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 f 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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Nov 18, 2015 Beth rated it it was amazing

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

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

Shelves: fantasy, fairy-tale, ya-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 21, 2015 Kirstine rated it really liked it

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

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, it’s 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, ...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

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 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: amazing, approved-by-likeminded-souls, awsome, broom-rider, chocolate-sweet, color-me-surprised, fantastical, fantasy-of-old, favourite, the-force-is-strong-in-this-one

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 03, 2014 Gail Carriger rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, historical, ya

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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Feb 18, 2014 Karla rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, retellings

This is a retelling of The Grimm's The Goose Girl and for some reason I have been into reading retellings of fairy tales and the likes and sometimes I find them a little lacking but the ones that I manage to finish are always my favorites.

As was the case with Thorn, I loved this book. It had everything I look for in book: fantasy, romance, mystery, good plot.. I honestly could not put the book down because I wanted to know what would happen next with Alyrra and all the problems she was facing. This is a retelling of The Grimm's The Goose Girl and for some reason I have been into reading retellings of fairy tales and the likes and sometimes I find them a little lacking but the ones that I manage to finish are always my favorites.

As was the case with Thorn, I loved this book. It had everything I look for in book: fantasy, romance, mystery, good plot.. I honestly could not put the book down because I wanted to know what would happen next with Alyrra and all the problems she was facing. I loved that this was one of those fantasy books where there are kings and guards and stuff of the like, so that was points for it not being modern retelling but this one was perfect just the way it is.

One of the things that bothered was the times she didn't do anything to regain her proper place as the princess, I mean yeah she was content with the life she living as a goose girl but at times I found it really frustrating when an injustice was done to her and she was powerless to do anything. Not to mention how she was treated at first by the nobles not to mention Prince Krestin and I wished they would find a way to figure out that she was the princess and not Valka. (view spoiler)

The idea that she could speak with Falada, I think that's how you spell Horse's name, was an interesting twist. He guided her and came to be her companion that I liked reading about their interactions so much that it came quite a shock when the inevitable happened (view spoiler) but it was necessary for the story near the end when Alyrra was accused of witchcraft because she has the ability to speak to her Horse and control the Wind (you realize the stupidity of the latter near the end).

Now, while I was intrigued when I read that Alyrra was going off to the nearest kingdom to marry the prince she had never met before, as soon as her identity was switched with Valka's (view spoiler), I sort of thought that it was going to be impossible for her end up with Krestin but as I kept on reading I figured out that Alyrra went on living her life as a goose girl and she was content with it. She interacted with Krestin a few times, and after a few things came to light, he figured out that the Princess Alyrra was an impostor and that the goose girl Thorne was no ordinary noble lady turned goose girl. After he saw that Thorne was the real Alyrra, it seemed like he was trying to court her, or at least become her friend. At the end, when everything was over, it didn't seem like they were ready to proclaim their love for each other, (for Alyrra wasn't so ready to start falling in love that), it didn't end with a definite happily ever after but it leaves the reader with a sense that they were still going to go through without he whole wedding thing and things might have turned towards love in the future. I was content enough wit the ending, although I admit I would have loved to see more of them after the whole princess fiasco ended.

While noticing that the book was near it's end, I worried whether Alyrra would stay in the other girl's identity but then (view spoiler) the magic reversed itself and Alyrra went back to looking like herself, I was happy for her because I thought it would totally have sucked for Krestin and Alyrra to have to live with someone who wasn't their true self seeing as how she sort of needed it to reign as princess or Queen with Krestin.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and I was glad I stumbled upon on my Kindle, I don't know how I found it but I hope to read the next books that are in the series/world as the ones in Thorn. Definitely would recommend this book! ...more

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Sep 29, 2015 Marina rated it it was amazing

Shelves: own-ebook, 5-star

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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Apr 11, 2013 Elevetha rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Elevetha by: Miss Clark

Shelves: 2015, fairytale-retelling, fairytales, magic-and-other-magical-substances, fey, quite-good, favorites, craptastic-review, own

Thorn was a really lovely retelling of The Goose Girl and a rather fantastic book in and above itself. One of my favorite parts about it was Alyrra and her actions and choices and, hmm, she's just quite wonderful. Another thing, probably my FAVORITE thing, was the romance. And not because it was sweeping or intense or super-shippy or cute (though it was getting there for some of those), but because it was very natural and real and by the end, I was just so pleased with the progression of their r ...more

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Jan 28, 2015 Isa Lavinia rated it really liked it

Actual rating: 3,5 stars

I admit to some hesitation when deciding whether or not to read this book, since it's a retelling of The Goose Girl and this has never been one of favourite fairy tales, what with the main character being a passive, somewhat stupid character because the brothers Grimm were women hating pos.
Plus there was that whole issue with Falada, the talking horse, and I, as anyone who has watched The Neverending Story, can't really deal with stuff AT ALL.

Whomever is familiar with Th ...more

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Sep 26, 2015 Kirsty (Amethyst Bookwyrm) rated it liked it

Shelves: netgalley-edelweiss, fantasy, review

Thanks to Netgalley and Xpresso Book Tours for giving me this book to review.

15 year old Princess Alyrra has had no choices or comfort from her rank with a cruel family and the courts contempt, and now she is forced to marry a foreign prince. However, when on the journey to her new home and betrothed, she is betrayed by a magical attack and her identity is switched with another woman’s but this gives Alyrra a freedom she has never had before. Alyrra starts her new life as Thorn, a simple goose g ...more

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Jan 28, 2015 Ella rated it really liked it

THE MC IS FIFTEEN AND DOESN'T ACT LIKE AN IDIOT. *faints* WHAT IS THIS MADNESS??!!

Answer: Something brilliant, obviously.

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Apr 01, 2014 Sarah rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

Wow, this is the first book I'm writing a review for in quite a while (Has it really been almost a year?), and while my review writing skills (few that I had) may be rusty, here we go!

I haven't yet read The Goose Girl by Hale, but I did look up the myth before reading. To that end, I was really surprised by how well it kept to it. The brutality of the original Grimm tale is there, but perhaps softened a bit by the hand of our protagonist.

Princess Alyrra, who goes by Thoreena/Thorn after she is t Wow, this is the first book I'm writing a review for in quite a while (Has it really been almost a year?), and while my review writing skills (few that I had) may be rusty, here we go!

I haven't yet read The Goose Girl by Hale, but I did look up the myth before reading. To that end, I was really surprised by how well it kept to it. The brutality of the original Grimm tale is there, but perhaps softened a bit by the hand of our protagonist.

Princess Alyrra, who goes by Thoreena/Thorn after she is transformed, was a very interesting protagonist for me to struggle with. And I really did struggle. I'm personally a huge fan of unsympathetic protagonists. They don't ask for my forgiveness and they don't care what I think of them. Alyrra is so much different; she is probably the most purely good protagonist I've read in a while. I thought her really naive at first, and she truly was. She became less naive as the story went on, but she never lost her original goodness. She frustrated me. A lot. She was probably meant to frustrate me. I constantly found myself shaking my Kindle, asking her for a little less soft corners, a little more jagged edge. I don't think I ended up loving her as maybe I was meant to, but I could understand where she, and by extension the author, was coming from.

Themes of abuse, specifically female abuse at the hands of men, is one of the biggest topics in the book. I do think the author handled the situations well and with proper respect, and I really applaud her for that. Alyrra's mercy, I suppose, is what I struggled with the most. For me, there were times when the book seemed to stray into the territory of "victims should just learn to forgive their abusers because revenge doesn't do anything" and that line of thought does not sit well with me at all. I don't think it's good to hold on to hate, but I think Alyrra's quickness to forgive put me off. However, most of the villains (view spoiler) do get justice handed to them in the name of the law. I just think a little more development with (view spoiler) would have rounded out the theme. I think the book would have benefited for reassurance that her hate and relief at the death of criminals isn't undeserved or cruel in the least.

I was also a fan of how the author addressed issues of poverty and class. The scene with the apple cakes hit me hard, and I thought it was incredibly well developed. The relationship between Alyrra and Kestrin was developed really really well. No unexpected romance out of nowhere. I actually really appreciated that and I wish more authors would do this.

I found the writing style a little jilting to read. It's just a personal thing; it was obviously written to capture the feel of the original fairy tale, but that on top of my inability to agree with Alyrra just compounded the distance between us. It also made the book hard to get into at first. The banter between Alyrra and the prince or the king got old kind of fast. It made every conversation sound the same and nothing got said over a long period of time. Still, it was clever in places and way more reminiscent of actual political banter than I've read in most fantasy books. ...more

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May 15, 2012 Elisabeth Wheatley rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed, adventure-and-magic, love-stories-i-actually-liked, indies, shelf-of-awesome, kindle-freebies, obtained, witches, fantasy, chaste-romance

It has been a very long time since a book captured me the way this one did. Though it was a bit slow in the beginning, once I got past the first few chapters, I might as well have been shackled to my iPhone. I simply could not tear myself away.

I had my eye on this book for awhile. The idea of a "The Goose Girl" retelling intrigued me. However, I had read another TGG retelling (The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale) and wasn't sure it would be entirely new. I must now eat my thoughts.

The plot:
I was high It has been a very long time since a book captured me the way this one did. Though it was a bit slow in the beginning, once I got past the first few chapters, I might as well have been shackled to my iPhone. I simply could not tear myself away.

I had my eye on this book for awhile. The idea of a "The Goose Girl" retelling intrigued me. However, I had read another TGG retelling (The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale) and wasn't sure it would be entirely new. I must now eat my thoughts.

The plot:
I was highly impressed. Remember how I said I was worried about originality? While I could spot elements of the Grimm fairytale, it was a whole new spin. (I know people always say things like that, but I can't help that it's true.) The voice and the feel were unusual and I enjoyed the mix of middle-eastern and European customs and styles.

The characters:
Princess Alyrra/Thorn is the most engaging main character I have met in a long time. All she wants is to be left alone and yet, when push comes to shove, she does step up and do the right thing. She is humble and compassionate and brave, though she doesn't believe it. I greatly enjoyed watching her discover her inner strength to face her enemies and I was rooting for her all the way. One of my favorite things about her character was how, even after Valka had been downright sadistic to Thorn, Thorn still took pity on her and showed mercy. Compassion is a quality that seems to be growing scarce in modern MCs and it was exhilarating to meet one who has it in plenty.

Kestrin was what many would call "swoon worthy." (While I don't normally use that term, it seems fitting here.) Young, handsome, gallant, brave...did I mention he's the prince? While I got a bit mad at him a few times, the greater portion of my reading was spent in agony over what would happen with him and Thorn. Not to give away the ending, but I was quite satisfied with the outcome.

Valka, the maid who betrays Thorn, is an excellent antagonist. Pampered, spoiled, selfish--she's the kind of character we all love to hate.

Let's not forget the Lady, the mysterious otherworldly being who starts all the trouble in the first place. As for details about her, you'll have to read the book.

There were a bevy of other characters (Red Hawk, Falada, Violet, Laurel, Oak, Ash) who were all memorable and lovable in their own way. (I am really hoping to see more of some of them in the companion trilogy the author is working on.)

All in all, this book was awesome. Mind-bogglingly so. In other words, go get it. Right now. That's an order. =) ...more

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Jun 04, 2017 Sinead Anja (Huntress of Diverse Books) rated it it was amazing

Check out my book blog for more book reviews and other bookish posts!

Thorn is another of Intisar Khanani’s books. She quickly established herself to be a favourite author of mine, and I just couldn’t stop reading her books during Ramadan Readathon.

I decided to read Thorn for two reasons. First of all, as I mentioned above, the author is amazing. Secondly, it’s a retelling and even if I’m not such a fan of the original tale The Goose Girl by the Brothers Grimm, I am a fan of retellings, especiall ...more

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Jul 02, 2015 Simply Sam ツ rated it liked it

Shelves: genre-that-will-not-be-named

***3.5 Stars***

I wanted to read a fairy tale, complete with evil queens and curses, and this seemed to meet that criteria. As a bonus, it also fits the bill for our MacHalo TBR July cleanout. Score!

I am unfamiliar with the goose girl fairy tale, so while this may be a retelling, for me it was just the telling. No re about it. It was totally new so I went in not knowing at all what to expect. It was quick and easy to read. There was definitely a curse (more like 2 curses), an evil sorceress, talk ***3.5 Stars***

I wanted to read a fairy tale, complete with evil queens and curses, and this seemed to meet that criteria. As a bonus, it also fits the bill for our MacHalo TBR July cleanout. Score!

I am unfamiliar with the goose girl fairy tale, so while this may be a retelling, for me it was just the telling. No re about it. It was totally new so I went in not knowing at all what to expect. It was quick and easy to read. There was definitely a curse (more like 2 curses), an evil sorceress, talking Horses, hints of magic, a band of altruistic thieves, a prince with a secret, and a princess with an even bigger one. And do you want to know one of the best parts? Absolutely NO instalove. In fact, there was really very little in the way of romance. Whew! Thank goodness.

I liked it.

I did,

but...

my biggest issue was Thorn herself. No surprise there really. I have a harder time connecting with female characters. Don't ask me why as I'm not a 100% sure myself. There are some that click with me but those are far fewer than those who don't. I also prefer male music artists, so my prejudice is not just limited to books. Anywho. Back to Thorn. She was too good, you know what I mean? To the point that she was kind of a bland individual, one that I would have discounted had I not known she was the heroine of the story. She was a milk toast character who was content to let whatever happen in life just happen, and she remained that way until the last 10% of the book or so. But somehow, someway, people were always in awe of her goodness and bravery. It just didn't feel genuine.

I am trying to be more patient when it comes to certain character development issues, so I kept reminding myself, "This is a fairy tale. I have to allow greater liberties with the characters." And that worked mostly. So, even though her characterization didn't totally jibe with me, it wasn't something that killed the book for me either.

And while a big part of the story was light and airy, there were many times that it went to much darker places than I expected. Murder, torture, rape. The loss of beloved characters. I was caught off guard the first time, but I have to admit, the book was all the more interesting for it.

Overall, it's not my favorite read of the fairy tale retelling genre but it's still a solid addition.

...more

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Oct 03, 2012 Bukcrz rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: own-can-loan

Wow, and again wow!
Though the book description sounds like this book will be your run of the mill Prince meets Princess, golden-heart Princess saves the Prince, and they live happily ever after. Not even close. It sounds that way at the start but soon, the twists and turns in the story will caught you off guard with its depths and truths.
The heroine’s (Princess) appeal and strength lies both on her lack/flaws (depends on who you ask) and her desire for a new path in life as she displays very uni ...more

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What's the Name o...: SOLVED. YA Fantasy retelling princess works in stables after magical betrayal. [s]	6	22	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 clo ...more