Thorn

Intisar Khanani

Age 14 +
24 March 2020
9781471408724
512 pages

Synopsis

'A dark, Middle-Eastern influenced retelling [...] dangerous secrets, false identities, delicious court intrigue and justice.' Culture Fly

Between her family's cruelty and the court's contempt, Princess Alyrra 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. But powerful men have powerful enemies - and now so does Alyrra.

When Alyrra is betrayed and her identity is switched with another woman's, Alyrra is faced with the first choice she's ever had: to start a new life for herself or fight for a prince she's never met.

Sometimes the hardest thing of all is learning to trust yourself . . .

Inspired by The Goose Girl fairytale by the Brothers Grimm.

'THE BEST YA FANTASY BOOK I'VE READ THIS YEAR!' - neverjudgeabookbyitscover.co.uk

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A dark, Middle-Eastern influenced retelling about dangerous secrets, false identities, delicious court intrigue and justice. ... Perfect for fans of The Wrath and the Dawn.
I really enjoyed reading Alyrra's story which follows her as she grows in confidence and learns to trust in the courage of her convictions.
"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." Khanani's retelling of "The Goose Girl" keeps the basics of the fairytale the same (a princess is sent to a kingdom to marry a prince but is betrayed and looses her title) but expands the story to include examinations of violence and its effects on main characters. It could be easy to dismiss Alyrra as just a weak and passive princess, but Khanani smartly delves into the realistic reactions and responses a person would have to trauma.