Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa BashardoustMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
I was provided an copy of the audiobook via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love mythology and fairy tales especially when they come from a culture I don't know much about. I'm glad I listened to the author's note at the very end of the audiobook because I learned quite a bit about where she took her inspiration from and the origin of the stories she was retelling. At one point I thought this had a Rumplestiltskin feel to it and that was confirmed during her notes that one of the stories is similar to that fairy tale. I really love that she took aspects of her culture and background and wove them into this story.
I liked the premise of the book but the pacing felt a bit slow. There isn't a ton of action to move the plot along, it is mostly character interaction or Soraya's internal monologue. The plot itself is fairly convenient and predictable, but I've come to expect that in YA fantasy. This has some really interesting characters that are drawn from the mythology, but I would have liked to see them developed a little more. The main character Soraya is really the only character that show's much development.
To give a quick recap, this book is about Soraya who was cursed with a poisonous touch a birth. She is the twin of the Shah (aka the king), but she has to stay hidden away and her family basically ignores her. As her brother's wedding grows near, she seeks out the knowledge to rid herself of her curse only to upend her entire life in a way she never imagined. Soraya must determine if she wants to embrace the side of good or evil. She has to decide between betraying the family and kingdom that never really showed her love and kindness and join the demons or save them all and be the decent human being she has always been despite everything she's been through.
Overall this was an entertaining listen, but it didn't live up to my expectations.
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