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WHAT. A. BOOK!
Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a must read of its own kind, and has totally upped the game for fantasy standalones, I'm telling you. This book has already checked off many boxes of the list of books I look out for, but after reading this, I had to frantically check off almost all of them as this is what a good epic fantasy looks like in a little bit over 300 pages! Yes. Just a bit over 300 pages!!
As a fan of all sorts of mythologies, fairytales and folklore, I love when fantasy worlds can introduce me to those I'm not familiar with, and spark my interest and passion to research more, and dwell more into those lush worlds and unknown tales. Girl, Serpent, Thorn just did that (and Melissa Bashardoust's list of recommendations that all made it to my wishlist!). Inspired by both Sleeping Beauty and Rappacini's Daughter, Bashardoust went a step farther and included so much of Persian folklore and mythology in this story that this didn't just felt like a retelling but a tale that could be as ancient as the ones she took inspiration from. The magic, the own stories included, the demons, the history! Just brilliant, fantastic and so beautiful that I don't ever want to read something not set in this world.
In the middle of all the epic, we meet Soraya - a cursed princess whose touch is so poisonous that her touch kills instantly. Hidden away and living in isolation, we see the protagonist's constant inner fights with what she is and what she longs to be. And there are two paths in front of her, two people at her side who might give her the answers and questions she seeks. At one side, a demon in the dungeons who despite following a purpose of her own, seems to have the right questions. On the other, a handsome soldier giving the answers she seeks, and who sees her for who she is, not what. This constellation already blew me off from the start, and kept suprising and knocking me over the more the story progressed.
At that point, I didn't mind the setting of a love triangle, I welcomed it. I watched the characters develop and connect with each other, wanted to know all about each of them, and wanted their tale to never end. Their individual bonds made the story even richer, always linking the right emotions with the atmosphere. The romance never felt too forced or quick, despite the nature of this book being a standalone. In fact, it all came so naturally and well-paced that I couldn't believe this book really made me feel all those things in the shortest span of time. However, as someone who feels tension very easily, I would have wished for 50 pages more if that meant we got some more scenes of a build up of connection as it left me craving for more.
And then this book gave me something I was never expecting to find in here. A complex and so well-developed villain that I partly found myself rooting for him, hoping for a redemption, and naming him my favorite villain right after the infamous The Darkling from Leigh Bardugo's Grisha trilogy [b:Shadow and Bone|10194157|Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1339533695l/10194157._SX50_.jpg|15093325].
Now one would think that an epic worldbuilding with so many mythological aspects, multiple complex and well developed characters, two romances that served the plot and came in the most naturally way, a brilliantly written villain are all elements of an epic series worth thousands and thousands of pages, but Melissa Bashardoust managed to perfectly pace this into one standalone.
You do not want to miss out on this enthralling fairytale that gives you all the epic you need.
Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a must read of its own kind, and has totally upped the game for fantasy standalones, I'm telling you. This book has already checked off many boxes of the list of books I look out for, but after reading this, I had to frantically check off almost all of them as this is what a good epic fantasy looks like in a little bit over 300 pages! Yes. Just a bit over 300 pages!!
As a fan of all sorts of mythologies, fairytales and folklore, I love when fantasy worlds can introduce me to those I'm not familiar with, and spark my interest and passion to research more, and dwell more into those lush worlds and unknown tales. Girl, Serpent, Thorn just did that (and Melissa Bashardoust's list of recommendations that all made it to my wishlist!). Inspired by both Sleeping Beauty and Rappacini's Daughter, Bashardoust went a step farther and included so much of Persian folklore and mythology in this story that this didn't just felt like a retelling but a tale that could be as ancient as the ones she took inspiration from. The magic, the own stories included, the demons, the history! Just brilliant, fantastic and so beautiful that I don't ever want to read something not set in this world.
In the middle of all the epic, we meet Soraya - a cursed princess whose touch is so poisonous that her touch kills instantly. Hidden away and living in isolation, we see the protagonist's constant inner fights with what she is and what she longs to be. And there are two paths in front of her, two people at her side who might give her the answers and questions she seeks. At one side, a demon in the dungeons who despite following a purpose of her own, seems to have the right questions. On the other, a handsome soldier giving the answers she seeks, and who sees her for who she is, not what. This constellation already blew me off from the start, and kept suprising and knocking me over the more the story progressed.
At that point, I didn't mind the setting of a love triangle, I welcomed it. I watched the characters develop and connect with each other, wanted to know all about each of them, and wanted their tale to never end. Their individual bonds made the story even richer, always linking the right emotions with the atmosphere. The romance never felt too forced or quick, despite the nature of this book being a standalone. In fact, it all came so naturally and well-paced that I couldn't believe this book really made me feel all those things in the shortest span of time. However, as someone who feels tension very easily, I would have wished for 50 pages more if that meant we got some more scenes of a build up of connection as it left me craving for more.
And then this book gave me something I was never expecting to find in here. A complex and so well-developed villain that I partly found myself rooting for him, hoping for a redemption, and naming him my favorite villain right after the infamous The Darkling from Leigh Bardugo's Grisha trilogy [b:Shadow and Bone|10194157|Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1339533695l/10194157._SX50_.jpg|15093325].
Now one would think that an epic worldbuilding with so many mythological aspects, multiple complex and well developed characters, two romances that served the plot and came in the most naturally way, a brilliantly written villain are all elements of an epic series worth thousands and thousands of pages, but Melissa Bashardoust managed to perfectly pace this into one standalone.
You do not want to miss out on this enthralling fairytale that gives you all the epic you need.
OMG HOW CAN BE A BOOK SOOOOO AMAZING????? I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT ITTTTTT!!!! CANT WAIT TO GET ACOMAF IN MY HANDSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
READ IT READ IT READ IT !!!!!!!!
btw. a more serious review can be found on my blog https://aboxfulloftreasures.wordpress.com/2017/04/18/review-a-court-of-thorns-and-roses-by-sarah-j-maas/
FANGIRLING CAN BE FOUND EVERYWHERE MOSTLY ON MY BOOKSTAGRAM @drawingandreading !!!!!!!!
SCREAMING BECAUSE THIS IS SOOO GOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!
READ IT READ IT READ IT !!!!!!!!
btw. a more serious review can be found on my blog https://aboxfulloftreasures.wordpress.com/2017/04/18/review-a-court-of-thorns-and-roses-by-sarah-j-maas/
FANGIRLING CAN BE FOUND EVERYWHERE MOSTLY ON MY BOOKSTAGRAM @drawingandreading !!!!!!!!
SCREAMING BECAUSE THIS IS SOOO GOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!
REVIEW UP ON MY BLOG! CHECK IT OUT! There's a sketch of Queen Levana, too! https://aboxfulloftreasures.wordpress.com/2016/11/10/review-fairest-by-marissa-meyer/
Check out my Review on Cress! Link's: https://aboxfulloftreasures.wordpress.com/2016/10/27/review-cress-by-marissa-meyer/
my review on Scarlet is up on my blog! Check it out!
https://aboxfulloftreasures.wordpress.com/2016/09/25/review-scarlet-by-marissa-meyer/
https://aboxfulloftreasures.wordpress.com/2016/09/25/review-scarlet-by-marissa-meyer/
The story started a bit slow and it was confusing, because I didn’t know in which direction this retelling of Cinderella is going. I wasn’t sure I’d love how this will turn out, bur after being 100 pages in, I totally fell in love with. Reaching the end of the book was torture (that’s why I started reading „Scarlet“, the second book right away).
I like the characters and their relationships in this book (and the other ones of this series).
Also, the way Meyer reveals plottwists is fantastic. I was spoiled before starting „Cinder“, still I was shocked the way the author has written certain scenes and how some plottwists were shown.
If it hadn’t taken me that long to get into the book in the first place, this would’ve been a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. But even though I wanna forget that it took me a while, I cant.
You need to get through the slow part and then BAM it’s going to be amazing!
Blog review: https://aboxfulloftreasures.wordpress.com/2016/09/22/review-cinder-by-marissa-meyer/
I like the characters and their relationships in this book (and the other ones of this series).
Also, the way Meyer reveals plottwists is fantastic. I was spoiled before starting „Cinder“, still I was shocked the way the author has written certain scenes and how some plottwists were shown.
If it hadn’t taken me that long to get into the book in the first place, this would’ve been a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. But even though I wanna forget that it took me a while, I cant.
You need to get through the slow part and then BAM it’s going to be amazing!
Blog review: https://aboxfulloftreasures.wordpress.com/2016/09/22/review-cinder-by-marissa-meyer/
Now that I'm rereading this series, I feel like it's about time to write a proper review as 2018 Aleksandra did not share her thoughts with you. But those mostly consisted of fangirling about the Darkling, and offers to sell my soul to him.
Not that any of that has changed.
Shadow and Bone still remains a fantastic book with worldbuilding I came to love very dearly over the past years. Despite the fact that I'm still furious with the wrong usage of last names (it should be Alina Starkova, and so on, but just let's not focus too much on that now), I will forever love the world of Ravka (and Kerch, and Fjerda, and so on). The Grishaverse remains one of my favorite fictional worlds, and being able to rediscover everything was like coming back home.
As for the story, I was still having as much fun as I did the first time around. Alina has so much potential during this first book, that I just wanted to sit back and enjoy my time with her. She probably isn't the most convincing protagonist throughout the series, and she surely did frustrate me in the upcoming books, but her journey in the first installement of the Grisha trilogy reminded me of why I did like her in the beginning.
However, the show was once again stolen by the Darkling. Despite the fact that I knew what was coming, and was able to spot some things I couldn't have noticed the first time I was reading the series, his character remains the best written. My love for this man will always burn bright, and I can't help myself with how I feel. Aleksandra from 2018 would offer her soul to him, and three years later, my offer still stands.
What I do want to add is that I can't believe how spot-on the Netflix adaptation of this book is. I knew they did a great job with the series, and I hadn't been as happy with one for so many years. But as I was rereading it, I clearly saw the scenes from the show inside my head, and just got reminded of how perfectly done the show was. Also Ben Barnes as the Darkling still is *chef's kiss*.
Overall, I can't add much of new thoughts. I still love the book, I still love the worldbuilding, and I still love the Darkling.
Not that any of that has changed.
Shadow and Bone still remains a fantastic book with worldbuilding I came to love very dearly over the past years. Despite the fact that I'm still furious with the wrong usage of last names (it should be Alina Starkova, and so on, but just let's not focus too much on that now), I will forever love the world of Ravka (and Kerch, and Fjerda, and so on). The Grishaverse remains one of my favorite fictional worlds, and being able to rediscover everything was like coming back home.
As for the story, I was still having as much fun as I did the first time around. Alina has so much potential during this first book, that I just wanted to sit back and enjoy my time with her. She probably isn't the most convincing protagonist throughout the series, and she surely did frustrate me in the upcoming books, but her journey in the first installement of the Grisha trilogy reminded me of why I did like her in the beginning.
However, the show was once again stolen by the Darkling. Despite the fact that I knew what was coming, and was able to spot some things I couldn't have noticed the first time I was reading the series, his character remains the best written. My love for this man will always burn bright, and I can't help myself with how I feel. Aleksandra from 2018 would offer her soul to him, and three years later, my offer still stands.
What I do want to add is that I can't believe how spot-on the Netflix adaptation of this book is. I knew they did a great job with the series, and I hadn't been as happy with one for so many years. But as I was rereading it, I clearly saw the scenes from the show inside my head, and just got reminded of how perfectly done the show was. Also Ben Barnes as the Darkling still is *chef's kiss*.
Overall, I can't add much of new thoughts. I still love the book, I still love the worldbuilding, and I still love the Darkling.
Actual rating: 4.5 stars, I think?
It‘s been three years since I first read the sequel to [b:Shadow and Bone|10194157|Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1339533695l/10194157._SX50_.jpg|15093325], and therefore, it was only natural that I couldn‘t recall every event that happened in Siege and Storm. However, I must admit how suprised I was to find out how much I didn‘t remember properly. This time, I was able to retrieve some of the thoughts I had when I first read it in my old reading journal (that hasn‘t been in use ever since I finished Siege and Storm back in the day). And I found myself suprised how much I still share the same thoughts as 2018 Aleksandra.
I can‘t decide if I like the sequel more than the first book. There‘s just a certain magic to first books in a series that immediately has a hold on you which sequels can‘t always compete with. Siege and Storm was a great sequel, and definitely went into a direction this story needed. But at the same time, it works pretty much like a filler, building up some anticipation for the final book in the series. And I would‘ve wished for more.
My highlight remains the introduction of Nikolai. While I did have a great time with that character already this year when I was reading [b:Rule of Wolves|36307674|Rule of Wolves (King of Scars, #2)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1598133584l/36307674._SY75_.jpg|57978381], I enjoyed meeting him once again, and witnessing the beginning of his story. He definitely has changed as a character over the course of all the books within the Grishaverse, and I must say this Nikolai must be my favorite. Not only did his charm and humor brough some fun and interesting moments into the book, he also contributes so much to the worldbuilding which we weren’t able to explore before. If it weren‘t for him, I think many things wouldn‘t have worked the way they did. Especially the worldbuilding became a bigger, and more layered thanks to his political mind. As much as it was needed that Alina experiences the Little Palace and her Grisha powers in the first book, and therefore, a more detailed description of the world, different cultures, and politics outside of the Os Alta weren‘t needed, this book needed the vast worldbuilding to expand the universe more, and I think Bardugo did a great job by introducing Sturmhond, the twins, and Nikolai.
In general, I think this book works so fine because of the introduction of the new characters. We see some we already met in Shadow and Bone again; however, those don‘t play as big of a role as the Tolya, Tamar or Nikolai. The two that still remain in the focus were Mal and Alina, and yet again, this is where my issue stays.
Putting aside that I‘ve been a Darklina shipper from the start, I tried to stay open-minded in regards of Mal and Alina‘s relationship, and not let my subjective wishes interfere. I have to admit, I was more inclined to like Mal in Shadow and Bone as I was rereading it. Though, those feelings could‘ve pretty much come from the fact that I liked his depiction in the Netflix adaption more. In Siege and Storm, it yet again became impossible for me to even tolerate him. I get that drama makes things interesting, and we sometimes we need a fight or a disagreement to build up the relationship and to be seated at the edge of our seats. However, with Mal and Alina, I just don‘t feel any of the drama is right. Knowing where this all leads, I hated to see some arguments now between them, because they interfere with Alina‘s character development. Alina‘s path gets tricky in this one, and I have to say I like it. Because sometimes making decisions is not all black and white, sometimes there are grey areas where you want to do something good but can‘t do what‘s best for everyone. Alina struggles to find herself, find the place where she belongs, and do the right thing. It‘s interesting to see her development, to see which path she could end up on, and to figure out what‘s right for her. Mal seems more like a hindrance for her, holding her back. And I just can‘t find one reason why I should justify that. While I have an understanding for his situation, and want to wish him all the best, I hoped these two could‘ve found a way to grow seperately instead of clinging to each other and a version of themselves from the past.
One thing I forgot was how little the Darkling was in the picture during this book. However, it made sense. Siege and Storm is about Alina‘s journey, and we needed that time to let her grow, and find her path without the Darkling‘s influence and manipulation. What did bother me, though, was the rather anti-climatic ending. Which is probably a very subjective thing to say because I had remembered the ending to be bigger than it now happened to be. This is what rereading does, I guess.
Overall, this book opens so many paths to a greater story, and offers so much potential for the final installment of the trilogy. I loved to see Alina trying to grow into the life she is meant to live, to see more of Ravka and the rest of the Grishaverse, to meet Nikolai once again and fall deeply for him, and see the madness slowly coming into play. At the same time, I just constantly had to think of how Ruin and Rising did, in fact, end,
I did end up being very, very excited for the second season of the Shadow and Bone Netflix series, though. I think there‘s lots to unpack here, and I‘m curious to see how things will work out in the show, especially as the show features the crows from [b:Six of Crows|23437156|Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1628438817l/23437156._SX50_.jpg|42077459], and how those stories will intertwine in the upcoming season.
It‘s been three years since I first read the sequel to [b:Shadow and Bone|10194157|Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1339533695l/10194157._SX50_.jpg|15093325], and therefore, it was only natural that I couldn‘t recall every event that happened in Siege and Storm. However, I must admit how suprised I was to find out how much I didn‘t remember properly. This time, I was able to retrieve some of the thoughts I had when I first read it in my old reading journal (that hasn‘t been in use ever since I finished Siege and Storm back in the day). And I found myself suprised how much I still share the same thoughts as 2018 Aleksandra.
I can‘t decide if I like the sequel more than the first book. There‘s just a certain magic to first books in a series that immediately has a hold on you which sequels can‘t always compete with. Siege and Storm was a great sequel, and definitely went into a direction this story needed. But at the same time, it works pretty much like a filler, building up some anticipation for the final book in the series. And I would‘ve wished for more.
My highlight remains the introduction of Nikolai. While I did have a great time with that character already this year when I was reading [b:Rule of Wolves|36307674|Rule of Wolves (King of Scars, #2)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1598133584l/36307674._SY75_.jpg|57978381], I enjoyed meeting him once again, and witnessing the beginning of his story. He definitely has changed as a character over the course of all the books within the Grishaverse, and I must say this Nikolai must be my favorite. Not only did his charm and humor brough some fun and interesting moments into the book, he also contributes so much to the worldbuilding which we weren’t able to explore before. If it weren‘t for him, I think many things wouldn‘t have worked the way they did. Especially the worldbuilding became a bigger, and more layered thanks to his political mind. As much as it was needed that Alina experiences the Little Palace and her Grisha powers in the first book, and therefore, a more detailed description of the world, different cultures, and politics outside of the Os Alta weren‘t needed, this book needed the vast worldbuilding to expand the universe more, and I think Bardugo did a great job by introducing Sturmhond, the twins, and Nikolai.
In general, I think this book works so fine because of the introduction of the new characters. We see some we already met in Shadow and Bone again; however, those don‘t play as big of a role as the Tolya, Tamar or Nikolai. The two that still remain in the focus were Mal and Alina, and yet again, this is where my issue stays.
Putting aside that I‘ve been a Darklina shipper from the start, I tried to stay open-minded in regards of Mal and Alina‘s relationship, and not let my subjective wishes interfere. I have to admit, I was more inclined to like Mal in Shadow and Bone as I was rereading it. Though, those feelings could‘ve pretty much come from the fact that I liked his depiction in the Netflix adaption more. In Siege and Storm, it yet again became impossible for me to even tolerate him. I get that drama makes things interesting, and we sometimes we need a fight or a disagreement to build up the relationship and to be seated at the edge of our seats. However, with Mal and Alina, I just don‘t feel any of the drama is right. Knowing where this all leads, I hated to see some arguments now between them, because they interfere with Alina‘s character development. Alina‘s path gets tricky in this one, and I have to say I like it. Because sometimes making decisions is not all black and white, sometimes there are grey areas where you want to do something good but can‘t do what‘s best for everyone. Alina struggles to find herself, find the place where she belongs, and do the right thing. It‘s interesting to see her development, to see which path she could end up on, and to figure out what‘s right for her. Mal seems more like a hindrance for her, holding her back. And I just can‘t find one reason why I should justify that. While I have an understanding for his situation, and want to wish him all the best, I hoped these two could‘ve found a way to grow seperately instead of clinging to each other and a version of themselves from the past.
One thing I forgot was how little the Darkling was in the picture during this book. However, it made sense. Siege and Storm is about Alina‘s journey, and we needed that time to let her grow, and find her path without the Darkling‘s influence and manipulation. What did bother me, though, was the rather anti-climatic ending. Which is probably a very subjective thing to say because I had remembered the ending to be bigger than it now happened to be. This is what rereading does, I guess.
Overall, this book opens so many paths to a greater story, and offers so much potential for the final installment of the trilogy. I loved to see Alina trying to grow into the life she is meant to live, to see more of Ravka and the rest of the Grishaverse, to meet Nikolai once again and fall deeply for him, and see the madness slowly coming into play. At the same time, I just constantly had to think of how Ruin and Rising did, in fact, end,
Spoiler
and how much of that potential was wasted.I did end up being very, very excited for the second season of the Shadow and Bone Netflix series, though. I think there‘s lots to unpack here, and I‘m curious to see how things will work out in the show, especially as the show features the crows from [b:Six of Crows|23437156|Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1628438817l/23437156._SX50_.jpg|42077459], and how those stories will intertwine in the upcoming season.