Girl, Serpent, Thorn - Hardcover

Bashardoust, Melissa

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1250196140 ISBN 13: 9781250196149

Publisher: Flatiron Books, 2020

Synopsis

A captivating and utterly original fairy tale about a girl cursed to be poisonous to the touch, and who discovers what power might lie in such a curse...

There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away, apart from her family, safe only in her gardens, it’s not just a story.

As the day of her twin brother’s wedding approaches, Soraya must decide if she’s willing to step outside of the shadows for the first time. Below in the dungeon is a demon who holds knowledge that she craves, the answer to her freedom. And above is a young man who isn’t afraid of her, whose eyes linger not with fear, but with an understanding of who she is beneath the poison.

Soraya thought she knew her place in the world, but when her choices lead to consequences she never imagined, she begins to question who she is and who she is becoming...human or demon. Princess or monster.

About this title

About the Author

Melissa Bashardoust received her degree in English from the University of California, Berkeley, where she rediscovered her love for creative writing, children’s literature, and fairy tales and their retellings. She currently lives in Southern California with a cat named Alice and more copies of Jane Eyre than she probably needs. Melissa is the author of Girls Made of Snow and Glass and Girl, Serpent, Thorn.

Review

“Monstrously beautiful and enchanting, Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a fairytale for anyone who has ever feared the poison in their own heart. I loved this queer, subversive, lyrical and deeply affirming book.” ―Tasha Suri, author of Empire of Sand

“Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a deliciously lush fairy tale of a novel. I was swept away by Bashardoust’s prose and found myself losing track of time as I read, turning every page, sinking into her magnificent world, wishing it would never end. At its heart, it's a book about a girl who may be monstrous claiming her own power, filled with twists and a fascinating queer romance that stole my own heart. I cannot wait to read what Melissa Bashardoust writes next!” ―Patrice Caldwell, editor of A Phoenix First Must Burn: Sixteen Stories of Black Girl Magic, Resistance, and Hope

“Gorgeously written and quietly powerful, Bashardoust’s latest is an enthralling tale of family, monsters, and the things we do for love.” ―S. A. Chakraborty, author of City of Brass

“Every passage is a fine cut gem, each facet brilliantly rendered to create a stunningly crafted fairytale about a girl and monsters and a girl who is also a monster. I truly loved this book.” ―Emily Duncan, author of Wicked Saints

“This is a gorgeously written book set in a beautiful and dangerous world. I loved the vividness of the story, and the way Bashardoust makes stories matter in this book. I was captivated from the beginning, and absolutely thrilled with the end. Watching Soraya come into her own as a character was a delight.” ―Kat Howard, author of An Unkindness of Magicians

“Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a tale a rose might tell, lushly perfumed and lined with thorns in all the right places. With complex women, Persian demons, a gorgeously twisting narrative, and the age-old question of what it means to be a monster, it had me eagerly flipping pages until the very end. I only wish there were more!” ―Shveta Thakrar, author of Star Daughter

“Like a jeweled fairy tale, Girl, Serpent, Thorn glitters with twisty revelations, curses and dangerous transformations, magic and monsters and love―and at its heart, a girl who can kill with a touch. A thrilling, moving story of what it means to come into one’s own power, this book is utterly captivating.” ―Gita Trelease, author of Enchantée

Praise for Girls Made of Snow and Glass

ALA’s Amelia Bloomer List for Feminist Literature
ALA’s Best Fiction for Young Adults List
Junior Library Guild Selection
Named to numerous state reading lists

“This beautifully wrought novel offers plenty of fairy-tale wonder, but Bashardoust resists the most common tropes; instead, she tells a story where women save each other with their own ingenuity, bravery, and love, and power and compassion can exist hand in hand. Compellingly flawed characters, vivid world-building, and pitch-perfect pacing make this utterly superb.” ―ALA Booklist, starred review

“An empowering novel with strong, three-dimensional female protagonists who refuse to let jealousy and power break their bond. Filled with magic, adventure, and interesting characters, this debut will keep readers thoroughly engaged. A refreshing and progressive original retelling. Highly recommended.” ―SLJ, starred review

“Magic, mother-daughter conflict, and the quest for self-identity are given a dark and fantastical treatment in this chilling feminist adaptation of the Snow White fairy tale. A hauntingly evocative adaptation that stands on its own merits.” ―Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“If you thought you were done with the re-imagined fairy tale trope, suspend your moratorium for Girls Made of Snow and Glass: Melissa Bashardoust has created a story more The Bloody Chamber than damsel-in-distress fable.” ―Bustle

“This is Snow White as it’s never been told before. Fans of Game of Thrones will relish the loyalties and betrayals; with elements of the medieval legend of the golem, echoes of the movie Frozen, and plenty of magic, Girls Made of Snow and Glass is a feminist fantasy not to be missed.” ―BookPage

“A must-have for those who love luscious YA retellings. Absolutely stunning.” ―Book Riot

“A richly written rethinking of Snow White...Bashardoust thoughtfully reflects on the complicated nature of the stepdaughter/stepmother relationship while exploring agency, individuality, love, and free will.” ―Publishers Weekly

“In Girls Made of Snow and Glass, Melissa Bashardoust has given us exquisite displays of magic, complex mother-daughter relationships, and gloriously powerful women triumphing in a world that does not want them to be powerful. A gorgeous, feminist fairy tale.” ―Traci Chee, author of The Reader

“Girls Made of Snow and Glass is like reading a particularly wonderful and vivid dream, complete with imaginative magic, delightful characters, and beautiful language. Melissa Bashardoust's debut novel is everything a fairy tale should be.” ―Jodi Meadows, coauthor of My Lady Jane

About this edition

• Publisher: Flatiron Books
• Publication date: 2020
• ISBN 10: 1250196140
• ISBN 13: 9781250196149
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 336