REVIEW: ‘Girl, Serpent, Thorn’ by Melissa Bashardoust
Image courtesy of Flatiron Books / Provided by official site.
Melissa Bashardoust’s new fairy tale novel, Girl, Serpent, Thorn, is a fascinating look at a princess banished from society who is on a long quest to regain her family, friends and standing in the community. These 300 pages are creative and intricately woven, blending together an original story with influences from the Persian epic, the Shahnameh (Book of Kings). Most importantly, the author’s world-building skills are fascinating to behold, and the story unwinds in ways that are both nostalgic and modern — encompassing LGBTQ+ acceptance and feminism.
The protagonist is a young woman by the name of Soraya. She has been relegated to living a tucked-away life in a hidden wing of a royal palace. She has access to an adjoining garden, but human connection is nowhere to be found. She must live this secret life because of a mysterious curse that dates back to when her own mother was a young girl. Soraya’s personal burden is that when she touches another person the poison in her veins kills them almost instantly (not too dissimilar from Frozen’s Elsa).
The narrative begins when Soraya’s family — including her twin brother, the new shah — returning to the local lands for their seasonal stay. This visit proves important and historic for a number of reasons: the shah is to be married.
At the same time, there are demons about. Divs are Bashardoust’s creation for the villains of the story. They are feared beings that can wreak havoc on the shah’s family and the local villagers, but these monsters may also know how to break Soraya’s curse. An opportunity arises when the shah’s contingent banishes a div to the dungeon of the castle, and Soraya decides to creep down the dark corridors and interrogate the div, with the hope of finding out answers about her past and what the future may hold.
There’s a lot more to Girl, Serpent, Thorn, including double crosses, a touching romance and a familial reckoning. Digging through these pages and learning more, more, more about Soraya is great fun, especially because Bashardoust never follows a simple script. Although the tropes of the typical fairy tale are present and accounted for (castle, princess, monsters, dungeon, etc.), few plot points align with the expected structures that readers have come to recognize. That fact should be celebrated. The author’s finished product feels fresh and socially conscious, not unlike Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber.
Although the events and individuals of the story are very much based in this fictional land, there are parallels to human history and civilization — from the connections to ancient Persian stories (detailed nicely and helpfully in the afterword) to the heroism and bravery of the female protagonist. There are themes of feminism, LGBTQ+ acceptance, changing one’s destiny, confronting one’s family, friendship and love.
Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a fairy tale for those readers looking for a story that is simultaneously respectful of the genre’s central tenets and also reaching for something new, exciting and equitable. This one’s a solid read that should attract the eyes of young adults and older readers alike.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust. Flatiron Books. $19. Click here for more information.
