2015 Reading Challenge: A book with Magic- Thorn by Intisar Khariani

This is something magical about books. You wouldn’t think that something so small, so insignificant could hold so much power and weight. If you just look at a book, it isn’t much to see. There is usually a cover; hardback or paperback, sometimes it had crazy writing on it, or a lovely graphic, some are eyes catching and others are just basic. Then you turn the cover and it is literally pages of paper with some words on them, some have many more pages than others but you wouldn’t think much of it just looking at it. It is when you begin to read the words on the pages is when the book comes to life and the magic happens. The magic to bring someone into a story and proceeded to grip them, unable to escape its clutches; you are captivated, enchanted and desperate to find the end. Will you get the ending you had hoped for? Will your favorite character make it? What will happen to them? Books are magical in their own right, but then you have a book that has magic in the story line, then stories like Thorn by Intisar Khariani shine brighter than others.

             Princess Alyrra has a life that would considerably fall short of anything deeming it as being royal. With an abusive brother, and a distance mother, Alyrra is forced to live in the shadows of her life at the palace with no escape from the hardship around her; until a king from a distant land visits and offers her a proposal she cannot refuse. Alyrra is to marry a man she has never met, but have the ability to have a life away from what she knows. Unable to refuse the king, she sets off to a life of uncertainty. While on the way to her unknown future, she falls into a magical trap that switches her identity with another and endangers the man she was to marry. She is no longer Princess Alyrra, but has transformed into a no body with no status or stature or money to her name. Alyrra must make a decision she has never made before and a choice that will determine her fate in this magical game: to fight for a man who she hardly knows or start a life anew and leaving her identity in the past. She must decide if her life is worth risking to save the life of another.  Thorn is a book of magic, plot twists, and a searching of one’s identity that will capture you under its spell.

I do not have a lot of experience with Fantasy/Young Adult type novels, but when I was sent this Advanced Readers Copy to read, I was excited to drive into the unknown. The story line is fascinating, and keeps the reader gripped throughout the novel. There is a huge plot twist early in the book that left me a little shocked, in a good way. Most plot twists come later in books but in this one it’s right out of the gate which was unique and refreshing to read. Also it is risky, because it may cause the reader to lose interest, but that isn’t the case with Thorn. There was only one part where the story lulled a bit, but then it quickly picked up again. I was eager to read and find out what would happen to our young Princess, and to see the decisions she would make. I admit, that I was a little annoyed with some of the things she did and said, but then I remembered that the character is only 17 years old. I had to remember what life was like when I was that young, and so I gained a better understanding of her once it placed myself in her shoes. There are parts that are a little gruesome for my liking, and I felt that some of it wasn’t really necessary for the plot line, but what do I know. The conversations are a little choppy and a little awkward between certain characters but it is did not draw away from the story. The story is engaging, and enchanting, so overall I quite liked the story except for a few small details but they can be overlooked and not deter from the story.

I enjoyed Intisar’s writing, and her story telling. It is eloquent, soft, and can be seen as someone telling you a story of old. Thorn could be described as a story that mothers passing down to their children and then onto their children afterwards of the princess who lost her identity but found who she truly was instead. I enjoyed the book, and I look forward to the other books that are due out in this series. Thorn is the first book in The Rose trilogy, and I am eager to see where it will go from here.

What is your experience with fantasy novels? Love them, hate them, or are you a little indifferent to them?

Buy it on Amazon: Thorn

Happy Reading!

Thorn will be released on May 30, 2015.

Disclaimer: I was sent Thorn for free from Netgalley. This review is of my own work, and I did not copy or refer to any other reviewers/writers/bloggers for this post. All content provided on “A Comfy Chair” is for informational purposes only. I make no representation as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. I will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. I will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information.

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