I really, really liked Alyrra as a protagonist. She was strong and capable, but also had real moments of doubt and utter emotional turmoil that allowed me to connect with her. I wanted so badly for the world to be reshaped by her passion and drive for justice. Her journey of mastering her own inner strength and sticking to her beliefs despite the costs was such a refreshing change from the usual ‘chosen one’ fantasy trope. Here is a well-rounded, flawed female character that would be a worthy role model.
Also I enjoyed how Khanani fleshed out the magic system and general world-building in a way that suspended my disbelief perfectly. I would often find myself nodding along, as everything just made sense. Magic is an integral part of life in this world and is seamlessly normalised, allowing me to be swept up in Alyrra’s story. Khanani also showed her writing skills through a throughly well-constructed plot, with some enjoyable twists and turns. She avoids the cliches of fairytales rather well, with a resolute ending.
One key theme of Thorn is that of violence against women and the culture that allows this to happen unchallenged. There’s a few trigger warnings about this, which I’ve outlined above but I think Khanani deals with this topic sensitively and with obvious care. We see Alyrra’s coping mechanisms and the full psychological effects of trauma play out throughout the course of the story, which I thought was so powerful and important to see. There is no one way to deal with trauma. The intersections with class are also interrogated, showing the true horror of these patriarchal systems interacting with those of capitalism. Privilege is also dealt with, challenging how those with it often are ignorant of the suffering of those without it, either deliberating or through a lack of awareness.
Also I enjoyed how Khanani fleshed out the magic system and general world-building in a way that suspended my disbelief perfectly. I would often find myself nodding along, as everything just made sense. Magic is an integral part of life in this world and is seamlessly normalised, allowing me to be swept up in Alyrra’s story. Khanani also showed her writing skills through a throughly well-constructed plot, with some enjoyable twists and turns. She avoids the cliches of fairytales rather well, with a resolute ending.
One key theme of Thorn is that of violence against women and the culture that allows this to happen unchallenged. There’s a few trigger warnings about this, which I’ve outlined above but I think Khanani deals with this topic sensitively and with obvious care. We see Alyrra’s coping mechanisms and the full psychological effects of trauma play out throughout the course of the story, which I thought was so powerful and important to see. There is no one way to deal with trauma. The intersections with class are also interrogated, showing the true horror of these patriarchal systems interacting with those of capitalism. Privilege is also dealt with, challenging how those with it often are ignorant of the suffering of those without it, either deliberating or through a lack of awareness.