Thorn is a stunningly accurate retelling of the original narrative. The arranged marriage to a prince in a foreign nation, the switch of the princess and a lady lower than her, the charm from her mother, the talking horse, the princess being unable to relate her story, the wind coming to her rescue, and so on are all present in Khanani's novel. It's instantly recognisable, and it was a thrill! Most retellings these days include the most significant elements of a fairy tale while changing everything else to create a whole new story. While I appreciate those kind of retellings, there is something special about the original story. So it truly fills me with excitement when an author like Khanani takes an original fairy tale and carefully and respectfully expands upon it while remaining so close to the original. Drown by Esther Dalseno is the only other retelling I've read that so delicately tackles an original fairy tale, and it's my favourite. So it's not hard to picture how much I adored Thorn.