From the Publisher
A fantastical feminist fairy tale. Full of love, mystery, sisterhood, and severed hands, Heart of Thorns casts a fierce and magical spell.” — Stephanie Garber, New York Times bestselling author of Caraval and Legendary
“A compulsively readable fantasy.” — Booklist
“Barton weaves a girl-powered tale of love, family, and self-acceptance, and readers who appreciate fast paced, high-stakes fantasy will be ensnared by Mia’s adventures. Those looking for rich world-building will also find much to love. A must-buy for any library where fantasy is popular.” — School Library Journal
“[An] evocative, epic ode to feminism, magic, and the wonder of fairy tales... A gripping, complex narrative balances emotion and logic in this trilogy opener, while vividly crafted characters and cinematic details create a world readers will want to get lost in.” — Publishers Weekly
Booklist
A compulsively readable fantasy.
Stephanie Garber
A fantastical feminist fairy tale. Full of love, mystery, sisterhood, and severed hands, Heart of Thorns casts a fierce and magical spell.”
Booklist
A compulsively readable fantasy.
Kirkus Reviews
2018-04-03
A high-fantasy adventure with a spiritedly feminist point of view.Seventeen-year-old Mia Rose unsuccessfully plots an escape from her arranged royal wedding, craving the freedom to hunt down her mother's murderer (Wynna was killed by a hateful Gwyrach, a half-god, half-human female demon who "could manipulate flesh, bone, breath, and blood"). Instead she ends up on the run with her betrothed, the now lethally injured Prince Quin. The desperate scrabble across dangerous terrain is well-written, but while Barton's feminist perspective is refreshing, it makes for some awkward romantic exchanges. In one non-ironic scene, Mia's love interest observes, "You're beautiful when you lie," and recovers with, "Not to diminish you or suggest that beauty is an indicator of your worth." A male character's bisexuality is handled well, however. The elaborate worldbuilding evinces a traditional patriarchal feudalism; women are feared for their potential magic, and a utopian village is inhabited only by women, children, and men determined to be safe. Most tellingly, the Gwyrach can "unblood" a man—deflate an engorged phallus—which comes in handy in a would-be rape scene. This is a diverting tale, but the sisterhood is distracting rather than uplifting, and the denouement is easily guessed. Mia and Quin are white.This winsome debut novel goes down like a vegan, gluten-free cupcake: sweet and good for you but entirely lacking in satisfying decadence. (Fantasy. 13-16)
