Cannonball Read 11

Sticking it to Cancer One Book at a Time

CBR Facebook Page. Follow us on Twitter. Follow us on Instagram. The CBR Tumblr CBR on Goodreads
  • Home
  • About
    • Getting Started
    • FAQ
    • CBR Book Club
    • Newsletter Archive
    • Fan Mail
    • AlabamaPink’s Book Reviews
  • Our Team
    • Leaderboard
    • Recent Comments
    • CBR Interviews
    • Our Volunteers
    • Meet MsWas
  • Genres
    • Tags
  • Fight Cancer
    • CBR Merchandise
    • How You Can Donate
    • Supporters and Friends of CBR
  • Contact
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Follow Us

A Price More Than Apple Cakes

Thorn by Intisar Khanani

October 21, 2017 by emmalita 6 Comments

You really need to jump on the Intisar Khanani bandwagon. Shortly after I acquired her debut novel, Thorn, for my Kindle, HarperTeen bought the book and it’s as yet unpublished companion novel, A Theft of Sunlight. Intisar Khanani is about to become a thing and her books are about to become more expensive. You can still get Sunbolt and Memories of Ash inexpensively, and you should do that ASAP.

In the few books I’ve read by Intisar Khanani, she has impressed me with her complex heroines, nuanced stories and worlds. In Thorn, she gives us Princess Alyrra. Alyrra is the lowest in the pecking order, largely scorned by her court and from a small, insignificant realm. The king of a much more powerful nation comes looking for a bride for his son. Alyrra is afraid to go, but more afraid to stay. On the journey to her new home, there is a magical attack and she switches bodies with her female traveling companion. Alyrra cannot reveal what has happened, and she has a choice now to be free, or to find a way to reveal the imposter and reclaim her body. Alyrra renames herself Thorn.

Thorn is based in part on “The Goose Girl” so the basic story will be familiar to anyone who knows the fairytale. Khanani makes some important changes to the story. The maid who steals the princess’ life is a member of the aristocracy, who has abused her position before. Rather than being about someone having a right to rule by blood, Thorn explores what people deserve in their leaders. As a goose girl, Thorn has an opportunity to see society from the bottom. Though the king and prince are kinder than Thorn’s mother and brother, there’s as little justice in her new realm. Thorn can choose freedom or justice.

“This is about justice.”

“Justice for the poor?” He laughs, sitting back. “There is justice for the rich here, lady, and justice for the powerful. But for the rest of us there is very little of anything.”

“Laurel told me that there are two laws here: the King’s Law and the thieves’ law. If the King’s Law only serves the rich, what of the thieves’ law?”

What does it cost to earn love and trust? Is justice enough, or does it also require compassion and mercy?

Intisar Khanani is creating some of the most interesting contemporary YA fantasy. I like The Sunbolt Chronicles better, but even in Khanani’s first work, her talent shines. I’ve read everything she has published so far, and her work gets more and more interesting.

 

Related

Filed Under: Fantasy, Young Adult Tagged With: Goose Girl, Intisar Khanani, Thorn

Share the post "A Price More Than Apple Cakes"

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google+
  • E-mail
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
10/21/2017 emmalita's CBR9 Review No:99 |
Rating:
| Tags: Goose Girl, Intisar Khanani, Thorn | Category: Fantasy, Young Adult | 6 Comments

emmalita

Lives in Austin, Texas. She/her. Reads lots of books to avoid talking to other people. Proud MONSTER to the world's best/weirdest dog.

CBR11 participantCBR11 CommentsCBR10 participantCBR  9CBR 8CBR 7CBR 6CBR 5

Recent Reviews:

  • Take That Nuss Rewman, Ph.D., J.D.
  • Marie Kondo is a Heartless Monster and I Love Her For It
  • Thank You For Both The Best and Worst Date I’ve Ever Been On.
  • View all reviews by emmalita»

Related

Comments

  1. narfna says

    October 23, 2017 at 4:46 pm

    WANT!

    Reply
    • emmalita says

      October 23, 2017 at 4:55 pm

      The Kindle editions of Sunbolt and Memories of Ash are still $4. Go get them before they disappear!

      Reply
      • narfna says

        October 23, 2017 at 5:03 pm

        Done. Also bought Hamilton’s Battalion while I was at it. One click ordering is so dangerous.

        Reply
        • emmalita says

          October 23, 2017 at 5:05 pm

          Wooooo! I’ve just started the last story in HB. The first two were so good I am alternately braced for a let down and consumed with high expectations.

          Reply
  2. Intisar Khanani says

    November 8, 2017 at 8:41 pm

    I just wanted to say thank you. 😊 I am so thrilled that you enjoyed Thorn so much. And, don’t worry, I am keeping The Sunbolt Chronicles indie in part so that I can also keep them affordable. While pricing may fluctuate a bit, I have no intention of hiking them up a lot. 😉 Thank you, again, for your support!

    Reply
    • emmalita says

      November 8, 2017 at 8:52 pm

      That’s good to know! I am looking forward to your next book, and hope that HarperTeen is giving you lots of support.

      Reply

Leave a Reply to narfna Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.



Search This Site

Recent Comments

  • Danar the Barbarian on Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Eat But Were Afraid to CookIt's so good! Head up to H-Mart to get your supplies, and get cooking! :)
  • emmalita on Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Eat But Were Afraid to CookI have this cookbook, but haven't had an opportunity to cook from it yet.
  • Caitlin_D on “But how can I send my heart to him when he’s just said, in no uncertain terms, that he doesn’t speak its language?”Thanks guys! I'm really enjoying it and a lot of people listen to audio-books while they work so once I get a better handle on...
  • teresaelectro on Quick Questions with a Cannonballer: Bothari43This was so lovely! And I agree, all the chocolate. :)
  • emmalita on Take That Nuss Rewman, Ph.D., J.D.Their theory, which I tend to agree with, is that our disorder tends to fall into a logical pattern so that the things we use...
See More Recent Comments »

Support CBR

Give Today. Cannonball Read donates all profits from the site to the American Cancer Society. Help us fight cancer!
Donate Today »

Review Genres

  • Biography/Memoir
  • Book Club
  • Children's
  • Comedy/Humor
  • Cooking/Food
  • Fantasy
  • Fiction
  • Graphic Novel/Comic
  • Health
  • History
  • Horror
  • Mystery
  • News from MsWas
  • Non-Fiction
  • Poetry
  • Religion
  • Romance
  • Science Fiction
  • Short Stories
  • Speculative Fiction
  • Sports
  • Suspense
  • Uncategorized
  • Western
  • Young Adult

Book Ratings


a favorite


a great book


a good book


an ok book


a book
you didn't like

Need Help?

Visit our FAQs to find out how to add stars, select genres, and more. Drop us a line if you can't find your answer.

Shop on Amazon and Support CBR

One of CBR11's #CannonBookClubs will be about Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett to coincide with the BBC Miniseries.
Buy it on Amazon today, get a head start, and help us stick it to cancer, one book at a time!

© 2019 Cannonball Read | Log in