Bitterthorn: A sapphic Gothic romance inspired by classic fairytales

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I absolutely loved Kat Dunn’s Battalion of the Dead series so this was one of my most anticipated releases. yes the vibes were there but I also felt like we skipped a lot of time which made this feel less slow burn that it actually was.

BITTERTHORN tugged on the threads of my heartstrings until I had nothing left to give it but my soul. I can definitely see this as being for fans of The Wolf and the Woodsman, A Far Wilder Magic and For the Wolf - all which are books I enjoyed. The writing was lyrical and beautiful, the characters were flawed and captivating and the plot had me hooked from beginning to end. The entire premise of this book could be solved fairly easily: just give criminals sentenced to death to the wheel? Think sweeping landscapes, logic defying magic, mysteries galore, complicated people trying their best, and some unnerving discoveries.

I didn't root for the romance, the plot seemed to rely completely on miscommunications/lack of communication, and I felt more and more as if this would have worked better as a short story. A haunting, atmospheric tale of two lost souls finding each other, and a love that will remake the world.

I'm just not sure I loved the 'I can fix her vibes', which I would have been fine with if this was a story of dark obsession and toxicity, but I got the impression that this was meant to be a healthy relationship and idk about that. She’s written about mental health for Mind and The Guardian, and worked as a translator for Japanese television. I’ve read poetry and novels and listened to music and viewed art all about love but it was like another language. On the other hand, Mina starts off as the classic orphan who is ignored or mistreated by her stepmother.And when Mina is given the chance, she jumps to join the Witch before she is pushed into an even lonelier life.

So when the Witch demands her next companion, Mina offers herself up - though she has no idea what fate awaits her. I loved the relationship between Mina and the Witch, it had such an awkward and tense beginning but slowly blossomed into something so beautiful and tender. The story is filled with brilliant descriptions - I have a clear image of Mina, the witch, and the cold, stone castle in my mind.Possibly this book shows the best understanding of loneliness I’ve ever seen and all while being deliciously dark, twisty, and as the title of the book, bitter and sweet, sharp and soft. It’s perfect for the Autumn season - a gothic witchy read with lots of descriptive scene building to really develop the atmosphere. Bitterthorn is a book I so wanted to love, especially given its plot and that it is magical and witchy, the kind of reads I love. The book was set over a year, but because we spent weeks in passing where their relationship developed, it felt much shorter so the fear to lovers thing felt quicker than I would have liked.