Bitterthorn: A sapphic Gothic romance inspired by classic fairytales

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I have so many emotions flowing through my mind and body after finishing this beautifully written and completely emotionally captivating book. I loved the depressed golden retriever x black cat pairing, I loved how this mixed a lot of different fairy tales. I also thought the end was a bit corny and didn't really understand the 3rd act conflict since I thought it was pretty obvious what was happening to the companions? Mina runs away again from the witch's castle and can't do anything but go back to her family, who rejects her again.

I don’t know whether I want to cry, laugh, re-read the entire book, or simply bask in the emotions that the wonderful writing of Kat and the world she has created embodied me with. Bitterthorn' is one of the most beautiful dark fantasies I've ever read, with a gorgeous sapphic relationship at its centre and a wonderful exploration of what it means to be lonely and seen. Though, if (like me) you enjoy emotionally intense, slow burn narratives then you should definitely consider adding this to your TBRs— I promise you won’t be disappointed! A true romance but not the typical type of romance you would expect but one of both in my opinion a platonic love as well as a romantic love.I was hooked from the first chapter, pulled into the world and wanting to know what would happen, and how it would all end. Among the twisted trees, she “felt power in my independence: far, far safer to be alone than to want and be unwanted”. Every once in a while, you cross paths with a book that engraves itself in your heart and bones and has you convinced that it was somehow written for you.

I absolutely loved Kat Dunn’s Battalion of the Dead series so this was one of my most anticipated releases. I say this because it is both very rare for me to read almost an entire book in a single day and to cry whilst reading, but this is what happened with Bitterthorn.And when Mina is given the chance, she jumps to join the Witch before she is pushed into an even lonelier life. Mina (who reads like Cinderella, Belle and Aurora rolled into a single person), is such a kindhearted character whose eagerness to feel a little less of an outsider in her own home made me love her immediately. I also felt like the relationship was kind of toxic at points and this wasn't really acknowledged and was instead put down to loneliness and prickliness and it just took Mina really pushing the point for them to move on? I couldn't help but believe the kind of hopelessness, disillusion and desperation propelling our protagonist onto a journey she'd never have expected for herself (but which, I, for one, loved every minute of). Stranded with her darkly alluring captor, the mystery of what happened to the previous companions draws Mina into the heart of a terrifying secret that could save her life, or end it.

It has a very fairytale-like feel to the story and I couldn’t help devouring Bitterthorn in a single sitting. I hear someone use a term "popcorn book" lately which I kind of like and think might fit this book as well. Mina is an interesting protagonist and I really enjoyed seeing her relationship with the Witch develop. 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 beautifully told but I struggle to connect with it and it took me five attempts to read it.There is so much I loved — stony Wolf and her resilience, the quiet small acts of kindness between Mina and the Witch as they try and find a way to be, the mystery of the castle. It seems to have a lot of aspects from traditional fairy tales thrown in there, but for the most part we had fun trying to work out what was happening and what the witch’s secret was. Sure, it has those fairy tale trappings there - it advertised as such, but it takes them and makes them its own. I like the genre, black-and-white villains don't appeal to anyone, but giving depth to these characters is much harder than it seems.

The story is filled with brilliant descriptions - I have a clear image of Mina, the witch, and the cold, stone castle in my mind. But with so many secrets, will she find out the truth behind the disappearance of the previous companions? Join our community to get personalised book suggestions, extracts straight to your inbox, 10% off RRPs, and to change children’s lives. She’s written about mental health for Mind and The Guardian, and worked as a translator for Japanese television.Maybe I would need to reread to really solidify my thoughts, but I think atm there were a lot of solid and great elements, but ultimately the romance didn't enthral me. The nineteenth-century gothic style didn't ring quite true to me; now and then there seemed to be a modern dissonant that plucked me out of the intended atmosphere.