But it all just kind of felt very muddled and not my favorite. After a huge and eventful first chapter there was a steady rise until an exciting climax. Usually I feel like my biggest problems with books tends to be with the pacing, and while this one was kind of problematic, it was the plotting that left me more frustrated. If you had asked me a third of the way into the book if I would love these characters, I would have said no! But they both have great character arcs throughout the book and their Hero's Journeys made them likable and easy to root for when we get to the climax. At times it was frustrating because we knew that what they thought wasn't true but it also made me keep reading and I slowly become invested in their story. And because the book was told in alternating perspectives, we got a little dramatic irony when it came to their lack of trust in one another. They expected the worst in people and lied and manipulated each other and others to get their way. And they both kind of had the same weaknesses. Nikolass was also tough and smart but at times incredibly annoying with his old-fashioned ideas about women. Aurora was a kickass female protagonist but she was far from perfect. And yet both Aurora and Niklaas seem complex and well-rounded. Nor is the tough and mysogonistic prince who wants to marry her. A princess trained as a warrior to regain her kingdom and save her people is not a new concept. At first glance they seem like basic tropes.

However my favorite thing about Princess of Thorns may have been the characters. It helped transport me into the world of the book. Everything from the castles and the countryside, to the characters and even mundane things like the way camp smelled. I felt like I could perfectly visualize everything she had created as if I were there. Her prose definitely captured my interest. But more than that she created an entralling world of magic and mystery. Jay effortlessly combined these stories into something unique and interesting. There were other elements of fairy tales throughout the book like ogres and witches as well as other fairy tales like The Twelve Brothers. And it wasn't just the story of Sleeping Beauty. But the Grimm's Brothers and fairy tale retelling elements were there in full force. Pay no attention to the Game of Thrones comparison (even though I used GoT gifs), I mean it's there but vaguely, and the exiled ruler fighting to regain their kingdom is not a new concept. One thing I really enjoyed about Princess of Thorns was the world that Stacey Jay created. And while it didn't blow me away but it had great characters, a swoonworthy romance, and an interesting plot. This is based more on the classic fairy tale and is about Sleeping Beauty's daughter. But be warned, this is not the Sleeping Beauty story you are used to. Princess of Thorns was an interesting and enjoyable fairy tale retelling and YA high fantasy novel.

Princess of thorns by stacey jay