Good Reads Synopsis:
There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away, apart from her family, safe only in her gardens, it’s not just a story.
As the day of her twin brother’s wedding approaches, Soraya must decide if she’s willing to step outside of the shadows for the first time. Below in the dungeon is a demon who holds knowledge that she craves, the answer to her freedom. And above is a young man who isn’t afraid of her, whose eyes linger not with fear, but with an understanding of who she is beneath the poison.
Soraya thought she knew her place in the world, but when her choices lead to consequences she never imagined, she begins to question who she is and who she is becoming...human or demon. Princess or monster.
Review (WARNING: there are spoilers):
I love this book because there are elements that do not conform to the cookie-cutter model of what a fairy tale typically is, even though it has the overarching feeling of a typical fairy tale. There is a princess, hidden way in a castle, and a handsome warrior comes to rescue her. The princess, and what she decides to do, is what stands between the forces of evil taking over the kingdom. You know, the typical stuff of fairy tales. However, this book brings you monsters that are not your typical monsters. These monsters are divs, “the demonic servants of the Destroyer”, and they come in all shapes and sizes; but they’re not all necessarily evil either. Then the handsome prince turns out to be the biggest monster of them all and the princess needs to rescue, not only herself, but everyone (with a little help of course).
What I also liked about this book was The Shahmar (handsome prince turned monster) and his desire to have a connection with Soraya (the princess). In her, he sees someone like himself, someone wronged by their family, alone and yet powerful, someone capable of taking what they want. He gained power by killing his family and he keeps pushing Soraya to do the same. Perhaps, I am reading too much into it but it seems like if he can get her to murder her brother it will in some way justify his own actions. The dynamic gave the book more depth. I’ll definitely read more from this author.