Thorn

“Well-written and dramatically told, teens will find much to love in a novel in which the princess grows to become a force to be reckoned with.” —School Library Journal, starred review

Princess Alyrra has always longed to escape the confines of her royal life, but when her mother betroths her to a powerful prince in a distant kingdom, she has little hope for a better future.

Until Alyrra arrives at her new kingdom, where a mysterious sorceress robs her of both her identity and her role as princess—and Alyrra seizes on the opportunity to start a new life for herself as a goose girl.

But as Alyrra uncovers dangerous secrets about her new world, including a threat to the prince himself, she knows she can’t remain silent forever. With the fate of the kingdom at stake, Alyrra is caught between two worlds, and ultimately must decide who she is and what she stands for.

This edition features an additional short story set in-world, The Bone Knife.

“Khanani beautifully crafts Alyrra’s quiet but clear journey of self-definition . . . [Thorn] is sure to appeal to fans of Carson’s The Girl of Fire and Thorns and Ahdieh’s The Wrath and the Dawn.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, starred review

“Immersive and captivating.” —Kirkus Reviews

“A lovely atmospheric fairytale fantasy about a girl and her found family. I loved it!” —Gail Carriger, New York Times–bestselling author of the Parasol Protectorate and Finishing School series

“This Middle Eastern–inspired retelling of ‘The Goose Girl’ has much that will entice fantasy readers. . . . most alluring of all is Alyrra’s strong, sensible heart.” —Booklist