Holy wow, The Interwebs were 100% right about this being good. It is so beautifully written, and everyone should read it.
[Actually, this book is one of the reasons I cut a friend out of my life. She refused to read it because it was queer fiction. I’m too old to keep friends like that.]
So. Wow. Sorya is a princess, locked in a tower. Well, like half the penthouse floor of a castle, so it’s not a Rapunzel situation. She’s got an awesome garden out there. Soraya is poisonous to the touch (not a spoiler, really, you know by page 2). Under her skin, the veins run green and deadly; when provoked, they intensify.
Soraya has been told her whole life she’s cursed as vengeance against her mother. She has nightmares that one day she will give in to her anger and resentment, and be fully taken over by the poison. Become a monster.
And then – delight – I mean, joy! When she finally stops pushing away her anger, embraces her whole self, well, that’s the key to being her best self. So pretty!
“More incredible still was the idea that she could be dangerous, all her thorns on display, and that someone would dare to touch her anyway.”
It’s a fable, and a fairy tale, and a metaphor for stepping up when you’re terrified and owning yourself. I loved it so, so much. And people who refuse to read it are missing out.
Note: there is a whole big plot that happens in between the important personal stuff, if you enjoy that sort of thing – I’ve just thumbnailed it down to avoid spoilers and call out what I loved the most.