Bitterthorn

"Bitterthorn" by Kat Dunn was at its core an incredibly well done twist of the classic sleeping beauty fairytale, filled with mysteries that kept me hooked until the last page. The tale follows our main character Mina, whose mother died at a young age, leaving her all alone with her emotionally absent father and disinterested stepmother. She is mostly overlooked by others, until she is taken by the feared Witch, who is known for taking a new companion to her castle every 50 years. All previous companions have never been heard from again, so now it is up to Mina to find out the truth about her predecessors and the Witch, who despite her rough exterior manages to intrigue Mina more than anything. The writing style of Kat Dunn was beautifully lyrical and the story completely enchanting with all its mysteries and gothic atmosphere. It also features an exceptionally tender sapphic love story and didn't shy away from delving into deeper themes such as loss, loneliness and the things people are willing to endure in order to be loved. Definitely worth a read and a new favorite of mine.