Release Date: May 4th 2023
Publisher: Andersen Press
Pages: 368
Find it on: Goodreads. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

Blumwald is a town overshadowed by an ancient curse: in a sinister castle in the depths of the wild wood lives a monstrous Witch. Once a generation, she comes to claim a companion to return with her – never to be seen again. Now that time is drawing near once more…

Mina, daughter of the duke, is grieving and lonely. She has lost all hope of any future for herself in Blumwald. So when the Witch demands her next companion, Mina offers herself up – though she has no idea what fate awaits her. Stranded with her darkly alluring captor, the mystery of what happened to the previous companions draws Mina into the heart of a terrifying secret that could save her life, or end it.

Review

Bitterthorn tells the story of Mina, a young woman, and daughter of the duke of Blumwald. Once in a generation, Blumwald is terrorised by the Witch, who comes to take a new companion. Once taken, a companion is never seen again. When Mina is herself taken as the new companion, she finds herself living in a remote castle, strangely drawn to the Witch. But with so many secrets, will she find out the truth behind the disappearance of the previous companions?

I absolutely loved Kat Dunn’s Battalion of the Dead series so this was one of my most anticipated releases. As soon as I picked this one up I was immediately drawn into the story. The story is full to the brim with atmosphere and beautiful, lyrical writing. It has a very fairytale-like feel to the story and I couldn’t help devouring Bitterthorn in a single sitting. The story is well paced and there is plenty of mystery and intrigue to keep the reader wanting more. I really liked the setting and the remote castle really came to life in Dunn’s writing.

Mina is an interesting protagonist and I really enjoyed seeing her relationship with the Witch develop.  Mina is struggling to find a place she belongs and is determined to uncover the secrets in the castle. The Witch is similarly interesting and I loved seeing the dynamics in their relationship change and adapt as the story progressed. Bitterthorn definitely has some twists and turns and more than a few moments I wasn’t expecting. If you’re looking for a captivating, fairytale story, Bitterthorn is an absolute must read and has such a stunning cover. I completely adored this story and cannot wait to see what Kat Dunn writes next.