GIRL, SERPENT, THORN

Nikki Massoud gives an engaging performance of this fairy tale about what makes a monster. Soraya has spent most of her life in isolation, thanks to a curse she received as a baby that makes her skin deadly to anyone who touches her. When one of the divs who cursed her is imprisoned in the palace, it provides Soraya an unexpected opportunity to uncover the truth about her past. Massoud excels at voicing every character in this continually surprising story. She captures Soraya's youthful pining; the seductive danger of the throaty, low-voiced div; and the easy charm of the young man who offers Soraya the respect she's always craved. Massoud's range of unique accents, not traceable to a specific place, enhances the novel's superb world-building. L.S. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2020]