The Thorns by Dawn Kurtagich Review

Hello Readers,

The Thorns by Dawn Kurtagich was one of Amazon's First Reads for March, and I knew I had to pick it. This book was released on 1st April and this review contains Spoilers.

I loved this book, and I know it will stay with me. However, it's not one I can recommend without mentioning the themes are dark, and it doesn't hold back. TW: Physical abuse, sexual violence towards a minor, verbal abuse, gaslighting, bullying. Dawn provides a list of trigger warnings for all of her books on her website.


This book is intense; Dawn's writing is mesmerizing, as haunting as ever. She has a unique ability to pull you into her dark, gothic worlds, where the atmosphere lingers like a shadow and sends chills down your spine.

The Thorns is a haunting exploration of obsession, manipulation, and trauma. Through lyrical writing, Dawn Kurtagich delves into the darkness of the world and the torment of being trapped in one’s own mind. This isn’t your typical slasher horror; instead, it confronts the real-life horrors of emotional manipulation and how they shape a person, lingering well into adulthood. With its wild, suspenseful ride and unexpected twists, The Thorns leaves a lasting impact.

The novel follows Bethany, a young girl abandoned at a South African boarding school by her mother, where she feels isolated and unwanted. She forms a dangerously co-dependent friendship with Stacey, which shapes her life in unexpected ways. Years later, now a successful writer in England, Bethany’s past resurfaces when Stacey reappears, forcing her to confront the darkness she once escaped.

Told in dual timelines one from their time at the boarding school and one in the present The Thorns explores how obsession and toxic influence can slowly unravel a life. Bethany, desperate for connection, finds herself sinking into the shadows, losing herself in a relationship that consumes her. Dawn’s writing is filled with rich metaphors and imagery. The prose grips you and doesn’t let go, forcing you to confront uncomfortable truths about human nature.

All I have left to say is that ending!

L x

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