2024 Polari Prize for Children's and YA (longlist)
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.
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
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.
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Praise for this book
"A haunting, atmospheric tale of two lost souls finding each other, and a love that will remake the world. Exquisite." - Shelley Parker-Chan
"A moody and stylish Gothic tale that feels both fresh and timeless - a masterful meditation on grief, loneliness, and terrible love. Gutting and unforgettable." - Ava Reid
"Both classic and novel, melancholy and tenderly wrought, Bitterthorn crackles with passion and warmth like a fire on a long winter night. With achingly atmospheric prose, Dunn has crafted characters I would die for and a love story as powerful and enduring as a fairytale. A must-read for fans of Gothic romance." - Allison Saft
"Kat Dunn has spun a love story both intimate and epic. Bitterthorn is a perfect fireside tale, thick with suspense, yearning, and wild beauty - I loved every moment of reading it." - Samantha Shannon
"Bitterthorn is beautiful and haunting - the type of story that seeps into your bones and stays with you long after reading. Kat Dunn has spun a deliciously dark fairy tale full of the agony and ecstasy of longing and desire, as well as celebrating the power of resilience and inner strength." - Katherine Webber
"A moody and stylish Gothic tale that feels both fresh and timeless - a masterful meditation on grief, loneliness, and terrible love. Gutting and unforgettable." - Ava Reid
"Both classic and novel, melancholy and tenderly wrought, Bitterthorn crackles with passion and warmth like a fire on a long winter night. With achingly atmospheric prose, Dunn has crafted characters I would die for and a love story as powerful and enduring as a fairytale. A must-read for fans of Gothic romance." - Allison Saft
"Kat Dunn has spun a love story both intimate and epic. Bitterthorn is a perfect fireside tale, thick with suspense, yearning, and wild beauty - I loved every moment of reading it." - Samantha Shannon
"Bitterthorn is beautiful and haunting - the type of story that seeps into your bones and stays with you long after reading. Kat Dunn has spun a deliciously dark fairy tale full of the agony and ecstasy of longing and desire, as well as celebrating the power of resilience and inner strength." - Katherine Webber
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Used availability for Kat Dunn's Bitterthorn