Mina offers herself up as the Witch's latest companion - yet the fate that awaits her is stranger and more wondrous than she can imagine...
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.
Creators
Kat Dunn grew up in London and has lived in Japan, Australia and France. She has a BA in Japanese from SOAS and an MA in English from Warwick. She’s written about mental health for Mind and The Guardian, and worked as a translator for Japanese television.
Reviews
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.
A gothic, intimate tale of love and loneliness, the threads that bind us to others, and how a sacrifice for another can be spun into something strong and enduring. Kat Dunn shows that hope can be found even amidst bitter odds.
A moody and stylish Gothic tale that feels both fresh and timeless – a masterful meditation on grief, loneliness, and terrible love. Gutting and unforgettable.
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
This darkly romantic fairytale is a stunning rumination on loneliness, grief, and the aching human desire to love and be loved. Sapphic, Gothic and deeply cathartic – I feel profoundly moved –
