Book: The Thorns We Wear Inside by Amy Avery
Reviewed by thebookishkiwikaz
Rating: 3/5
The gorgeous cover and the promise of witches, demons, ghosts, and a sapphic Gothic romance immediately drew me in. Set within a grand, eerie mansion hidden deep in deadly woods, the story follows Raye, a cursed witch whose touch brings death to anyone she comes into contact with. Haunted by a demon companion and feared by those around her, she finds refuge in a strange house where the only person safe from her touch is Mir, a girl carrying demons of her own. The premise had everything I usually love, and the atmosphere was undoubtedly the strongest part of the book.
The mansion itself felt alive with grief, dread, and lingering horrors. The descriptions of the house and its inhabitants created an unsettling Gothic atmosphere that I genuinely enjoyed. I could feel the loneliness and despair that surrounded both Raye and Mir as they wandered through its halls, trapped amongst people whose lives seemed suspended somewhere between a dream and a nightmare.
Unfortunately, beyond the atmosphere, I struggled to fully connect with the story. The characters all had distinct personalities on the surface, but many of them felt underdeveloped. I found myself wanting far more depth, particularly regarding their histories, motivations, and the wider world around them. Important elements such as the Torch, the Church, and the hostility toward witches were introduced but never explored in enough detail to feel meaningful. Instead, much of the narrative felt repetitive, with characters revisiting the same thoughts and emotions without adding much new insight.
The pacing was another challenge for me. Despite being over 300 pages long, very little actually happens for a large portion of the book. The opening throws readers straight into the action with minimal context, yet after that energetic start, the story settles into a slow, repetitive rhythm. The sense of urgency surrounding the approaching Church never fully materialised because the characters seemed to have endless amounts of time to complete even the simplest tasks. Most of the major developments and plot resolutions occur in the final chapters, making the ending feel rushed after such a slow build-up.
I also struggled with the romance. While Raye and Mir are clearly intended to be the emotional heart of the story, their relationship never felt fully developed to me. I was told they were growing closer, but I rarely felt that connection on the page. The chemistry lacked tension and emotional weight, making it difficult to become invested in their romance. There was a lot of telling rather than showing, and as a result, many of the emotional beats failed to land.
The same issue applied to the character backstories. Large sections of exposition explain past events, but they often felt disconnected from the present narrative and lacked emotional impact. Rather than deepening my understanding of the characters, these information dumps slowed the story further.
The antagonists also felt surprisingly ineffective. The demons attached to Raye and Mir are positioned as major threats, yet they rarely influence events in meaningful ways. Likewise, the Church is heavily foreshadowed throughout the novel only to arrive very late in the story and be dealt with surprisingly quickly. The result is a narrative that often feels like it's building toward something substantial without ever quite reaching it.
Ultimately, this wasn't a terrible read, but it was a forgettable one for me. There are elements here that I can absolutely see working for other readers, especially those who enjoy slow-burn Gothic atmospheres and character-focused stories. Unfortunately, I needed more: more world-building, more character development, more emotional depth, and more plot progression. The foundations were all there, but I never felt they were explored deeply enough to make the story truly memorable.
While this book wasn't the right fit for me, I would still encourage readers who love atmospheric Gothic fantasy and sapphic romance to give it a try. My experience may not be yours.