But to read this collection literally is to miss the point.
Thorn is part myth, part memory, part accusation. Each story in this slim, devastating volume offers a different character’s perspective: the jealous neighbor, the curious city girl, the farrier who refuses to make eye contact, and finally—Old Bernald himself. Their accounts clash, overlap, and ultimately betray the limits of language when faced with true devotion or cruelty. Novel Collection Thorn Old Bernald S Ponygirl
At its surface, the collection weaves together interconnected tales about a mysterious, half-wild figure known only as Thorn. She is the “ponygirl” of the title—bound not by literal reins, but by the fierce, complicated ownership of Old Bernald, a reclusive horse trader on the edge of a crumbling moor. But to read this collection literally is to miss the point
Pick it up when you want a book that will gallop through your mind long after the final page. Just don’t expect to put the reins down. ★★★★½ (4.5/5) – Breathtaking and brutal. A modern gothic classic in the making. Their accounts clash, overlap, and ultimately betray the
Have you read Thorn, Old Bernald’s Ponygirl ? Did Thorn choose the stable, or was she always trying to leave? Let me know in the comments. I’ll be the one still staring at the moor at dusk. #GothicFiction #ShortStoryCollection #ThornOldBernaldsPonygirl #FolkHorror #BookReview #LiteraryFiction