# Bitterthorn by Kat Dunn: Sapphic Gothic Fantasy

Bitterthorn is Kat Dunn’s sapphic Gothic fantasy about Mina, a duke’s daughter who offers herself as the next companion to a witch living in a sinister castle. Its fairytale-inspired mystery, romance and dark atmosphere are central to the book’s appeal.

- [Original product page](https://bargainpostbox.co.uk/product/bitterthorn-kat-dunn-sapphic-gothic-fantasy)
- [View offer](https://bargainpostbox.co.uk/visit/bitterthorn-kat-dunn-sapphic-gothic-fantasy)
- Market: UK
- Language: en-GB
- Currency: GBP
- Category: Books, Music & Hobbies > Books, Music & Movies > Books & Comics
- Price: 7.10 GBP
- Previous price: 8.99 GBP
- Discount: 21%
- Price checked: 2026-11-12T17:38:59.374Z
- Rating: 4.4 / 5
- Reviews: 634

Prices and deal status are the latest recorded data, not a guarantee of availability. Confirm the price and availability with the store.

## At a glance

- A sapphic Gothic romance framed as a dark fairytale inspired by Beauty and the Beast.
- Follows Mina as she enters a witch’s castle and investigates the fate of previous companions.
- The listing states that the book was nominated for the Carnegie Medal for Writing and shortlisted for the Nero Book Award.

## Pros

- Combines a sapphic love story with Gothic atmosphere and a mystery about the witch’s former companions.
- A 368-page paperback-sized reading option, with the listing giving its dimensions and weight.

## Specifications

### Publication details
- Publisher: Andersen Press
- Publication date: 4 May 2023
- Edition: 1st
- Language: English
- Print length: 368 pages
- ISBN-10: 1839132957
- ISBN-13: 978-1839132957
- Reading age: 14 years and up
### Dimensions and weight
- Dimensions: 12.9 x 2.2 x 19.8 cm
- Weight listed: 290 g

## Before you buy

- The premise includes a sinister witch, a generational curse and Mina’s perilous captivity, so the tone is dark rather than light fairytale fantasy.

## A good fit for

- Readers seeking sapphic Gothic romance with a fairytale-inspired setting.
- Fans of dark fantasy centred on an eerie castle, a witch and a gradually unfolding mystery.
- Readers aged 14 and up, as indicated by the listing.

## Less suited to

- Readers looking for a light, non-Gothic fairytale or a story without romance and peril.

## Customer feedback

Customer feedback highlights the honest love story, haunting Gothic atmosphere, characterisation and well-crafted writing. The supplied summary also describes engaging pacing and plot twists. For readers drawn to the listed sapphic romance and castle mystery, these reported reactions suggest the emotional relationship and atmosphere are key strengths. Aggregate ratings are broadly positive, but do not establish that every reader will respond the same way.
- Positive themes: Customers praise the love story and haunting Gothic atmosphere.
- Positive themes: The supplied feedback highlights the writing and characters.
- Positive themes: Customers describe the pacing as engaging and mention twists in the plot.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is Bitterthorn about?
Mina, a lonely duke’s daughter, offers herself as a witch’s companion and becomes caught up in the mystery of what happened to the companions before her.
### What kind of story is Bitterthorn?
It is described as a sapphic Gothic romance and dark fairytale, with a sinister castle, an ancient curse and a mystery.
### How long is the book?
The listing gives a print length of 368 pages.
### What age is the book listed for?
The listed reading age is 14 years and up.

## Alternative options

- [Wrath: The Witch's Playbook](https://bargainpostbox.co.uk/visit/bitterthorn-kat-dunn-sapphic-gothic-fantasy)
- [Phantasma: A dark fantasy romance \(Wicked Games, 1\)](https://bargainpostbox.co.uk/visit/bitterthorn-kat-dunn-sapphic-gothic-fantasy)
- [Dire Bound: The hottest enemies to lovers fantasy romance of 2025 and SUNDAY TIMES bestseller: 1 \(The Wolves of Ruin, 1\)](https://bargainpostbox.co.uk/visit/bitterthorn-kat-dunn-sapphic-gothic-fantasy)
- [Shield of Sparrows: THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER: 1](https://bargainpostbox.co.uk/visit/bitterthorn-kat-dunn-sapphic-gothic-fantasy)
- [A Rather Vengeful Accord: A rivals-to-lovers dark academia fantasy of necromancers and gladiatorial combat \(The Hallowed Game duology Book 1\)](https://bargainpostbox.co.uk/visit/bitterthorn-kat-dunn-sapphic-gothic-fantasy)
- [INFECTED 10th Anniversary Illustrated Collector's Edition: Will YOU Survive the Zombie Apocalypse? \(Click Your Poison\)](https://bargainpostbox.co.uk/visit/bitterthorn-kat-dunn-sapphic-gothic-fantasy)
- [Dungeon Crawler Carl: The epic beginning of the hit Dungeon Crawler Carl LitRPG - a darkly funny, fast-paced adventure of survival and chaos: 1 \(Dungeon Crawler Carl Series, 1\)](https://bargainpostbox.co.uk/visit/bitterthorn-kat-dunn-sapphic-gothic-fantasy)
- [A Drop of Corruption: the gripping biopunk murder mystery sequel to The Tainted Cup \(Ana and Din Mysteries\)](https://bargainpostbox.co.uk/visit/bitterthorn-kat-dunn-sapphic-gothic-fantasy)
- [Among the Burning Flowers: Take your first steps into the epic \(The Roots of Chaos\)](https://bargainpostbox.co.uk/visit/bitterthorn-kat-dunn-sapphic-gothic-fantasy)
- [The Tainted Cup: an exceptional fantasy mystery with a classic detective duo \(Ana and Din Mysteries\)](https://bargainpostbox.co.uk/visit/bitterthorn-kat-dunn-sapphic-gothic-fantasy)
- [Mistakes Were Made](https://bargainpostbox.co.uk/visit/bitterthorn-kat-dunn-sapphic-gothic-fantasy)
- [The Witch's Heart](https://bargainpostbox.co.uk/visit/bitterthorn-kat-dunn-sapphic-gothic-fantasy)

## Add-ons

- [One Knight Stand: The most outrageously funny medieval cosy fantasy YA of 2026 from two NYT bestselling authors: Book 2 \(Lady’s Knight\)](https://bargainpostbox.co.uk/visit/bitterthorn-kat-dunn-sapphic-gothic-fantasy)
- [Lady's Knight: The most outrageously funny cosy fantasy YA of 2025 from two NYT bestselling authors: Book 1](https://bargainpostbox.co.uk/visit/bitterthorn-kat-dunn-sapphic-gothic-fantasy)

## Images

![Bitterthorn by Kat Dunn: Sapphic Gothic Fantasy — 1](https://bargainpostbox.co.uk/i/5jFOt5MjafLn53WA0cZjYW68lAof2H_roBn-fJhTexYPwR9JYPQvrNTbKBpa0Cycwg-eMQTmhr1gcVDzUTlHTthGtxO3xIxf-2TTHNVtoo1kWosU4Mn2.jpg)