I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher Published by Tor Books on August 15 2023
Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Pages: 128
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
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The nitty-gritty: Sweet, emotional and at times heartbreaking, Thornhedge is a perfect, feel-good fairy tale.
“You could not hate a child—only a monster would hate a child—but the child was a monster in the shape of a child, an elfin creature whose power was only contained by her youth and her unfamiliarity with the world.”
I can always count on T. Kingfisher to surprise and delight me, and yes, she’s done it once again. Thornhedge is short but perfectly paced and just the right length, a twisted fairy tale that was twisted in a much different way than I expected. I’m going to keep this review short so you can discover its charms for yourself!
We meet a fairy who calls herself Toadling, a plain girl who can turn herself into a toad at will. Toadling lives near a very old keep, a series of towers that once looked like towers but over the past several hundred years have become completely covered by a thick layer of thorny hedges. People rarely pass by the keep anymore, and that’s how Toadling likes it. Why? Because she is guarding an important secret and doesn’t want anyone to discover it.
But one day, a knight on horseback approaches the keep and sets up camp nearby. He seems to be searching for something, and Toadling knows she must get him to leave. But the knight—Halim—turns out to be polite and curious, and he convinces Toadling to tell him her story. He’s read stories in books about a keep where a princess is being held captive, and he’s come to see if they’re true.
The author alternates between the present, when Toadling and Halim meet and get to know each other, and the story of Toadling’s past and how she came to be guarding the keep. And oh what a story it is! I can’t tell you much about it, because I vowed to keep this review spoiler free, but I will say that I adored Toadling’s family, the fairy creatures called greenteeth who raised and loved her. The reader learns about the greenteeth as Toadling tells her story to Halim, and her relationship with them was one of my favorite parts of the story. At one point Toadling is given an important task to do and must leave her beloved family behind, which is how she comes to be guarding the keep. Kingfisher’s descriptions of the fairy realm are magical and sensual and slightly terrifying. But that’s Kingfisher for you, she has an uncanny way of combining horror and wonder that’s unlike any other author I’ve read.
Toadling has been alone for many, many years, so when Halim arrives she doesn’t quite know how to handle him. To make things even harder, he’s kind to her and doesn’t care a bit about Toadling’s plain appearance (perhaps because he’s quite plain himself). I loved the way they slowly grow to trust and admire each other. This isn’t a romance, per se, but you can read the potential for romance between the lines.
Eventually we learn the truth about what’s inside the tower and Toadling’s connection to it, and the resolution was not at all what I expected. Kingfisher loves to twist familiar fairy tales around, making them new and surprising, and this is one of her best ones yet. I also loved the way she explores the idea of stories, both written down and told out loud, and how they grow and change over time. Thornhedge has both sweet and bitter elements, but ultimately this is a feel-good tale with a truly wonderful ending. Don’t miss it.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
Great review! So glad you loved it. I did too — another wonderful reading experience from T Kingfisher.
Her books are always better than I expect, for some reason!
I’m anxious to read the one. Glad you loved it so much!
I hope you love it! A fun, fast read:-)
Glad you enjoyed it. Can’t wait for my pre order to arrive. T.Kingfisher can do no wrong in my eyes.
Exactly how I feel! I hope you love it too.
I am curious about this one.
Stormi recently posted…Review of The Paris Agent
It was short but really good!
Glad to see this was such a hit. Robin has this one coming up. I still need to read this author.
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I’m looking forward to Robin’s review!
Glad you enjoyed this, it’s one I’d really like to read at some point as I’ve only read one Kingfisher book before but it was a good one 😀
It’s very short, you can read it in a few hours:-)
Oooooo – this sounds awesome. And I really do need to try T Kingfisher. AND I have a book token … 😀
Yes, you should definitely try Kingfisher! This is a great place to start:-)
This author really doesn’t seem to fail with her books! I really need to try one of her stories. Great review, Tammy! 🙂
Lashaan Balasingam recently posted…Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong
Thanks Lashaan! She is so consistent:-)
Intriguing transition from “the child was a monster in the shape of a child” to a feel-good fairy tale, lol!
Emma @ Words And Peace recently posted…Six degrees of separation: walking the line between romance and comedy
The whole story was pretty surprising:-)
By the description it sounds like it would be a story about a changeling. I never read anything by Kingfisher. Will has to give this book a read.
Snapdragon recently posted…Do you read Memoirs?
Well, I don’t want to spoil things but you are right:-)
Lovely review as always! Glad you liked it!
Thanks Celeste!
Excellent review! I’m still jealous you received an (e)ARC of this book! Just a little longer and I will be able to read it!
L.A. Young recently posted…Reading Check-In: August 5, 2023
I hope you love it! (It’s hard not to love:-))
Lovely review, Tammy – I love Kingfisher’s writing, too. I’m hoping to get a copy of this one in due course – I just wish that some of her books were longer…
Her horror books are longer, but I know you don’t want to go there…
I can’t wait to pick this one up and your review has made me want to start this one even sooner.
Lynn 😀
You’ll love it:-)
This sounds so fantastic, I can’t wait to read it!!!
I really need to read some Kingfisher, your reviews of her books are always so encouraging and enthusiastic, Tammy!
To surprise and delight seems the trademark for this author!! My only “complaint” with this book is that we don’t get to meet Halim’s mother in person!!!
Great review. I agree, T. Kingfisher also delights and surprises me everytime I read her.
I completely missed this review! I also loved Thornhedge. I totally agree with pretty much everything–T. Kingfisher is always a delight, which always makes me so excited for her books. Glad you also enjoyed this one!
This is an author I’ve always thought looked good! And that opening, wow! Definitely sounds like a winner, and like you enjoyed it. Great review!
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