Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

It only took a couple books to add T. Kingfisher to my short list of must-read authors. Her creativity and sense for the (frequently macabre) absurd set her work apart, and Thornhedge certainly delivers on those fronts. However, it is in may ways Kingfisher’s sweetest book I’ve read and would serve as a great introduction to her writing — or even as an alternative if you’ve found her other works to be too absurd or intense.

Thornhedge is a retelling of “Sleeping Beauty,” and in typical Kingfisher fashion questions basic assumption of the original tale (or at least of the tale as we know it). In this case, the questions are: Why do you need to hide a princess behind a wall of thorns? Are you trying to keep others out or to keep her in? Told from the perspective of not-quite-fairy, not-really-godmother Toadling, it’s a bittersweet reflection on the meaning of love and its limitations.

While I enjoyed the story, it was really the telling of it and Toadling herself that stole my heart. Born human but raised by monstrous fairies, called the greenteeth, she’s an outsider in the mortal realm, and human ways are strange to her. First her upbringing and then her position as sole guardian of the tower isolates her completely, and there’s a deep loneliness in Toadling and a yearning for her own adoptive family. As she slowly unfolds the story of how this all came to be, my heart ached for her. But though she is weary and sad, Toadling isn’t a wet blanket. She’s curious, kind, resilient, and endearingly pleased with herself when she hits upon a clever plan. I wanted everything good for her, and her occasional victories felt well-earned and satisfying.

If you, like me, enjoy vivid reimaginings of fairy tales (especially with a streak of dark humor), Thornhedge is sure to delight. I hope you’ll check it out!

My thanks to NetGalley and Tor for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

—b