Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Tor Books (2023), 128 pages
Description
There's a princess trapped in a tower. This isn't her story. Meet Toadling. On the day of her birth, she was stolen from her family by the fairies, but she grew up safe and loved in the warm waters of faerieland. Once an adult though, the fae ask a favor of Toadling: return to the human world and offer a blessing of protection to a newborn child. Simple, right? But nothing with fairies is ever simple. Centuries later, a knight approaches a towering wall of brambles, where the thorns are as thick as your arm and as sharp as swords. He's heard there's a curse here that needs breaking, but it's a curse Toadling will do anything to uphold.
User reviews
LibraryThing member foggidawn
There's a maiden asleep in a tower, and a great hedge of briars, but it may not be the story you're expecting... Toadling was human once, but that was before she was stolen from her cradle by the Fae and abandoned in Faerie, to be raised by the greenteeth, who sometimes eat abandoned children, but
I loved it so much. Maybe I mentioned before how I'm a sucker for fairy tale retellings? This does all sorts of interesting things in terms of taking a fairy tale and turning it inside out. Also, for a story with so many dark edges, it's very sweet and comforting. Toadling is a darling and I want to give her a hug, and Halim (the knight) is so funny and nice. Fantasy fans and dark fairy tale lovers, this one is for you.
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don't eat her. They name her Toadling, and she grows up in the loving arms of monsters, happy and secure -- until the day the Hare Goddess arrives and tells her that her father's house has need of her. Skip ahead a few hundred years: Toadling is guarding what used to be her father's keep, now surrounded by a high hedge of thorns. A knight arrives, and he is kind and courteous, but he's also determined to see what's behind the hedge. He's heard an old story, written in an old book, about a princess, and a castle, and a curse -- one that Toadling would do anything to maintain.I loved it so much. Maybe I mentioned before how I'm a sucker for fairy tale retellings? This does all sorts of interesting things in terms of taking a fairy tale and turning it inside out. Also, for a story with so many dark edges, it's very sweet and comforting. Toadling is a darling and I want to give her a hug, and Halim (the knight) is so funny and nice. Fantasy fans and dark fairy tale lovers, this one is for you.
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LibraryThing member Awfki
2023-12-29: Excellent as is everything from T. Kingfisher. I liked that the heroes weren't especially heroic, but they weren't anti-heroes either. So tired of that trope.
LibraryThing member Carol420
I know that words such as "beautiful" are not the words usually used to describe the darker corners of the fantasy world...however, that is what T. Kingfisher has done so well in this story. This is really a novella, a stunningly written novella. Though the story’s darkness is inescapable. Our
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heroine, Toadling.. is so sweet everyone feels that she should be protected at all costs. She is a changeling baby stolen at birth and raised by child-killing, flesh-eating, fish fey in fairyland. Now when you have absorbed that bit of fantasy and are still reading...you will be ready for the rest of the tale. This story makes a really good read for those who enjoy darker novels. You also have to be willing and capable of suspending your disbelief and just go with it. The author shows that, even with some very dark events in a short space of time, darkness is not absolutely overpowering. If you are a fan of this type of literature this story will tick all the boxes for dark and gritty, while throwing an imperfect protagonist into the mix. It exceptionally written, with some small pieces of escapism and can easily be read in one sitting and in just a couple of hours. I'm not a big fan of fantasy, and if it hadn't been that it fit a challenge category, I probably would never have picked it up...but it was worth the hour or so spent in Kingfisher's fairy world. Show Less
LibraryThing member oceancat
Oh gosh. I loved this little book. Toadling has quickly become one of my all time favorite characters. This weird little Sleeping Beauty retelling, with a bit of horror and a lot of monsters, is so full of love, and faith, and turning into a toad when you're nervous to hide in the mud. Honestly
I have such a hard time reviewing books when I love them this much.
Toadling has been guarding the thorn filled hedge around the castle for a long, long time. Someone sleeps in the castle tower, and she does not want them to wake. But the world has moved on, as it is wont to do, and history has faded into myth. The likelihood of someone showing up to free the sleeper seems small. Until one day, a mediocre knight who likes stories arrives, and everything changes.
This is the perfect novella. It never loses its fairy tale feel, but the characters are still developed and real. Halim, the knight, may not be a very good knight, but he is a wonderful character, and I loved the interactions between him and Toadling. The writing gives such a good visual of the castle keep and Toadlings home, and even though there are some horror filled bits, it's also full of humor and kindness and love. I cannot recommend it enough.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for access to the eARC in exchange for an honest review
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that's a skill I wish I had. I have such a hard time reviewing books when I love them this much.
Toadling has been guarding the thorn filled hedge around the castle for a long, long time. Someone sleeps in the castle tower, and she does not want them to wake. But the world has moved on, as it is wont to do, and history has faded into myth. The likelihood of someone showing up to free the sleeper seems small. Until one day, a mediocre knight who likes stories arrives, and everything changes.
This is the perfect novella. It never loses its fairy tale feel, but the characters are still developed and real. Halim, the knight, may not be a very good knight, but he is a wonderful character, and I loved the interactions between him and Toadling. The writing gives such a good visual of the castle keep and Toadlings home, and even though there are some horror filled bits, it's also full of humor and kindness and love. I cannot recommend it enough.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for access to the eARC in exchange for an honest review
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LibraryThing member rivkat
A retelling of Sleeping Beauty in which the hero is Toadling, the human raised in/altered by Faerie, who’s sent to protect the human world from the changeling princess but ends up just putting her to sleep for hundreds of years. When another human finds her, Toadling has to confront her fears
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that her small powers won’t be enough. It’s a fine retelling with a refusal of the myth of beauty meaning goodness. Show Less
LibraryThing member Verkruissen
I guess this could fall under the category of cozy and dark fairytale? I adore all of T. Kingfishers characters, and Toadling was fantastic. The unlikely victim of being switched out for a
changeling alters her life in quite unexpected ways. Thornhedge is dark, funny and classic in the way
changeling alters her life in quite unexpected ways. Thornhedge is dark, funny and classic in the way
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fairytales tend to be. I loved it. Highly recommend. Show Less
LibraryThing member jillrhudy
Thank you to Tor/Macmillan for the ARC.
Some things are just "me" things and this sweet novella is totally one. A heartwarming flipped fairy tale that reminded me somehow of WICKED by Gregory Maguire, but I like this storyline much better: A shape-shifting fairy named Toadling guards something in a
Toadling feels intense guilt and shame over her traumatic backstory that has landed her in the role of eternal protector of the tower, which she reveals to her visitor bit by bit after many years of silence. That guilt and shame, those traumatic memories, bind her more tightly than any curse. Who really is the beauty that is sleeping in this fairy tale, and where does that beauty lie? Even though Kingfisher (Ursula Vernon) wrote this years ago and only just now polished it up for publication, the found family threads make it feel very of-the-moment. Spellbinding.
Some things are just "me" things and this sweet novella is totally one. A heartwarming flipped fairy tale that reminded me somehow of WICKED by Gregory Maguire, but I like this storyline much better: A shape-shifting fairy named Toadling guards something in a
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cursed tower for centuries. Toadling is not who she appears. even though she put the curse on the tower. A kind man turns up outside the tower, ages after Toadling stopped expecting company. He's read the old folklore about the tower, but he is not a prince, or even a knight, but the story has as much of a hold on him as the tower has on Toadling. Who or what has Toadling cursed and trapped in the tower, and why?Toadling feels intense guilt and shame over her traumatic backstory that has landed her in the role of eternal protector of the tower, which she reveals to her visitor bit by bit after many years of silence. That guilt and shame, those traumatic memories, bind her more tightly than any curse. Who really is the beauty that is sleeping in this fairy tale, and where does that beauty lie? Even though Kingfisher (Ursula Vernon) wrote this years ago and only just now polished it up for publication, the found family threads make it feel very of-the-moment. Spellbinding.
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LibraryThing member krau0098
Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I borrowed this on audiobook from my library.
Thoughts: This was a cute little fairy tale retelling. It took a bit for me to get into the story but I ended up enjoying it. I didn't like this as much as "Nettle & Bone" or "The Raven and the Reindeer".
This story follows Toadling, who has been forced into the role of protecting the world from what's in the tower. When a helpful knight stops by to try to remove the curse, Toadling is forced to confront the very things she's been bound to for so long.
I enjoyed that this story is told from a different perspective than what you would expect. Toadling is a fairy and the "jailer" so to speak and it was fun to read a story from that perspective. The conversations that Toadling and the knight have are quite entertaining.
I struggled a bit to engage with the characters, they lacked depth and were cute but not very complex. It's a fun idea and a quick read. I just wasn't grabbed by the story and I didn't find it incredibly engaging. This wasn't a story I struggled to put down but I liked it well enough and generally enjoyed the uniqueness of it.
My Summary (4/5): Overall this wasn't my favorite fairy tale retelling by Kingfisher but it was decent. I liked that the story is told from an unexpected point of view and that some typical fairy tale dynamics are twisted in unexpected ways. I did have some trouble engaging with the characters and being drawn into the story. However, this is a quick read and was entertaining enough. I look forward to what Kingfisher writes next. If you like fairy tale retellings and haven't read "Nettle & Bone", "The Raven and the Reindeer" or "Nine Goblins" I would recommend those as well; I enjoyed all of those a lot more than this novella.
Thoughts: This was a cute little fairy tale retelling. It took a bit for me to get into the story but I ended up enjoying it. I didn't like this as much as "Nettle & Bone" or "The Raven and the Reindeer".
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This story follows Toadling, who has been forced into the role of protecting the world from what's in the tower. When a helpful knight stops by to try to remove the curse, Toadling is forced to confront the very things she's been bound to for so long.
I enjoyed that this story is told from a different perspective than what you would expect. Toadling is a fairy and the "jailer" so to speak and it was fun to read a story from that perspective. The conversations that Toadling and the knight have are quite entertaining.
I struggled a bit to engage with the characters, they lacked depth and were cute but not very complex. It's a fun idea and a quick read. I just wasn't grabbed by the story and I didn't find it incredibly engaging. This wasn't a story I struggled to put down but I liked it well enough and generally enjoyed the uniqueness of it.
My Summary (4/5): Overall this wasn't my favorite fairy tale retelling by Kingfisher but it was decent. I liked that the story is told from an unexpected point of view and that some typical fairy tale dynamics are twisted in unexpected ways. I did have some trouble engaging with the characters and being drawn into the story. However, this is a quick read and was entertaining enough. I look forward to what Kingfisher writes next. If you like fairy tale retellings and haven't read "Nettle & Bone", "The Raven and the Reindeer" or "Nine Goblins" I would recommend those as well; I enjoyed all of those a lot more than this novella.
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LibraryThing member ElizaJane
This is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty with a twist. Here we follow Toadling, the fairy who put a curse on the princess and now guards the thorned hedge and brambles that surround the tower.
This is a sweet story with some dark undertones. It was a pleasant read but really not much else. I prefer
This is a sweet story with some dark undertones. It was a pleasant read but really not much else. I prefer
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Kingfisher's horror at this point but I'll continue to read her fantasy as this is still an unusual tale. Show Less
LibraryThing member lostinalibrary
In her novella, Thornhedge, author T. Kingfisher takes the fairytale of Sleeping Beauty and turns it on its head. Toadlet was born human but was stolen by the fairies at birth. Still, she had a good life growing up with the fae and learning magic. But when she is tasked with delivering a gift to a
I will admit that I have a life-long love of fairytales both old and new and Thornhedge is no exception. Like all fairytales, it is at times dark, suspenseful, frightening but with a touch of humour and, of course, a happy ending. Toadlet is a very likeable character and the story kept my attention throughout. I listened to the audio version and the narrator does a great job of voicing the characters.
I received an audiobook of this book from Negalley and McMillan Audio in exchange for an honest review.
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newborn princess, she makes a mistake and the gift becomes a curse. Now the tower is surrounded by a thick hedge of thorns and Toadlet must guard it to protect the world from what sleeps inside.I will admit that I have a life-long love of fairytales both old and new and Thornhedge is no exception. Like all fairytales, it is at times dark, suspenseful, frightening but with a touch of humour and, of course, a happy ending. Toadlet is a very likeable character and the story kept my attention throughout. I listened to the audio version and the narrator does a great job of voicing the characters.
I received an audiobook of this book from Negalley and McMillan Audio in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member eyes.2c
Fairy godmothers are dangerous!
The magic of this story, the beautiful and sensitive writing, kept me enthralled. A wonderful retelling of Sleeping Beauty that came stunningly alive.
A child is stolen and spends her days with the water creatures in faerieland. She learns from them. She’s
That child was replaced by a changeling who grows into a beautiful Princess. A Princess whose completely immune to any human feeling, who kills for interest, for the mechanics of the action, like picking wings off insects.
Toadling is sent back to the castle to curtail the Princess’ power, only something gets in the way, and what comes next is at least on the surface, we all know.
A darkly charming, and enjoyable cautionary tale.
A Tor ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
The magic of this story, the beautiful and sensitive writing, kept me enthralled. A wonderful retelling of Sleeping Beauty that came stunningly alive.
A child is stolen and spends her days with the water creatures in faerieland. She learns from them. She’s
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‘Toadling.’ She’s loved.That child was replaced by a changeling who grows into a beautiful Princess. A Princess whose completely immune to any human feeling, who kills for interest, for the mechanics of the action, like picking wings off insects.
Toadling is sent back to the castle to curtail the Princess’ power, only something gets in the way, and what comes next is at least on the surface, we all know.
A darkly charming, and enjoyable cautionary tale.
A Tor ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
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LibraryThing member tapestry100
Once upon a time, there was an enchanted sleeping princess. This isn’t that princess, and it isn’t even her story. No, this story belongs to the fairy who gave her her gift, and it’s not the gift you remember from the fairy tales either.
In T. Kingfisher’s (@redwombatstudio) unique twist on
When a knight comes in search of the fabled enchanted princess, Toadling’s story is revealed and everything we thought we knew about the sleeping princess is not what we’ve always thought, and the knight begins to question who it is that is actually cursed, the princess, or the fairy?
This is a delicious take on a well known trope and the twist was not what I was expecting at all; leave it to T. Kingfisher to create something wholly original, even in a retelling. There is beauty in this book, but also darkness, as with everything with the fae, and Kingfisher describes both with equal grace; even the most horrifying creatures sound beautiful in her hands.
A huge thank you to @netgalley and @torbooks for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
#thornhedge #tkingfisher #netgalley #torbooks #arc #bookreview #newbook #bookrelease #fantasy #fairytale #retelling #bookworm #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #books #booknerd #booklover #frommybookshelf #frommybookshelfblog
In T. Kingfisher’s (@redwombatstudio) unique twist on
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the story of Sleeping Beauty (out today from @torbooks), she flips the familiar fairy tale over and creates something new and fresh, this time from the point of view of the fairy, Toadling, who is sent to bestow a gift on the newborn princess, but who inadvertently misspeaks the spell and finds her own life altered forever.When a knight comes in search of the fabled enchanted princess, Toadling’s story is revealed and everything we thought we knew about the sleeping princess is not what we’ve always thought, and the knight begins to question who it is that is actually cursed, the princess, or the fairy?
This is a delicious take on a well known trope and the twist was not what I was expecting at all; leave it to T. Kingfisher to create something wholly original, even in a retelling. There is beauty in this book, but also darkness, as with everything with the fae, and Kingfisher describes both with equal grace; even the most horrifying creatures sound beautiful in her hands.
A huge thank you to @netgalley and @torbooks for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
#thornhedge #tkingfisher #netgalley #torbooks #arc #bookreview #newbook #bookrelease #fantasy #fairytale #retelling #bookworm #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #books #booknerd #booklover #frommybookshelf #frommybookshelfblog
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LibraryThing member lauriebrown54
Shades of fractured fairy tales! Kingfisher has taken the tale of the sleeping maiden in the tower, surrounded by brambles and briar roses, and humanized – albeit by using a not entirely human protagonist.
When a baby is born to the ruler of a tiny backwater kingdom, a fairy steps in. Within
The princess is a beautiful child, and much is forgiven her. But she drives her family and most of the servants to suicide. Finally, Toadling is called on to use her magic on the princess, and is supposed to recite a spell over the child. But nervous Toadling screws it up, and the child becomes monsterous. It’s sort of a “you had one job…” situations.
Then a curious knight appears. Halim is not your average knight; he’s educated and does not like blood shed. Thus begins an odd relationship between the supposed evil enchantress and the savior knight, and things don’t go as fairy tale readers expect.
I loved Toadling and Halim. Halim is not the average fairy tale knight; he’s curious and has read history, and he just wants to know what’s going on, and make things right, if possible. He treats Toadling with respect and courtesy, and she responds with trust. The climax was rather unexpected. What happened seemed out of character for the two, but it did not seem totally out of line for the story itself; the world of the story is a little grim and this fits right into that. This is a novella, so it comes in at only a little over 100 pages, and reads fast, too; it could easily be done in one afternoon. Four and a half stars.
When a baby is born to the ruler of a tiny backwater kingdom, a fairy steps in. Within
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minutes of the birth, when the baby is left unattended while the servants looked after the queen, a switch is made. A fairy is left to be raised as a princess, while the human baby is given to some fairies that live in the brackish waters of the lake to raise. They give her some magical abilities, including the ability to transform into a toad, hence her name: Toadling. And, unexpectedly, they, the lowest of the low fairies, love her. She grows up feeling secure and safe.The princess is a beautiful child, and much is forgiven her. But she drives her family and most of the servants to suicide. Finally, Toadling is called on to use her magic on the princess, and is supposed to recite a spell over the child. But nervous Toadling screws it up, and the child becomes monsterous. It’s sort of a “you had one job…” situations.
Then a curious knight appears. Halim is not your average knight; he’s educated and does not like blood shed. Thus begins an odd relationship between the supposed evil enchantress and the savior knight, and things don’t go as fairy tale readers expect.
I loved Toadling and Halim. Halim is not the average fairy tale knight; he’s curious and has read history, and he just wants to know what’s going on, and make things right, if possible. He treats Toadling with respect and courtesy, and she responds with trust. The climax was rather unexpected. What happened seemed out of character for the two, but it did not seem totally out of line for the story itself; the world of the story is a little grim and this fits right into that. This is a novella, so it comes in at only a little over 100 pages, and reads fast, too; it could easily be done in one afternoon. Four and a half stars.
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LibraryThing member jennybeast
Another delightful reimagining— this time of sleeping beauty. Loved the characters, loved the glorious Greenteeth, love the way Vernon’s mind works.
Advanced Readers Copy provided by edelweiss
Advanced Readers Copy provided by edelweiss
LibraryThing member chilirlw
Thornhedge is a witty, exciting, cozy twisted fairy tale with just a taste of creepiness for spice. In other words, it's a T. Kingfisher book, and you will love it. The only complaint I have is that it's only novella length, but that's entirely due to my desire to remain in its world, because it's
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exactly the length it needs to be to tell its story Show Less
LibraryThing member quondame
Sometimes a high hedge is meant to protect those on the outside. This inside out Sleeping Beauty is a sweet discourse on the nature of monsters and the myths of tales.
LibraryThing member muddyboy
A brief fantasy novel in which the main character is more toad than human through most of the book. There is a princess and a knight that she becomes friends with and very attracted to over time. Unusual for a fantasy of this type there is no evil villain which is refreshing. The ending would make
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a sequel likely but I don;t see why the author just didn't make the novel longer. It was good as far as it went. Show Less
LibraryThing member Othemts
Toadling, a fairy who can take the shape of a toad, guards the decrepit ruins of a castle tower surrounded by sharp thistles for centuries. One day a kindhearted Muslim knight named Halim arrives on a quest to break the curse of the castle. But Toadling has very good reasons for the princess
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Fayette sleeping inside to remain in eternal slumber. This retelling of the classic Sleeping Beauty fairy tale is an imaginative story of friendship, courage, and redemption. Show Less
LibraryThing member SpaceandSorcery
Could a story that’s steeped in darkness end up being delightfully sweet? Yes, provided that it’s written by T. Kingfisher, who possesses a remarkable aptitude at taking well-known fairy tales and standing them on their head…
Toadling is a changeling, a human baby swapped by the fairies for
Once again I loved how this author can take one of the most famous fairy tales, that of Sleeping Beauty, and turn it inside out while creating a heroine who might not be either beautiful or talented, but who possesses a well of determination and courage that make her stand out and that ultimately win Halim’s trust and help in trying to lift the curse. In a way, completely subverting the classic plot of this fairy tale, the arrival of the knight does affect an awakening but it’s not that of the princess - rather it’s Toadling’s, who had been spiritually “hibernating” for so long while keeping watch on the tower and on its slumbering guest. These two characters play their part delightfully well: Toadling by her self-effacing and timid demeanor that overlays an admirable dedication to her duty, truly above and beyond what could be expected; and Halim, who candidly admits to not being much of a knight or a warrior, but who knows how to listen and often shows the endearing trait of apologizing for his verbal outbursts.
The overturning of the classic storyline goes on with the depiction of other characters, so that we see the fairies as the tale’s “bad guys”, first because they exchange babies on a whim, without a real reason for the act, and then because they try to correct a potentially deadly mistake by sending someone who is ill-suited to the task, with disastrous consequences. Forget the fairy godmothers of old, because here you will not find any of them - on the contrary, you will encounter more love and nurturing attitude among the “monsters”, the Greenteeth with whom Toadling grows up and to whom she longs to return, who look far more human than the supposedly beautiful fae.
Another very enjoyable story from an author who I’m sure will never prove disappointing…
Toadling is a changeling, a human baby swapped by the fairies for
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one of their own and later thoughtlessly discarded and forgotten. Despite being given to the Greenteeth, the flesh-eating swamp dwellers, she is not devoured but rather accepted and loved and taught some magic, including the ability to turn into a frog - hence her name. When we meet her, she’s been standing watch over a bramble-covered tower for a long time, living in fear that someone might approach and try to wake the princess lying at the top of the tower, because that would unleash something terrible. So that when knight Halim enters her domain, brought by the whispers of a story about a sleeping princess, Toadling tries her best to stop him, and so… Well, that’s enough, you had better discover the rest by yourselves ;-)Once again I loved how this author can take one of the most famous fairy tales, that of Sleeping Beauty, and turn it inside out while creating a heroine who might not be either beautiful or talented, but who possesses a well of determination and courage that make her stand out and that ultimately win Halim’s trust and help in trying to lift the curse. In a way, completely subverting the classic plot of this fairy tale, the arrival of the knight does affect an awakening but it’s not that of the princess - rather it’s Toadling’s, who had been spiritually “hibernating” for so long while keeping watch on the tower and on its slumbering guest. These two characters play their part delightfully well: Toadling by her self-effacing and timid demeanor that overlays an admirable dedication to her duty, truly above and beyond what could be expected; and Halim, who candidly admits to not being much of a knight or a warrior, but who knows how to listen and often shows the endearing trait of apologizing for his verbal outbursts.
The overturning of the classic storyline goes on with the depiction of other characters, so that we see the fairies as the tale’s “bad guys”, first because they exchange babies on a whim, without a real reason for the act, and then because they try to correct a potentially deadly mistake by sending someone who is ill-suited to the task, with disastrous consequences. Forget the fairy godmothers of old, because here you will not find any of them - on the contrary, you will encounter more love and nurturing attitude among the “monsters”, the Greenteeth with whom Toadling grows up and to whom she longs to return, who look far more human than the supposedly beautiful fae.
Another very enjoyable story from an author who I’m sure will never prove disappointing…
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LibraryThing member Herenya
For centuries, the fairy Toadling has watched different people people travelling by, and hoped they would not wonder what was beyond the hedge of thorns. Then one day a knight turns up.
“But you are like any other knight,” she said bitterly. “You want to rescue the beautiful maiden in the
“Well, if she’s there, I suppose it’s only polite to rescue her. Though I’m embarrassed to say that some of my fellow knights would probably only be interested if the maiden had a treasure to go along with her.”
“There’s no treasure.”
“I didn’t think there was. I mostly came for answers. Or maybe just the story.”
Toadling sighed. She did not know how to fight a story. She had learned so many from the greenteeth and later from Master Gourami, but no one had taught her how to stop one.
A twist on “Sleeping Beauty”, this novella is a bit dark yet also kind and hopeful, and absolutely successful at being its own story, which is what I expect from Kingfisher.
“But you are like any other knight,” she said bitterly. “You want to rescue the beautiful maiden in the
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tower.”“Well, if she’s there, I suppose it’s only polite to rescue her. Though I’m embarrassed to say that some of my fellow knights would probably only be interested if the maiden had a treasure to go along with her.”
“There’s no treasure.”
“I didn’t think there was. I mostly came for answers. Or maybe just the story.”
Toadling sighed. She did not know how to fight a story. She had learned so many from the greenteeth and later from Master Gourami, but no one had taught her how to stop one.
A twist on “Sleeping Beauty”, this novella is a bit dark yet also kind and hopeful, and absolutely successful at being its own story, which is what I expect from Kingfisher.
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LibraryThing member ragwaine
So far T. Kingfisher is 2 for 2. Loved Nettle & Bone more than this one, but this one also really worked for me. The fairy tale aspects, the personalities of the characters, the magic (which was pretty detailed for a novella). It all gelled perfectly. If I HAD to pick something I didn't like, it
Last book of 2023!
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would have been the climax. It was kind of sudden and not that creative. (I really feel like that's setting up some great sexual jokes - so go for it.)Last book of 2023!
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LibraryThing member Velmeran
A quick retelling of Sleeping Beauty tale with non-traditional characters all around. I love alternate takes on fairy tales, especially ones that imply that the original was glossed over, or sugar-coated. I appreciated the main characters and would have liked to read more about them, but it was a
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satisfying ending as well. Show Less
LibraryThing member ladycato
I read this novella as part of the Nebula finalist packet.
Thornhedge is a lovely work that twists around fairy-tale tropes, in a fun, thoughtful way, following the fairy Toadling, who has long-guarded a bramble-surrounded tower that has a sleeping beauty within. When a young Muslim knight shows up,
Thornhedge is a lovely work that twists around fairy-tale tropes, in a fun, thoughtful way, following the fairy Toadling, who has long-guarded a bramble-surrounded tower that has a sleeping beauty within. When a young Muslim knight shows up,
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investigating old tales, he and Toadling strike up a slow, caring friendship as the truths of the past are revealed. Show Less
LibraryThing member clrichm
The interesting thing about this book is that while I could tell what was going to happen, for the most part, I also very much could not. (Maybe I’ll blame Alix Harrow, or else Heather Walter, whose books may have predisposed me to think about the tale of Sleeping Beauty in particular ways quite
Thought-provoking and enchanting.
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unlike this book’s presentation.) There was so much to love about the unexpected twists and takes on the themes and characters of the original tale; Toadling was such a humble and endearing hero, lovable in her attempts to just do the best she could in what she and others had tasked her to do. The ending surprised me quite a bit before the epilogue, though I think that even had Kingfisher chosen to conclude the story there, it might still have felt complete in an entirely different way. The fairy world and the human world, we were shown, are more than simply alien, and no good appears to come from crossing those lines. In that regard, the epilogue opens up more questions than it answers.Thought-provoking and enchanting.
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LibraryThing member SandyAMcPherson
An excellent novella and the first of Kingfisher's books that I actually finished. It's a fantastic re-telling of the Sleeping Beauty theme in a way that feels very real as opposed to the saccharine, perhaps(?) bowdlerized version by the Brothers Grimm (and based on the Charles Perrault version).
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There was little sense of a fairytale trope and the characterizations were deftly executed, though the queen persona was confusingly sketchy. Recommended! Show Less
Awards
Hugo Award (Nominee — Novella — 2024)
Nebula Award (Nominee — Novella — 2023)
RUSA CODES Reading List (Shortlist — Fantasy — 2024)
NPR: Books We Love (2023)
Locus Recommended Reading (Novella — 2023)
LibraryReads (Monthly Pick — Hall of Fame — August 2023)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Adults (Selection — 2023)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2023-08-15
Physical description
128 p.; 8.3 inches
ISBN
1250244099 / 9781250244093