Call number
Genres
Publication
New York : Tor/Tom Doherty Associates Book, 2022.
Pages
243
Description
After years of seeing her sisters suffer at the hands of an abusive prince, Marra--the shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter--has finally realized that no one is coming to their rescue. No one, except for Marra herself. Seeking help from a powerful gravewitch, Marra is offered the tools to kill a prince--if she can complete three impossible tasks. But, as is the way in tales of princes, witches, and daughters, the impossible is only the beginning. On her quest, Marra is joined by the gravewitch, a reluctant fairy godmother, a strapping former knight, and a chicken possessed by a demon. Together, the five of them intend to be the hand that closes around the throat of the prince and frees Marra's family and their kingdom from its tyrannous ruler at last.… (more)
Awards
Hugo Award (Nominee — Novel — 2023)
Nebula Award (Nominee — Novel — 2022)
Dublin Literary Award (Longlist — 2023)
RUSA CODES Reading List (Winner — Fantasy — 2023)
Dragon Award (Finalist — Fantasy Novel — 2022)
NPR: Books We Love (2022)
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Fiction — 2022)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Adults (Selection — 2022)
New York Public Library Best Books: For Adults (Top Ten — 2022)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2022-04-26
Physical description
243 p.; 22 cm
ISBN
9781250244048
Similar in this library
User reviews
LibraryThing member readinggeek451
This is a fairy tale and yet not. Marra is a princess, the youngest daughter of a king. When the story opens, she is trying to complete three impossible tasks in order to save her sister. Marra is also thirty, somewhat plain, and almost a nun. There are fairy godmothers, ancient curses, and quests.
Like all of Kingfisher's books, there is both humor and horror, and a lot of practicality. This is a delight.
Show More
There is are also cranky old women, chickens both possessed and not, a Very Good Dog, and a lot of common sense.Like all of Kingfisher's books, there is both humor and horror, and a lot of practicality. This is a delight.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Carolesrandomlife
This was phenomenal! This is easily my favorite book so far this year. It really is just that good. I went into this book without a lot of expectations. I was intrigued by the book’s description, especially the part about the chicken possessed by a demon, so I was hopeful that it would be a good
This book was filled with wonderful and unusual characters. Marra is the youngest of 3 princesses and wants to save her sister who is married to a cruel prince. She enlists the help of a gravewitch by completing several impossible tasks, including creating a dog out of bones. Marra, the gravewitch, her demon-possessed chicken, and Bonedog stop at a goblin market shortly after starting where they find a former knight who joins them on their journey. They soon add one last member to their group, a fairy godmother with limited powers. Their quest is to save Marra’s sister by killing the prince.
This is a book where you should expect the unexpected. I loved the characters and the situations that they faced on their journey together were ones I could have never imagined. I thought that they made a wonderful team and seemed to be able to accomplish almost anything when working together. There were some scenes that were very intense and I wasn’t sure how things would work out. I was glued to the pages and found this book to be next to impossible to put down.
I would highly recommend this fairy tale of a story to others. I cannot believe that I have not read more of this author’s work. Seriously, what is even wrong with me?! I quickly fell in love with his group of characters and found the story to be incredibly imaginative. This is a book that I know I will want to revisit in the future and I also plan on checking out more of this author’s work.
I received an advanced review copy of this book from Tor Books.
Show More
read. I did not think I would be blown away by this book. If this book is not yet on your radar, do yourself a favor and try to get your hands on a copy just as soon as possible.This book was filled with wonderful and unusual characters. Marra is the youngest of 3 princesses and wants to save her sister who is married to a cruel prince. She enlists the help of a gravewitch by completing several impossible tasks, including creating a dog out of bones. Marra, the gravewitch, her demon-possessed chicken, and Bonedog stop at a goblin market shortly after starting where they find a former knight who joins them on their journey. They soon add one last member to their group, a fairy godmother with limited powers. Their quest is to save Marra’s sister by killing the prince.
This is a book where you should expect the unexpected. I loved the characters and the situations that they faced on their journey together were ones I could have never imagined. I thought that they made a wonderful team and seemed to be able to accomplish almost anything when working together. There were some scenes that were very intense and I wasn’t sure how things would work out. I was glued to the pages and found this book to be next to impossible to put down.
I would highly recommend this fairy tale of a story to others. I cannot believe that I have not read more of this author’s work. Seriously, what is even wrong with me?! I quickly fell in love with his group of characters and found the story to be incredibly imaginative. This is a book that I know I will want to revisit in the future and I also plan on checking out more of this author’s work.
I received an advanced review copy of this book from Tor Books.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Strider66
Pros: light romance, fun magic, interesting world
Cons: some readers might be put off that certain matters are skirted over
Marra’s older sister is married to the prince of their larger neighbouring kingdom. After a death and some unpleasant revelations, Marra is determined to save her sister, like
The opening of this book grabbed me by the throat and immediately pulled me into its world. Though the plot has some unpleasant elements the book on the whole is surprisingly upbeat. I loved the subtle humour, especially when the romance thread entered.
Marra doesn’t do politics well, which is a problem for a princess. It was nice seeing her build a group of friends who helped with her quest. They’re a quirky bunch and a lot of fun to read about. I loved Kingfisher’s take on the godmother mythos.
The magic is never explained and appears in various guises. There’s a goblin market, a woman who can talk to the dead, and Marra is able to complete two impossible fairytale quests.
I needed a lighthearted read so I appreciated that the book glossed over the disturbing elements of child death and physical abuse. Some readers might be put off the fact that the author doesn’t show the full fallout of these impactful events. I had the impression Marra was supposed to be neurodivergent, and so she doesn’t pick up on things the way others do. As the point of view character, this colours how the reader sees the world as well.
I found the story quick moving and compelling. This is an uplifting book with an excellent wrap-up that leaves you feeling content with the world.
Cons: some readers might be put off that certain matters are skirted over
Marra’s older sister is married to the prince of their larger neighbouring kingdom. After a death and some unpleasant revelations, Marra is determined to save her sister, like
Show More
a hero in the stories she read as a child. But how does one become a hero, and how do you kill a prince?The opening of this book grabbed me by the throat and immediately pulled me into its world. Though the plot has some unpleasant elements the book on the whole is surprisingly upbeat. I loved the subtle humour, especially when the romance thread entered.
Marra doesn’t do politics well, which is a problem for a princess. It was nice seeing her build a group of friends who helped with her quest. They’re a quirky bunch and a lot of fun to read about. I loved Kingfisher’s take on the godmother mythos.
The magic is never explained and appears in various guises. There’s a goblin market, a woman who can talk to the dead, and Marra is able to complete two impossible fairytale quests.
I needed a lighthearted read so I appreciated that the book glossed over the disturbing elements of child death and physical abuse. Some readers might be put off the fact that the author doesn’t show the full fallout of these impactful events. I had the impression Marra was supposed to be neurodivergent, and so she doesn’t pick up on things the way others do. As the point of view character, this colours how the reader sees the world as well.
I found the story quick moving and compelling. This is an uplifting book with an excellent wrap-up that leaves you feeling content with the world.
Show Less
LibraryThing member N.W.Moors
"The trees were full of crows and the woods were full of madmen. The pit was full of bones and her hands were full of wires."
How can anyone not love a fantasy book that starts like this? The reader is dropped into the story partway at the beginning, but we learn that Marra is a princess, the spare
Marra is not a typical heroine, being mostly good at embroidery so she decides to get some help from a dust-wife who sets her to three impossible tasks (hence the opening). The dust-wife has magic, mostly to do with communing with the dead. She also has a chicken possessed by a demon that sits on her staff and provides one egg a day for their journey. The two women attach to their group a disgraced knight who fell asleep in a fairy fort and a fairy godmother who mostly gives out blessings for good health.
Nettle & Bone has all the elements of a good fairytale and also manages to subvert most of the tropes. T.Kingfisher is a wonderful author, wry and funny:
“How did you get a demon in your chicken?'
'The usual way. Couldn't put it in the rooster. That's how you get basilisks.”
She also doesn't shy away from the scary parts that make up the best fairytales. Marra has to go through some horrible events to save her sister. As the dust-wife says:
“Fairy tales,” said the dust-wife heavily, “are very hard on bystanders. Particularly old women. I’d rather not dance myself to death in iron shoes, if it’s all the same to you.”
Still, Marra and her crew persevere and the story of their adventures is one to read and re-read. Marra is a great character, a little slow to mature but stubborn once she sets a goal. I loved looking at her world through her eyes and I empathized with her often:
"And did the great heroes do laundry? I don’t remember hearing about it. You’d think after slaying a hundred men, they’d need a good wash."
How can anyone not love a fantasy book that starts like this? The reader is dropped into the story partway at the beginning, but we learn that Marra is a princess, the spare
Show More
who is sent to a convent to wait until the prince of the Northern Kingdom might need a new wife. Her oldest sister married him and died in an accident, and then the middle sister is currently married to him. But her sister warns her not to be next, so Marra determines to save her sister (and herself, just in case). Marra is not a typical heroine, being mostly good at embroidery so she decides to get some help from a dust-wife who sets her to three impossible tasks (hence the opening). The dust-wife has magic, mostly to do with communing with the dead. She also has a chicken possessed by a demon that sits on her staff and provides one egg a day for their journey. The two women attach to their group a disgraced knight who fell asleep in a fairy fort and a fairy godmother who mostly gives out blessings for good health.
Nettle & Bone has all the elements of a good fairytale and also manages to subvert most of the tropes. T.Kingfisher is a wonderful author, wry and funny:
“How did you get a demon in your chicken?'
'The usual way. Couldn't put it in the rooster. That's how you get basilisks.”
She also doesn't shy away from the scary parts that make up the best fairytales. Marra has to go through some horrible events to save her sister. As the dust-wife says:
“Fairy tales,” said the dust-wife heavily, “are very hard on bystanders. Particularly old women. I’d rather not dance myself to death in iron shoes, if it’s all the same to you.”
Still, Marra and her crew persevere and the story of their adventures is one to read and re-read. Marra is a great character, a little slow to mature but stubborn once she sets a goal. I loved looking at her world through her eyes and I empathized with her often:
"And did the great heroes do laundry? I don’t remember hearing about it. You’d think after slaying a hundred men, they’d need a good wash."
Show Less
LibraryThing member jennybeast
Oh, how I love T. Kingfisher's mix of story and snark and unexpected magical adventures. This is a strange and funny and moving story, about betrayal and protection, unusual partnerships, impossible tasks and a demon chicken. Can't recommend it highly enough.
Advanced Readers' Copy provided by
Advanced Readers' Copy provided by
Show More
Edelweiss. Show Less
LibraryThing member TheDivineOomba
Its not often you come across a newly written fairy tale that manages to break stereotypes, while completely embracing them. The story itself is a simple, a princess needs to rescue her sister from an abusive husband, goes on a quest to find help, that comes in the way of a dust-wife, a godmother,
Of course, there are twists and turns. Parts are dark, very dark. From the forest where Bonedog is put together, to the Goblin Market. Other parts are sad, from being forced to live, whether for a kingdom, or by a spell.
Marra herself is a breath of fresh air - she is exactly what she is suppose to be, a third princess, being kept in a convent to both keep her as a backup, but also so doesn't compete with her queen sister.
There really is only one bad person in this story, but a lot of morally ambiguous choices.
Show More
and a bodyguard.Of course, there are twists and turns. Parts are dark, very dark. From the forest where Bonedog is put together, to the Goblin Market. Other parts are sad, from being forced to live, whether for a kingdom, or by a spell.
Marra herself is a breath of fresh air - she is exactly what she is suppose to be, a third princess, being kept in a convent to both keep her as a backup, but also so doesn't compete with her queen sister.
There really is only one bad person in this story, but a lot of morally ambiguous choices.
Show Less
LibraryThing member krau0098
Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got a copy of this book through NetGalley to review.
Thoughts: This was an incredibly entertaining read and I am officially a huge fan of Kingfisher at this point! Previous to reading this I had read Kingfisher’s “Clocktar War” series (loved
The story follows Marra. We first get to see Marra as she tries to perform some impossible tasks and then we quickly go back in time to learn about Marra and her family. Her sisters have been married off to an abusive prince and Marra desperately wants to stop the prince from killing yet another sister. So she seeks a powerful gravewitch for help…and the gravewitch gives her three impossible tasks.
The second part of the story follows Marra and a completely entertaining cast of characters on a quest to break a curse, defeat a prince, and save her remaining sister! On this quest she is joined by the grumpy gravewitch, a disgraced knight, a reluctant godmother, a chicken possessed by a demon, and the bone dog she created.
The whole story was beautifully crafted, incredibly creative, and absolutely engrossing. I love how much humor is woven in here and how Marra makes such an unlikely hero. The romance that develops between Marra and the knight is sweet and heartwarming. The cast of characters is delightful and the book is impossible to put down. I loved every second of it.
My Summary (5/5): Overall this was another amazing adventure fantasy by Kingfisher with heavy dark fairy tale tones to it. It is filled with fun characters, light humor, a determined and unlikely heroine, and just a load of fun! Kingfisher is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors and I plan on gobbling up all her novels as soon as I can! I was lucky enough to get “What Moves the Dead” for review and will be reading that in the next month or so and I am soooo excited. I would definitely recommend this book if you enjoy fairy tale retellings, adventure fantasy, or just a good fantasy read in general!
Thoughts: This was an incredibly entertaining read and I am officially a huge fan of Kingfisher at this point! Previous to reading this I had read Kingfisher’s “Clocktar War” series (loved
Show More
it), and “The Raven and the Reindeer” (adored it). This book is just as wonderful as those. It has a wonderful dark fairy tale feel to it with a lot of humor (despite the somewhat serious subject matter).The story follows Marra. We first get to see Marra as she tries to perform some impossible tasks and then we quickly go back in time to learn about Marra and her family. Her sisters have been married off to an abusive prince and Marra desperately wants to stop the prince from killing yet another sister. So she seeks a powerful gravewitch for help…and the gravewitch gives her three impossible tasks.
The second part of the story follows Marra and a completely entertaining cast of characters on a quest to break a curse, defeat a prince, and save her remaining sister! On this quest she is joined by the grumpy gravewitch, a disgraced knight, a reluctant godmother, a chicken possessed by a demon, and the bone dog she created.
The whole story was beautifully crafted, incredibly creative, and absolutely engrossing. I love how much humor is woven in here and how Marra makes such an unlikely hero. The romance that develops between Marra and the knight is sweet and heartwarming. The cast of characters is delightful and the book is impossible to put down. I loved every second of it.
My Summary (5/5): Overall this was another amazing adventure fantasy by Kingfisher with heavy dark fairy tale tones to it. It is filled with fun characters, light humor, a determined and unlikely heroine, and just a load of fun! Kingfisher is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors and I plan on gobbling up all her novels as soon as I can! I was lucky enough to get “What Moves the Dead” for review and will be reading that in the next month or so and I am soooo excited. I would definitely recommend this book if you enjoy fairy tale retellings, adventure fantasy, or just a good fantasy read in general!
Show Less
LibraryThing member CathyGeha
Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
Fairy tales were my bread and butter favorite books to check out from the library when I was in elementary school. I have continued to enjoy them through the decades and in this book found a dark grim fairy tale more grim than those told by the Brothers Grimm. And yet,
What I liked:
* Marra: princess, youngest sister of three, sent to a convent, learned to sew and deliver babies, has a need to save her sister from the fate that befell their oldest sister…but…can she?
* The quest that Marra found herself on with impossible tasks to achieve and a purpose strong and true
* The accomplishment of the three impossible tasks
* Bonedog…a frisky, clattering, creature that doesn’t realize it is not really alive
* Penris: disgraced night, found as a slave in the land of the Goblins, his story is interesting and how he joins the group a good one
* The toothdancer…oh my
* Agnes: fairy godmother who is much more than she lets on – has magical abilities
* Grave witch: a medium of sorts but filled magic
* Marra’s sisters…felt for them and wished their lives could have been easier
* The creatures in all their strangeness and what they added to the story
* The gritty feel to the story
* That though dark it was not violent…or not much
* The rather positive ending and wondering what will happen next in the lives of the main characters
What I didn’t like:
* Vorling: prince, abusive man, killer, evil personified, deserving of the fate that befell him
* The queen and how she bartered her daughters knowing they would suffer
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Tor/Forge for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
Fairy tales were my bread and butter favorite books to check out from the library when I was in elementary school. I have continued to enjoy them through the decades and in this book found a dark grim fairy tale more grim than those told by the Brothers Grimm. And yet,
Show More
the book does have a great deal positive within it. Unsure whether or not I would keep reading…I plugged away page by page and with each page, became more and more immersed in the life of Marra, Bonedog, Penris, Agnes and the Gravewitch. What I liked:
* Marra: princess, youngest sister of three, sent to a convent, learned to sew and deliver babies, has a need to save her sister from the fate that befell their oldest sister…but…can she?
* The quest that Marra found herself on with impossible tasks to achieve and a purpose strong and true
* The accomplishment of the three impossible tasks
* Bonedog…a frisky, clattering, creature that doesn’t realize it is not really alive
* Penris: disgraced night, found as a slave in the land of the Goblins, his story is interesting and how he joins the group a good one
* The toothdancer…oh my
* Agnes: fairy godmother who is much more than she lets on – has magical abilities
* Grave witch: a medium of sorts but filled magic
* Marra’s sisters…felt for them and wished their lives could have been easier
* The creatures in all their strangeness and what they added to the story
* The gritty feel to the story
* That though dark it was not violent…or not much
* The rather positive ending and wondering what will happen next in the lives of the main characters
What I didn’t like:
* Vorling: prince, abusive man, killer, evil personified, deserving of the fate that befell him
* The queen and how she bartered her daughters knowing they would suffer
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Tor/Forge for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
Show Less
LibraryThing member jjmcgaffey
They keep trying to market her stuff as horror and it's just not. It's not happy little kid's stories either...but fairy tales weren't, back when. Serious physical and mental/emotional abuse, but the story is about fixing it (one way or another…). Some nice tricks, but mostly it's just her doing
Show More
what needs doing (the usual Vernon/Kingfisher pragmatics). I like the bonedog. Show Less
LibraryThing member muddyboy
A fantasy novel with some dark undertone.s For securiy reasons (for her country) a princess from a smaller country is married off to a king from an aggressive neighboring realm.Her younger sister who had become a nun finds out that her sister is being abused and her life is in danger."Nun" sister
Show More
leaves the convent to assemble a ragtag group of rescuers (each with special abilities) to help her sister escape her plight. A solid effort. Show Less
LibraryThing member sennebec
There are numerous surprises awaiting readers in this book. When I started it, I expected Marra to end up being a monster, or vengeful woman. I was wrong. She grew up feeling more like a spare part that had been stashed away in case she was needed by her rather scheming and pragmatic mother, a
Greatly hurt by her older sister's suspicious death and fearing for the life of her other sister, now married to the same ruthless and cruel prince, Marra leaves the convent where she's lived for more than half her life and embarks upon a dangerous quest to save her sister. It involves fulfilling three requirements, all on the bizarre side, making an alliance with a woman who tends a cemetery, a most unusual pet, a demon-possessed chicken and two fairy godmothers who are far from any you read about when you were a child. In the end, you're likely to quietly cheer for Marra and her companion. Read the book to fill in what I've omitted from this review.
Show More
queen whose country has a very desirable harbor and is situated between two, more powerful kingdoms.Greatly hurt by her older sister's suspicious death and fearing for the life of her other sister, now married to the same ruthless and cruel prince, Marra leaves the convent where she's lived for more than half her life and embarks upon a dangerous quest to save her sister. It involves fulfilling three requirements, all on the bizarre side, making an alliance with a woman who tends a cemetery, a most unusual pet, a demon-possessed chicken and two fairy godmothers who are far from any you read about when you were a child. In the end, you're likely to quietly cheer for Marra and her companion. Read the book to fill in what I've omitted from this review.
Show Less
LibraryThing member quondame
At 15 Marra was sent to a convent to prevent her from producing a rival heir to the small city-state kingdom which her older sister's eventual child by the King of the large Northern Kingdom should inherit. Marra prefers her convent life to court life, but when she is 30 the death of her only niece
Show More
makes her face the reality of the nightmare her sister faces and she leaves the convent to search for a magic to kill the controlling abusive king. This sounds all serious, but the cast of older misfits and a bouncy bone dog she collects, to say nothing of a demon inhabited hen, produce a very fun read. Show Less
LibraryThing member lauriebrown54
I found Kingfisher’s latest delightful. Written in the style of fairy tales, it is set in a fantasy world where magic of different sorts works. Our heroine, Marra, is the third child of the king and queen of a tiny realm that includes a deep water harbor, a valuable asset. The powerful kingdoms
Since she is not a nun, but just living there, the abbess cannot stop Marra when she leaves. She seeks the help of a dust-wife, who is a powerful witch who can work with the dead. When Marra tells her what she wants- to free her sister by killing Vorling- she agrees that she will help IF Marra can accomplish three tasks: weave a cloak of owl cloth and nettles, create a living dog from a pit full of bones, and catch the moonlight in a jar. Marra manages the first two, and they are off on their quest. Along the way they gather helpers; a magical godmother, an ex-knight who is held slave in a goblin market, a hen possessed by a demon (but the best layer of the flock), a cursed chick who finds things, an inn keeper with a demonic parasite. The odds are against them, and they have no firm plan, but try they will….
The characters are wonderful. There is no Chosen One, and no one has a gods given Purpose. These are the people who are frequently over looked in stories. Their adventures are fantastical and, at times, absurd. There is a hint of Pratchett in this world, but with few puns and a much more believable set up. This book was a couldn’t- put-it-down one for me. The world is not a pretty, high fantasy one, but a world you could believe once existed on earth. Five shiny stars!
Show More
to their north and south both want to control the harbor, and the queen knows what must be done. The oldest daughter, the beautiful and sweet Damia, is wed to the northern prince, with the understanding that their oldest child would rule the north, while the second would rule the harbor kingdom. It’s no time before Damia dies, however, and the middle daughter, Kania, less beautiful and much less sweet, is carried off to be the prince’s next wife and broodmare. At 15, Marra is bundled off to a nunnery to live, hopefully safe and forgotten by the world. Here she lives for 15 years, shoveling animal stalls, working in the kitchen, delivering babies, and spending vast amounts of time learning needlework. Little news gets there, but finally there is a funeral to be held in the northern kingdom; the girl child of Kania and prince Vorling has died. Taken from the nunnery to attend, Marra finds that things are not well in her sister’s life. Not only is she nearly constantly pregnant and failing to produce a viable child, much less a prince, but Marra sees bruises on her sister, who admits they were put there- frequently- by Vorling. This, Marra decides, can not be allowed to go on. Here starts her quest for justice. Since she is not a nun, but just living there, the abbess cannot stop Marra when she leaves. She seeks the help of a dust-wife, who is a powerful witch who can work with the dead. When Marra tells her what she wants- to free her sister by killing Vorling- she agrees that she will help IF Marra can accomplish three tasks: weave a cloak of owl cloth and nettles, create a living dog from a pit full of bones, and catch the moonlight in a jar. Marra manages the first two, and they are off on their quest. Along the way they gather helpers; a magical godmother, an ex-knight who is held slave in a goblin market, a hen possessed by a demon (but the best layer of the flock), a cursed chick who finds things, an inn keeper with a demonic parasite. The odds are against them, and they have no firm plan, but try they will….
The characters are wonderful. There is no Chosen One, and no one has a gods given Purpose. These are the people who are frequently over looked in stories. Their adventures are fantastical and, at times, absurd. There is a hint of Pratchett in this world, but with few puns and a much more believable set up. This book was a couldn’t- put-it-down one for me. The world is not a pretty, high fantasy one, but a world you could believe once existed on earth. Five shiny stars!
Show Less
LibraryThing member Gwendydd
This is a delightful fairy tale. It has all of the elements of a fairy tale - a quest, witches and wizards, fairy godmothers, a princess in need of rescue, marriage to a prince - but it manages to take all of those familiar fairy tale elements and turn them into something completely different. The
Marra is the third daughter of a king of a small kingdom. Her mother is a brilliant and ruthless politician, who arranges for the oldest daughter to be married to the prince of a powerful neighboring kingdom. When she dies unexpected, the middle daughter marries him. Marra is sent to live in a convent, where she is supposed to retain her virtue in case the middle sister dies and the prince needs a third wife. Marra slowly realizes that the prince is cruel and abusive, and that he will likely murder his wife as soon as she bears him a son. She sets out on a quest to save her sister from her husband. She gets the help of a Bonewife, a crotchety old woman who can work magic with the dead. They rescue a knight from a goblin market, and the three of them must find a way to kill the prince and save Marra's sister.
There is so much to love about this book. The remixing of fairy tale elements is ingenious. The Bonewife has a delightful dry humor. Marra is relatable as an ordinary person who is called on to do extraordinary things. The romance between Marra and the knight is slow and feels genuine. The world-building is excellent.
Show More
hero of the quest is not a knight in shining armor, but the younger sister of the endangered princess. The marriage to the prince is not the prize at the end of the story, but instead the source of danger. Marra is the third daughter of a king of a small kingdom. Her mother is a brilliant and ruthless politician, who arranges for the oldest daughter to be married to the prince of a powerful neighboring kingdom. When she dies unexpected, the middle daughter marries him. Marra is sent to live in a convent, where she is supposed to retain her virtue in case the middle sister dies and the prince needs a third wife. Marra slowly realizes that the prince is cruel and abusive, and that he will likely murder his wife as soon as she bears him a son. She sets out on a quest to save her sister from her husband. She gets the help of a Bonewife, a crotchety old woman who can work magic with the dead. They rescue a knight from a goblin market, and the three of them must find a way to kill the prince and save Marra's sister.
There is so much to love about this book. The remixing of fairy tale elements is ingenious. The Bonewife has a delightful dry humor. Marra is relatable as an ordinary person who is called on to do extraordinary things. The romance between Marra and the knight is slow and feels genuine. The world-building is excellent.
Show Less
LibraryThing member foggidawn
Marra, youngest princess of a small kingdom, has spent half of her life in a convent. When she discovers that her sister, married to a prince of a neighboring kingdom, is in danger, she is willing to face any task to save her. This will mean leaving her comfort zone, both literally and
The very first bit of this book is pretty grim, with some elements of horror, but after that part the story settles more into quest fantasy lines, with plenty of humor and delightful characters. There's a slow-burn romance that, while not central to the story, is quite delightful and satisfying. I enjoyed every bit of this book, and would definitely recommend it.
Show More
metaphorically, and bringing together a small crew of misfits who just might be able to change the destinies of more than one kingdom.The very first bit of this book is pretty grim, with some elements of horror, but after that part the story settles more into quest fantasy lines, with plenty of humor and delightful characters. There's a slow-burn romance that, while not central to the story, is quite delightful and satisfying. I enjoyed every bit of this book, and would definitely recommend it.
Show Less
LibraryThing member alspachc
The one about the fairy godmothers. Surprisingly good blend of the ridiculous (fairy godmother magic) and the serious (spousal abuse). Not all of the plot really hangs together, but it ends up being a fun story with enough meat to it to be satisfying, if not overly serious.
LibraryThing member Glennis.LeBlanc
A fairytale of the third princess that goes on a mission to save her sister from a marriage that is slowly killing her. Marra has been living in a convent since her middle sister married the prince from the northern kingdom after their older sister died five months into the marriage. At the funeral
Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Edelweiss.
Show More
of her young niece, she finds out the prince is beating her sister and constantly keeping her pregnant in order to have an heir. But the magic that protects the northern kingdom comes with a price. Marra is now on a journey to do three impossible tasks so the dust wife with help her with her mission. I did laugh about how the third task is done. This story has a great fairy tale feel to it while also having a modern feel to it. And you have to love the idea of a chicken with a demon in it. Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Edelweiss.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Verkruissen
Absolutely loved this book. It had elements of magic, folklore and romance. I laughed out loud at parts, especially the demonic chicken :)
I would definitely recommend this for fans of Naomi Novik's Spinning Silver and Uprooted.
I would definitely recommend this for fans of Naomi Novik's Spinning Silver and Uprooted.
LibraryThing member bookczuk
Pandemic Read. As long as T Kingfisher keeps writing, I'll keep reading.
LibraryThing member fred_mouse
I feel weird about rating a book I sat and read in one sitting so low, but the reality is that I finished it in one setting through sheer bloody mindedness, not any kind of fascination or absorption.
I get that this is a fairy tale trope based story, and that those tend to have quite dark histories.
There are some uses and subversions of tropes that I liked. It is, unsurprisingly, the good/kind but not very bright third child of the rulers who is the 'hero', although our protagonist, Marra, spends a lot of time avoiding being a hero. The story opens as they do a trope appropriate impossible task; when they return to the dust-wife, the response is very much a subversion of the expected response. The resolution of the story is very much built from the bones of other stories, in ways that become almost inevitable, even if the decorative twiddles are different.
The writing is robust, the world building a delight (there are so many hinted at details that could each fill a book of side quests), the characters varied. The politics of how the two kingdoms fit together is very well thought out, particularly the details of why various people make the choices that they do, even though they look like such bad choices.
Various things frustrated me. Something about the names of the sisters didn't sit right, and I can't say why, but Damia, Kania, and Marra are just such an uncomfortable set. The naming ceremony for the royal child being a christening, in a world without Christianity (I can take the presence of godmothers with more equanimity, because after all, there are many gods in this world). The characterisation felt off at times, and I found the romance that happens to have almost come out of left field. I realise that I am often oblivious to sub-text, but this was more than usual, and I was all 'why?'.
In terms of the spoilery thoughts: I was intensely frustrated that the oldest sister is effectively fridged. I get that their death was an important plot point, but I don't think they get any agency in the story, I'm not sure they get anything other than a couple of scenes to appear and disappear from, and everything about them is filtered through the youngest sibling's Me Me Me. Yes, it is tight first person for those bits, but I really didn't like how that part of the story line was handled
I get that this is a fairy tale trope based story, and that those tend to have quite dark histories.
Show More
It presents as fantasy, but I experienced it much more as horror. I suggest that people be aware ahead of time that there are multiple important content warnings, whether or not they choose to check what they are. There are some uses and subversions of tropes that I liked. It is, unsurprisingly, the good/kind but not very bright third child of the rulers who is the 'hero', although our protagonist, Marra, spends a lot of time avoiding being a hero. The story opens as they do a trope appropriate impossible task; when they return to the dust-wife, the response is very much a subversion of the expected response. The resolution of the story is very much built from the bones of other stories, in ways that become almost inevitable, even if the decorative twiddles are different.
The writing is robust, the world building a delight (there are so many hinted at details that could each fill a book of side quests), the characters varied. The politics of how the two kingdoms fit together is very well thought out, particularly the details of why various people make the choices that they do, even though they look like such bad choices.
Various things frustrated me. Something about the names of the sisters didn't sit right, and I can't say why, but Damia, Kania, and Marra are just such an uncomfortable set. The naming ceremony for the royal child being a christening, in a world without Christianity (I can take the presence of godmothers with more equanimity, because after all, there are many gods in this world). The characterisation felt off at times, and I found the romance that happens to have almost come out of left field. I realise that I am often oblivious to sub-text, but this was more than usual, and I was all 'why?'.
In terms of the spoilery thoughts: I was intensely frustrated that the oldest sister is effectively fridged. I get that their death was an important plot point, but I don't think they get any agency in the story, I'm not sure they get anything other than a couple of scenes to appear and disappear from, and everything about them is filtered through the youngest sibling's Me Me Me. Yes, it is tight first person for those bits, but I really didn't like how that part of the story line was handled
Show Less
LibraryThing member 2wonderY
Interesting impossible tasks and good comrades. The narrator captures the matter-of-fact attitude of the dust-witch in a lovely way.
LibraryThing member SpaceandSorcery
My first T. Kingfisher book, and certainly not my last, since with this one the author turned me into an instant fan - and with good reason, given that I found the combination of fairy tale elements, tongue-in-cheek humor and delightful characters quite irresistible.
Marra is a princess in a small
Rejoining her family for the christening of Kania’s daughter, Marra discovers - to her horror - that her sister is living in a nightmarish situation with a violent, abusive husband whose only goal is to produce a male heir, after which Kania’s life might become worthless: fearing for her sister’s life, and enraged by Vorling’s treatment of her, Marra decides to remove him from the equation, and to fulfill that goal she seeks the aid of a dust-wife (a sort of sorceress dealing with the dead) who sets her on three apparently impossible tasks before lending her help. On the course of her journey of vengeance, Marra ends up collecting a ragtag group of allies, consisting of the aforementioned dust-wife (and her demon-infested chicken), an apparently goofy godmother who is everything but, a former soldier enslaved to a merchant in the goblin market, and a dog made of bones - oh, and a chick endowed with a sort of magical GPS qualities ;-)
Nettle and Bone mixes the classical elements of the quest with those of the found family, wrapping the result in an atmosphere that blends seamlessly darkness and humor, fear and whimsy, and that turns what might look like a “been there, done that” reading experience into something unique and compelling. Most of the credit goes of course to the characters, both as individuals and as members of the group: as they get to know each other in the course of the journey, they also learn to trust their respective gifts and put them to use toward the final goal, and in this way allow the reader to see what makes them tick and appreciate the skill with which the author trust them together.
Marra might not have a high opinion of herself, probably because her family never considered her of great use (except as a second-hand replacement for her older sisters), but when we meet her she’s already more than halfway through the tasks set by the dust-wife, and we are immediately presented with her determination and resilience, qualities that endeared her to me from the very start. I like the author’s choice of introducing her in medias res and then backtracking to the past and the road that brought her to that point: it’s an excellent way to showcase her emotional and personal growth from the contented almost-nun, who found joy in the simple pleasures of embroidery and tapestry making, to the resolute avenger of her sisters. There is a sentence that encapsulates that transformation very well, and shows how even the more unassuming, self-effacing person can find the courage to act when necessity arises:
[...] watched Vorling’s face and realized that she had never hated before now. This must be what this new feeling was. It took up so much space in her chest that she did not know if she could breathe around it.
Marra might be burdened by self-doubt, fears - mainly fostered by her family’s treatment of her as something of an afterthought, or an inconvenience - and by an overwhelming guilt for not having understood sooner the danger represented by Vorling, but she compensates those traits by not giving up even in the face of apparently impossible obstacles, and in the end she becomes a surprisingly (for the times and background in which the story is set) feminist character, particularly when she understands how women are endangered by the role that this world has saddled them with:
[…] the history of the world was written in women’s wombs and women’s blood
a consideration that I found even more pertinent in these recent times….
The dust-wife and Agnes the godmother earned my instant sympathy, and not only because they are older women (Crone Power!!! :-D ) but because the combination of dry humor from the first and apparent absent-mindedness from the second offered many occasions for amusement - and here I feel compelled to mention the demon-infested chicken that’s the dust-wife’s constant companion and whose pointed squawking calls often underline a given situation in a delightfully fun way. A special place must however be reserved for Bonedog, who literally stole my heart and was one of the best non-human additions to the story.
I did not expect to enjoy this story so much: what on the surface might have seemed a fairy-tale retelling ended up being a compelling adventure with a lot of heart at its core, and it’s my hope that other books from T. Kingfisher will prove equally engrossing and satisfying in what will be my own journey of discovery through this author’s works.
Marra is a princess in a small
Show More
but pivotal realm set between two larger ones that are in a constant state of conflict: as the youngest of three daughters, she sees her eldest sister Damia married off, for political expediency, to the son of the northern realm king’s, only to learn that a few months into the marriage she died as the result of a fall from a horse. Her middle sister, Kania, is then chosen to marry that same prince Vorling, in the hope that an heir will seal the alliance between the two realms; then, to prevent the possibility that a child from Marra’s eventual marriage might upset the balance, she is sent to live in a convent.Rejoining her family for the christening of Kania’s daughter, Marra discovers - to her horror - that her sister is living in a nightmarish situation with a violent, abusive husband whose only goal is to produce a male heir, after which Kania’s life might become worthless: fearing for her sister’s life, and enraged by Vorling’s treatment of her, Marra decides to remove him from the equation, and to fulfill that goal she seeks the aid of a dust-wife (a sort of sorceress dealing with the dead) who sets her on three apparently impossible tasks before lending her help. On the course of her journey of vengeance, Marra ends up collecting a ragtag group of allies, consisting of the aforementioned dust-wife (and her demon-infested chicken), an apparently goofy godmother who is everything but, a former soldier enslaved to a merchant in the goblin market, and a dog made of bones - oh, and a chick endowed with a sort of magical GPS qualities ;-)
Nettle and Bone mixes the classical elements of the quest with those of the found family, wrapping the result in an atmosphere that blends seamlessly darkness and humor, fear and whimsy, and that turns what might look like a “been there, done that” reading experience into something unique and compelling. Most of the credit goes of course to the characters, both as individuals and as members of the group: as they get to know each other in the course of the journey, they also learn to trust their respective gifts and put them to use toward the final goal, and in this way allow the reader to see what makes them tick and appreciate the skill with which the author trust them together.
Marra might not have a high opinion of herself, probably because her family never considered her of great use (except as a second-hand replacement for her older sisters), but when we meet her she’s already more than halfway through the tasks set by the dust-wife, and we are immediately presented with her determination and resilience, qualities that endeared her to me from the very start. I like the author’s choice of introducing her in medias res and then backtracking to the past and the road that brought her to that point: it’s an excellent way to showcase her emotional and personal growth from the contented almost-nun, who found joy in the simple pleasures of embroidery and tapestry making, to the resolute avenger of her sisters. There is a sentence that encapsulates that transformation very well, and shows how even the more unassuming, self-effacing person can find the courage to act when necessity arises:
[...] watched Vorling’s face and realized that she had never hated before now. This must be what this new feeling was. It took up so much space in her chest that she did not know if she could breathe around it.
Marra might be burdened by self-doubt, fears - mainly fostered by her family’s treatment of her as something of an afterthought, or an inconvenience - and by an overwhelming guilt for not having understood sooner the danger represented by Vorling, but she compensates those traits by not giving up even in the face of apparently impossible obstacles, and in the end she becomes a surprisingly (for the times and background in which the story is set) feminist character, particularly when she understands how women are endangered by the role that this world has saddled them with:
[…] the history of the world was written in women’s wombs and women’s blood
a consideration that I found even more pertinent in these recent times….
The dust-wife and Agnes the godmother earned my instant sympathy, and not only because they are older women (Crone Power!!! :-D ) but because the combination of dry humor from the first and apparent absent-mindedness from the second offered many occasions for amusement - and here I feel compelled to mention the demon-infested chicken that’s the dust-wife’s constant companion and whose pointed squawking calls often underline a given situation in a delightfully fun way. A special place must however be reserved for Bonedog, who literally stole my heart and was one of the best non-human additions to the story.
I did not expect to enjoy this story so much: what on the surface might have seemed a fairy-tale retelling ended up being a compelling adventure with a lot of heart at its core, and it’s my hope that other books from T. Kingfisher will prove equally engrossing and satisfying in what will be my own journey of discovery through this author’s works.
Show Less
LibraryThing member eas7788
Very satisfying, if not groundbreaking. Greatly enjoyed the world she built and many details were very cool. I like the reworking of Sleeping Beauty. Plot kept me reading. Liked the awareness of quest narratives ("we'll talk and talk and never actually do anything"). I question starting with the
Elisa gave this to me via Alison :)
Show More
building of bone dog, though -- seemed like a good hook? Tied to origin of the story? Elisa gave this to me via Alison :)
Show Less
LibraryThing member fionaanne
I was torn between 3 and 4 stars but the author note at the end pushed it down*. At 240 pages, this is a rather thin fantasy, literally and figuratively. At times it was quite clever and interesting but the characters are flat and the plot is predictable so I never felt drawn into the story.
Thank
*Generally, I’m a fan of authors appending information for the edification of readers (and in the case of historical fiction, I consider it de rigeur) but sharing that the plot was dreamed up in the grocery store should be saved for interviews as it smacks of unnecessary vanity.
Thank
Show More
you to Tor Publishing who kindly sent me a free ARC for review.*Generally, I’m a fan of authors appending information for the edification of readers (and in the case of historical fiction, I consider it de rigeur) but sharing that the plot was dreamed up in the grocery store should be saved for interviews as it smacks of unnecessary vanity.
Show Less
LibraryThing member DianaTixierHerald
T. Kingfisher is rapidly ascending to my list of favorite authors. I must admit, I've only read two of her books so far, this one and the oh-so-delightful A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking. I had avoided her books in the past because they looked dark and foreboding, therefor they did not look
Show More
like my kind of book. Her settings are intriguing and the culture and mythology of the places she creates are wonderful to explore. What I really love is that her heroines are ordinary, they aren't extremely beautiful, not recognized as brilliant or supremely talented but they will do anything, going to the ends of the earth (or into cannibal country) to protect and save not only those they love, but also others who need saving. Show Less