This wa an enchanting fairy tale that drew me in from the first. Vibrant landscapes and vivid world spinning . You find yourself cheering her on even when she seems to make some unwise decisions. I felt like I was part of the story.
I look forward to reading more of this authors work.

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, 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

This was my first T. Kingfisher novel, and it won't be my last. Evocative writing, immersive storytelling, and captivating characters throughout. Really enjoyed the way the story was structured and paced, too. Can't wait to read more!

I hadn’t read any books by T. Kingfisher yet, although many had made it to my Want-to-Read list. And then Nettle & Bone appeared on Netgalley and I decided to just go for it. And what a great read it was. I now need to hunt down all of her other books, because I had such a wonderful time with this one!

I do have to admit that it took me 10-15% to get into the story. We don’t quite start at the beginning of the story, kind of throwing you in the middle of events without too much explanation (at first, we do some backtracking and it doesn’t take too long for it all to make sense). I mainly struggled with the tone of the book though, which felt almost dystopian which I couldn’t match up with my expectation of the read. And it is only those first few pages that feel like that… we do quickly move on to the more fairy tale feel I was expecting.

I adored our main character. I loved how determined she was and did the impossible things no matter how difficult, but at the same time was scared to talk to strangers and look like a fool for asking the wrong things. She isn’t afraid to admit that she needs help and gives others credit. And then there are the side characters which were also spot on. The Dust-wife and Godmother gave me very strong Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg feels, and I am Here For It!! And then there were Bonedog and Fenris, and of course the chicken, and it was all just pure perfection. And they all trust each other. They are not afraid to sit out on the action and let the others handle it… something I love to see.

The cast of great characters also needs some well written relationships between them, and I feel Kingfisher did a very good job with that. And the humour that followed from that felt so natural and worked really well.

I feel the book could have been a bit darker (I mean, we are trying to kill an abusive prince…), but although there are certainly some dark moments the found family always makes it feel like a warm hug. But it works. There are nods to fairy tales we know well (not inviting a godmother to the christening of a baby is dangerous…), it is very much an original and refreshing story.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself with this read, and have already downloaded a Lot of T. Kingfisher’s other work onto my Kobo and am beyond excited to read all of her books. A new favourite has been found. Thank you Netgalley.

Content warnings for domestic abuse and talk of miscarriage/infant death

A fresh twist on the fairy tale genre, Nettle & Bone involves a daring rescue -- but the rescuer is the princess's sister, and she's aided by a strange bunch of heroes (including a demon chicken and a bone dog). There are moments of dread and peril, but also lots of quippy dialogue and cleverness. A terrific read!

I didn’t know much about Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher before starting it, other than the fact that it was fantasy but overall I enjoyed reading it. The beginning was a bit slow and did not set a tone that was consistent with the rest of the book, but I really loved the story and style of writing that was used. The subversions and subtle nods towards the classic fairytale form were ingenious, and the goal that the characters (who were all unique and complex) were working towards made sense and made me root for them. I loved the demon hen and chick that were a part of this mostly crew, and the dialogue kept me entertained the entire time. I am still a bit confused about what the point of the first couple of chapters was and why they were so different from the rest of the novel, but I liked this book as it was a character-driven fantasy story that seemed fresh and interesting to me.

Kingfisher's wonderfully creative new fantasy is a joy to read, featuring powerful females, a loyal dog made of bones, and well deserved revenge.

This was such an enjoyable book which is about Marra’s sisters being married off to an abusive prince and decides to get revenge to save her sister. This book is short but the author brought the story well together in these pages. This book gave me kind of a Wizard of Oz vibe as the characters go on a journey where more join in. The pacing was fast which was perfect for this short book and I enjoyed how the story was laid out. The story kind of picks off in an interesting way but I wish it had more of a simple begging to hook the readers right then and there. I do have to say that I wish we got more of the world building for this story but I guess since the book was short you have to get to some points fast.

The main character is Marra and she is such a strong woman. She would do anything for her sister and you can tell that their relationship is strong. I enjoyed her character development in the story as she has such an amazing adventure. There are many side characters and I enjoyed how involved they were with the story. They help Marra and also grow throughout the story. There is friends to lovers romance in this book but it’s not the main factor of the story.

The ending was well done and this was honestly such a nice read. I love how eventful this book was with Marra’s journey and seeing her character grow. Not only is the fantasy great but you also learn a lot. I did have some minor problems with the book but overall this was such an amazing read. I totally recommend this book especially for fans of Wizard of Oz and Kingdom of Coral and Pearl.

This was a really good, easy-to-get-absorbed-in read! The story starts off with the protagonist, Marra, in an eerie setting doing a confusing task (creating a dog out of bones), and the backstory is slowly revealed in the next few chapters. I appreciated this mode of storytelling, since if the story had started out in the traditional "there was a kingdom and three princesses" it would have been much less compelling, and I would have missed out on a really unique, twisted fairy tale.

Nettle & Bone pays homage to many of the darker aspects of fairy tales: weaving out of difficult materials as in the 'Seven Swans', a demonic chicken reminiscent of Baba Yaga's house, a dashing hero who masquerades as a woodcutter. The story is wholly original, though, and the plot springs from an important topic that fairy tales never quite cover: what if a prince is a literal monster who hurts his wife? Marra is desperate to save her elder sister from this fate, and she goes on a quest to find a way to kill the aforementioned prince that brings her into contact with witches, godmothers, and loyal friends. Marra's growth is fabulous: she starts in a convent, accepting her fate to be squirreled away so she doesn't bear heirs that will threaten the prince's offspring, and is generally very passive. Through completing impossible tasks, she gains purpose, and throughout her journey, she contributes equally to her group, letting others take the lead when their talents are most useful, but using her own ingenuity and dedication to forge forward.

I do wish the story had been a little longer, not because the plot really needed more (the ending in particular was perfect for the story--a bit ambiguous but with every character accepting their growth and knowing they can grow a bit more), but because I would have loved to relish in the delightful gothic sensibilities and rich language for longer. Some of the elements were slightly confusing in how they fit together, and I would have liked to see more of how the supernatural elements interact with the human world and with each other, because there seemed to be many sorts of magic going on.

A great read for someone craving fairy tales with a splash of something new!

*I received an eARC of this title from Netgalley and Tor Books in exchange for my honest review.

A haunting anti-fairy tale, 'Nettle & Bone' is eloquent and beautifully written from page one. Never has it been so hard to make yourself step away from a brutal, flawed world.

T. Kingfisher does it again.

This is a pulsing, dark-hearted thorny nest of a fairytale retelling/reimagining, and I was here for every minute of it. Impossible tasks, dog companions, goblin markets, fairy godmothers, and blessings and curses and a very, very angry feminist ethic.

There is also humor and creepiness and it's all written so skillfully.

Just, a fantastic reading slump antidote all around.

Listen carefully, everything that T. Kingfisher writes is phenomenal. It is fantasy escapism at its finest without all the drudgery, grit, and questionable female representation from the usual wanna be Martins of the genre.

This fantasy quest involves a number of characters who would normally accompany a dashing hero. The quiet nun, our heroine and second sister to a princess, a hedge-witch with a no nonsense approach to impossible tasks and her chicken familiar, the rugged disgraced soldier, and the sweetest, possibly better at curses fairy godmother. Together this troupe deals with Goblin Markets, searching for directions in a large city, bone dogs (truly the best of dogs), and an underground crypt filled with vengeful spirits.

It is an utter delight.

T. Kingfisher (Ursula Vernon) has an amazing ability to write adult fairy tales that sound exactly like the stories I grew up with. The tone, pace, and tropes like fairy godmothers in Nettle & Bone are all as should for a comforting reading experience, no matter the grimness of the story.

Marra is a princess who has had to watch first the beloved eldest sister and then the second sister be married off to a prince to protect her country from invasion. If the second sister dies too, Marra will be next, so she’s whisked off to a cloister to keep her safe—not from the prince but for him.

Fifteen years of secluded life later, she’s unprepared, at thirty, to deal with the realisation that the prince abuses her sister physically and mentally, and the only thing keeping her relatively safe is to stay pregnant. But that’ll only last until she delivers a boy.

Filled with anger for her sister, Marra sets out to save her with a vague notion that such a heroic act needs a heroic journey and deeds. She meets a witch who gives her three impossible tasks, and then decides to accompany her on the quest. Good thing too, because Marra wouldn’t have survived without her. They are joined by a knight with a death wish and Marra’s fairy godmother who isn’t quite what she seems.

But it isn’t just the prince they need to defeat. There’s a curse on his kingdom, and until that’s dealt with, Marra’s sister and her child are as good as dead.

This was such a wonderful book. Marra was an excellent character, slightly slow and naïve for her age, but utterly determined to see her quest through. In the end, her role in saving her sister was mostly about getting together the people who could do it for her. The two old witches were brilliant and fun, and the knight a mature man who was just perfect for Marra. The language was rich and the narrative delightful, and if the world was a fairly generic fairy tale kingdom, with Christian concepts like christening thrown in the mix, it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story.

Nettle & Bone knew how to hook me. It begins with bone magic which will always perk up my ears. While I really enjoyed Marra's character especially her dedication, the action in Nettle & Bone has to be my favorite element. I love this twist on an adventure story. Full of elements you might expect: a group quest, fairy godmothers, and curses, there's always a twist. There's people hiding secrets and running from their past. And there's a demon stuck in a chicken.

I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley. I grew up reading the original Grimm's fairy tales, and this would fit right in. Nettle & Bone is a magnificent take on every slightly creepy fairly tale about the third child and their destiny for adventures. It asks, what happens if the beautiful princess marries a magical prince who turns out to be monstrous? And what would you sacrifice to save someone who may not even like you, but is still worth saving?

This book is a little dark, a little twisted, a bit funny, and so compelling. Marra's journey to heroism is as complicated and simple as family relationships. The cast of characters was wonderful, and I love Bonedog with all of my heart. Fairy tales are about choices, and in their own way, each character taught Marra (a woman who had never really had the option to make her own path) the power of making her own choices.

I loved this book, and I have a feeling that it will take me a bit of time to fully recover from it. If you enjoy T.Kingfisher's other works, or Naomi Novik, then I would highly recommend this book. (However, the cursed child will be living on in my nightmares, so fair warning and thanks for that.)

OMG, the beginning of this book knocked my socks off! It was the absolute perfect blend of dark fantastical elements and struck me breathless with its intro to the world. We begin with our main character sitting in a pit full of discarded bones in a cursed land full of cursed people who resorted to cannibalism, where she is slowly but desperately assembling a dog from various bones. She was given this impossible task by a dust-wife, which is basically a witch with death magic, and our dear MC really needs someone to die.
Marra is the third princess in the small, yet strategically important Harbor Kingdom. She's not really cut out for the cutthroat politics the way her mother and sisters are and since she seems to be the spare, she's sent off to a convent. This is a relief to Marra - now she can sit and work on her textiles to her heart's content. Eventually, over the course of years she notices that her sister married to the prince of the Northern Kingdom is pregnant an awful lot and her sister manages to tell Marra that he's an abusive monster. So Marra takes the only course of action she can think of and goes off to find a dust-wife of immense power to kill the prince. And thus the opening chapter ties into the story, which doesn't stop there by a long shot. There's still a prince to murder afterall!
I have to admit, one of the biggest selling points of this novel was the demon possessed chicken. Having not met many chickens, I can’t say if this is an accurate interpretation of the feathery fiends but I love the idea. With that being said, Marra is a wonderful main character and I wouldn’t trade her for the demonic chicken. She’s sort of in her own little world, but when her sister needs help she goes to the ends of the world (and completes 3 impossible tasks!) to save her, even if Marra does chastise herself for not acting sooner. As with many of Kingfisher’s main characters, Marra isn’t a young sword wielding ass-kicker like so many female protagonists. She has quiet strength and courage and is a bit clumsy, but darn can she wield an embroidery needle like no other!
I think this might be one of my favorites of the year because it just hit all the right notes for me. I like that it turns some standard fairytale tropes on their heads - skeletal creatures and old witchy type characters aren’t always the bad guys! Sometimes (perhaps more often than not) the wealthy, powerful princes are. I loved the darker elements and the quirky oddness that I find are T. Kingfisher’s signature style when it comes to fantasy. I’ll definitely be checking out some of her horror in the near future and I have a few more of her fantasy books on the TBR as well!

A darkly enticing fantasy from T. Kingfisher, that somehow manages to serve both cosy and creepy vibes perfectly side by side. With a healthy dose of sarcasm AND a demon chicken, Nettle and Bone was a luscious fantasy that I couldn't get enough of!

Included as a top pick in bimonthly April New Releases post, which highlights and promotes upcoming releases of the month (link attached)

Nettle and Bone is an absolutely beautiful story. It's incredibly odd -- it twists back and forth between horror and whimsy over and over again, where half the story is necromantic terror and monstrosity and half of it is fairy godmothers and goblin markets and knights -- and the whole thing is echoed and tied together by more human horrors (abusive husbands, political intrigue, situations that people just can't get out of without dying) and human hopes and dreams. I cried repeatedly while reading it, not because I was sad, or even overwhelmed, but because I was feeling strong feelings and my eyes were pretty sure they needed to come out of me that way.

There were a few places where it threw me -- it's been a long time in the making, according to the author, and there are parts of it that feel disjointed with the others as a result (For one thing, the positioning of the Blistered Lands in the frame made me think what happened there, and their story, would also be due to or at least involved with Marra, and they weren't; other parts, too, like Marra's training with abortifacients, seemed like they'd be important and weren't, or <spoiler>Marra being sent to the convent so she wouldn't have children that could threaten the reign, but also having sex there and nobody being particularly concerned about that</spoiler>). But they didn't matter; if some of these ended up feeling like they had a narrative purpose and ended up being character and setting, that's fine. The story itself feels perfectly balanced at the end, doing everything you want it to and being utterly satisfying and rewarding, while never uncutting the horrors or bitterness that happened in it.

4.5/5 stars. This was a fantastic read. It is a fairytale retelling but of no particular fairytale. It takes fantasy and adds a dash of horror to it, when it comes to certain elements. Oh, and there’s a demon possessed chicken.

I'll be doing a full review on FanFiAddict and will follow up with a link once that's live.