T. Kingfisher has proven themselves to be the master of fairytale retellings and Thornhedge is no exception.

Taking the idea that Sleeping Beauty is in fact the villain - a changeling whose powers need to be contained, Kingfisher flips this well-beloved story on its head.

Toadling is an absolutely loveable character who is just trying to do her best and make up for past actions which have placed her in this position. For two hundred years she guards the princess in the tower until an errant knight with a steadfast purpose turns her world upside down. Although she can shapeshift, her reactions to her situation are all too human and I loved following her story along with her.

If you love fairytale retellings, this is a must read. Delightful and unexpected, this sweet novella captures the heart of every princess story.

Huge thank you to Netgalley, Tor Books, and T. Kingfisher for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Fairy tales that have been turned on their heads, or twisted in some way aren’t always a win for me. They’re usually dark and gritty, somehow terrible in a new and more grotesque way than they were previously and I’m not down with that most times. Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher does it right in my opinion. It’s a simple, and not mind blowing story, but sweet and endearing. Granted there are children eating fairies, and the corpse of a woman raised by a crazy child - but it’s still sweet!

This is the story of Toadling, a changeling taken from the human world and replaced by a fairy. She is not needed by the Fae, instead they throw her away into a swamp like location and the Fae there (who typically just eat the changelings) decide by some whim to raise her. She absorbs and learns some basic magic, the primary of which is taking the form of a Toad. Sometime after she’s sent back to the human world for a task, and from there our story unfolds.

The biggest theme that I took away from this story is when do you stop paying for mistakes. That’s something I don’t see a lot, and though it’s touched on lightly I really enjoyed the look at it here. Toadling takes responsibility for a mistake, and perhaps pays too much but she’s an endearing and small and sweet character. You can’t be too mad at her. I wish we’d gotten more of our second human character and perhaps more time in the Fairy realm but what we got I loved.

This is the type of short fiction I adore, and while I know it won’t be for everyone I greatly enjoyed it. It’s funny, sweet, and at times dark. But it’s never over the top or heavy handed on those things. A fantastic new T. Kingfisher and one I’m looking forward to adding to my collection.

I love all things T Kingfisher and Thornhedge is no different. I loved this sort of reimagining of sleeping beauty. My only complaint is that I wanted MORE.

Arc received from Netgalley for an honest review

4 Stars

Thornhedge is a novella that takes the reader on a short journey through a fairytale never told before. There are ideas and concepts within that made me really feel like I was reading a fairytale but with somewhat dark (and sometimes light) undertones.

I can't say too much about what this book is about considering it's short and sweet (well, somewhat), but I will say that I really enjoyed the twist on this story.
Instead of following a princess, we follow a toadling who grew up in less than ideal situations and had to learn to adapt to loneliness and selflessness once a curse was set in place.

Because of that, this novella touches greatly on loneliness, self-doubt and the pressure and responsibility someone may put on themselves, especially after making a mistake and feeling overly responsible for it. I felt for Toadling because I have situations where I overcompensate for something simple due to the fear of what may come of that mistake (usually it's not severe, but feels that way due to anxiety and self-doubt).

I enjoyed that this book also had positive aspects, like found family and friendship that helped Toadling along the way. It gave the reader a sense of hope and warmth that may have seemed distant during other portions of the novella.

This is my first work from this author and I'm looking toward to trying more of their work after reading this. I enjoyed the writing and thought the overall concept and execution was well done. I'm excited to hear what others think of this little fairytale, and hope it adds a little flare to the fairytale genre.

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Possible Content Warnings Below

Mention of animal torture and abuse, abandonment, seclusion, loneliness, suicide.

Perfect, no notes. This story is weird and unique and heartbreaking and hilarious. I loved every second! It's a lightning-fast read, so plan to devour it in one sitting. I absolutely love Toadling and her twisted Sleeping Beauty Tale, and I highly recommend this to anyone and everyone! Possibly my new favorite fairy tale, ever.

Received an eArc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

T. Kingfisher puts an unexpected twist on Sleeping Beauty in her latest novella. I didn’t realize until reading the acknowledgements that she was also the author of Harriet the Invincible, a lovely children’s novel that was also a spin on Sleeping Beauty. In that novel, the mouse that had to survive until her 16th birthday for the inevitable curse to fall realized that made her invincible in the meantime and sets off on daring quests. It is a lovely book and I would highly recommend it.

In this novel, she twists the tale even more, casting the princess as the villain, with the fairy godmother doing her best to contain her malice by casting a sleeping spell over her.

This novella was a delightful read. Halim, the knight who comes to break the spell, is charming and lovely. Toadling was a fantastic protagonist who stole my heart despite being able to turn into a creature I am not particularly fond of. If you liked Nettle and Bone or enjoy twists on fairytales, you should try out this book as well.

Thornhedge by T.Kingfisher

⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fantasy / Retelling of the Sleeping Beauty

I devoured this! It was sweet, imaginative and entertaining. By far my favorite Sleeping Beauty retelling I’ve read. The story unfolds on the premise of what is the princess was the actual villain and the fairy who cursed her the heroine send to stop her. Honestly, I think is such a clever way to spin the tale.

The characters, especially Toadling our main girl, were well developed for such a short book. The plot is fast moving and engaging at all times. And the writing style spotlessly wonderful!

This was my first read by this author, although I’ve been meaning to get to Needle and Bone soon. I fell in love with her writing instantly. She has such a fresh and witty voice and really transports you with her descriptions.

Overall, this is a super fast read ( I read it in like 4 hours ) full of charm and sweetness. It is perfect to cleanse the palate or for when you are in the mood for some old school fairytales. Totally recommend 👌🏻

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

T Kingfisher once again amazes and bamboozles with her clever and unexpected twist on a beloved fairytale. Kingfisher has a one of a kind ability to transport readers into the well known and make it feel completely foreign - her writing is truly as magical as the stories she writes.

I’ll admit, as much as I enjoyed this story it wasn’t my favorite by her. Maybe because it was a novella, but it just felt like it needed a bit more. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I can’t say I felt as fully satisfied as I usually do at the end of her stories. But that said, it was still a great story. Kingfisher manages to get great depth and emotion in very few pages - so honeslty I think it’s just my incredibly high expectations for her that let me down, not the writing itself.

This was a super fun, quite dark little read that I recommend for all lovers of fantasy, especially the weird ones.

A fairy tale... retelling (or even a spin off?)... feeling perhaps. A wonderful story to take you down the less glamorous, but still heart warming side of the fairy tales. I couldn't stop reading about Toadling since she's relatable and endearing.

A warm and engaging retelling of "Sleeping Beauty" that turns the fairy tale on its head and asks who the real villain might have been. Toadling was a human baby stolen by the fairies in order to put a changeling in her place. She was raised by odd creatures in the waters of fairyland until she was eventually given a task back in the human world. That task didn't go exactly as planned, and for hundreds of years she has protected her mistake, trying to keep the human world safe. When an unconventional knight shows up, bent on reaching the sleeping princess in the tower, he befriends Toadling and learns her story alongside the reader. I thoroughly enjoyed this novella. Great for fans of subversive fairy tale retellings and people who enjoy the vibe of authors like Becky Chambers. Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for a digital review copy.

This was such a great sleeping beauty retelling where “beauty” is in the eye of the beholder.
T. Kingfisher did this little story justice, she gave us everything we needed to be satisfied with the story as a whole, normally I’m left wanting and needing more.

CONTENT WARNING: violence, mention of off-page animal abuse, blood, murder

There’s something about a Kingfisher book that makes me want it without even reading the summary, because I already know that I’m going to read it no matter what it’s about. Of all the books of hers that I’ve read so far, they’ve all been winners. And this one is no exception.

As far as fairy tales go, Sleeping Beauty is pretty much the most boring for me. The main character has no agency, and has her whole life dictated for her without getting the chance to offer any input of her own. But Kingfisher breathes new life into this tired old tale, and infuses it with wonderful characters who are easy to adore despite the fact that they don’t fit the typical mold for the good guys.

First of all, she completely subverts the tale by forcing readers to think outside of the box. What if the heroine and the villain weren’t who we thought they were? What if the fairy wasn’t the villain? What if the princess wasn’t the victim of a curse? What if there was a perfectly reasonable explanation for all of this?

In so many books, the heroine is beautiful (and smart and rich and perfect). But in this book, that isn’t quite the case. The breathtakingly beautiful princess isn’t the center of the story. That honor goes to Toadling, who is described as unattractive with limited magic and a tendency to avoid people to the best of her ability. She was born human, but taken to Faerieland just after her birth and raised there. After experiencing good and bad times, she was sent back with an important task. However, things don’t go quite as planned. And when a kind-hearted knight comes to Toadling’s tower, her plan is in jeopardy, so she does her best to make things right.

While this is just a novella, it’s exactly the right length. I loved the connection between Toadling and Halim, and how it works on Toadling’s confidence and self-esteem. I also loved how both of them are prime examples of not being what they are expected to be, and especially Halim’s willingness to fight social conventions. It’s a sweet and heartwarming story that makes me look forward to reading more of Kingfisher’s work.

T. Kingfisher does lil creepy fairy tales like no other!

Without saying too much - because this is a novella and every little tidbit of information is best found out through the storytelling - Thornhedge is a darker fae version of Sleeping Beauty, with a kind knight and an unlikely hero named Toadling.

T. Kingfisher has beautifully weaved folklore and mythology into this story while adding some darker details and elements of horror. It’s a book you could really read in one sitting but somehow she has managed to create wonderful characters and a rich world! Highly recommend!

I adore T. Kingfisher, but I found myself a little disappointed in Thornhedge. It's not that it wasn't good; it's just that Kingfisher has written so many things that are better. This book was wonderful by any standard I'd hold other authors to but for my Kingfisher scale, Thornhedge came in at "okay." I found that it didn't have the same humor and novelty that I'd come to expect, and I kept waiting for that to come to light, and it never did.

It makes sense to me that this is one of her earlier works.

Looking forward to the next one.

This novella was everything it promised to be and more. A dark, heart wrenching fantasy retelling of sleeping beauty from the "fairy godmother's" point of view. Kingfisher has created a fascinating world in just a few pages and I would absolutely read whole novels (a whole series even!) set in this world. Do you love dark fairytales and need a short but engrossing read to catch up on your reading goal now that we are more than halfway through the year? RUN, don't walk to pick this little beauty up!

Rating: 4.75/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the advance copy for review.

This is a beautiful adaptation of Sleeping Beauty. T. Kingfisher has a gift for writing such complex stories in so few pages.

The story centers around Toadling who is sent to protect the human world from the sleeping princess. Toadling is such a quirky and endearing character. She is not beautiful on the outside but remember, beauty is not only skindeep.

Get ready to curl up and follow Toadling as she keeps watch over the sleeping princess.

This story was magical and charming and perfect. Can’t believe I’ve waited so long to read any of T. Kingfisher’s works but part of me is glad that this was the first. I love love loved Thornhedge and I think anyone who likes fairy tales would too.

For such a short book, this one certainly crams alot in. It is basically a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, but unlike anything you have read before.

Toadling is such a likable character from the start. Even though she is supposedly the evil fairy who bestows a curse on the beautiful princess, she really isn’t evil or even a fairy. We get to know Toadling so well in this story, from both her remembrances of her childhood and the ‘monsters’ ( they were greenlings, a type of fairy) who raised her and her experiences with Fayette, the child she was suppose to help. She is so kind and just wants to do what is best, but doesn’t really know how.

Halim is the knight who hears about the tower and the curse and comes to make things right. I loved how he befriends Toadling and cares for her and her feelings. He is very patient and kind and a good listener. He is not like other knights in fairy tales. He is not totally sure what to make of Toadling’s story, but he does listen and even helps her in the end.

If you like this author’s stories, you will love this take on a well established fairy tale. My only regret was that it was not longer as I did not want to part ways with Toadling and Halim at the end.

Thank you to netgalley for giving me an advanced reader's copy of this novella in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this! I have read two other of T. Kingfisher's works: Nettle and Bone, which I loved, and A House With Good Bones, which I did not. Based on this one, I think her fairytale retellings are right up my alley, but her horror writing is not.

This little novella has a lovely main character, who used to be human but isn't quite anymore. Thornhedge subverts the Sleeping Beauty fairytale by asking the question: what if the princess was the one who was evil? I love fairytale retellings, especially when they do something a little unexpected. A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow also does a retelling of Sleeping Beauty where the witch isn't wholly evil, but I found it a little heavy-handed (though I enjoyed that one too). Overall, this was an enjoyable read but I always find myself wanting a little bit more when I read a novella.

Thornhedge is a wonderful novella that gives other possibilities the Sleeping Beauty fairytale could take. Toadling, the main character, is interesting and well fleshed out, something that can be really hard to do in a novella. One of the things I really liked was that the author seemed to do what was best for the story instead of adhering as closely to the Sleeping Beauty story as possible. Overall, I would highly recommend the story to anyone who likes alternate takes on fairytales or just fantasy in general.