This little novella is an absolute delight! A fresh take on Sleeping Beauty, Kingfisher weaves a tale that is light and sweet, but perfectly balanced with dark themes. As always, her characters are charming, her writing is excellent, and the story is totally engrossing. She's one of my favourite authors and a new book is always a treat!

GOSH. I went into this knowing nothing about it, and having read none of the author's other work aside from her children's books, and now here I am in that extremely pleasant dreamy state where my heart is so full of love for this book above all others.

This is top tier galaxy brain fairy tale retelling. Roles are twisted around, not in a way that makes the story's origins unrecognizable, but in a way that gets my brain whirring wondering what's going to happen next. Even when it became clear what the "twists" were, I was shocked and terrified at just the right times, I fell in love with sweet and sheltered Toadling, I fell in love again with gentle Halim, I cried buckets as usual, I want to go to sleep with my face just above the surface of the water in a swampy tangle of my magical pond creature adopted family. It's a changeling story, a story about persistently choosing kindness and love even when it doesn't change evil, and it's a story about perspectives. It's also a quick read, such a lovely bite-sized delight, and while I hope someday Kingfisher returns to these characters for more adventures, it stands perfectly complete and compact on its own.

Thornhedge is an absolute delight of a novella! I started and finished it in one feverish sitting. The classic and beloved tale of Sleeping Beauty undergoes several transformations here, turning into something completely fresh. We have a knight, but he is not courageous, dashing, or a prince. We have a fairy, but she is just misunderstood. And of course, the maiden in the tower, who probably should be left there. T. Kingfisher keeps it short and sweet - Thornhedge doesn't overstay its welcome in the slightest. The Brothers Grimm would be proud.

What if there was a good reason that Sleeping Beauty was locked away beyond a wall of thorns? What if the spell was protecting the world from her wickedness? If that intrigues you, then Thornhedge is going to be the re-telling for you.
Toadling is a small faerie who can turn into an unobtrusive little toad. She guards a hedge of thorns, which in turn guards a crumbling tower. Every day Toadling prays that enough time has passed and everyone will have forgotten the story of a bespelled princess sleeping in a tower. Unfortunately for Toadling people record things like that in books, and sometimes people actually read them and go searching for the source of the fairytale. This is where we meet Halim, a kindly Muslim knight who wishes to know if there is truth behind the story he read.
Thornhedge is a novella so I won’t go into further detail and spoil the story. Rest assured, Toadling and Halim are both wonderful characters. As the story goes along, there are flashbacks that catalog Toadling’s life and how she came to guard a cursed princess and why that particular princess was cursed in the first place. The story is melancholy yet sweet and perfect for a short weekend reading session. I can guarantee if you’ve enjoyed T. Kingfisher’s other books you’ll enjoy this as well.

Wow, this was an easy 5 stars for me! I loved Toadling and Halim. I really liked the Muslim representation here because it's not a plot point or a statement, it is just a fact or the story. I loved how we were told Toadling's story. I loved how she accidentally changed the curse. I loved the ending.

THORNHEDGE, by T. Kingfisher, is a novella that turns a well-known fairytale upside down, and examines "What if the sleeping princess in the tower was the villain in the story?"

With a cast of instantly lovable characters: Toadling, a "once-human" taking by fairies after her birth, Halim, a knight who has too many manners to make for a very effective knight, and a cast of side characters--both human and different kinds of fairy--this story instantly captured my attention, and held it throughout. Aside from the twist on the "sleeping beauty" tale, this book takes us into the depth of "found family", and how the people who love you the most aren't necessarily the ones you were born to.

The banter between Toadling and Halim was just as perfect as I've come to expect from this author.

"This would be easier if you could turn into a toad....."
"I can safely say that in all my life, no one has ever said that to me before...."

The twist of the story was executed to perfection, in my humble opinion. Another top read by an author I anticipate each new release from.

Recommended.

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher takes a dark twist in this short story retelling of sleeping beauty. We follow Toadling who is doing everything she can do to uphold a curse, along with a knight who heard of this curse and wants to break it.

Toadling is our main character, who is struggling to complete her mission that was given to her by the fairies.
She is guarding a tower, and over the course of the book we get glimpses into her past that come to explain why she is there, and what she is guarding. This is story is beautifully told and kept me hooked from page one. Even thought we have so little time with these characters they are fleshed out well, and each given a personality. The twist for me was easy to figure out however the way it all unfolded made it satisfying. I would love to see more stories set within this world.

You will enjoy this if you like:
-Fairytale retellings
-Shorter stories
-Dark twists

Trigger Warnings for
-Suicide
-Animal abuse
-Death of both humans and animals

A twist on Sleeping Beauty. It is crazy what beautiful writing Kingfisher accomplishes in such a short amount of text. Normally we are rooting for the princess trapped in the tower, instead in this novella we are rooting for Toadling (a baby replaced by a changeling). You get so engrossed into her story so quickly, and I truly hope that we get more from this storyline.

This book is a spin on Sleeping Beauty, and one that will keep you guessing as to where it’s going. The main character is a road, and you fall in love with where it goes from there.

Overall, it is a cute story that had its own charm which I genuinely enjoyed, but its not one that I will be revisiting.

I really enjoyed this take on the Sleeping Beauty story. The twist where the princess was not the "good" girl, and the struggle to overcome the thorns were wonderful. I just wish this was longer.

I received a copy of this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a surprising little story. I had never read anything by T. Kingfisher before so I had no idea what to expect. I do love fairytale retellings so I thought I would give it a try. The characters were so endearing, and there was such a quiet loveliness to the writing. It was like being told a bedtime story, with a couple of sharp-toothed monsters thrown in. I definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a quick and refreshing read!

Thank you to NetGalley, T. Kingfisher, and Tor for sending me the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love Toadling, and I love this book! I don't want to spoil anything, but this is honestly one of my favorite novellas I have ever read. 5 stars for this book that made me feel all the things; I just wish there was more.

T. Kingfisher has become a must-read author for me, so I could not have been more excited to have the opportunity to read an eARC of her upcoming work, "Thornhedge." The novel, which clocks in at just under 100 pages, continues Kingfisher's tradition of well-crafted stories that move fleetly and ably, condensing what in another, less capable, author's hands might have become a slogging tome of unnecessary filler into a piece that cannot be put down. This reimagining of "Sleeping Beauty," where the sleeping princess is kept locked up for the safety of others, and where the "monstrous" fairy godmother - here named Toadling, a human adopted by the Greenteeth after a changeling was left in her place in the human world - is a well-intentioned heroine. Compelling and captivating, "Thornhedge" will definitely leave readers pondering our collective understandings of good and evil, beauty and ugliness, and what happens when those notions are flipped on their heads.

Myth: 4/5

I usually don’t love sleeping beauty stories, but I can’t seem to resist any fairy tale retellings, especially from Toadling, a baby stolen by the faeries. Toadling’s story is sweet and provides a really unique perspective to the traditional sleeping beauty story.

This is a short novella, so I’ll keep the review short. It’s filled with lighthearted social awkwardness, tales of faerie terror, and the joy of someone listening to what you have to say. I definitely recommend it.

Sigh, could T.Kingfisher write a more fabulous story? I love her take on fairy tales and like Nettle and Bone, Thornhedge examine what is a monster.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I greatly enjoyed the fairytale aspects of this book. It reminded me of several books I have read before and that is a good thing. I think fans of the Grimms brothers fairytales would enjoy this book. I will be checking out more of this authors books in the future, and I recommend it to everyone.

Book Summary:

We've all heard the story of a beautiful princess tucked away in a castle, cursed to sleep the rest of her days away. But what if the story was told from a different story? What if the princess wasn't a victim, and this wasn't a curse?

Toadling is a changeling. She was stolen from her family on the day she was born, and once grown up, she was given a very important role. Unfortunately, she didn't get the words of her blessing quite right, so now she is bound to watch over one castle.

My Review:

I absolutely adore twisted/fractured fairy tales, so I knew immediately that I would read Thornhedge. The fact that it was written by T. Kingfisher (one of my new favorites) made me all the more excited about it.

It's important to remember that fairy tales aren't the sweet and simple stories we were told when we were younger. Often, they are quite a bit darker, and many carry additional messages (beyond child-friendly ones). I feel like Thornhedge did a brilliant job of capturing this complexity.

In truth, it portrayed many different elements in a way that made me happy, including changelings, fae, and the power of words. So this story is perfect for anyone who loves fairy tales but also has a strong appreciation of their lore.

Toadling and her new ally are highlights of this novella, as is the magic surrounding them. I would give (almost) anything to see this world explored, just a little bit more. But at the end of the day, I have to admit that this story is perfect the way it is.

Highlights:
Fairy Tale Retelling
Fantasy
Twisted Sleeping Beauty
Changelings

Trigger Warnings:
Animal Abuse/Death
Suicide

So, I always thought that I was not really a fan of fairytales. But I am realizing that is because the most common are Disney versions, and I am not a Disney fan (sorry not sorry).

Enter T. Kingfisher 😎

I gave five stars to both of her previous books that I’ve read, and this one is no different. My only complaint is that it’s a novella and I really wanted at least 100 more pages. Because this book is awesome!

This is a Sleeping Beauty retelling, but it’s not following Beauty…it’s following Toadling, who put the spell on. She has spent centuries living in the thorny brambles surrounding the tower, in order to ensure that no one ever wakes Beauty. Because of reasons 😉

This book is an absolute delight from start to finish, and I bow down at the author’s feet forever.

Thank you to NetGalley & Tor Publishing Group for this advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book. It tells the story of Toadling, the fairy tasked with protecting the keep that holds a sleeping maiden. For the first time since the sleep spell was cast, a knight approaches, hoping to get a glimpse at whatever is inside the abandoned castle. It’s a familiar story, but T. Kingfisher does a brilliant job giving us a very different version of it, where the fairy who cursed the sleeping beauty is a truly lovely soul trying to offer protection where she can, and where the princess might not be the one who needs protecting. The book is short, but extremely effective in its storytelling, there isn’t a single unnecessary detail given, and the pace flows beautifully. I think the places where this story shines the most is in the striking clarity of its two main characters, Toadling, the gentle fairy with a profound loneliness in her, and Halim, the kind knight who comes to see if the stories are true. These characters are so fully realized in only eight chapters that I felt incredibly emotionally attached to them by the end, and yet I did feel like their story was told fully, and I could let them go. Not to give any spoilers, but the horror elements through out the book was just enough to be genuinely harrowing without overwhelming Toadling’s story. Overall, love, will probably revisit this book again. This is the first T. Kingfisher I’ve read so far, and I’ve already purchased three of her other books, I need more!