When it comes to Kingfisher, I generally enjoy her horror stories more than her fantasy ones, but Thornhedge definitely did NOT disappoint!

Kingfisher wasted no time crafting a fascinating Sleeping Beauty esque retelling that centers her classic, immersive worldbuilding but with a twist on this fairytale that I was not expecting!

I thoroughly enjoyed Toadling’s character and her backstory. She's resilient and a lot stronger than anyone gives her credit for.

Lastly, for the audiobook lovers, this one is fantastic on audio!

Rating: 3.75 leaves out of 5
-Characters: 4/5
-Cover: 3.5/5
-Story: 4/5
-Writing: 5/5
Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Fairy Tale, Retelling
-Fantasy: 5/5
-Horror: 0/5
-Fairy Tale: 4/5
-Retelling: 4.5/5
Type: Audiobook
Worth?: Yes

Want to thank Netgalley and publishers for giving me the chance to read this book.

A quick and easy read. I love Toadling but felt so damn sorry for her. The retelling of Sleeping Beauty is well done. I loved how T. spun it in her own way and gave us something new yet oddily familiar.

In Thornhedge, T. Kingfisher brings her lush, humorous and whimsical storytelling to a quick and adorably-reimagined Sleeping Beauty origin story.

Kingfisher is one of my favorite authors. I have loved everything of hers that I have ever read and after reading this, it doesn't appear that is going to change anytime soon. I will try to write an unbiased review, but it will be difficult. I'm a fan girl, what can I say?

In this story we meet Toadling, who as an infant was stolen and transported to live in the world of the faeries. They treated her well, and her early life was undeniably warm and comfortable. She couldn't lodge many complaints. Once she came into adulthood though, the faeries asked a favor of her that ended up changing everything. She is asked to return to the world of humans to bless a newborn child. A little girl. A bumbling, beautiful baby girl...

A century later, a knight approaches a wall of brambles, an impenetrable fortress of thorns. He's heard legends of a cursed Princess high in a tower. He's here to save her, as knights do. Toadling, however, has different thoughts on this so-called curse and she'll do anything to uphold it. You'll have to read this enchanting story to find out why.

This was a super fun and quick read, which I did listen to on audio. It has a nice, cozy feel to it, that I definitely need every once in a while to break up my darker reads. I enjoyed how Kingfisher gave us enough of the original tale that you could figure out what she was alluding to, yet she brought her own original twist that caused me to view the fairy tale in a while new light.

The twist itself was fascinating to me. Darker than I expected, but whimsical at the same time. I was really impressed with it. I think it is a great example of Kingfisher's skill as a writer. I also highly enjoyed the narration of the audiobook. This story is pure, engaging entertainment.

I would recommend it to any Reader who enjoys twists on classic tales, whimsical, cozy fantasies, or Kingfisher's work in general. There is no way this story isn't going to bring a smile to your face.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. T. Kingfisher is a gift. She has a gift and she is a gift!

I will continue picking up every single thing she writes.

I enjoyed this audiobook and thought the narrator was excellent! Her voice was really soothing and gave a great tone to the story and to Toadling's voice.
Thornhedge is a twisted retelling based on sleeping beauty. I liked the premise and really enjoyed that the "fairy godmother" was a toad girl (named Toadling), and that the prince was kind of just an average guy. I liked that the story was from Toadling's POV, and I thought the ended was absolutely sweet and adorable. This was a great retelling, and a short, sweet, and satisfying novella!

(4.25/5 stars)

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher is a fantasy novella and Sleeping Beauty retelling. I listened to the audiobook, which clocks in at a little under four hours and is narrated by Jennifer Bloom.

Toadling, born human, was stolen by the fairies and was raised lovingly in the warm waters of faerieland. When she comes of age, a favor is asked of her: to return to the human world, to the house of her mother and father, and offer a blessing of protection to a newborn child. Many hundreds of years later, a gentle knight approaches the tower Toadling still watches over after hearing a story about it.

I'm a big fan of fairy tale retellings, and this one absolutely did not disappoint. Here we follow the fairy that puts the princess to sleep, and not "Sleeping Beauty" herself (a name of which is never spoken). The knight who arrives is Muslim and prefers books to swords. He was great.

Toadling focuses on using kindness to make the princess change. And so do all the other people around her, especially the queen. But no matter how much love and kindness you can try to help someone grow into a better person, if they do not wish to become better nothing will change.

T. Kingfisher is usually amazing with novellas and their pacing, etc. For this one, I wish the ending was fleshed out a bit more. It felt like it was rushed.

CW: animal abuse (off-page, mentioned), torture, murder, suicidal ideation, suicide (mentioned)

2.5 stars

I love reading books that tell the other side of the story. Since Sleeping Beauty is one of my favorite Disney cartoon movies, I knew I needed to read this one.

I have read several T. Kingfisher books and this was not fully what I expected. Usually her books are more creepy and a little more entertaining. There were a few parts that were good, but it was just a little too slow for me. The end was great, but it took a little too long to get going.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

“She was theirs; they were hers. The love of monsters was uncomplicated.”

What an absolutely charming and captivating little novella. My love for T. Kingfisher goes uninterrupted at this point.

Toadling, so sweet, taken early and raised in the magic-filled waters of the fairy realm. Sometimes magic can go awry and it can happen to anyone, even Toadling. Her mission now is to keep the curse holding the sleeping beauty inside the castle intact.

The Knight, who can't stop saying sorry (I can relate), is just so gentle and he heard there was a curse that needed broken and that's his mission.

On opposite sides these two unlikely companions develop an endearing friendship where they navigate the truths of exactly who sleeps in the castle for centuries now and why.

Quirky, lush and vivid this quick fairytale will capture you and possibly never let go ... unless of course you can break a curse.

I received an audiobook copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

I really like it when a familiar story is reimagined, so I was excited to read Thornhedge. I was not disappointed! This reinterpretation of Sleeping Beauty is melancholy, disturbing, and enveloping. Since most readers are at least a little familiar with the story, Kingfisher is allowed to play with some accepted aspects of the story: what happens to the children the fae steal? Is redemption possible? Does the stereotype of beauty=goodness and ugly=evil require a nuanced examination? And does this book do that (eh... not really. But it's still pretty great)

Overall, I really enjoyed this. The narrator was on point and the story itself drew me in. An enjoyable quick read!

This was perfection. If all I got to read for the rest of my life were T Kingfisher fairytales, I wouldn't complain one bit.

This was an enjoyable read, but I think fairy tale retellings are not really my thing. Probably my least favorite Kingfisher I've read, but I can't pinpoint why. The characters were fine, the writing was good. I just never really connected with it.

Thank you to the author T Kingfisher, publishers Tor Books, and NetGalley for an advance audio copy of ᴛʜᴏʀɴʜᴇᴅɢᴇ. All views are mine.

Three (or more) things I loved:

1. I connected to the idea of "The Greenteeth," magical folk who are both skilled and queer, who keep themselves to themselves, and according to their own and not that of the "civilized world."

2. I love characters that have a hard time. Antiheros and unlikeable characters are the best. But I have speciaI love for underdogs. Both of the main characters in the book, the main character, Toadling, and her "knight" figure, are hard luck babies. Toadling...well, she's named Toadling, so that's a start. And her knight is a hapless, unsuccessful, third in line prince with very little confidence. They help each other throughout the book, and grow equally (despite what this means for cgaracter diversity).

3. This story includes some beautiful and important themes, like even outsiders deserve their place.

Three (or less) things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. Those themes? They're great, but Kingfisher really wallops the reader over the head with them. I'm a fan of moralistic fiction, so long as the delivery is elegant.

Rating: 🐸🐸🐸🐸 / 5 adorable changlings
Recommend? Yes for fantasy lovers
Finished: August 19 2023
Format: Audiobook, NetGalley
Read this if you like:
🏰 High fantasy
🪄 Magic and curses
🐶 Underdogs

✨ Review ✨ Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

Kingfisher's quickly became one of my favorite authors and I loved this little novella that took a different spin on Sleeping Beauty. Instead of following her tale, we follow the story of Toadling who guards her at rest. Stolen by the fairies at birth, Toadling spends years growing with otherworldly swamp creatures in the fairy world. The story alternates between her past and her present when a prince arrives outside the thornhedge she's guarding and he won't go away.

I loved how this took a very different spin on sleeping beauty (sort of a la Maleficent, but very different). I also adored Toadling and the Prince, and they were such endearing characters. I loved that together they acknowledged they didn't have to be perfect and gorgeous and strong, but instead, they were special and valuable just as they were.

The book's short -- novella-length -- and makes for a quick binge when you're in the mood for a quick fantasy read. This read most like Nettle & Bone of the books of Kingfisher's I've read.

Not least, the copy I received from Tor is a gorgeous hardcover volume, including cute little Toadling illustrations on the inside of the cover and start of each chapter.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4.25-4.5)
Genre: fantasy
Reminds me of: Nettle & Bone, Sleeping Beauty flipped on its head
Pub Date: Aug 15, 2023

Read this if you like:
⭕️ fairy tale retellings
⭕️ fantasy novellas
⭕️ T. Kingfisher, fantasy queen
⭕️ imperfect characters

Thanks to Tor, Macmillan Audio and #netgalley for an advanced copies of this book!

A sleeping beauty retelling with a dash of changeling and old faerie lore wrapped up nicely in a little novella with melancholic and whimsical feels.

In the past, Toadling grows up amongst the bog creatures and is tasked with providing a blessing with the changeling who took her place, however it goes try and she must stay by the child’s side to prevent harm. In the present, a knight unlike other knights wants to solve the mystery of the old legend and goes adventuring through the brambles hundreds of years later, forcing Toadling to address him and the curse she created to contain the evil princess.

Toadling as a main character is kind, unselfish, and trying to navigate what is the right thing to do within the scope of her abilities in this retelling. Her swamp life and learning magic was the most interesting part of the story. The princess, on the other hand, is incredibly one-dimensionally evil and I thought that left more to be desired. I didn’t love the twist that for the “evil fairy” to be good that the princess had to become the villain. I also found the knight rather boring, although the philosophical bits and interweaving of Islam were well done.

Ultimately, I liked it, didn’t love it. The audio version is well done, with good pacing and narration.

CW: suicide, death, animal torture, dead body, self-harm, blood

Thanks to the MacMillian Audio, NetGalley, and Tor Publishing Group for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

A creative and captivating Sleeping Beauty retelling.

In this retelling, we follow Toadling and her journey to becoming a "fairy" and completing her first mission.

If you're a fan of retellings, this is a must-read!

***Thank you to NetGalley, T. Kingfisher, and Macmillan Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***

Count on T. Kingfisher to twist a fairy tale (Sleeping Beauty, in this case) and make it even darker and more terrifying. In this case, the Sleeping Beauty is a changeling who by the age of eight has committed any number of horrific acts, including but not limited to the murder of at least one human, and the "evil fairy" is Toadling, the grown-up version of the human baby who was taken in exchange.

Toadling was raised by "greenteeth," in the Other world, and is no longer quite human: she's long-lived and she can change into a toad at will. (And also, thankfully, back again.) Her mission to prevent the changeling from doing harm goes awry; as a last resort, she puts the changeling to sleep, has her tower blocked up, and grows a thorn hedge around the tower. Then she spends centuries keeping watch. Until one of T. Kingfisher's favorite character types, a Courteous Knight, shows up.

I'm giving this 4.5 stars rather than 5, despite my enjoyment, because Halim (sp? you never know with an audiobook, do you), the knight, is just what I called him above -- a type, rather than a character, and because I did get a little tired of the constant apologizing by both him and Toadling. Also, the resolution of the changeling problem was somewhat, I don't know, simplistic? It kind of did an end run around the problem of "How can anyone bring themselves to kill a monster who looks like an adorable sleeping child?" So the solution was maybe less thematically complicated than I might have liked. Ideally.

But you can always expect engrossing storytelling with T. Kingfisher, and Thornhedge is no exception.

Enjoyable fairy tale re-telling of Sleeping Beauty, playing with notions of who is the villain. The writing flowed and you really felt like you were in the protagonist Toadling’s head. I liked the narrator

This was a lovely take on a fairytale. Toadling is a sweet character as is the knight she meets. I liked how she described the passage of time from her little spot in the world.

I love that there are fairy tales that continue the true tradition of fairy tales. They have become far too simple or repetitive. Having a curse that isn’t necessary something to break is brilliant. The characters have depth. I always love T. Kingfisher for something completely different than what everyone else is doing.

T. Kingfisher is a master of the modern fairy tale for adults. I loved this one. It’s a fantastic, magical escape. My only complaint is it’s not long enough.

So many thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC audiobook!

What a beautiful, heartfelt little novella!! I truly fell in love with it!

Thornhedge is a subversion of Sleeping Beauty through the eyes of the fairy who initially cursed the sleeping princess.

Toadling spends her days and nights keeping watch of the keep in which Sleeping Beauty rests, and time has stretched on since the curse was laid. What remains of the keep is surrounded in brambles that touch the sky and are as thick as tree branches, and it has been forgotten by time much to Toadling's satisfaction.

But there had been stories told so many years ago of a princess hidden in a tower--stories Toadling hoped were spoken of no more--that had been documented by paper. One fateful day, a man rides to Toadling's territory, bearing those stories within his heart, and, upon his arrival, Toadling's whole life is unraveled forcing her to make a decision she'd been avoiding all this time.

The novella is delightfully diverse for focusing largely on just two characters for most of the story. The male lead is Muslim, and we are gifted to such a loving display of Islamic culture that was woven so delicately and so purposefully into the prose. The main characters are described as not being beautiful or handsome and make grievous mistakes, and that lack of conventionality and perfection is what makes them beautiful and whole to the reader's eye in the end.

My heart felt so warm listening to the audiobook. I shall likely revisit again and again.