I expect to love anything by T. Kingfisher and this book lives up to that. This was a great read, with fabulous characters!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of "A Sorceress Comes to Call" by T. Kingfisher. This was hands down one of my favorite books of all time. I absolutely devoured it from start to finish and have absolutely no criticism whatsoever. The characters were fully-developed; the plot moved at a perfect pace; the setting was something I wanted to jump right into and experience. I loved this book!!!

This just might be my favorite book of the year. Kingfisher's writing is so elegant and yet personal. She hurts you with her writing because you see yourself in the characters so deeply that you feel what they feel. I was unexpectedly reliving childhood trauma moments into this book! It is painful, clever and delightful, and I couldn't put it down!

T. Kingfisher is back with another quirky and creepy tale and I am here for it!
Cordelia is a meek young girl desperate to break free of her controlling mother and lead a normal life. Easier said than done when her mother is a sorceress and can use her dark magic to control her daughter's speech and actions. However, when her mother sets her sights on marrying a wealthy squire, his sister, Hester, may prove to be the help Cordelia needs to build up her resistance and the strength of will to break free.
Full of devious magic, fairy tale tropes and a splash of horror, this was a delight to read.

A Sorceress Comes to Call is a reimagining of the fairytale "The Goose Girl." It is mostly a deconstruction, and we don't see any geese until the final third of the book. (Yes, I think geese should have been more central to the plot, for reasons.) T. Kingfisher does some interesting things with the fairytale and takes into interesting and unexpected directions. (Mostly because it does not closely follow the storyline of the original fairytale.)

Protagonist One is a young girl named Cordelia whose mother it turns out, is a sorceress. Evangeline makes her way in the world via gold digging, with the stated goal of ensuring that Cordelia "marries a rich man." Evangeline is extremely abusive in that way of mothers who don't allow their children any autonomy or privacy only ramped up to a thousand because she's a sorceress and can literally mind control Cordelia into doing what she wants.

Protagonist Two is a middle aged noblewoman named Hester who has to deal with a gold digger pursuing her brother, who is a Squire. This is of course Evangeline, who has to move up her plans to ensure that Cordelia marries well after her previous "benefactor" is found out by his wife. When Evangeline and Cordelia turn up at the Squire's home as guests, Hester does her best to Keep Evangeline from ensnaring her brother, a goal that becomes increasingly desperate when it becomes clear Evangeline is not just a gold digger, but an extremely dangerous woman who is quite capable of murder.

T. Kingfisher writes abusive characters and the trauma experienced by the victims of abuse extremely well. Evangeline is not a one-note villain, but an extremely complicated person who thinks she's doing the best for her daughter. However, her actions are cruel and monstrous, her personal reality twisted and borderline delusional. You end up being amazed that Cordelia is as sane as she is, given what she's lived through so far. (One of the most heinous acts, aside from all the murder and mind control: Evangeline moving up her plan to get Cordelia married involves having Cordelia be seventeen. Cordelia is not seventeen. She is fourteen.)

This fairytale is extremely dark from the very beginning, with a lot of horror themes woven into the fantasy. As is often the case with T. Kingfisher's work, there are also moments of humor mixed in to break up the bleakness. This was a fast and engaging read, but again, geese should have been more central to the plot. (I say this because I feel it would balance out Falada being evil. Yes. The horse from the fairytale is evil in this, and is Evangeline's familiar.)

This review was based off of a galley copy received via NetGalley.

T. Kingfisher does it again. Another incredible story with a variety of interesting characters, exciting twists and enchanting writing. What do you do when your mother is a sorcerer, can make you and anyone else “obedient”, causes death and destruction, and destroys anyone who stands in her way. Our sorceress is beguiling beautiful and sinister and her young daughter is helpless to her control and manipulations but enough is enough. She must be stopped! But how…. With the help of an elderly spinster who has some strange abilities of her own, can they form a bond strong enough to break the sorceress spell?

I flew through this newest fantasy (with a tinge of horror) by Kingfisher. I am always intrigued by historical stories of house parties gone horribly wrong, and this definitely fits the bill.

We follow the story of a sorceress through intriguing perspectives — the sorceress’s 14-year-old daughter Cordelia, and Hester, the 50-something sister of the wealthy man the sorceress sets her eyes on. Cordelia is fearful and young, while Hester’s age and pains in her knees keep her from taking herself seriously. I appreciated that both characters grew over the course of the book and found happiness.

Cordelia has spent her life being forced into a cruel obedience by her sorceress mother, and when they leave home for her mother to seduce a wealthy man, Cordelia fears for their lives. Hester had a deep sense of foreboding before the sorceress and Cordelia show up at their home, dubbing her “Doom,” and she calls on friends for an ill-fated house party to try and keep Doom from marrying her brother.

There’s a lot of humor threaded throughout the book, but it is also a dark story of control and abuse, with some gruesome scenes as well, so be forewarned.

My new favorite Kingfisher tale. The line between her fantasy and her horror has always been squidgey, but for this story she got rid of it entirely with resounding success.

A Sorceress Comes to Call begins with intrigue immediately. You're introduced to 14 year old Cordelia as she sits through a church service, unable to move. She's not even able to shoo away a fly tickling her fingers as her mother, Evangeline, compels her to be completely still and obedient. Evangeline is a sorceress and this is a favorite pastime of hers, using it on Cordelia often and on others for her own selfish gains. They soon need to leave their village for greener pastures, aka new rich men for Evangeline to bewitch and manipulate, after she burned the bridge with her most recent benefactor after she deemed him no longer useful. She weasels her way into the good graces of a squire and he lets them stay in his home where he lives with his middle aged sister, Hester. Cordelia is treated with kindness by everyone in the house, the first time she's ever experienced kindness consistently, and when she learns what her mother did to her last conquest before they left their village, she avows to rebel against her mother and keep her from hurting anyone else.

The characters are the high point in this book. You feel for Cordelia after you see how her mother treats her. The story is mostly from her point of view but once you meet Hester, you get hers as well. I love Hester so much!! She's snarky and doesn't fall for any of Evangeline's games.

I've been wanting to read a book by T. Kingfisher for awhile and when I saw this ARC available on NetGalley and the plot sounded so good, I knew it was time and I'm so glad I did! I got so wrapped up in the story with Kingfisher's addicting prose and I thought about the book constantly when I wasn't reading it! Kingfisher's books are always popular at the library and we'll definitely order this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

T. Kingfisher is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I find that her books have a mixture of fantasy, horror, and mystery, yet somehow manage to feel cozy. This was true of A Sorceress Comes to Call, where I felt for the two main characters/povs and everything that was happening to them. I also enjoyed the writing style; the prose was simple yet very descriptive.

Thank you @torbooks for the physical and net galley audio arc @macmillan.audio !! I did a happy dance when I got to have my hands on this one 😭😭

The vibes: Grimm fairytales, evil mother, horror, regency, dual POV, a lil found family. Oh, and some badass geese.

This story is a retelling/remix of The Brothers Grimm’s Goose Girl, which I didn’t know much about. We follow two POVs: Cordelia- a 14 year old girl whose mother is controlling, manipulative, EVIL, and reminds me of mother Gothel and Gypsy Rose’s mom. Cordelia is sheltered, lonely, and so tired of suffering under her mother’s abuse and control. Then we have Hester- a strong, witty woman in her 50s, who wants to protect her brother from this new *doom* that approaches in the form of Cordelia’s mother. Hester immediately senses something is off about the mother-daughter duo, and she is determined to find ways to protect her loved ones, and even young Cordelia. The geese only have a small part in this book, but they’re easily my favorite characters 😂

T. Kingfisher somehow balances dark subjects, horror, and pain, alongside humor, heartwarming characters, and triumph. There’s definitely less humor and quirky-ness compared to Nettle & Bone, but if you like fairytale retellings (not the happy, sexy kind), you’ll enjoy it! Her writing is so no-fuss and witty, and I can’t get enough. Kingfisher has become one of my favorite authors this year, and I can’t wait to read the rest of her books.

A Sorceress Comes to Call is an incredibly engaging reimagining of the Brothers Grimm's "The Goose Girl". The story follows two perspectives: the terrified, sheltered Cordelia who is constantly under the thumb of her controlling and abusive mother, Evangeline and tenaciously sensible Hester who quickly senses something wicked this way comes when Evangeline wiggles her way into her brother's heart. I love how T. Kingfisher leans into the dark with this fairytale, but also provides levity with her trademark wit and humor. The female characters, both main and secondary, have a strong presence and have distinct voices and personalities. Like most of T. Kingfisher's works that I have read she has created scene stealing secondary characters such as the cardsharp Imogen Strauss, the highly qualified butler Willard, merry widow Penelope Green, and the mysteriously magical horse Falada. I would highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy fairy tale retellings and reimaginings.

ARC provided by NetGalley & the publishers, the views are my own.

I've never read "Goose Girl" before, but I am working my way through Kingfisher's catalog. This was one of her best so far, in my opinion. I was on the edge of my seat & read it in a few short hours.

"Hester was no hero, but there was nothing in her that would allow her to turn away from a person who had been dropped on her doorstep. Even if that person had brought Doom along with her."

Kingfisher is an autobuy author for me due to her quirky & easy to love MCs, & the sarcastic quips in her prose, so I was excited to be approved for this ARC. We have two POV characters to know & love with all their quirks here, & I very much adored them both. Fourteen year old Cordeli is the unfortunate daughter of a sorceress, & 51 year old Hester has an unfortunate knee, & is the sister of the man who has unfortunately fallen in love with the sorceress/Cordelia's mother. Through their eyes, we see true evil, true kindess, & love.

I really enjoyed the side characters, they were well-developed. Our villian was not only magically evil, but real-world evil, & I feel that I'll be thinking about her deeds for a few days to come.

The plot was fast-paced, & I honestly didn't want to put the book down (even though I had to a few times) - I had to know what happened next, & after that, & after that. I finished just before 2 am.

Representation: 51 year old MC with a dynamic disability who occasionally uses a cane.

I adored this book. I confess this is my very first read from T. Kingfisher. It's done great justice to the hype surrounding her work. My only regret is not reading from her sooner!

This story is based on "The Goose-Girl," one of Grimm's fairy tales, but does much to subvert the original story. Cordelia is neither a delicate beauty nor royalty. Rather than being demeaned and abused by a rebellious maidservant (vilifying domestic workers can have its own ick factor), her own mother uses terrible sorcery and narcissistic guile to control her life--sometimes quite literally controlling Cordelia's own body.

I'll warn folks who are sensitive to seeing emotional abuse and narcissistic behaviors on the page that it can be tough at times. But all the other characters Cordelia encounters are so endearing and kind in counterbalance. While the story's stakes are too high for it to count as "cozy" (there are a few deaths and some moments of horror), it still feels cozy spending time with the spinster Hester and her friends. Their kindness and Cordelia's journey to autonomy are very healing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the opportunity to read the e-galley!

I was a bit torn going into this as I am a raving fan of Kingfisher's fantasy work, but a disbeliever in her horror. This, I am delighted to report, is a wonderful bridge between the two.

Kingfisher skillfully weaves in between the deuteragonists' POVs. Her signature utilitarian worldbuilding gives the plot its proper spotlight without the reader flailing about what kind of aesthetic we're working with here. The characters are confidently formed; I can tell who is who just from the way they speak or even the way they enter a room.

This is a wonderful blend of domestic (gory, horrifying) thriller and youthful (painful, nostalgic, wonderful) magic. I am so glad I gave this a chance. 4.75/5

This dark retelling of Grimm’s Goose Girl was interesting and at times humorous, but overall a little slow.

The mother is a straight up terrible villain. It’s easy to hate and fear her. I was grateful when we finally met Hester and Alice, who immediately realized there was something wrong and tried to help Cordelia.

While I loved Hester and Richard’s attachment, and I enjoyed seeing Cordelia learn about the world, make connections with new people, and start to gain agency, by the midpoint I was ready for them to find a way to stop her mother and wrap things up. Despite being interested in the characters, the pace was a little slow for me and I had hoped for a little more magic and mystery and less marriage scheming.

Luckily, the last third had more interesting unfolding action and some humorous moments that engaged me until the end.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for the ARC.

T. Kingfisher has become a staple of my literary diet! Everything she writes is tinged with humor and usually animals of some sort are involved. A Sorceress Comes to Call is no exception. All the things I love about this author are here.

Young Cordelia has a tough life. Her father is no longer around and her mother, well-her mother is special. If Cordelia misbehaves, she could be made to sit for hours. In the same position. Without doing anything other than breathe. Her mother calls this making her "obedient." But in anyone else's eyes, this is abuse. One night, her mother rides off on the family horse and when she returns, she tells Cordelia they're moving. In a jumble of activity, soon Cordelia finds herself and her mother knocking on the door of a country squire and her life changes forever. Hester, the squire's sister recognizes immediately that something is wrong with Cordelia, and she sees that Cord is absolutely terrified by her mother. She also suspects that her mother, the evil Evangeline, is scheming to make this family her own. Will her awful mother succeed? Will Cordelia ever be able to get out from under her mother's thumb, (or spell?) You'll have to read this to find out!

This is supposed to be a type of retelling of The Goose Girl, a tale collected by the Brothers Grimm. I'll say up front that I haven't read it and am not familiar with it, so I cannot say how close this story is to that one. However, I can say this book was great fun!

I can easily picture all of these characters. I think Kingfisher is amazing at character development. She makes it all look and feel easy, if that makes any sense. She's a natural born storyteller, in my opinion. She doesn't ever labor over long-winded descriptions of her characters-their traits and personalities come through naturally in other ways. In this book, it was Hester and her gaggle of geese that really spoke to me-she was so sweet to Cordelia and it was plain that she not only wanted to protect her brother the squire, but she also wanted to protect Cordelia. It was easy to hate Cordelia's mother, and as the story progresses, the reader cannot help but wish that Evangeline gets what's coming to her.

A Sorceress Comes to Call is just plain FUN. It's an exciting tale and it moves quickly. Every minute I wasn't reading I wanted to be. 336 pages flew by in a matter of only a few days, (though the pace did slow a bit in the middle.) As I sadly finished, I realized I didn't want to say goodbye to these characters. I would love to see more Cordelia and Hester in the future. So if you could get right on that. Ms. Kingfisher, it would be appreciated!

Highly recommended!

*ARC from publisher.*

A Sorceress Comes To Call
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“Being made obedient felt like being a corpse. My body’s dead and it doesn’t do what I want.”
🧙‍♀️
This book felt a little more like magical realism than fantasy to me and I feel like it’s a good one for people to dip a toe in the fantasy genre. We follow 14 year old Cordelia in this dark retelling of Brother Grimm’s The Goose Girl, but it is by no means a YA book. I love when books have me imaging everything is this gothic, eerie, creepy black and white imagery (you know in the last Harry Potter movie especially when the focus is on the dark magic, I was picturing it like that.). It’s a dual POV story which worked perfectly and for me it really picked up about halfway through. I understood why it moved slightly slow in the beginning, but I still felt like I want just a little more. I wanted it to push the boundaries, especially with this ‘my mom is a dark sorceress and can make me obedient and do whatever she wants’ plot. Overall I had fun with this story, it was kind of giving me this dark bridgerton vibes at moments which I enjoyed. I just wanted the creepy factor turned up a little, but if that’s not your thing then this may be perfect (it would have been a four for me if it got creepier, so don’t let that 3.5 scare you away from reading it)! ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
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Thank you NetGalley, T.Kingfisher, and Tor Books for this e-arc, it comes out August 6th!

I will admit that I have tried to read several of T. Kingfisher’s novels and I DNF’d each one. Imagine my surprise when this book intrigued me from the very beginning and turned out to be one of the best books I have read so far this year! A Sorceress Comes to Call is a retelling of the Goose Girl fairy tale. Sorceress Evangeline uses magic to get what she wants. She often uses it to make her daughter Cordelia “obedient,” by controlling her words and actions like a puppet. Cordelia is under the constant watchful eye of her mother’s familiar, an uncanny white horse named Falada. Her mother plans for fourteen year old Cordelia to marry a wealthy man. In order to do so, Evangeline tries to entrap a kind man called the Squire. What she doesn’t know is that the Squire’s sister, Hester, is suspicious of her from the start. When Hester befriends Cordelia, the two begin to plan how to save the Squire and rid themselves of Evangeline’s evil magic. With the help of Hester’s old love Richard, best friend Imogene and butler Willard, (and a ghost) they figure out how best to save them all from Evangeline. It was wonderfully written and a great retelling.

100% pure magic. A Sorceress Comes to Call enveloped me from the first chapter.

Once I started, I didn’t want to stop (It’s rare that I read only one book and will often switch between titles, but not with this). The slow buildup was masterfully executed and I really wish I could re-read this for the first time again. What a terrific, suspenseful, and enjoyable story 😍 The majority of the characters are richly written and their personalities leap off the pages (with the exception of Evangeline and, to a degree, the Squire).
This was my first book by the author - it absolutely will not be the last (I am currently trying to decide which previous title to start with).

However, please know that it left me with some unanswered questions that I’ve continued to reflect on, hence 4.5 stars, not a full 5.

After reading, I was fortunate enough to receive an early audiobook for this and the dual narration of Eliza Foss and Jennifer Pickens elevated this story even further, capturing the buildup and suspense wonderfully well.

The audiobook further cemented this as a favorite read of 2024, and despite the lingering questions, I give this a wholehearted recommendation.



Thank you to Tor Books; Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the DRC and audiobook