I've heard such amazing things about Nettle and Bone from people with similar taste in books as me, so I was excited to dive in. Thank you NetGalley & Tor for this eARC! This was my first book by T. Kingfisher, and unfortunately, it was a miss for me. This review does contain spoilers, so proceed with caution. 

At first, I was very intrigued - what is being obedient? What's with the whole no doors thing? Hester can sense "Doom", is she a sorcerer too? Will we have an epic battle of sorcery?? 

But, about a quarter of the way in, I went back to double check if this was YA or adult, as it felt very YA. I do enjoy YA, but I was surprised to see this is Adult. Cordelia is 14, she's supposed to be acting as if she's 17, but she felt much younger than 14 with her thoughts, words ("err..." was her comfort word it seemed), and actions. I don't think her age alone made it feel YA, but nothing really happened that seemed like it should be elevated up into adult. There were a couple of "gruesome" moments, but even those were kept short and mild. 

I wanted more growth out of Cordelia but I rather enjoyed Hester. She was so kind to try taking Cordelia under her wing, and wanting to help her once she noticed something was definitely wrong with Cordelia's relationship with her mother made me appreciate her even more. I also enjoyed Alice who felt like a big sister showing her the ropes occasionally. Richard was a true gentleman, I liked him immediately.  

Disliking her mother was successfully executed, however, I found it odd how she'd randomly spit out bits of information I felt Cordilia would know by the age of 14 (oh yea, I'm a sorcerer). It also bothered me that she did absolutely nothing to prepare her for pretending to be 17 - or fitting in whatsoever. I suppose that could have been part of the plan to dislike her more, but her plan was very hastily thrown together, it seemed she should have given Cordelia a heads up on the backstory, and guidance on how to act if she wanted the plan to be successful. 

(Big spoiler heads up again) I liked Ms. Green, but found her speaking to Cordelia after being unalived just didn't work for me, even though there was sorcery within the story. 

Overall, the story seemed to drag. I think a fair amount could have been cut to better hold my attention. Every now and then something would happen and I'd think "okay, we're going to get rolling now!" but then it didn't. I guess the plot was ultimately focused on stopping her mother without killing her, with a long buildup and lot of filler? The most exciting part was the "horse" digging himself out of the grave.

Kingfisher does not miss. The people (both main and supporting cast) are so vivid, striking even in their complexity - how that is accomplished in such a gloriously short composition I will never understand. I love how the characters reveal the story, we are never told outright or monologued to, but skillfully edified via dreams, actions, interactions, dialogue. The whole story wasn't even told. There are still so many questions surrounding Cordelia, her future, how she came to be, what she's capable of and yet it ended perfectly, gruesomely, triumphantly.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc, this is my honest review.

Sweet yet terrifying, Kingfisher weaves a signature tale of fairy-tale dimensions, of an evil mother, a brave young woman, and a cast of loving folks who work together to bring down the sorceress.

T. Kingfisher never fails to write a fun and compelling book, and A Sorceress Comes to Call is no exception! This atmospheric retelling of Goose Girl was full of a cast of interesting characters, a terrifyingly awful villain and Kingfisher's signature sense of humor that is much appreciated after moments of terror. I really enjoyed reading this and look forward to reading literally anything else this author writes!

OMG I loved this book SO MUCH. Kingfisher just writes solid gold. She’s one of my go-to authors and I was so pleased to get a copy of this and to love it as much as I did. Based on a fairy tale I’m not familiar with, it felt very fresh and interesting to me, and the characters were just as much fun as the story (I’d love a sequel). The premise is simple: there’s a teenage girl whose mom is a bad sorceress, and they need money, and the bad sorceress mom decides to con a rich guy into marrying her (and eventually plans to marry off her daughter to another rich guy). There’s a horse, and a delightful cast of rich, funny, quirky houseguests, and some helpful and steadfast servants, and a lot of weird, creepy magic. I’m doing it a disservice because I’m not getting across how good it is, just read it.

4.25 mesmerizing ⭐️s.

T Kingfisher’s dark, imaginative fantasy draws creative inspiration from “The Goose Girl” fairy tale. But don’t expect the plot to center on, well, a goose girl.. This novel is so loosely based on the original that the Brothers Grimm themselves could read it and not recognize it as their own classic tale.. Expect only the wispiest tendrils of connection between the two stories, and you’ll be delighted rather than disappointed.

What I loved:

*Smart, natural dialogue

*Clever and lively older characters (people above a certain age can be more than curmudgeons and lonely old maids)

*Sprinkles of humor

What I wanted:

* A clearer explanation of the conjured horse. I wanted more than “not really sure what that magical creature was.” But maybe it’s illogical of me to expect magic to make sense.

*The mother-daughter dynamic between the ruthless sorceress and her naive daughter is so prominent in this book, that I wish the author gave a sliver of insight into the mother’s own upbringing. (Hint hint, T Kingfisher… how about a prequel?)

4/5

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Tor Books, and T. Kingfisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was another solid read from T. Kingfisher. This retelling of the Grimm fairytale, Goose Girl, follows young Cordelia as she tries to survive the nightmarish, social climbing, life ending plots of her sorceress mother. The highlights of this novel were Kingfisher's horror and the magic system (the rules, utilization, and societal integration).

There were portions of the novel that dragged plot wise, primarily during the calmer scenes at the Squire's mansion. Much of these scenes could be trimmed down/out and it would have little to no impact on the larger story at hand. I'm also slightly bummed that a certain relationship did not get solidified at the end of the book, but life is life and it's not always wrapped up in a pretty bow.

I will continue to read anything Kingfisher puts out and am so grateful that I got a copy of this ARC to review. I do believe my favorite of Kingfisher's is still What Moves the Dead, but I can't help that I'm in love with fungal horror!

Mild spoilers below:

Favorite quote:

"Fight back a little, child. Even a rabbit in a trap can bite."

I enjoyed the semi-early references to how powerful Evangeline was, like when the cups started ratting on the trays when she was angry. The visible exhaustion that took Evangeline over while controlling Cordelia was a nice touch on the limits of her power. The mystery of the extent of Evangeline's full power, though, was built up very well of the course of the book. The lack of distinct limitations on her magic until the end of the book kept feeding the paranoia in the back of my head that she could always do more damage than I expected.

The water, wine and salt approach to the boundaries of magical impact was unique and fun to read about. I also loved the acknowledgement of how something is sacred because you think it is. Many modern witches/pagans will probably appreciate that.

The twist on Falada from the original story was a nice surprise. If I were Cordelia, that betrayal would have demolished me. I would have liked the ruse to go on a bit longer to make it sting a little more for the readers. Kingfisher going full horror with Falada was amazing. How terrifying he got after his head was chopped off was so much fun to read. I was evil laughing out loud about how scary I imagined him being crawling around like a spider with no head, it was definitely my favorite part of the book. That scene is tied for one of my favorite horror moments of Kingfisher's. (The other two are in What Moves the Dead [of course] when you realize Madeline has the fungal fuzzies all over her skin & the bunny that keeps moving even though it's missing some important body parts.)

Kingfisher continues to be an automatic read for me, and I cannot wait to read her next work!

It is fair to say that anything T Kingfisher writes, I will read. This book was no different and written in true dark fairytale, Kingfisher style. I finished this 320 paged masterpiece in a day and don’t regret in one bit. Kingfisher’s usage or dark imagery and ability to spin a fairytale for adults is what has made her an autobuy author for me. I will read anything she writes.

I won’t lie, some of the imagery in this book is graphic, but if you’ve read T Kingfisher before you know what you’re signing up for and you’ll love it just as much as I did. A sorceress who can take over people’s minds including her own daughter’s? A plan to seduce a squire and set them up for life no matter who or what she has to hurt to get there and her daughter who uncovers dark secrets about her mother.

This book was everything I needed and more. It was dark, secretive, enchanting, and unputdownable in the best way. The only book I haven’t read by Kingfisher is Nettle and Bone and after finishing this newest one I am going to pick it up IMMEDIATELY!!

If you want a dark, enchanting story about a sorceress with terrifying powers and her determined daughter who will do anything to make things right, be sure to pick this one up in August!

A very creative new spin on an old Brothers Grimm tale, The Goose Girl. I enjoyed how this story diverged from more classic retellings, eschewing the prince and the handmaiden altogether, while still keeping classic characters (the geese and Falada) and themes (the mother-daughter relationship). This book was built on the banter of its characters and I loved each and every one of them. This was my first book by T. Kingfisher, but it certainly won’t be my last. Perfect for fans of dark fairytales!

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

T Kingfisher always serves the tea AND biscuits. I swear I am never disappointed!

"A Sorceress Comes to Call" has Downton Abbey vibes and pacing... but throw a dark fairytale twist on it and wrap it up in T Kingfishers' immaculate prose.
[If you like any combination of those three things, you will love this book.]

Cordelia's mother possesses a dark power, one she recklessly unleashes on all who cross her path, including her own daughter. When Cordelia and her mother call upon the home of a wealthy squire, Cordelia is thrust into a world of unexpected family and forced to make life-altering choices.

As per typical T Kingfisher, she has found a creative way to take a "told" tale and make it brand new!

I highly recommend it! Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group, I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review- but I will still be preordering my own hard copy. So. I mean what I say when I say I recommend it... girl.

Delightful classic T Kingfisher wit and humor with a wonderful, slightly dark, fairy tale retelling flavor.

Thank you Tor Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC!

A dark and twisted retelling of the Grimm fairytale “The Goose Girl”. Loosely set in the regency era, a vicious, controlling mother sets her sights on marrying a man referred to as “The Squire” and marrying her young daughter off to any rich man that comes along. The mother is a cunning social climber and, unbeknownst to her victims, a powerful sorceress determined to get what she wants no matter the consequences. The daughter, innocent to her mother’s schemes, must find a way to protect her friends from her mother’s wrath.

From the beginning the book is gripping and T. Kingfisher’s excellent writing shines through. The way the characters are written and the world is built is masterful given this book is only about 330 pages. Throughout the book, I could feel the visceral terror of the main character, and the love that grows for her friends. The mother followed the “evil fairytale mother” trope in a way that felt different from most as it seemed more true to how a selfish sorceress would act in a regency era novel. Just like other novels from Kingfisher, the creepy horror elements were almost drowned out by the incredibly cozy found family trope, which I absolutely love. There was even a small shoutout to Nettle and Bone (one of my favorite books of all time btw) when the main character is doing research and rattles off “common fairy tale tropes” mentioning dogs made completely of bone.

While this novel holds true to T. Kingfisher’s signature style, this is their first attempt at writing a regency style novel and it shows. The book was quite a bit slower than their other works allowing the scheming and intrigue to take up the bulk of the story. I was surprised when the truly creepy horror elements didn’t rear their heads (pun intended) until around the last 50 pages of the book. That aside, it seemed intentional and when the story finally hit its climax, the slower build up was absolutely worth it. I would undoubtedly recommend this book to anyone who already loves T. Kingfisher’s writing and those who love a dark fairytale retelling!

I went into this book fairly blind, requesting it because I've loved everything else by T.; Kingfisher that I've read and this book was no exception.
A retelling of the Grims fairytale The Goose Girl this story had me hooked from the beginning.
A Sorceress Comes To Call is the story of a young girl who, for her whole life, has been controlled (quite literally) by her mother who after a terrible tragedy in the town she lives in goes (along with her mother) to live with a man her mother hopes to marry and his sister.
Filled with secrets and magic and twists this story reads with the grace of a classic..
For a more in depth review you can check out my spoiler free youtube video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYavEIktquw&t=247s

it is time for me to say "lower your standard", I am sorry, this is just not for me :(

Anyway, thanks to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group and T Kingfisher for making this e-ARC available to read without requesting it first

I received this DRC from NetGalley.

This was a fun story. There were parts that felt a bit predictable, and also more YA than adult, but overall was still entertaining. I liked the old ladies and their attitudes towards life. Maybe part of my enjoyment of the story came from me being able to relate to them. Sitting around playing cards, embroidering, and gossiping sounds like a good time to me. I thought it was funny that Hester refers to Evangeline only as Doom; that's definitely something I would do, too. Not all of the questions brought up were answered by the end, but that wasn't a big deal since it was a quick read.

I am a little bit obsessed with this book! I found it hard to put down and even dreamed about it last night, which was scary! I loved the time period this was set. Magic was perfect for this era. I also loved all of the characters. I love a book based on how much I care about (or hate) the characters and I felt strongly about all of them. I’m impressed by this, as I can’t remember the last book that had me so intrigued by every character’s chapter equally. Even the old man who ran the stable (the one who had to hold Falada) was someone I was invested in because the lord had such faith in him and what he was capable of. I might need a horse spin-off story about him!
I will definitely be purchasing it for my high school library. It has aspects that will appeal to so many different readers-historical fiction, horror, fantasy, magic, and’ even a little romance. I can see myself recommending it to both girls and boys so that is a bonus for me as well. I’ve read What Moves the Dead and I enjoyed it but I really loved this story.

"A Sorceress Comes to Call" is a reimagining of the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale The Goose Girl as only T. Kingfisher can write it!

The story opens with teenage Cordelia frozen in church unable to do something as simple as itch the end of her nose. Afterwards, we realize that she is under the thumb of an overly controlling, abusive mother, Evangeline, who is also a sorceress. Cordelia’s only comfort and source of escape are her rides on her mother’s magnificent horse Falada. However, things go horribly wrong when her mother’s current benefactor casts her aside and she is forced to search for another rich man to help support them. Evangeline soon sets her sights on the wealthy Squire a few towns over. From there we meet Hester, the Squire's sister and a middle-aged spinster with the gift of presentiment. Hester is awoken in the middle of the night by a sense of impending doom. This doom soon arrives on her and her wealthy brother’s doorstep in the form of Evangeline and her daughter Cordelia. From there the story unfolds with Hester and Cordelia desperately trying to stop Evangeline from ensnaring Hester’s brother and harming the friends and people of the Squire’s household, including the Squire himself.

I have long been a fan of T. Kingfisher’s fantasies and her latest one did not disappoint. I was immediately sympathetic to Cordelia’s plight when I realized her mother could use her magic to make Cordelia “obedient.” In other words, she can take over Cordelia, literally making Cordelia her puppet. Not only that but we learn that Evangeline can do the same to others without magic, allowing her make them do whatever she wants. It is a terrifying prospect for everyone good in the story as well as being a horrifying form of abuse for Cordelia. Then later, after Hester is introduced, I realized she is the goose girl in this story. Hester used to breed and raise geese, making her a middle-aged goose girl, in fact. I loved that interesting character twist from the original fairy tale!

Kingfisher does not pull any punches with this dark fantasy, either. Along the way, we meet side characters who are wonderfully developed, lovely people, but who are not able to be kept safe from Evangeline if she feels they are standing in the way of what she wants. I also liked the interesting way Kingfisher changes the narrative for the horse Falada. Anyone who is familiar with the fairy tale knows that the goose girl has a horse that is her saving grace throughout the story, even after said horse is killed by the girl’s evil rival. However, I have always found that part of the fairy tale to be simultaneously heartbreaking and creepy. Heartbreaking because in the original tale Falada is a good character and a loyal and loving friend. Creepy, because after he is killed, the horse in the original tale goes on to help the girl by speaking to her, offering her advice. In "A Sorceress Comes to Call," Falada is not the loving, loyal creature he is in the original fairy tale. Instead, he is something much, much darker. So, I wasn’t sad to see him cut down. But the way Kingfisher still has Falada help his mistress is no less creepy or gross.

I give this novel 5 out of 5 stars. It was well-paced, a wonderfully inventive take on the original "Goose Girl" by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, and keeps you guessing how the heroines will not only win but survive at the end. If you love works such as "Uprooted" and "Spinning Silver" by Naomi Novik or "The Bear and the Nightingale" series by Katherine Arden, and you enjoy strong female character leads, then you will love this book. However, I will say that if you are looking for a fantasy with a strong romance thread, this may not be that book. There is some element of romance for Hester in the novel, but it is not the focus of the story. It is an action-packed fantasy adventure, though, and I am very grateful to both NetGalley and Tor books for giving me an eARC of it to read in exchange for this honest review.

I had high hopes for this but I felt super disappointed ☹️ the writing felt really different than her other books and I just couldn’t vibe with it

This book feels like a fairytale mixed with aspects of a thriller, which was such a fun combination.

Cordelia is a rather meek main character, which makes sense with the way she has been raised. Her mild personality really gives the side characters a chance to shine and have their moment. It's not frequently that the spinster gets to steal the spotlight, but Hester certainly does. She was definitely my favorite character and I was rooting for her, her gaggle of guard geese, and her almost relationship with Lord Evermore.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I absolutely hated Cordelia's mother, Evangeline. She was evil incarnate and she and her familiar (whose identity broke my heart when I learned of the deception) were the perfect villains of this story.

This book has paranormal elements mixed with a bit of whimsy, which lends some light to the darker moments of the story while still remaining serious. Making geese seem fearsome is quite an accomplishment in itself, but it's something T. Kingfisher manages with ease!

If you're a fan of dark fairytales, I definitely recommend picking this up when it's released later this summer!

Thanks NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the eARC for review.

Actual Rating 2.5

Cordelia knows her mother isn’t like other mothers, and it goes beyond the lack of doors in their house. Living an isolated life, Cordelia’s only friend is Falada, her mother’s horse. But when her mother decides it’s time for some changes, they leave town in the middle of the night to arrive at the country manor of a wealthy older man. It isn’t long before Cordelia sees that her mother has set her sights on marrying this man, and is willing to go to any lengths to have her way.

This story is told from a dual POV. This worked quite well as the two characters offered different details on the events that happened, creating a good balance. But the pacing of this one felt quite uneven. It started off strongly and I was certain this book was going to be one of the best I’d read in a while, but then there are pages and pages of repetitive scenes in slightly different settings (e.g., characters plotting the same thing in different settings). I think this book would have benefited from being more of a novella than a full-length novel.

There’s almost no worldbuilding in this book. There’s magic, sorcerers, and a traditional fantasy vibe but then also things like Catholicism. In most cases this would be a massive negative for me, but there were enough good aspects of this work that it was only a minor dislike. One thing that helped to balance it was the characters. I enjoyed the voices of the two protagonists, and though Cordelia was painfully passive for most of the book, there was good reason for it. I also do like the author’s writing style and it helps the pages mostly fly by.

This was a decent one that was apparently a retelling of the fairytale “The Goose Girl.” While I’m no fairytale expert, I’m somewhat familiar with that one and didn’t think there were enough similarities aside from some cosmetic details to call this a retelling. If you’re a diehard Kingfisher fan or like rambling fantasies with minimal worldbuilding, you’ll probably love this one. I listened to the audiobook version, and the two narrators did an excellent job bringing the characters to life. My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this work, which will be published August 6, 2024. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.