A Sorceress Comes to Call
T. Kingfisher
4.5/5

I will never stop singing the praises of T. Kingfisher. I think all of her books are masterpieces and A Sorceress Comes to Call did not disappoint. This latest novel is a reworking of the Brothers Grimm’s “The Goose Girl”. If you have not read Kingfisher before (if you haven't, go read “What Moves the Dead”), her signature style is to retell tales in a dark, whimsical, and creepy way. A Sorceress Comes to Call feels fresh and familiar at the same time!

A Sorceress Comes to Call is told primarily from two POVs - Cordelia, whose mother, Evangeline, is a powerful sorceress (and awful person) and Hester, whose brother is being courted by Evangeline. Evangeline’s goal is to squirm her way into a better life. Cordelia and Hester join forces in an attempt to stop Evangeline from her evil ways. The book immediately dives into the mother-daughter relationship between Cordelia and Evangeline. Cordelia is a young girl, who has never been able to experience any type of freedom due to her mother’s controlling nature. I love the character development for Cordelia during this book especially as she becomes surrounded by strong women, including Hester, who help Cordelia gain strength. Hester is older than a lot of main characters, and I greatly enjoyed reading about her struggles with aging while still attempting to live a great life.

As always, the banter between the characters in T. Kingfisher’s books is immaculate. I was so absorbed with this book the entire time even when the characters were just playing cards. While Evangeline is clearly the villain, I found her goals and discussions with Cordelia funny, especially the motivations behind her actions. My only complaint is that the ending seemed sudden but I think that is because I could have stayed with these characters forever.

The audiobook is absolutely incredible and the narration is so well done! I listened to the entire book in less than two days because I was so engrossed in the storytelling. I already pre-ordered a copy of the physical book because I just loved this book so much.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Tor Publishing for the audio ARC.

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

This was the best new release I have read in 2024 so far and it will be on my Hugo ballot for sure.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

In the past 3-4 years, I have become a HUGE fan of T. Kingfisher aka Ursula Vernon.

Ms. Vernon is the author of the Hamster Princess books, which both of my daughters have enjoyed (as have I!). Those books were my introduction to her, along with her social media presence, which I found through Seanan McGuire.

Ordinarily, I don’t like horror. I never wanted to watch scary movies as a kid. I got nightmares from E.T. But based on recommendations I read the Twisted Ones and The Holllow Places and I realized that I loved Ms. Vernon’s writing and I could make it through the scary parts unscathed with her as my guide.

I started devouring her back catalog and putting all new releases on hold at the library. I have subscribed to her Patreon and I convinced my wife to read Nettle and Bone, which she loved (as did I).

I loved Thornhedge last year and was delighted when it was nominated for the Hugo, and I was very excited when I heard she had a new book out in 2024, A Sorceress Comes to Call. I was even more excited when I got an audiobook eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This new book, I believe, is based on the Goose Girl fairy tale, but I don’t know that one, so I can’t tell how much relates directly to the source material. Our main character, Cordelia, slowly comes to realize that her mother is an evil sorceress. Well, she always knew she was kind of evil but the extent of it (and the sorcery) are more of a reveal. When her mother is in need of a new man to control, they end up at the house of the Squire and his sister Hester, the other main character, who feels a sense of Doom from Cordelia’s mother but is surprised when she learns the extent of the danger.

This book was wonderful. Ursula Vernon perfectly captured the scared naïveté of a sheltered teenager equally well with the savvy canniness of a middle-aged woman who knows she is smart and overlooked. Every minor character, from the friends to the servants, are well rounded and fleshed out. This was a story I could have lived in forever.

There were two narrators in the book, but I didn’t feel like it needed both. I understand that they were there to switch off from Hester’s and Cordelia’s perspectives, but it didn’t really work for me here. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!

A Sorceress Comes to Call - 4.5⭐

What have I been doing all my life that I have not read anything by T. Kingfisher?! This is not my usual bag, but the description of T. Kingfisher's newest book was just too juicy to miss. Thank you, NetGalley, for the audio ARC!

Woo! I loved this book. The book opens with Cordelia being completely controlled by her evil sorceress mother (and abuser), Evangeline, while sitting in church. The Gothic vibes throughout the first half of the book are *chef's kiss*. As a reader, at first you hear a bit of unbelievable gossip or a violent story from the newspaper read aloud, but as the book goes on, we see more and more of the gruesome truth behind everything. I love that, even toward the end before all is revealed, she maintains the old the Gothic style with murders "off camera" and gore out of sight. It's like you're being stalked by the evil and it's just circling until it strikes. It somehow makes the evildoing more shocking (and awesome haha).

The band of characters are typical of a Victorian tale:
Hester: the 50-year-old spinster sister who is way ahead of her time
Imogene: Hester's spicy best friend whose morals are grey
Richard: Hester's true love whom she will not marry
Penelope: The gregarious and beautiful friend who everyone loves
The Squire: The evil villain needed a rich man to marry, so he was the guy.

The dual POV between Hester and Cordelia was great! One of my biggest complaints with leading characters so young is that story falls into petulance, NOT THIS ONE! Hester's interpretations of events made this have so much depth. The mini romance was sweet, and, because they really loved each other, it solved the "if she would just tell someone" problem a lot of horror/fantasy/romance tends to have. I couldn't put it down because I cared what happened to the characters.

f I had to be picky, I was hoping for some of the things that felt "mysterious" to be unveiled at the end. It turned out that a few small things felt important, but were just side notes and not addressed. (Also a Gothic hallmark, by the way.)

Overall, Yes! So much fun! Gave me the creeps in the best way! Read for a good time. ;-)

T. Kingfisher can do no wrong in my book! I was instantly captivated and swept away by this tale of forbidden magic, secrets, danger, and cunning. A Sorceress Comes to Call is a brilliant, gripping, and dark retelling of the Fairy tale The Goose Girl: A Story from the Brothers Grimm by the Brothers Grimm. T. Kingfisher is such a unique, gifted, and talented writer. If you have not read a book by this author, you are missing out!

Cordelia's mother, Evangeline, is a sorceress who demands obedience and wields her 'magical' control whenever she can. Cordelia is forced to remain still for various lengths of time. She lives in fear and must flee their home with her mother after Evangeline gets into a little hot water and they end up at the home of the Squire. A man Evangeline hopes to woo and wed. Cordelia feels out of her element in such a grand home but is quickly befriended by the Squires sister, Hester, and is treated with kindness by the staff of the manor. Hester knows something isn't right. She is very observant and clever; she knows that Evangeline is up to no good. How can she save her brother from this evil sorceress???

A Sorceress Comes to Call is simply brilliant. Seriously, it's amazing! I had a hard time putting it down when life got in the way. I loved all the characters, even Evangeline who is so wickedly drawn. T. Kingfisher has a knack for creating characters that are fully fleshed out, interesting, and quirky. I adored the collection of personalities, their motivations, and banter. T. Kingfisher also excels at creating unique settings/locations which ooze with atmosphere. I could imagine the manor, the woods, and felt as if I was immersed in the action as a silent observer.

What a brilliant book that touches on magic, abuse, love, danger, revenge, family, friendship, and good vs. evil. I loved the sense of unease which grew as the book progressed. I also enjoyed the mounting danger, the tension, and the suspense which grew throughout the book.

I was lucky enough to have both the e-book and audiobook version which made for a wonderful reading experience! The narrators of the audiobook did a fabulous job.

I was literally on the edge of my seat and loving every second. I devoured this book. I could gush about this book all day, but I will end by saying READ IT!

Dark, brilliant, and captivating. Highly Recommend.

This is, so far, my favorite of all T. Kingfisher books! It felt a lot like Carrie or Mommy Dearest. Cordelia's mother, Evangeline is a sorceress and can make Cordelia "obedient". Essentially she controls all Cordelia does when she wants. Cordellia's mother is cut off from her benefactor and needs to find someone to marry. her sights fall upon a Squire, and they go to visit him for a long stay. All the while, Cordelia gets to know the staff and the Squire's sister Hester. So many paranormal events occur, and this book was very fast paced. I absolutely felt for Cordelia as she presented to the staff and sister of the Squire as someone who has been abused. Hester teams with Cordelia and others to stop her mother at all costs. This was a very relatable story and I was rooting for Cordelia to go against her mother at every turn.

DNF at 53%.

I wish I hadn't been told this is based on "The Goose Girl", which is one of my favorite fairytales. The author should have changed the name of the horse and not told us, because there is little resemblance to the original. But, that's not the only thing that bugs me.

This is dual POV with a 14-year old girl and a 51-year old woman. Both audiobook narrators do a good job.

The 14-year old POV is just sad. She's been abused by her mother and made a witness to some brutal crimes her mother has committed. Her mother is a sorcerer, but somehow this is so unusual that no one even knows what a sorcerer is. This felt weird and didn't make sense. The worldbuilding just didn't hold up.

The girl and her mom end up living with Hester (the 51-year old) and her brother as the sorceress tries to get the brother to marry her. Lots of violence ensues and mystery. This might have been fine even though it wasn't my favorite if it hadn't been for Hester's awful self talk. She always talks about how old she is and fat and unattractive. She calls herself an "old lady" over and over again. As a 47-year old, I was so annoyed with how she's portrayed in "her dotage" and treated/treats herself as if she's one foot in the grave.

I don't THINK this is a romance... but Hester is in love with Richard who has asked her to marry him a gazillion times. But she won't marry him because she's going to get ugly and doesn't want to embarrass him as she ages. Nevermind they are the same age... UGH.

I don't understand why the author had to make her self talk so miserable. How is this important to the plot!? I could NOT tell... and I'm sick and tired of reading this.

I received this audibook for free as an advanced reader copy... but I don't have the patience to perservere.

I really liked this book. I gave it a 5 stars. It sort of reminded me of the Disney movie Tangled. This follows Evangeline who is the mother of Cordelia. Cordelia is a good girl. Her mother, not so much. She doesn’t allow Cordelia to do anything. She controls everything she does. Evangeline wants to marry a rich wealthy man and tells Cordelia she’s 17, meanwhile she’s old 14. She wants to marry her off too. Throughout the story you really feel for Cordelia and I couldn’t stand Evangeline.
I loved the ending of this book, it was so good!

When I think of T. Kingfisher's books, I think spooky, horror and mystery with a few quips thrown in to lighten the mood and this book is exactly that. This one is told from alternating POV's between Cordelia, the daughter of a Sorceress and Hester who is the spinster sister of the Squire. Cordelia's mother has her sights set on the Squire and Hester can tell something is not right between Cordelia and her mother and quickly catches on and tries to intervene. I really enjoyed both POV's and the storytelling is what you would expect from Kingfisher. This one will draw you right in and keep you entertained throughout.

The audiobook narrators for this book, Eliza Foss and Jennifer Pickens do a wonderful job of narrating. My one complaint is that the voice for Cordelia's character came off more adult than young girl but I still enjoyed it none the less.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for access to the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Dual POV. This was my first novel by the author, but definitely won't be my last. I had a blast listening to this and it wasn't too difficult to understand what was going on in audiobook form, which I sometimes have issues with when listening to fantasy books. All characters (including the side characters) were fully formed and I really enjoyed the dynamics between all the characters. There was a lot going on in this book, but it wasn't difficult to follow.

This book was absolutely a delight start to finish. It was charming, magical, sweet, mysterious, and funny. Top favorite fantasy book I’ve read this year!

Told from two POVs, starting with young Cordelia as we learn about her sorceress mother, Evangeline. Then Hester, sister to Samuel, the Squire, whom Evangeline set her sights on.

I adored Cordelia, she has a wonderful character arc spanning from her innocence and gullibility, to more confident in the presence of Lady Hester and her friends.

Hester is a spinster in her fifties, she sees right through Evangeline’s trickery and is helpless to get Samuel away from her clutches.

When Cordelia realizes her mother’s plans will hurt her new friends, she seeks their help to stop Evangeline at all cost.

I loved all the storytelling and the fast paced plot, it was a very concise tale with fantastic setting - regency with a little bit of magic, so charming and funny. All the various characters added entertainment to the book and made it insanely enjoyable. Hester’s friends, Penelope and Imogen were just the kind of company you’d want to keep! The small romance subplot for Hester and Richard was SO cute. I loved their shared history and the moments they had together. Richard Evermore is totally swoony! And can’t forget Willard, the butler, with the jokes.

I devoured the audiobook in a short amount of time! Both narrators were phenomenal. Eliza Foss voicing Hester and Jennifer Pickens, Cordelia. Their voices and chapters blended seamlessly. This was my second book narrated by Pickens, she brought a childlike innocent quality to Cordelia. Eliza Foss had a wonderful delivery for Hester and all her friends, very high class with the time period. I’m looking forward to listening to more books with these narrators and picking up the next T. Kingfisher book off my shelf!

Wow! This was my first T. Kingfisher novel but it won't be my last. Although there isn't a lot of action in the book, there was enough tension that I was immediately hooked and it kept my attention throughout. The sorceress is suitably (and chillingly) powerful, and the juxtaposition of how meek and anxious her daughter Cordelia made her an unlikely heroine. You can't help but feel compassion for Cordelia. The dark whimsical vibes of this novel are perfect for readers looking for something chilling to read in the fall spooky season, so the August publication date is perfect. I listened to the audiobook and it both narrators were well-chosen for the characters.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advanced copy of this audiobook via NetGalley.

I am not very familiar with the Goose Girl, but this doesn’t seem to have much in common anyway. I was a little hesitant after my experience with Thornhedge, which isn’t to say I didn’t like that one, it just was so odd. A Sorceress Comes to Call was a better experience for me. The atmosphere was immediately there. I was in those old homes. The side characters were fully developed. Needless to say, I loved this latest fairytale inspired work

I stand by my preference for Kingfisher’s horror over her fantasy. Imagine my delight when this book dipped a toe into horror in the last 25%! The little bit of gore and grotesquerie was perfect and just what I was hoping for in a story that lacked Kingfisher’s usual wit and humor. Obviously a story about abuse isn’t meant to be funny, though.

Cordelia’s timidity made the book feel too long and too slow, and a lot of the more dramatic happenings (like a family’s brutal murder) were kind of offhand or out of focus or told as sort of an aside so the impact wasn’t entirely felt. Though the dynamic between Cordelia and her mother (aka abuser) was palpable and ever present from the very first page.

A delightful, fast-paced, dark read with an old-timey feel. Significantly less dark than the last work I read by this author (which I also enjoyed, but disturbed me more).

This is T. Kingfisher at her best. I adore Nettle & Bone and in some ways I like this one even better. (Maybe...I need to reread Nettle & Bone before I can truly decide. Side note: there's a fun little detail that is a reference to Nettle & Bone in this book.)

We get two POV characters: Cordelia, whose mother is a sorceress who seemingly will stop at nothing to make sure she and her daughter are wealthy (mostly by marrying fairly well herself so she can then set Cordelia up for an excellent match). Cordelia tries so hard to please her mother but is uncomfortable with her mother's actions--and that discomfort turns to rebellion (although, quiet rebellion) as the story progresses.

Then there's Hester, the spinster sister of the man Cordelia's mother has set her sights on. Hester did have a chance to marry--someone she loved and who loved her--but she decided it would be better not to marry. So she's settled in her life with her brother and thus is completely unsettled when Cordelia and her mother stay with them. But she had a feeling that doom was going to arrive even before that, and she eventually realizes that there's more going on that just a woman trying to marry her brother.

I had the great enjoyment of listening to an audiobook advance copy (thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for making the ALC available to me), and there are two narrators, one for Hester's POV and one for Cordelia's. The voices fit the roles so perfectly and really brought these two characters even more to life.

I completely connected with the characters (Hester invites some of their friends for a house party so there are a few more people who get involved) and had moments of sadness and happiness and tension and horror and just so many other emotions as I was listening to this book. The pacing of the story worked well and the story itself and the writing style helped set the atmosphere.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

I have a rule that if T. Kingfisher writes it, I read it. That has worked out again with the absolutely fabulous A Sorceress Comes to Call.

This story is told from two points of view. First, there is Cordelia, the 14-year-old daughter of an evil sorceress. She’s sheltered and abused. You’re instantly rooting for her. Second, there is Hester, the 51-year-old sister of the wealthy nobleman the sorceress hopes to trick into marriage. The two team up to thwart the sorceress’s plan. Hester brings in three friends, including a man who has been in love with Hester for years. (Hester’s desire to be independent had her turning offers of marriage down.)

The pace is fast and Kingfisher’s signature humor made me almost wish it took longer to read! There are a few suspenseful action scenes that have you thinking a “happily ever after” can’t be possible for all of the characters and that’s partially true, but the conclusion is incredibly satisfying.

As a Gen Xer, I found the romance delightful, though it’s a secondary plot line.

I just want to preface this review by saying that I previously received the digital ARC of A Sorceress Comes to Call and it was one of my favorite books this year! When I saw it offered as an audiobook, I quickly requested it so that I could place voices/expressions with this truly intriguing story.

Previous review of this ARC: This is my first T. Kingfisher book and it has opened me up to a whole new magical world of possibilities. I have seen a lot of praise for this author's writing online and now I know that T. Kingfisher is the real deal. I was completely engulfed in this sad, occult, scary, and even downright laugh out loud book. I read it in less than 48 hours. Halfway through the book I went on Amazon and added at least half a dozen books by Kingfisher into my wishlist. I am now obsessed.

Back to this story, within the first five pages, I was hooked. Cordelia is a meek, scared, yet delightful, fourteen year old with a ruthless and ambitious sorceress for a mother - and that's really all you need to know (I don't love going into books with a lot of knowledge of the plot because I like to be surprised so I'll do the same for you.) Kingfisher delivers such masterful and enchanting writing in this story that I could imagine each scene and feel every emotion.

Review after audiobook: I absolutely am still so obsessed with this book! I think that the narrator for Hester was absolutely perfect. I wish that the narrator for Cordelia sounded younger, like a 14 year old. She sounded definitely like a fully grown adult and I think that took away from the naivete of her character. Since I have already read the book, I had preconceived notions about what I imagined Cordelia to sound like. Overall, I still really enjoyed it!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this arc.

I’ve read a few T. Kingfisher books and I can’t tell if they are good literature, but they are certainly entertaining to listen to the whole way through. I’m not sure if this one is YA but it felt that way. I think what makes T. Kingfisher books hook your attention so is her style of weird, bizarre, almost horror-esque tellings of not-quite familiar conventions.

It did bother me though that this story was supposed to be a retelling of The Goose Girl and it had absolutely nothing to do with the fairy tale except for a few character names.

If Kingfisher writes it, I’m going to read it. This was my first time reading an audiobook from her and I was not disappointed! A Sorceress Comes to Call was the perfect combination of whimsical, dark fantasy with a splash of horror and it was a great time!

A Sorceress Comes to Call is a dark fantasy that follows Cordelia and her evil sorceress mother Evangeline as they move to a new home in hopes to ensnare the mother's latest victim, the Squire. Cordelia has spent her life being obedient to her mother, but what happens when Evangeline is faced with the Squire's headstrong sister Hester? Told in alternating POV between Cordelia and Hester, a variety of secondary characters are introduced. I felt connected to each character through their eyes and found myself on the edge of my seat as they raced to stop Evangeline. Narration performed by Eliza Floss and Jennifer Pickens was outstanding, and I highly enjoyed their performances.

I received an ALC from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.