Hardcover, 128 pages
Published Aug. 15, 2023 by Titan Books.
There’s a princess trapped in a tower. This isn’t her story.
Meet Toadling. On the day of her birth, she was stolen from her family by the fairies, but she grew up safe and loved in the warm waters of faerieland. Once an adult though, the fae ask a favor of Toadling: return to the human world and offer a blessing of protection to a newborn child. Simple, right?
If only.
Centuries later, a knight approaches a towering wall of brambles, where the thorns are as thick as your arm and as sharp as swords. He’s heard there’s a curse here that needs breaking, but it’s a curse Toadling will do anything to uphold…
by far not worth your time. very predictable romance, nothing witty or funny about it. worst book by t. kingfisher I've come across so far.
Vibes of "A slow regard for silent things" by Patrick Rothfuss. A lovely story, a lovely world, for lovely people.
T. Kingfisher has been writing some great stuff lately!
I adore the genre of twisted fairy tales, and this absolutely delivered.
This fun fairy tale novella is a reversed sleeping beauty situation. The hapless toad fairy and awkward knight are good-natured and trying to do their best, while the sleeping beauty is the dangerous one.
This has all the things I like out of T. Kingfisher's similar works: interesting characters and a fresh take on an old tale.
4.5 stars.
Probably the best novella I have ever read. Innovative take on a fairy tale with an original main character. The writing was very well thought, but I had difficulty with the flashback time changing. A clear explanation (i.e. past or present) would have done the job.
What’s a fairy godmother to do when she bungles her gift to a beautiful princess? In Toadling’s case, it means making sure that no one ever, ever wakes that princess up. Thornhedge, by the always excellent T. Kingfisher, flips the story of Sleeping Beauty on its head...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
