Nettle & Bone

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If you've been following me for a little while, then you'll know just how much I absolutely adore T. Kingfisher's fantasy works. There is something about her work that just makes me incredibly happy. (Not to mention she is a delight on Twitter.) Kingfisher's work frequently features older heroines, sarcasm & humor, and honestly, some rather dark themes. All of these ring true in Nettle & Bone. Marra, is thirty years old, trying to save her sister from her wife-beating husband of a King. On her journey, Marra does two impossible things, and makes friends with a sarcastic, powerful dustwife, an evil (but not really) godmother, and an honorable, former knight. They work together to kill the king.

I loved this. I tend to love retellings of classic fairy tales, and while this isn't really a retelling that I can see, it fits right in with the OG fairy tales. The story itself feels classic, while the writing is certainly modern. (You'll see what I mean if you read it.) I adored how unsure Marra was the entire story, but despite that, she was determined to do whatever she could to save her sister. Her sister who Marra was sure didn't like her. I loved all the characters in this — the dustwife, who never gets a name, but has such a hugely impressive personality, Agnes the evil-but-not-really godmother who had a huge heart, Fenris the knight, who was so sure he was going to die, but helped anyway. And Bonedog, the cutest dead sidekick I've ever heard of.

My favorite part of Nettle & Bone was the dust palace — when they travel into the old catacombs/tombs under the palace to find the first king. I loved the haunting sense of urgency, the horrible sense that they were taking way too long to do what they needed to do. Kingfisher has such a way with creepiness, too. The thief wheel. Ugh. [Shudders] She is a horror author as well, and that frequently comes out in her fantasy works. Not to mention, the last scene with the old godmother...what delightful awfulness.

I will continue to read just about anything that T. Kingfisher puts out, because I have yet to be even remotely disappointed in her work.