Nettle & Bone

How refreshing to have a protagonist that's 30 years old and a bit awkward! And the humour was great too!

I was a bit wary of reading this because of the ‘dark fantasy' label which made me expect all kinds of horror and gore.
But it actually turned out to be quite a pleasant read. The ‘dark' part was absolutely natural for this kind of a story and wasn't at all scary.

I loved the characters. They were so simple, yet so believable, all of them had a vibrant personality, even the bone dog and demon chick.

And I was very happy when the bad abusing piece of crap king got his due.

Okay, let me be up front, I absolutely LOVED this book. Nettle & Bone was everything I wanted, and honestly needed, from a book right now. Fairy tales, especially dark ones, are my bread and butter. Stories where our heroes face impossible tasks, stories that somehow manage to mesh humor and tragedy, stories where it really feels like the characters grow and change. This book had all that and more, and I devoured every single second of it. When you're feeling lost, sometimes it helps to join someone else on their journey instead.

Now I feel it fair to warn perspective readers that the beginning might be a little confusing. Without preamble, we're thrown into a space with a very ragged and exhausted Marra. She is performing a task that, quite honestly, feels fairly dark. I wasn't sure what to make of her at first. However the reader is soon taken back in time, to see where Marra came from and how she ended up where we first found her. It's honestly brilliant once you get past that initial point. Kingfisher found a way to show Marra's growth in a breathtaking way. We watch a mere girl, who was afraid of everything, morph into this woman who is stronger than she ever thought she could be. The reader gets to travel 15 years of Marra's life, and it's a beautiful thing.

It is true though that no heroine worth her salt travels alone, and Marra is no exception. In her journey she assembles a ragtag team of some of the most intriguing characters I have met in a long time! We meet the elderly but sassy Dustwife, who I honestly wouldn't want to mess with. A fairy godmother who is much better at curses than blessings. A human man with a tragic backstory, who simply wants to forget where he came from. And, of course, the sweetest dog made of bones. This group was an absolute joy to travel with, and the banter between them was gold. I always appreciate when a book can incorporate good humor in dialogue without it feeling forced. Nettle & Bone manages that easily.

As for the story, well here is the part where I can't really share too much for fear of giving things away. I can assure you that Marra's journey is one that will tug at your heartstrings, but also make you root so hard her at the same time. The love for her family, despite everything, radiates off of the page. There are beautiful nods to inner strength, loyalty, and simply attempting to understand the views of others. You'll travel through a goblin market, meet a demon chicken and a cadre of unfriendly ghosts. If you're like me, you'll find yourself utterly enchanted and reading well past your bedtime. Yes, this book is that good.

Easiest five stars I've given to a book in a long time. This was dark fairy tale, fantasy filled, perfection.

Dit verhaal start als een horrorroman en zet daarmee een toon die het eigenlijk niet waarmaakt. Het blijft wel sterke sfeerbeelden oproepen, wat het gehele boek naar een hoger niveau tilt, maar uiteindelijk voelde ik me wat misleid en wou ik dat ik dit leuker vond dan ik deed.

Begrijp me niet verkeerd, ik heb nog steeds genoten van dit boek, maar het had me toch niet zo in de ban als ik had verhoopt.
Ik hield vooral van hoe traditionele sprookjeselementen werden gebruikt en hoe we kennismaakten met veel interessante concepten en nieuwe interpretaties, maar niks werd echt uitgediept, waardoor er veel open vragen blijven. De personages bleven ook net iets te vaag voor mij om me emotioneel betrokken te voelen.
Al met al genoot ik wel van dit verhaal tijdens het lezen, maar vond ik het op het einde toch vooral hart en passie mankeren, waardoor ik uiteindelijk toch wat ontgoocheld was.

Ik heb heel veel moeite gehad met het bepalen van mijn sterrenbeoordeling en schipperde constant tussen een 4 (want de ideeën zijn toch wel geweldig) en een 3 (maar de uiteindelijk uitvoering liet me wat beteuterd achter). Uiteindelijk besloot ik het toch naar beneden te halen naar een 3.

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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.

I don't believe in God but I would believe in any saint of Our Lady of Grackles. A five star rating. Dark themes, but a heck of a lot of humor and found family. I listened to the book and that bummed me out because listening was too slow. Reading would have been faster and I just wanted to know what was happening next.

I particularly liked The Goblin Market, with its wares, payment in days of your life and the value of a nun's tooth. Not to mention that BoneDog can have a playdate at the dog park with my dog!

Pick this book up and make room for this family because you will be wanting to adventure with them again.

Such a refreshing spin on a fairy tale. I've been lucky to find several good ones and this is definitely included in that list.

 This book was an absolute delight.  Not a kissing book, as the romance is quite mild compared to the White Rat books, but that???s a good thing, I think. Romance is a thing, and helps in some very dire, very dark circumstances, but it???s not the point of this book I think, until the very, very end. Bigger fish to fry and all that.  It???s actually quite optimistic overall, even when things get very dark. But it???s a kind of practical optimism, nothing overly bright and shiny in it. It takes the realities of the world, what can and can???t be changed, but shows that the things that can be changed, no matter how small, really do matter, because they can sometimes help move the big, unchangeable things towards something better.  There???s some uncomfortable truths voiced in here too, but it does it in a way that???s??? I don???t want to say gentle, because it???s not, not necessarily, but blunt without being hurtful. 

the right amount of magic, political intrigue, romance & a very deep love for siblings with an odd ball group of characters with deep enriched pasts. easy to say I adored this one. Oh, and I can't forget about the demon chicken, and the other chick Finder, and bonedog. Fantastic!

CW: mentions of cannibalism, pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, death of a child, mention of death by torture, domestic abuse

This is only my second book by the author but once I finished reading Paladin's Grace, I decided not only that I needed to finish that series but also anything the author writes. This one just happened to be her latest and though the premise sounded a bit too creepy for my taste, I just had to give it a try. And wow what a ride this turned out to be.

This fantasy is definitely unlike anything I've ever read and I was definitely expecting something unique from the author, but this was way above my expectations. The author just throws us in the middle of a very creepy situation where we don't know what's happening and then goes back and forth to set the buildup for that creepy beginning. But the best part of the book is that the author manages to drastically change the tone of the narrative from creepy to sad to slice of life to happy to adventurous to high stakes, and it's all done so brilliantly that we never find it difficult to navigate. The writing also has this way of being subtle but packing a punch and all the emotions come out at very unexpected times, so it's a very unpredictable reading experience but that's what makes this so much fun. The pacing is also perfect, taking its time at the smaller moments and moving faster at crucial sequences, making for a very immersive read and the mood as well as setting changes also work perfectly. Another most surprising part are the settings themselves - there is a blighted land, there are cannibals, saints, a goblin market, fair folk, magical godmothers, creepy catacombs - we never get the why of any of them; they all exist and are part of this world and we just get to go along with the author's quirky imagination.

But I also think it's the themes the author incorporates here that makes this such an impactful story. There's a lot of indirect and direct commentary on the status of women in the society, how they are constrained by the roles they have been assigned, and how difficult it is to get out of them. I especially found the implications around how pregnancy and motherhood has a way of constraining women to be very timely, especially because bodily autonomy is on the line in our real world these days. The domestic abuse depicted isn't shown in any graphic detail but the implication of it is very stark in the silences, the helplessness a wife can feel when her husband is an abusive man with lots of power is laid out for us in a way that scares us, and through our main character we realize that the only way out of that helplessness is for someone to decide enough is enough, and do something to help out the victim. Every single character here is in someway feeling constrained by what they think they are allowed to do, and only when they try to help out each other are they able to get out of the rut and find their freedom. Even when the story feels horrific and dark, it's the hope and kindness that keeps us going.

And the embodiment of that kindness first and foremost is our main character Marra. She is the third princess of a small kingdom but politics and diplomacy is not her cup of tea. She finds more fulfillment when she is sent to a nunnery and spends many years there working on her weaving and embroidery, as well as helping women during pregnancy and childbirth. This also gives her a unique perspective on the kinds of issues women face in society, and motivates her to do something about saving her sister from her abusive marriage. I also liked how the religious order she is a part of was very practical about helping out and doing the required things, rather than just preaching faith.

Once she starts on her journey to save her sister, she collects people (and some not people) to help her out and they all become this very quirky found family which is amazing. First is the necromancer dust wife (and she doesn't need another name) who gets exasperated with the conviction of Marra and can't help but go along with her. Following them are a bone dog and a demon possessed chicken and just don't ask me why they are there... you just get attached to them and it's inevitable and there's no need to know what their purpose is. Next we get a warrior called Fenris who is still guilty about his past actions and is happy to have a new purpose in his life. While the dust wife is more on the grumpy side, Fenris is a good man who is very considerate about Marra's boundaries and concerns and they make for a good team. I really liked their low key friendship and it's potential for more. And the final piece of this found family is Agnes, Marra's godmother who always blesses every child with health but is hiding so much more. She is the perfect example of someone saying no to their destiny and choosing decency and I loved her. She definitely adds some cheer to the somber proceedings.

We also have many other side characters who make small appearances but everyone is quite memorable. Marra's mother is a queen and she will do whatever is required to ensure the safety of her people, even if it makes her daughters unhappy and unsafe. Marra's sister Kania has strength of her own, surviving with what means are available to her, waiting for the day she'll get the opportunity to get out of her situation. We also have the Northern Kingdom's very old godmother who has mysterious powers and I really liked the little glimpses we got of her story. All of them together make this story very very uniquely memorable.

In conclusion, this is a book I didn't know I needed, but I'm so glad I picked it up. This is the kind of fantasy I'm excited to explore - subverts tropes and fairytale expectations, is very thematic but in a way that's very organic to the story, a very unlikely cast of characters who will slowly grow on you, a perfect blend of dark and creepy and optimism, and overall a story that sucks you in and never lets you go. I also liked how the stakes weren't world ending but the personal nature of them made us feel more emotional. What I got from it was that we should all try to help someone out in anyway that we can and be kind, and maybe we'll find our own happiness that way. I deeply enjoyed it and this cements my conviction to read more of the author's works soon. And I already feel like I'm gonna have a very tough time coming up with my favorites list at the end of the year, but this will surely be one among them.

Only T. Kingfisher could pull off this unique mix of horror, humor and fairy tale, complete with a possessed chicken and a bone dog. I loved the fact that, although Marra is the POV heroine, the two older women in the story are the ones who Get Things Done, and the “F the Patriarchy” vibes are strong.

Only complaint about the book is that it wasn't longer.

Pros: light romance, fun magic, interesting world

Cons: some readers might be put off that certain matters are skirted over

Marra’s older sister is married to the prince of their larger neighbouring kingdom. After a death and some unpleasant revelations, Marra is determined to save her sister, like a hero in the stories she read as a child. But how does one become a hero, and how do you kill a prince?

The opening of this book grabbed me by the throat and immediately pulled me into its world. Though the plot has some unpleasant elements the book on the whole is surprisingly upbeat. I loved the subtle humour, especially when the romance thread entered.

Marra doesn’t do politics well, which is a problem for a princess. It was nice seeing her build a group of friends who helped with her quest. They’re a quirky bunch and a lot of fun to read about. I loved Kingfisher’s take on the godmother mythos.

The magic is never explained and appears in various guises. There’s a goblin market, a woman who can talk to the dead, and Marra is able to complete two impossible fairytale quests.

I needed a lighthearted read so I appreciated that the book glossed over the disturbing elements of child death and physical abuse. Some readers might be put off the fact that the author doesn’t show the full fallout of these impactful events. I had the impression Marra was supposed to be neurodivergent, and so she doesn’t pick up on things the way others do. As the point of view character, this colours how the reader sees the world as well.

I found the story quick moving and compelling. This is an uplifting book with an excellent wrap-up that leaves you feeling content with the world.

4.5 stars.

Oh, how I loved this book! It's out of my comfort zone, I'm not usually a fantasy reader, preferring dark and creepy thrillers and ghost stories to other worlds and fairy folk. But I was reading The Twisted Ones by T.Kingfisher, and loving it (and laughing out loud) when I saw this pop up on Netgalley (thank you kindly).

It tells the story of a princess who has to undertake three impossible tasks to win the help of a “dust-wife” (a witch who can speak with the dead) in order to kill a prince. Along the way she meets a cast of loveable, flawed characters as they embark on their quest.

It's a fairytale at heart, but also a tale of found family, sisterhood and determination. Highly recommend.

I was torn between 3 and 4 stars but the author note at the end pushed it down. At 240 pages, this is a rather thin fantasy, literally and figuratively. At times it was quite clever and interesting but the characters are flat and the plot is predictable so I never felt drawn into the story.Thank you to Tor Publishing who kindly sent me a free ARC for review.Generally, I'm a fan of authors appending information for the edification of readers (and in the case of historical fiction, I consider it de rigeur) but sharing that the plot was dreamed up in the grocery store should be saved for interviews as it smacks of unnecessary vanity.