This was a really good time. I loved reading fairy-tales as a kid, and listening to this felt sort of like the adult version of my experience with that. We've all read "adult versions" of fairy-tales before where the author just makes things really dark or really sexual or both and then calls it a day, but T. Kingfisher's adult fairy-tales take a more clever approach. It felt really fresh and interesting, and Toadling (a human stolen from her parents at birth and raised by fairies) as a character was so lovable, I just wanted to hug her. The way this plays with the Sleeping Beauty story was very pleasing, and even though I was worried about the ending, I shouldn't have been because she pulled it off beautifully.

I did the audio version, and while I thought it was perfectly fine, the narrator's voice didn't aid the story in my opinion; in fact it flattened out some things I think I would have laughed at had I read the book with my eyeballs. She was just way too serious of a narrator for Kingfisher's voice.

Kingfisher is probably favorite fantasy writer for tackling retellings. I'm just grateful that she's writing non-horror for Macmillan because I cannot stomach the gruesome books. Read via audio (narrated by Jennifer Blom).

Disclaimer: I received a free audiobook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. (less)

This read like an old Fable. I liked it a lot. The audio was really well done. Didn’t take to long to read so it’s a nice little fun story.

Immediately went from A House with Good Bones to Thornhedge. This novella is a sleeping beauty retelling from the point of view of a fairy, who is maybe the fairy godmother? The world building is pretty good (though I didn’t love the real history worked in). I liked the main character and the knight but I found it dragged a little between the flashbacks. Big recommend to fantasy fans.

3 stars

I enjoyed this novella which is a twist on Sleeping Beauty. The setting and characters are great. It did feel a bit short & quickly resolved, but I tend to feel that way with novella s generally.

[What I liked:]

•Toadling is a great MC. She’s not daring in the obvious ways, but it was great to see her come into her own & display her courage.

•The setting is very well written. I could picture both the tower & the Fairy Land swamp clearly, & when Toadling turns into a toad I could experience the same environs in a different way through her amphibian senses. This part of the story is very well done.

•The knight, the other MC, seems like a nice dude. I liked that he & Toadling get a happy ending but she also gets to see her family again.


[What I didn’t like as much:]

•Defeating the villain felt kinda…too simple? And I know it took the MC some major character growth to even face the problem head on, but the defeat was also partially accidental which made the ending feel a bit anticlimactic I guess.

CW: murder, kidnapping, physical violence

[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]

T Kingfisher never misses. Always an insta buy author for me. This is not your typical fairytale and was the perfect novella length to devour in one sitting. 5 stars i loved it with my whole heart!

Thornhedge is a classic fairytale with a modern outlook. The foundation here is simple: monster guards beautiful princess trapped in tower, knight comes to save her. Except no one is exactly who you expect them to be. Kingfisher subverts typical archetypes like the beautiful maiden and gallant hero. The "monster" is kind, was actually born human, and is just trying her best. The princess is a terrifying force and a changling. And the knight is sweet, averse to violence, and a little wayward. These modern adaptations are refreshing and most wonderfully, do not get in the way of the classical feel of this tale at all. A vein of casual cruelty runs throughout, as in all great fairy stories. This was a delight.

I jumped in not knowing anything about this novella & I wasn’t disappointed.

Sleeping Beauty … a dark retelling.

Auto buy author.

This story is told from the POV of Toadling, the fairy who put the princess to sleep. Toadling is such a love & the sweet knight that comes to reverse the curse is her perfect hero.

Fantastic ending!

Thank you NetGalley & McMillan Audio!! I imagine an illustrated hardcover filled with these short stories that I could page through as I listen. Great narrator.

Kingfisher knows how to write a story.

I really enjoyed my time reading Thornhedge, I enjoyed the world and the characters. The reason why this one wasn’t a higher rating for me was just because I wasn’t able to connect with any of the characters.

I thought this book was great, such a well written retelling so much so that my mind was constantly engaged with the story. I am not typically person that like novella's and I always feel left wanting more, but Kingfisher wrote this in such a way that the fact it was a novella flew out the window.

Toadling was tasked with such a burden, to supply the king/queen a blessing on their newborn. And not just any newborn, this newborn is a changling. This came at great cost to Toadling, but she never once waived on your responsibilities. I know that when I hear the words Sleeping Beauty I will always think of T Kingfisher's version of the story and wonder if this is in fact my favorite version.

This version does not disappoint.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Books for an e-Arc of this book.

Any time I am approved for a T. Kingfisher ARC I drop everything else I am reading to pick it up and that did not change with Thornhedge. I squealed when I got the email and then downloaded it immediately. There is something special about T. Kingfisher and it is something I have not found from any other author. I find such joy in her work, even though they often have darkness to them. Thornhedge was everything I love about T. Kingfisher and I will forever be in awe of her ability to find the balance between light and dark. I have loved her fantasy, her romance, and her horror, but I have a special place in my heart for fairytale retellings. There are quite a few Sleeping Beauty retellings out there (many of which I love!) but Thornhedge is a fresh take and one I will be recommending over and over again. I cannot wait for whatever she writes next!

I received this as an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

T. Kingfisher has become an auto-buy author for me. Their prose is just so stunning & creative!

This was a pleasant retelling of Sleeping Beauty. I absolutely loved the lore of changelings, and the fae alike. Halim's character was so lovely, and such a cinnamon roll.

This was a small cast, but I think that's what this story needed.

In some ways, I appreciated this twist on the well-known story. I guess I just wanted more, or maybe less talking? I'm not sure. I haven't even fully settled on a rating. It's somewhere between a 2 and 3 ⭐️.

The main character was likable, but it was too much explaining for me and not enough action. I do enjoy T. Kingfisher's work in general and will still read her other work.

Thornhedge is a lyrical, brilliant Sleeping Beauty retelling about what would happen if the princess was not supposed to wake up.

Toadling is a human stolen from the human realms. Raised by Fae creatures, she is loved and happy in the Fae realm. Because of the strange passing of time, she is one day asked to go back to the human realm and bestow a gift upon the changeling child who replaced her. But all does not go as planned and hundreds of years later, she accompanies a knight, Halim, to the tower in hopes of steering him away.

T Kingfisher’s writing is as beautiful as always, and the relationship between Toadling and Halim develops organically, despite the book’s short length. The found family between Toadling and her Fae family is beautiful and heartwarming. Meanwhile, the slow unraveling of what happened at the tower and why Toadling wants to keep everyone away keeps the reader intrigued. The audiobook is wonderfully narrated and pleasant to listen to. Would definitely recommend this for fans of T Kingfisher’s dark fairytales.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Pub Date: August 15, 2023

This was my first T. Kingfisher read and it certainly won't be the last! Though this was a short story it really didn't lack anything as far as detail or getting to know the characters went. I loved the different ideas and concepts woven into this fairytale retelling, it was so unique.

The narrator did a really great job of letting the writing tell the story. She had different voices for different characters and had tone, tension, and pace down really well but also didn't over-do it to the point where you were focused on her voice, you really heard the story. That is a tough balance to find and I thought she did an excellent job.

I do love the way T. Kingfisher tells a story! This spin on the Briar Rose/ Sleeping Beauty mythology is original and wholly engaging while still feeling true to the feel of the traditional fairy tale - both in ethos and pathos. I love her characterizations, and the audio format was magnificent and I truly loved the way the narrator captured the complex layers underpinning the story, as well as the unique voices - literally and figuratively - of the characters.

Thank you to Tor and Netgalley for an advanced copy for review.
I would recommend this title to readers that prefer Grimm over Disney. I hope the author continues to publish more retellings in the future.

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher is a creative and unique take on Sleeping Beauty. I loved this endearing and magical novella.
Toadling was taken from the human world and brought up by fairies. Toadling must give a blessing to a newborn girl, but when it goes wrong, she must stay in a thorny tower and protect the girl. Hundreds of years later, a knight appears and changes everything, but not how you think…
This fairytale was fun to read, and I would definitely recommend.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a delightful spin on a classic fairytale setting. I love T. Kingfisher’s writing style and this book was no exception. The story being told in multiple timelines made this story feel mysterious and kept you engaged until the very end. Even though this book is short, world building still feels expansive and thorough. I am a lover of long fantasy books with lots of world building but Kingfisher's worlds come to life so easily without the extensive page count. This story gives us a reimagining of the "maiden in the tower" trope and I liked the characters that were created by reimagining this; Sometimes the fair maiden is in the tower for a reason and sometimes the faeries are good. I love that more books are bringing back the folklore version of the fae, and this is a great addition to that canon. The magical element being words and their multiple meanings was also a fun element for me. I love dissecting stories that revolve around turns of phrase. The narrator for this was also great. She was easy to understand and gave life to the main character. I loved this book and I think the audio version is spectacular!

Another T Kingfisher book that I’m sure so many people are excited about. This is a novella centered on the story of sleeping beauty but turned inside out. Instead of following Aurora, we are following the faerie who curses her and is actually protecting the world from the horror that whatever sleeping beauty is and has been guarding the tower all alone for hundreds of years. It’s a story that questions who the monster actually is. It's dark and gorgeous but also warm and fuzzy because there's a knight who is very wholesome and sweet. A fantastic read.