I absolutely adored Kingfisher's newest fantasy novel, a dark and disturbing retelling of one of my favorite fairy tales, The Goose Girl. This book does not shy away from exploring horrific parental abuse, so be aware of that going in. Cordelia, trapped in a miserable, lonely life by her sorceress mother, is a thoughtful and engaging heroine I was rooting for from page one. The story alternates between Cordelia's POV and that of Hester, the fifty-something sister of the wealthy man Cordelia's mother has set her sights on. Hester is a fantastic character as well, and I loved how she took Cordelia under her wing as the two teamed up with a few other people to try to break Cordelia's mother's powerful magic. I'm going to have to read all of Kingfisher's backlist, as not one of her books has been a disappointment for me. Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group | Tor Books for a digital review copy.

How I love retellings like this one! I loved everyone of the characters and the story was amazing. So easy to read, catching, sweet and magical. Kingfisher's writing is marvelous and so beautiful, I'll definitely read more of her books.

Thank you TOR and NetGalley for the ARC!

I picked this book for my bookstore's book club before reading it. A gamble I know... but one that paid off. The book has the perfect blend of suspense, mild horror, fantasy, and mythical elements to it. Absolutely fantastic!

T Kingfisher + retellings and I am sold! This was a bit dark, a whole lot of eerie, but absolutely fantastic.

T. Kingfisher has a gift. I love how she takes elements from folklore and fairy tales and makes them fully realized settings for her characters to inhabit. Where a stock character from an old story has to follow unspoken rules or fulfill predestined roles, Kingfisher’s characters have opportunities to resist and rewrite their stories. A Sorceress Comes to Call, Kingfisher’s latest, delivers a story of a wicked mother and a sheltered daughter à la Rapunzel but adds a clear-sighted and stubborn middle-aged heroine, angry geese, and a terrifying demon horse. Readers, I inhaled this book in a single day.

Cordelia lives in fear of her manipulative mother. Her mother, Evangeline, has the power to render Cordelia completely helpless and under her control. The young girl is so isolated that she has few friends and few opportunities to escape her mother’s reach. When Evangeline runs through all of the wealthy men in their village, she packs Cordelia up and heads for a bigger city where she has an even bigger fish on the hook. It’s only later that Cordelia learns that the carriage Evangeline uses was stolen from her last benefactor after using her magic to make the man commit a horrific crime to cover her departure.

Hester, the sister of Evangeline’s next target, Henry, takes turns with Cordelia to tell the story of what happens when Evangeline comes to call at Henry’s well-appointed home. Being much savvier than Henry, Hester spots what Evangeline is up to immediately—though she has no idea, at first, that she’s dealing with someone a lot more dangerous than the usual fortune hunter. Hester is an absolutely delightful character; she has the knack for using the way people underestimate her because of her age, gender, and bum knee to get what she wants.

The tension in A Sorceress Comes to Call ratchets up as the terrifyingly powerful Evangeline schemes to capture Henry and eliminate any potential rival. And because Kingfisher isn’t playing entirely by fairy tale rules, I frequently wondered if it would be possible for our heroes to defeat the sorceress unscathed. This book is definitely one that you’ll want to read when you have a clear schedule.

A Sorceress Comes to Call is beautifully written, with vivid imagery and prose. I loved the writing style. It is a dark retelling of a the Goose Girl from Grimm’s Fairy Tales. This is a good choice for readers of tense, dark Gothic fantasy. Check trigger warnings and be aware this is a very dark story.

T. Kingfisher is rapidly becoming a must read author for me. Despite the gut-wrenching abuse and manipulation suffered by the protagonist, the author’s signature wit, character work, and atmosphere made this book read almost like a cozy-horror. The concept for the story felt fresh and unique, and the writing made it very hard to put down. I loved the characters, their relationships, and felt very satisfied at the conclusion of the novel. The only thing keeping this from five stars for me is the loose magic system. I prefer more rigid rules for magic, but the way it was done in this book did lean into the fairy tale vibe nicely.

Thank you to the author, Tor Books, and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I started this book a couple of times before it really grabbed me. I don't remember what caused my hesitation because it was completely blotted out by the way I tore through this book once it did engage me. I was not at all familiar with the goose girl fairytale so I stopped to look it up about halfway through and from what I could tell, this is not a retelling so much as "inspired by". Evidently the character of the horse is taken from the original fairytale, there are other details that overlap, but this is most definitely an original plot! I really enjoyed the way everything unfolded. This is my first Kingfisher book but it will not be my last. I also encourage everyone to read the entirety of her acknowledgments because they are funny as hell.

I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for access to a digital ARC. My honest review is my own opinion.

I was so lucky to be given the chance to both listen and read the new Kingfisher book! This was a charming edition to previous fairy tales such as Nettle and Bone or What Feasts at night. I do miss her more gruesome and spooky novels, but these are just sweet and magical.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

A Sorceress Comes to Call is the first book I’ve read by T. Kingfisher. It, however, will not be the last. While I’m still unsure how I completely feel about the book, I know that I devoured it in a couple of days.

So I did enjoy it!

There is a LOT of nightmare fodder in here (!) (mostly stemming from a particular horse that will not be named) and the abuse was sometimes difficult to read.It reminded me strongly of Gallant by V.E.Schwab, but perhaps that is because it’s about a young girl who eventually discovers her own powers/voice/will/etc. However, it’s always satisfying to watch a mostly meek or downtrodden character find a way to escape their oppressor/oppression.

A Sorceress Comes to Call is a retelling of Goose Girl, a Brothers Grimm story. If you enjoy retellings and unique/spooky stories, this one may be worth checking out!

I appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC. I'm basing this review off of the plot description.

This is the first T. Kingfisher book I have read, and I really enjoyed it. I read the book and listened to the audio when I wasn't able to read. I found listening to the audio more enjoyable than the book.

Cordelia is a 14 year girl who is terrified of her own mother. She has a good reason for that fear. Her mother can force her to be obedient, and do things against her will. Hester is an older woman, in her 50s, who wakes up one night with a terrible sense of doom. After a suspicious death, Cordelia and her mother flea under the cover the darkness. Luckily for them, a wealthy man and his sister (Hester) take them in. That sense of Doom has come right into Hester's home. Hester must rely on her friends and wit to save her brother and Cordelia from the evil sorcerer.

This book will not keep you on the edge of your seat with action, but there are loveable characters, humor, and some darkness thrown in the book. Because it is a tad bit slower than what I normally read, the audiobook added to my enjoyment of the story. The narrators did a wonderful job.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for providing me with a digital ARC for me to review!

T. Kingfisher is such a talented author, creating immersive worlds within her books. I appreciated the introduction to sorcery and the magic system within this book, but I would have loved to see more world-building. The myopic perspective of Cordelia makes sense for the storytelling, but I feel, as a reader, I am missing out on so much of the magic in the world. The setting has very similar vibes to her other books Nettle and Bone and Thornhedge, where they feel more like a dark but cozy fantasy.

I liked the large cast of quirky and unique characters! You love to hate Cordelia’s mother and her mysterious white horse, Falada. But I also enjoyed Hester’s cleverness. I feel like the story does spend a lot of time developing the characters without furthering the plot, which makes it seem longer without any actions taken. This put me into a reading slump and made me take longer to finish it. Unlike other T. Kingfisher retellings, I have not read the original story this is based on.

If you like spooky but cozy fantasies with horror elements and quirky characters in a character-driven story, then A Sorceress Comes to Call comes out August 6th!

Wow! I can't tell you how much I loved this book. I'm such a fan of T. Kingfisher, but this one tops the cake. It's dark, imaginative, eerie, quirky and unique... everything that I love about T. Kingfisher, but more. There's added humor and I felt like I was there with our characters as they tried to stop the evil-evil, horrid Evangeline.

Fourteen-year-old Cordelia is trapped and controlled by her mother, Evangeline. Or more like what Cordelia calls "made obedient ". She is so afraid of making her mother unhappy and she doesn't know anything aside from what her mother tells her. Poor Cordelia doesn't have any real friends except a horse named Falada. One day something suspicious happens, and Cordelia begins to realize that she must get away from her mother, and that her mother can be much worse than she thinks.

In an attempt to "have a better life", Evangeline tries to snag the attention of The Squire and marry him. But unbeknownst to Evangeline, Hester, The Squire's sister, is aware that something is just not right with Evangeline.

I could not stop turning the pages. The more I read, the more and more I hated that horrid Evangeline and her treatment of the people that were in her way, especially how she treats Cordelia. I loved all the characters, especially our side characters. The twists kept coming and that ending was awesome. I wish I could go onto more detail, but you'll have to read the book to see how the story unfolds. So good!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and TOR Publishing for the eARC. A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher is to be released on August 6, 2024.

I had so much fun with this one, definitely one of the best I’ve read from this author. I was a little apprehensive since it was a goose girl retelling, but really it’s a *very* loose adaptation, more of a wink and a nod to the original than anything else.

What I loved:
- the sorceress of the title, Cordelia’s mother, is so creepy and such a good villain to hate (I shivered when I first realized what “being made obedient” meant)
- the rest of the characters are so lovable, from Cordelia who really needs a big hug and a large bowl of soup, to Hester and her friends, who went from just trying to deal with growing older and now have to contend with this evil sorceress.
- Hester in particular is such a great character - unmarried, practical, and a dedicated goose breeder; the wrong side of 50 and feeling it but not but learning to accept it
- Falada, but not for the my usual horse girl reasons

What I didn’t love:
- the pacing. While I was hooked with the first 20%, the plot dragged a bit in the middle.

Overall, highly recommend for anyone who likes their fantasy with a liberal dose of creepiness, or wants to see older characters featured center stage for a change.

Fourteen-year-old Cordelia is in an impossible situation: her awful, abusive narcissist mother, Evangeline, is also a powerful sorceress with the power to take over people's bodies and make them “obedient.” Evangeline often makes Cordelia “obedient” as punishment for any kind of wrongdoing, real or perceived. Every aspect of Cordelia’s life is controlled by her mother - she’s not allowed to have any friends and isn’t even allowed to close her bedroom door. Her only friend is her mother’s beautiful white horse, Falada.

After being dumped by her latest male “benefactor”, Evangeline completely uproots herself, Cordelia and Falada to the remote manor house of Evangeline’s latest target: Samuel, a wealthy squire. Samuel’s clever sister, Hester, sees right through Evangeline’s plan, but there isn’t much she, an older spinster with a bad knee, can do to stop it. But Hester knows there’s something more to Evangeline than the average fortune hunter - she can see it in the way Cordelia is so obviously terrified of her own mother. Meanwhile, Cordelia is wracked with guilt - she knows her mother’s plans for Samuel and Hester, who have shown her nothing but kindness. But how do you stop a woman with the power to control others?

I loved this book so much. Once I started, I literally could not stop reading - it’s one of those books where you ignore your bedtime in favor of just one more chapter. It seamlessly combines elements of Jane Austen, witchcraft and Eldritch horror - T. Kingfisher knows how to describe a monster, both human and demon. The way she writes from the perspective of Cordelia, a terrified fourteen-year-old and Hester, a fifty-something woman who projects confidence while keeping any weakness very close to her chest is just masterful. Do yourself a favor and read A Sorceress Comes to Call.

500,000/5 stars, highly recommend, please don’t skip this one! The audiobook is pretty great, too.

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher is a dark and mesmerizing retelling of the Brothers Grimm's Goose Girl, imbued with secrets, murder, and forbidden magic. Kingfisher skillfully weaves an old tale with a fresh and compelling narrative.

The story centers around Cordelia, a fourteen-year-old girl who lives under the oppressive rule of her sorceress mother. Their home is devoid of doors, symbolizing the lack of boundaries and freedom in Cordelia's life. Her only solace comes from her daily rides with Falada, her mother’s beautiful white horse, who serves as her confidant and companion in an otherwise lonely existence. Cordelia’s mother is not only eccentric but also dangerously controlling, forcing her daughter into obedience for long periods of time.

The plot takes a dramatic turn after a suspicious death in their small town forces Cordelia and her mother, Evangeline, to flee in the dead of night. They arrive at the remote manor of the Squire and his unwed sister, Hester. Cordelia’s mother schemes to marry the Squire, but Cordelia knows this can only spell trouble for the kind-hearted gentleman and his intelligent sister. Hester notices Cordelia's fear and stillness and the doom that surrounds her mother. Determined to save her brother and rescue Cordelia, Hester must find a way to confront the formidable sorceress.

Kingfisher's prose captures the eerie atmosphere of Cordelia’s life and the tension that builds as the story unfolds. The characters are richly drawn, with Cordelia's quiet strength and Hester's bravery standing out as beacons of hope against the darkness of the sorcery. The narrative seamlessly blends elements of magic and realism, creating an enchanting and chilling story.

While the connection to the original Goose Girl tale may not be immediately apparent to all readers, Kingfisher's retelling stands strong on its own merits. The themes of control, freedom, and the power dynamics within relationships are explored with depth and sensitivity, adding layers of meaning to the story.

Whether or not you are familiar with the Brothers Grimm’s Goose Girl, this novel offers a fresh and engaging take on the classic fairy tale, making it a must-read for lovers of magical retellings with a somewhat YA vibe.

T. Kingfisher can do no wrong! This book was perfection and I enjoyed every second of it! T. Kingfisher really has a way to make you connect to her characters and feel all emotions they are feeling. I could feel Cordelia's anxiety and pain every time she had to be near her mother. This made me so invested in the book and made it impossible to put down.

Cute magical story with an enchanting cast of characters. It wasn’t a high stakes epic fantasy, but it wasn’t quite enough to be a cozy fantasy either. A good mix of both. I would love to read a sequel.

T. Kingfisher's horror books are favorites of mine. Almost all of her work is a blend of genres, A Sorceress Comes to Call was mostly pure fantasy all the way up to the last glorious chapter. This book is a character study on maternal abuse victims. I felt like it went on too long. By the half-way point I wanted to say, "okay already we get it, she's evil." Evangeline, our main character, is the perfect villainess twisting everyone to her own will including her own daughter. I usually like anything to do with magic and witches, so I still enjoyed it but this was probably my least favorite of Kingfisher's books.

I wish the whole book had been more like the last chapter. I just have a preference for darkness and horror but the prose here was beautifully written. It reminded me of the Grimm Fairytale story 'The Goose Girl' which it was meant to emulate, so I count that as a success. My mother read me that story as a child so reading the retelling was nostalgic.

"Let he who invokes the reagent be he who is best suited to the task, water to water, wine to wine, salt to salt. Let him reflect on the reagent that is his: the salt that comes of earth, the water that is borne on the swift stream, and the wine that is made of growing grapes and the art of man. For salt bars the entry of the shadowed ones; water fills the space it is given and washes away that which is impure; and wine binds the space between the seen and unseen, even as it binds the bargains struck between men.”