A very creative new spin on an old Brothers Grimm tale, The Goose Girl. I enjoyed how this story diverged from more classic retellings, eschewing the prince and the handmaiden altogether, while still keeping classic characters (the geese and Falada) and themes (the mother-daughter relationship). This book was built on the banter of its characters and I loved each and every one of them. This was my first book by T. Kingfisher, but it certainly won’t be my last. Perfect for fans of dark fairytales!

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

T Kingfisher always serves the tea AND biscuits. I swear I am never disappointed!

"A Sorceress Comes to Call" has Downton Abbey vibes and pacing... but throw a dark fairytale twist on it and wrap it up in T Kingfishers' immaculate prose.
[If you like any combination of those three things, you will love this book.]

Cordelia's mother possesses a dark power, one she recklessly unleashes on all who cross her path, including her own daughter. When Cordelia and her mother call upon the home of a wealthy squire, Cordelia is thrust into a world of unexpected family and forced to make life-altering choices.

As per typical T Kingfisher, she has found a creative way to take a "told" tale and make it brand new!

I highly recommend it! Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group, I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review- but I will still be preordering my own hard copy. So. I mean what I say when I say I recommend it... girl.

Delightful classic T Kingfisher wit and humor with a wonderful, slightly dark, fairy tale retelling flavor.

Thank you Tor Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC!

A dark and twisted retelling of the Grimm fairytale “The Goose Girl”. Loosely set in the regency era, a vicious, controlling mother sets her sights on marrying a man referred to as “The Squire” and marrying her young daughter off to any rich man that comes along. The mother is a cunning social climber and, unbeknownst to her victims, a powerful sorceress determined to get what she wants no matter the consequences. The daughter, innocent to her mother’s schemes, must find a way to protect her friends from her mother’s wrath.

From the beginning the book is gripping and T. Kingfisher’s excellent writing shines through. The way the characters are written and the world is built is masterful given this book is only about 330 pages. Throughout the book, I could feel the visceral terror of the main character, and the love that grows for her friends. The mother followed the “evil fairytale mother” trope in a way that felt different from most as it seemed more true to how a selfish sorceress would act in a regency era novel. Just like other novels from Kingfisher, the creepy horror elements were almost drowned out by the incredibly cozy found family trope, which I absolutely love. There was even a small shoutout to Nettle and Bone (one of my favorite books of all time btw) when the main character is doing research and rattles off “common fairy tale tropes” mentioning dogs made completely of bone.

While this novel holds true to T. Kingfisher’s signature style, this is their first attempt at writing a regency style novel and it shows. The book was quite a bit slower than their other works allowing the scheming and intrigue to take up the bulk of the story. I was surprised when the truly creepy horror elements didn’t rear their heads (pun intended) until around the last 50 pages of the book. That aside, it seemed intentional and when the story finally hit its climax, the slower build up was absolutely worth it. I would undoubtedly recommend this book to anyone who already loves T. Kingfisher’s writing and those who love a dark fairytale retelling!

I went into this book fairly blind, requesting it because I've loved everything else by T.; Kingfisher that I've read and this book was no exception.
A retelling of the Grims fairytale The Goose Girl this story had me hooked from the beginning.
A Sorceress Comes To Call is the story of a young girl who, for her whole life, has been controlled (quite literally) by her mother who after a terrible tragedy in the town she lives in goes (along with her mother) to live with a man her mother hopes to marry and his sister.
Filled with secrets and magic and twists this story reads with the grace of a classic..
For a more in depth review you can check out my spoiler free youtube video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYavEIktquw&t=247s

it is time for me to say "lower your standard", I am sorry, this is just not for me :(

Anyway, thanks to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group and T Kingfisher for making this e-ARC available to read without requesting it first

I received this DRC from NetGalley.

This was a fun story. There were parts that felt a bit predictable, and also more YA than adult, but overall was still entertaining. I liked the old ladies and their attitudes towards life. Maybe part of my enjoyment of the story came from me being able to relate to them. Sitting around playing cards, embroidering, and gossiping sounds like a good time to me. I thought it was funny that Hester refers to Evangeline only as Doom; that's definitely something I would do, too. Not all of the questions brought up were answered by the end, but that wasn't a big deal since it was a quick read.

I am a little bit obsessed with this book! I found it hard to put down and even dreamed about it last night, which was scary! I loved the time period this was set. Magic was perfect for this era. I also loved all of the characters. I love a book based on how much I care about (or hate) the characters and I felt strongly about all of them. I’m impressed by this, as I can’t remember the last book that had me so intrigued by every character’s chapter equally. Even the old man who ran the stable (the one who had to hold Falada) was someone I was invested in because the lord had such faith in him and what he was capable of. I might need a horse spin-off story about him!
I will definitely be purchasing it for my high school library. It has aspects that will appeal to so many different readers-historical fiction, horror, fantasy, magic, and’ even a little romance. I can see myself recommending it to both girls and boys so that is a bonus for me as well. I’ve read What Moves the Dead and I enjoyed it but I really loved this story.

"A Sorceress Comes to Call" is a reimagining of the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale The Goose Girl as only T. Kingfisher can write it!

The story opens with teenage Cordelia frozen in church unable to do something as simple as itch the end of her nose. Afterwards, we realize that she is under the thumb of an overly controlling, abusive mother, Evangeline, who is also a sorceress. Cordelia’s only comfort and source of escape are her rides on her mother’s magnificent horse Falada. However, things go horribly wrong when her mother’s current benefactor casts her aside and she is forced to search for another rich man to help support them. Evangeline soon sets her sights on the wealthy Squire a few towns over. From there we meet Hester, the Squire's sister and a middle-aged spinster with the gift of presentiment. Hester is awoken in the middle of the night by a sense of impending doom. This doom soon arrives on her and her wealthy brother’s doorstep in the form of Evangeline and her daughter Cordelia. From there the story unfolds with Hester and Cordelia desperately trying to stop Evangeline from ensnaring Hester’s brother and harming the friends and people of the Squire’s household, including the Squire himself.

I have long been a fan of T. Kingfisher’s fantasies and her latest one did not disappoint. I was immediately sympathetic to Cordelia’s plight when I realized her mother could use her magic to make Cordelia “obedient.” In other words, she can take over Cordelia, literally making Cordelia her puppet. Not only that but we learn that Evangeline can do the same to others without magic, allowing her make them do whatever she wants. It is a terrifying prospect for everyone good in the story as well as being a horrifying form of abuse for Cordelia. Then later, after Hester is introduced, I realized she is the goose girl in this story. Hester used to breed and raise geese, making her a middle-aged goose girl, in fact. I loved that interesting character twist from the original fairy tale!

Kingfisher does not pull any punches with this dark fantasy, either. Along the way, we meet side characters who are wonderfully developed, lovely people, but who are not able to be kept safe from Evangeline if she feels they are standing in the way of what she wants. I also liked the interesting way Kingfisher changes the narrative for the horse Falada. Anyone who is familiar with the fairy tale knows that the goose girl has a horse that is her saving grace throughout the story, even after said horse is killed by the girl’s evil rival. However, I have always found that part of the fairy tale to be simultaneously heartbreaking and creepy. Heartbreaking because in the original tale Falada is a good character and a loyal and loving friend. Creepy, because after he is killed, the horse in the original tale goes on to help the girl by speaking to her, offering her advice. In "A Sorceress Comes to Call," Falada is not the loving, loyal creature he is in the original fairy tale. Instead, he is something much, much darker. So, I wasn’t sad to see him cut down. But the way Kingfisher still has Falada help his mistress is no less creepy or gross.

I give this novel 5 out of 5 stars. It was well-paced, a wonderfully inventive take on the original "Goose Girl" by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, and keeps you guessing how the heroines will not only win but survive at the end. If you love works such as "Uprooted" and "Spinning Silver" by Naomi Novik or "The Bear and the Nightingale" series by Katherine Arden, and you enjoy strong female character leads, then you will love this book. However, I will say that if you are looking for a fantasy with a strong romance thread, this may not be that book. There is some element of romance for Hester in the novel, but it is not the focus of the story. It is an action-packed fantasy adventure, though, and I am very grateful to both NetGalley and Tor books for giving me an eARC of it to read in exchange for this honest review.

I had high hopes for this but I felt super disappointed ☹️ the writing felt really different than her other books and I just couldn’t vibe with it

This book feels like a fairytale mixed with aspects of a thriller, which was such a fun combination.

Cordelia is a rather meek main character, which makes sense with the way she has been raised. Her mild personality really gives the side characters a chance to shine and have their moment. It's not frequently that the spinster gets to steal the spotlight, but Hester certainly does. She was definitely my favorite character and I was rooting for her, her gaggle of guard geese, and her almost relationship with Lord Evermore.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I absolutely hated Cordelia's mother, Evangeline. She was evil incarnate and she and her familiar (whose identity broke my heart when I learned of the deception) were the perfect villains of this story.

This book has paranormal elements mixed with a bit of whimsy, which lends some light to the darker moments of the story while still remaining serious. Making geese seem fearsome is quite an accomplishment in itself, but it's something T. Kingfisher manages with ease!

If you're a fan of dark fairytales, I definitely recommend picking this up when it's released later this summer!

Thanks NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the eARC for review.

Actual Rating 2.5

Cordelia knows her mother isn’t like other mothers, and it goes beyond the lack of doors in their house. Living an isolated life, Cordelia’s only friend is Falada, her mother’s horse. But when her mother decides it’s time for some changes, they leave town in the middle of the night to arrive at the country manor of a wealthy older man. It isn’t long before Cordelia sees that her mother has set her sights on marrying this man, and is willing to go to any lengths to have her way.

This story is told from a dual POV. This worked quite well as the two characters offered different details on the events that happened, creating a good balance. But the pacing of this one felt quite uneven. It started off strongly and I was certain this book was going to be one of the best I’d read in a while, but then there are pages and pages of repetitive scenes in slightly different settings (e.g., characters plotting the same thing in different settings). I think this book would have benefited from being more of a novella than a full-length novel.

There’s almost no worldbuilding in this book. There’s magic, sorcerers, and a traditional fantasy vibe but then also things like Catholicism. In most cases this would be a massive negative for me, but there were enough good aspects of this work that it was only a minor dislike. One thing that helped to balance it was the characters. I enjoyed the voices of the two protagonists, and though Cordelia was painfully passive for most of the book, there was good reason for it. I also do like the author’s writing style and it helps the pages mostly fly by.

This was a decent one that was apparently a retelling of the fairytale “The Goose Girl.” While I’m no fairytale expert, I’m somewhat familiar with that one and didn’t think there were enough similarities aside from some cosmetic details to call this a retelling. If you’re a diehard Kingfisher fan or like rambling fantasies with minimal worldbuilding, you’ll probably love this one. I listened to the audiobook version, and the two narrators did an excellent job bringing the characters to life. My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this work, which will be published August 6, 2024. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Ok, so I am a HUGE T. Kingfisher fan. Like, the biggest, so I was absolutely THRILLED when I was given a chance to read her newest book as an advanced copy. Kingfisher is the absolute GOAT when it comes to subversive fairytale retellings, and A Sorceress Comes to Call is no exception. The story follows a girl who has been cursed to be obedient to her mother. The girl has some neuro-spicy traits that makes her day-to-day difficult already, forget the fact that her mother is an evil sorceress who's commitment to her hustle makes it especially unpredictable and difficult for our protagonist. Eventually she makes a handful of friends who not only have her back, but meet her where she's at emotionally and help her save the day. Every single thing Kingfisher puts together is startlingly brilliant. While you can identify what existing fairytale she's working with, you can never imagine what direction things will go. 11/10 no notes.

Loved this retelling of The Goose Girl--it really is its own story, with just a few elements from the original fairytale that give it a bit of shape. Frankly, I much prefer this version! It's an interesting look at mother/daughter relationships, women at different ages, and at found family. Kingfisher always does found family so well, and this story is no exception. Really enjoyed it, and I so love how the ending came together.

First, I know literally nothing about the Mother goose tale, so this rating has nothing to do with how true to the tale the book is. Second, this was sosososoo good. It was dark without being gratuitous. Might be one of my reads of the year.

Book: A Sorceress Comes to Call
Author: T. Kingfisher
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Tor Books, for sending me an ARC. This is my second book by this author. I love her writing style and how she creates/recreates these worlds that transport you into the world of the characters and make you feel like you are a part of it.

In this one, we follow Cordelia, who lives a very sheltered life with her mother. However, she knows enough to know that the way she and her mother live is not normal. There are no doors in their house and she isn’t allowed to have friends. When she doesn’t do what her mother wants her to do, her mother finds a way to make her do it. She is a walking shell without emotion and life. She only comes to life when she is riding Falada, her beloved horse. One night, Cordelia’s mother insists that they must leave. They go to a wealthy Squire’s house, where he and his sister, Hester, live. It’s remote and that’s not even the best part. The Squire is not married. It is a marriage that Cordelia’s mother is after. Being a sorceress means that she will probably get what she is after. However, Hester knows that there is something wrong. She has been studying Cordelia and sees the little things she does to ensure she is not close to her mother. She starts plotting and will do anything to keep this woman from marrying her brother.

This is a retelling of Goose Girl. I love retellings because I love seeing how authors spin the original story to make it their own. T. Kingfisher does an amazing job at this. She takes what she has been given and makes it her own. Now, this book is dark and gothic, which is something that pulled me in right away. I love that she can take stories we are all familiar with and make them so gripping and unputdownable. These are fairytales; we know what is going to happen. Yet, the way that everything was presented made me keep going. This story has layers and the deeper I got into the story, the more I came to see just how many layers there were. Everything is crafted and moulded together so well that you can quickly see this story's brilliance.

The characters are also very complex. This book is not very long, and we have a huge cast of characters. Yet, each one is given their voice and their personality as the side characters. There are not too many times that with books this short, we see side characters developed and written so well. Cordelia has always lived in fear. It shows in her personality. She is afraid of doing something wrong because she has been her whole life and when she messes up, her mother forces her to do what she has ordered. She is afraid that everyone is going to be like that. It makes her jumpy. Yet, she starts to fight back and take control of her own life. Most of this is because of Hester, who knows something is wrong and takes her under her wing. Hester is another character with layers. She comes across as this lonely, old woman, but is very intelligent and does not like it whenever people mess with others.

Not only did I love getting to see Hester and Cordelia’s layers, but I also loved our villain-Evangeline. I will tell you right now that the villain can make or break a book for me. I want my villains to be evil, of course, but I also want them to be compelling and give us a reason to hate them. We get that in Evangeline. She puts on this sweet and innocent outer layer, but she is the devil. She uses this other side, plus her magic, to win people over and make them like her. Then, she strikes. She isn’t as complex as the other characters, but she is a great villain. She is truly the type that you want to see die.

Overall, I did enjoy this one. It made me want to check out some more books by T. Kingfisher.

This book comes out on August 6, 2024.

Youtube: https://youtu.be/Yk2M9yFPy9o

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

4.75/5 stars

I absolutely LOVED this, as I expected to because T. Kingfisher is a beast. This was the perfect blend of dark and creepy but also beautiful and funny - the unique mix that I've only really experienced with Kingfisher. The characters were rich and unique and the story had my attention from the beginning. I was invested and curious and couldn't ever 100% figure it out, but I wasn't confused either.

I loved every bit of this and I think anyone that enjoys a good mystery with some humor and dark fairytale elements will LOVE this too.

This was an awesome twist to the Goose Girl fairy tale! Some of the same features, geese, a white horse named Falada, and a girl trapped by, in this one her mother and not a handmaid but similar circumstances. So, yes, those elements but then thrown in a blender and add more magic, creepy familiars, murder, and a group of people trying to stop the sorceress Evangeline and it is a fresh and wonderful story that I enjoyed very much. I would definitely say that it is a bit darker of a fairy tale than the original (though that one also had dark bits) as Evangeline kills or destroys anyone that gets in her way to power and riches. Luckily Cordelia finds help when her mother sets her eyes on Samuel (a Squire) who has a sister with a bit of an uncanny sense for Doom. Hester is a very likable character and her friends are up for the challenge, even when it ends up with a woman going over the balcony to her death and a headless horse running around and spells for obedience.

I have read several T. Kingfisher books now and I have really enjoyed them, especially the ones that are fresh takes on fairy tales. This one actually might be my favorite though I also really enjoyed Nettle and Bone. Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book to read and review.

A fun and sometimes scary fairy tale that Kingfisher does so well. The author has such a knack for reinvigorating what feel like old stories with new stakes and emotions.

This was such an interesting retelling of The Goose Girl fairytale. I expected the entirety of this book to be told from Cordelia's perspective, but it alternates between Cordelia, a 14 year old girl, and Hester, the unwed sister of a squire who is courting Cordelia's mother. Although tagged as horror, I found the horror elements to be pretty mild, although it is certainly dark. I loved Hester's character and found her to be very sensible and relatable with a dry humor that lightened the tension. Although Cordelia's relationship with her mother felt a bit over-simplified, I found the overall arc to be completely satisfying.