I’ve been slowly working my way through T Kingfisher titles over the past year and recently read Bryony and Roses, so I was excited to see another classic fairytale retelling from this author. I generally like her work a lot, and this book is no exception. The characters are fun - our MC Anja is 35, educated, capable, and a respected expert in her field (even if she’s a little blunt and obsessed with poisons). Big points for a major departure from the usual fantasy FMC. Grayling the cat is perfectly cat-like. And the love interest had me giggling and kicking my feet. The romance is definitely a subplot, but this is my favorite T Kingfisher romance and male love interest to date. I thought the little moments they spent together and how they rubbed off on each other were absolutely charming. The plot is also surprisingly unique for a retelling, and the magic is so creative. The mystery of Snow’s illness and the “villain” is partly obvious just because it is a retelling, but it’s also done in an unexpected way. And the mirror world is wonderfully unsettling.

Where this book falls just a little flat for me is mainly the pacing. The first chapter really pulls you in, but then the first third of the book is rather slow. Once you meet Snow it moves along nicely, but then the end feels rather abrupt as well. Also I’m a fan of this author’s writing style and wit, but there were a lot of parentheticals. It did help establish what Anja was like as a character with her overthinking and tangents, but there was a period in the middle where it just felt like a bit too much. And lastly I feel like I kind of missed the antagonist’s motivations in the end? It got a bit convoluted, but I enjoyed the vibes.

Kingfisher is an auto read/auto buy author for me and Hemlock & Silver just reinforces my reason why.

I absolutely loved this book, I mean who doesn't love a dark twisted retelling?! Once you get through the first 15-20 percent the pace really takes off, packed with surprising twists and amazing storytelling.

Highly recommend this one!

Thank you to Tor Books, and to NetGalley, for sending me an ARC!

I was unsure if I would like this book, and was torn between my love of Kingfisher and my dislike of fairy tale adaptations. I shouldn't have worried; this was everything I hoped it would be, and more!

It has all the charm of her Paladin series, with characters I bonded with instantly. The plot had what felt like the right amount of twists, and I wasn't left feeling like everything wrapped up too cleanly, nor was I bogged down in needless complexity. It also plays with some of the classic tropes, and turns some of them on their heads in enjoyable ways, but leans into others, leaving the reader feeling just a little off-kilter in trying to predict what happens next, really perfecting the vibe for this story.

I can't wait for this to come out so I can add this to my ever-growing list of recommended books!

I love T. kingfisher’s work, so when I found out that she had a new book coming out I was super excited. I was even more excited to get an ARC from NetGalley and Tor so I was able to read this book early—thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early read!

The novel is a retelling of the Snow White story, and I am a sucker for retellings, especially fairy tales. In Kingfisher’s world, Anya is a talented healer, although she’d argue that point. Anya knows about poisons and their antidotes and sometimes can offer cures, often risky ones. When the king’s daughter Snow becomes ill and no one else has been able to help, he comes to Anya as a last resort.

The novel is super atmospheric, placing much of the story in a desert setting (drawn perhaps from the author’s own recent move to the Southwest). I love Anya’s story: she’s no ingenue, as so many main female characters in this genre tend to be, and she’s smart and funny. She’s great at her job, and her world doesn’t revolve around her love interest (although there is one and I enjoyed the way that storyline develops). Anya is energetic and curious AND a single woman in her mid-30s—all parts of her character that kept me rooting hard for her to succeed.

The minor characters pulled me in, too, from the kindly and wise Lady Sorrel to the mysterious talking cat (!!!) Greyling. (Important spoiler: nothing bad happens to Greyling, even though you might be worried about him for awhile—I love this about Kingfisher books, too—nothing bad happens to the animals you come to love!)

I can’t wait to read whatever T. Kingfisher does next!

Quirky and engaging, Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher is a quick and entertaining read. Although it’s a retelling of Snow White, it’s so unique in its approach that I often forgot this was a spin on a classic fairytale and found myself wondering what was going to happen next.

The hero of the story, Anja, is delightful and easy to like--and it’s nice to see a main character who is midlife and more than a bit awkward. As a reader, you quickly identify with her as she whisks you away on her adventures.

Overall, a good story that I enjoyed and would read again. Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!

in the past six months, i have read a large majority of t.kingfisher’s backlist and have become obsessed with her writing — both her horror and fantasies are terrifyingly creative and satirical, and extremely attention grabbing.

while i loved this dark snow white retelling — which also reminded me of alice in wonderland because of the talking cat involved — i found myself dragging through the first 40%. the plot really didn’t pick up until halfway through, which to me was a tad disappointing.

but of course, t.kingerfisher’s writing knows no bounds, what with her descriptions of creepy crawling centipedes with fingers for little legs and creativity by depicting an entire world alternate world in mirrors.

overall, this was a great read!

I feel like an absolute fool for not realizing this is a Snow White retelling, but now that I know... Well. Well done. It's very fresh, and I love that Anja isn't a young spritely main character.

I will say that this book was a slow burn for me. It took me about a quarter through the book before I felt really invested in what was going on. Once I got past that point, the world and story really did it for me, and I devoured the text in a few hours. It's worth the trek through the slower pacing to get through the meat of the story and see the magic of Anja's world.

Thank you to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

At this point I don't think it's humanly possible for Kingfisher to write a book I don't fall head over heels in love with and this one is no different. I loved the intersection of science and magic, the plot was engaging and the twists I didn't see coming! I already want more of Healer Anja

I am absolutely hooked on T Kingfisher fantasy novels.

Her characters are written well, I just adore them. The story is gripping and exciting. I love the little twists and turns. And this one is even better because it has a cat, what more can you ask for ?!

5 stars, no complaints!

First off I was very surprised and excited that I received this e-ARC, so thank you so so much to NetGalley and Tor Publishing.

I’m a big T. Kingfisher fan, and I love retelling of a classic story. Kingfisher always impresses me with her ability to make an old story completely new.

Hemlock & Silver is the story of Anja, a woman who’s really into poisons and antidotes who’s just trying to do her own thing. When she’s approached by the King to help his young daughter who he believes has been poisoned, she knows she can’t say no.

I love the way Kingfisher writes her characters growth throughout the book and I found Anja to be an incredibly relatable character. I will admit this story felt slow to start for me, and I couldn’t wait for the “trip” to Witherleaf to finish. Once there, the story really picks up. Classic “Snow White” ideas, an Apple, a mirror, a princess, a queen, and of course poison all make an appearance but in totally new and unique ways.

I really enjoyed this book, and if you want a fun dark twist on a story we all probably know then this one’s for you.

This book was fantastic. It was such a great twist on the snow white story. Really there wasn't a whole lot of plot similarities but I loved where T Kingfisher went with her vision of it, and it kept me on my toes the entire time.

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 / 5
Spice Rating: 🌶️ / 5

My Summary: Healer Anja is a poison master and the best in the craft. One day, the king summons her to help save his daughter, Snow, who he thinks might be poisoned. But when Anja arrives to figure out what's wrong with Snow, she is met with a problem that might be unsolvable. Just when Anja is about to give up, she discovers a secret and the real reason Snow is sick.

My Thoughts: T. Kingfisher writes a dark Snow White retelling?! Sign me up!! Though the story starts off a bit slow, it is worth every minute. The main character, Anja, is refreshing with her curiosity, her strength, and her wit. Anja is dead-set on saving the king's daughter, Snow, from the poison ailing her, and not even an unsolvable mystery will stop her. She'll travel far and wide to figure out how to help Snow. Along with the mystery and fantastical elements, there's even a small subplot of romance, which is very sweet and coincides perfectly with the rest of the story. If you love T. Kingfisher's other novels like Nettle & Bone and A Sorceress Comes to Call, you will absolutely love Hemlock & Silver.

A classic T. Kingfisher fare, a creepy fairy tale with a heart of gold, starring a middle-aged neurodivergent protagonist (this time with special interest in poisons), very competent and not easily intimidated by being in a creepy fairy tale. The fabric of the story is loosely built on Snow White - but very enjoyably loosely - and it did so in a way that I found very reminiscent of some of Frances Hardinge's stories (Cuckoo's Nest and Lie Tree, specifically) - the mirror universe, the themes of doppelgangers and lies and small girls put in desperate situations. I enjoyed it greatly: didn't mind the slow start at all, savoured getting to know the actual mystery, was happy to see some more signature Kingfisher romance - a very good recipe for a couple of evenings well-spent with a book. It's closer in spirit to Nettle & Bone, I would think, among other T, Kingfisher books, and if you liked that, you will likely enjoy the new book too.

Many thanks to Tor dot com and Netgalley for an early copy. So happy to see more from T.Kingfisher.

The FMC was refreshing and the story was really great once you got into it. I can’t give it above four stars because the start of the book was so slow that I DNF’d it for a month before picking it back up.

What a fantastic book by Kingfisher! This book had a desert/garden mood which I thought was a unique setting for fantasy. I adored the world-building. The main character is clever and I love her knowledge of poisons - she is very capable. Creepy but oddly nostalgic take on Snow White. I am glad I finally read one of Kingfisher's books - the author is as talented as I had imagined. She had me at Grayling, the talking cat!

A retelling of Snow White from the point of view of Anja, the healer. Actually she isn't an actual healer, her specialty is poisons. Snow White's father is desperate to discover why the princess is sick. Everything points to poison, but how is it being consumed? I loved the character of Anja, an older heroine (yay!) who loves her job yet realizes that not everyone believes poisons are that fascinating. The dialogue is smart and funny, especially between Anja and her love interest. T. Kingfisher never disappoints! Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this wonderful adventure. I will never look at a mirror the same way again!

T. Kingfisher never disappoints! This was a bit of a slow start, but once the story really got going I was completely hooked. I really enjoy T. Kingfisher's blend of down-to-earth protagonists, understated humor, and genuine creepiness, and Hemlock & Silver has all three in spades, combined with a lot of information about poisons. I also enjoyed the desert setting, as it's rather different from most fantasy titles.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

This was another solid and enjoyable work by T. Kingfisher! My 5th book of hers in 2025 alone...I have a problem. This was dark and a fun twist on Snow White. Kingfisher lost me a bit with the mirror-gelds because they sound absolutely horrifying and the descriptions were very visceral, but I was somewhat-ish charmed by them in the end.

I will always, always adore her heroines who just look like normal people and are in their 30s. Refreshing and much needed.

This book completely swallowed me whole. I was obsessed from the very first page. The writing has that quiet, eerie grace T. Kingfisher does so well; lyrical in the most unassuming way, rich with dark humor and aching emotion. Plus, there’s something about the themes in this story that just hit. It felt intimate, raw, and just a little haunting. The pacing was perfect. The mood was like a whisper in the dark. I carried it around with me even after I put it down. I loved it in that way you only love something that feels like it saw a part of you that you didn’t even know was visible.

T KINGFISHER YOU DID IT AGAIN. I adored this book and everything about it. I can't wait to see this become a fall obsession for the booktok community.