T. Kingfisher and I have an interesting relationship. Either she writes a book that has me consuming it within days ad yearning for more weeks after finishing it, or I can't find it in myself to continue. Sadly, this one is more of the latter.

Hemlock and Silver is much of Kingfisher's typical style: middle aged protagonist who isn't very adept at what the plot is requiring of them but goes forward anyway as a result of the character's morality or sense of justice. It begins slowly, as Kingfisher's novels typically do, but with an amount of imagination and style that I've come to expect from her. She creates worlds that are so fascinating, down to their religious beliefs (something often forgotten in modern fantasy novels), that stuns me. I think it's one of her best qualities as an author - the world just takes you in and you want to know more.

Unfortunately, a lot of what follows lost me. The story takes a long while to start picking up, which again is not unlike Kingfisher to do, but this one rally takes its time. The "story" doesn't start until halfway through the book and while most of what happens before is fun, it loses its charm when you can't see particularly where this is meant to head. Anja starts to lose her charm by that point as well and then her love interest and romance seems to be haphazardly thrown into the mix (another recurring issue I have with Kingfisher's works). It's sad, but it felt like a chore to read after a while.

Where people found A Sorceress Comes to Call to be quite boring (which I didn't understand as the dialogue was the best part of that book), I found in this book. A wonderful premise that can't quite get out of its chair to greet you before you've already headed back to the front door. 3/5 stars. If you are a diehard T. Kingfisher fan, you will love this one. If not, I would read Nettle and Bone instead.

A fresh novel with all the charm we've come to expect from Kingfisher. A little light on character development, like much of her stuff, but the magic system is fascinating and it is always good to see a female protagonist over the age of 20

The Snow White reimagining was done very well and it was quite unique. But apart from that, the plot and story didn't really sparkle. I found the story dragged and the romance was forced, like it was added in after with little thought.

I really enjoyed this novel; the characters felt real, and the well-paced plot kept me engaged from start to finish.

I was absolutely thrilled to get approved to ARC read Hemlock and Silver by T Kingfisher!

Thank you NetGalley!!

It is my first book by her and will not be the last.

I immediately enjoyed Anjas character.

She finds a passion for poisons and studying them at a young age after a senseless death she witnesses and devotes her life to trying to help people and find as many cures as she can. Ever the realist though she knows what she can and can’t do.

I love how blunt she is and her sense of humor kept me chuckling the entire time. She is visited by the King who tells her his youngest daughter is sick and requests that she come to the kingdom with him. Accompanied by her two guards, Aaron and Javier they set off with her chime-adder in tow.

Anja makes it to the villa where the princess Snow is staying and immediately get to work trying to find any properties of a poison. Quickly she is stumped as each avenue she tries meet a dead end.

Then there’s Snows odd behavior and weird things happening around Anja when she is supposedly alone in her room. I absolutely adored this book!

There was so much to unravel in this and the plot was perfectly paced out in my opinion.

I really enjoyed the small bits of what felt like horror and the tidbit of romance as well.

I’m glad this was my introduction to this author and I’m very, very excited to read more from her!

For those who love fairytale retellings but long for something new, Hemlock & Silver hits the mark. This dark reimagining of Snow White is steeped in poison, mystery, and magic, told from a new perspective: a kind healer named Anja, whom the king has hired to figure out what is killing his daughter, Snow. Traverse the mysteries of poison, magic, and a world beyond the service of the mirror in this new dark fantasy.

4.5 stars! Perfect for fairytale-retelling readers; fans of the author will want to place their library holds early-- it's good!

There were a few questions that remained unanswered for me, that felt just a little like they were swept under the rug. If this ends up being a series and these are addressed, I would definitely revise my star rating up to 5.

While I am loving a more mature heroine, I am getting just a bit tired of hearing repeatedly that these poor women are decrepit and creaky at the advanced age of 35. Enough is enough!

eARC from NetGalley.

Another great novel from T. Kingfisher. A woman who has made the study of poisons and their antidotes the purpose of her life is commissioned by the king to find out who is poisoning his daughter, Snow. If you guessed it was an evil witch with poison apples, you're right, but it's much more complicated than that. Fast-paced, wonderful read.

4 Stars
I am never disappointed by a T. Kingfisher reimagining or retelling, and this book was no exception, it was such a delight!

In this retelling of Snow White, Kingfisher takes a darker, more unique approach. Rather than focusing on Snow herself, we follow Anja, a woman who has dedicated her life to mastering the art of antidotes. When her father brags about her saving a horse from a poisonous snake bite the King seeks her out to help with his daughter, Snow, whom he fears may be poisoned. This is one of the first things I adored about the book: even Anja's father is so endearing and lovable. He’s genuinely proud of his daughter and can't wait to tell anyone who’ll listen about how brilliant and clever she is. This was incredibly sweet.

As with Nettle and Bone and The Paladin series, the wit and humor in this book is absolutely top-notch. It’s subtle and dry, and that's exactly what makes it so perfect. There’s a quiet charm in the way Kingfisher’s humor weaves through the story, never trying too hard but always landing just right. With all the characters, Kingfisher adds such beautiful, thoughtful details that you just want to live with them forever. The Mirror Geld, for example: a supposed terrifying creature who can't speak and only communicates through hilarious charades. By the end, I had these emotions I never expected I would have and just wanted it to be happy.

I also love that Kingfisher's characters always feel real and relatable. Just like in her other books, the main character here is a middle-aged woman trying to find her place in the world. She may not fit the conventional mold of beauty, but her kindness and inner strength make her truly beautiful in the eyes of those around her. People love her for exactly who she is.

Now, the book wasn’t perfect. It had its slower moments, and the middle dragged a bit, becoming somewhat repetitive. But honestly, those little bumps didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment. There’s something truly magical about Kingfisher’s take on fairy tales, and I just can’t get enough of them.

If you’re looking for a fresh twist on the Snow White story, where Snow is more of a side character, and you enjoy witty, clever storytelling, this book is definitely for you.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

If you've never read any of Kingfisher's books, I would recommend A Sorceress Comes to Call more than this book, as it's fully standalone while hitting some of the same themes as this book. If you are a fan of her books, particularly her books set in the Saint of Steel world, you'll probably like this one too. Can still be read independently, the world-building is relatively light in this book compared to some of the others.
Interesting premise, and look forward to seeing the ramifications of the magic introduced in this book, in subsequent novels.


How I would include it in a display: Snow white retellings, fairytale retellings, poison experts (pair this book with Apothecary diaries),

This was a solid fantasy (almost romantasy) mystery story. The first few chapters were slow with lots of world-building and character development but once the main storyline started, it was a mad rush to the end. Healer Anja is commanded by the king to solve the attempted poisoning of his daughter. Pulled from her obscure life studying poisons, she is forced into a magical mystery with much of the action taking place in the world you see in the mirror. I don't know if this will be a series but if so, I'll be first in line to read the next installment

𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰

𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐭𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡

I am completely in love with this book. T. Kingfisher’s characters are always perfectly hilarious, lovable, and relatable and I was giggling and laughing through so much of the story. The horror aspects of it were so good and I was sad when I got to the last page. Another 5 star read from one of my favorite authors.. thank you!

T. Kingfisher comes through again with a fantastic twist on Snow White that will make you laugh and gasp. The main character in this book, Anja, is such a delightful character, maybe my favorite Kingfisher heroine of all! This is just such a wonderfully twisty and fun book, anyone that likes fantasy or fairy tales shouldn’t miss this one!

A dark and twisty Snow White retelling that you haven't read before.
T. Kingfisher does it again! I was absolutely absorbed into this world from start to finish.

Our story follows Anja who is not our typical 16 year old petite and fragile FMC. She's a 35 year old tall, hulking woman and a talented poison master. She found her love for studying antidotes through a childhood tragedy and worked with a teacher her father had employed to expand her knowledge. Many years later she is contacted by the King to help discover what is ailing his daughter Snow. Anja suspects that snow is struggling with grief after her mother murdered her younger sister and then perished along side her. With the help of two guards one of whom becomes our love interest she discovers that what is ailing Snow might now be poison after all. We explore a magical world with creepy creatures and fall in love with the characters along the way.

I didn't think I could love a companion animal more than I loved Bonedog but Grayling might take the cake. Any time he entered the scene I found myself laughing because the way Kingfisher created the dialogue is exactly how I perceive cats. Witty, self centered assholes. :)

If you're looking for a book where you will completely fall in love with the characters, the world and the magic of it all this book is for you!

OMG. I LOVED THIS SO MUCH! Hemlock and Silver is a unique retelling of Snow White. It was totally not what I expected, and I mean that excellently! This book will be one of my most recommended books this year. It has adventure, newfound friends, magic, and mystery. Thank you to T. Kingfisher, Tor Publishing, and Net Galley for the e-ARC.
After witnessing her cousin die from eating poison hemlock, Anja has committed herself to finding antidotes to poisons. One day, the King arrives in Anja’s lab, confessing to killing the Queen after catching the Queen in the act of cutting out one of the princesses’ hearts. His other daughter, Princess Snow, is in an undisclosed location, sick from what he suspects is poison. The king brings Anja to Snow to help cure her. As Anja observes princess Snow’s day-to-day actions, Anja starts to suspect there’s more than poison making Snow sick. Anja is determined to get to the bottom of who is doing this to Princess Snow.
I enjoyed Anja the most. She is an intelligent 30-something independent single woman. Being a plus-sized woman, I appreciate the representation of a plus-sized main character who isn’t ashamed of who she is or her size. I felt seen. Most women in fantasy books are described as tiny and light weight. Anja was taller and broad, but she owned it and knew her body could be substantial. There was a moment when Anja’s guard was trying to move full wine barrels. Anja asks him to move so she can use her strong legs to move the wine barrels. That made me laugh because sometimes I will try (and sometimes succeed) to do heavier leg presses than my sons and husband. I also thought Anja’s dialogue was funny.
Add it to your TBR now! It is such a fun read!

Snow White retellings are rare. Middle-aged protagonists rarer still! Both in the deft hands of T. Kingfisher make for a phenomenal fairytale retelling that is leagues above most that I have read ( and I am an avid fan of them as a genre!)

Thank you to TOR Publishing group and Netgally for providing me with an ARC for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

Hemlock & Silver is a fresh take on the tale of Snow White and Rose Red, where the titular characters have taken a supporting role behind the main character, a particularly focused but seemingly unexceptional poison specialist.

As a character, Anja embodies Kingfisher’s typical heroines, which is to say that she is direct and intelligent while remaining endearing and utterly approachable. Kingfisher’s style of writing–dry sarcastic humor which dulls the edge of the horrors the characters face–has always appealed to me, and this book was no exception. At no point in the book did I find myself bored, even when there wasn’t major action taking place. It took me only two days to finish this book, and, as always, I found myself smiling at the end and wishing to flip right back to the first page and start again.

For fans of T. Kingfisher’s other books like Swordheart and Nettle & Bone, you absolutely will not want to miss this book. Hemlock & Silver is T. Kingfisher at her best, and an excellent introduction to those unfamiliar with her work. Whether you’re a fantasy, cozy, or horror fan, there will be something to appeal to you in this book, and it’s a perfect start to those spooky and cozy fall reads.

I don't have anything witty for you. It's exactly and absolutely what it is supposed to be, which, I suppose, for the right sort of reader (or the wrong sort), might be disappointingly perfect.

This was one of the oddest stories I've ever read, and I loved it.

This is a Snow White reimagining, and while it has some minor similarities, it is far from the classic fairy tale. If you're looking for a story that's a little dark, twisted, magical, creepy, and filled with snarky humor, look no further.

Anja is a healer who often poisons herself in an attempt to find cures. The King's daughter, Snow, is ill, so he comes requesting Anja's assistance in searching for both the poison and the cure. This leads Anja and her newly appointed bodyguard on a wild journey into a dark realm with high stakes.

I thoroughly enjoyed every character, from the bodyguards to 12-year-old Snow, to the sarcastic, furry friend (who may or may not be a cat). Grayling was one of my favorite parts of the story. I was actually laughing out loud at one point. He was so entertaining.
And to have a smart, plus-sized, 30-something, unmarried protagonist was refreshing to say the least. Anja's awkward and untactful. Her internal dialogue had me cackling.

I really took my time with this one, savoring all of the dry humor and witty wordplay. The pacing really picks up halfway through the book but overall, I think it had a good balance.

This was my introduction to T. Kingfisher, and I was blown away by her storytelling. It put me in a desert world unlike any other, crafted so well it left little to the imagination.

I had an absolute blast reading this, and I'm grateful to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. I'm excited to check out more work by this author. Thank you!

The mirror gelds... YIKES.