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**TL;DR**: A slower starting Kingfisher with fun mirror elements.
**Source**: NetGalley , Thank you so much to the publisher!

**Plot**: Anya is obsessed with poisons and antidotes and gets asked to help the king’s daughter - creepy mirrors appear!
**Characters**: Kingfisher has a type of character she writes well and this is that character, smart and quirky.
**Setting:** I actually loved the desert setting here! It was different and fascinating. I’d like to see more of it.
**Fantasy:** Besides our setting it was pretty much just in the mirrors. I do wish we’d had a touch more.

**Thoughts:**

Kingfisher just works for some people, me included so unless you haven’t read her work you’re going to know where you fall here. It’s nothing ground breaking for her. It’s quirky, whimsical, with touches of horror and just a wholesome good time. If you’re not a fan this one isn’t going to change that for you.

That said I enjoyed it as I do almost all of her work. Anya is our quirky, maybe too smart for herself, main character who is asked by the king to find out who is poisoning his daughter. Trick is Anya isn’t sure she’s being poisoned. She follows the court to the desert palace for some rest and with the aid of her assigned bodyguards stumbles into to some unexpected magic.

There is a slight romance plot here, and a touch of horror as well. I do wish we’d had much more on the horror because mirrors can be used so well to be creepy, and we had a drop or two of that, but it definitely could have gone farther. The first portion of this was a bit slow as well but overall it came together fantastically.

If you like Kingfisher, pick this up. It’s as easy as that. I enjoyed myself and it’ll definitely be entering my Kingfisher collection when it’s released. Give me more Mirror Gelds though - I love those creepy fellas!

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the ARC!

4.75/5 stars

I freaking LOVE T Kingfisher so much - the way her brain works is a MARVEL. This is an amazing example of how to twist a fairy tale but make it something completely it's own. It has the key components of a princess named Snow, a poisonous apple, an even queen, and magic mirrors.....but that's where the main similarities end. It's dark and twisted but also funny and romantic and cute. I absolutely adore Anja and Javier and Aaron and Lady Sorrel - the whole cast is amazing.

The story writing can't be beaten and I will never stop being amazed at how she combines levity and humor with grim and dark storylines. Forever one of my favorite authors, and this has quickly become one of my favorites by her.

Unfortunately, this didn’t work for me. I didn’t enjoy the characters (why did the FMC act like 35 was ancient), the pacing was awful (I kept waiting for something to happen/pick up), and the magic system didn’t make any sense whatsoever.

I was really looking forward to this one, but maybe this wasn’t a good place to start with T. Kingfisher’s books. I’m still going to give her other books a try.

It looks like if you are an existing Kingfisher fan, you’ll really enjoy this! It just didn’t land with me.

Thank you for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hemlock and Silver by T. Kingfisher

In the past 4 years, or so, I have become a HUGE fan of T. Kingfisher aka Ursula Vernon.

Ms. Vernon is the author of the Hamster Princess books, which both of my daughters have enjoyed (as have I!). Those books were my introduction to her, along with her social media presence, which I found through Seanan McGuire.

Ordinarily, I don’t like horror. I never wanted to watch scary movies as a kid. I got nightmares from E.T. But based on recommendations I read the Twisted Ones and The Holllow Places and I realized that I loved Ms. Vernon’s writing and I could make it through the scary parts unscathed with her as my guide.

I started devouring her back catalog and putting all new releases on hold at the library. I have subscribed to her Patreon and I convinced my wife to read Nettle and Bone, which she loved (as did I). I even backed the kickstarter for the rerelease of Digger, which was wonderful.

I was very excited when I heard she had a new book out in 2025 called Hemlock and Silver and I was even more excited when I got an eARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This new book is loosely based on the Snow White fairy tale, with some Rose Red in there too. Our main character is reminiscent of other Kingfisher protagonists - a somewhat awkward older (but not old) woman who is brilliant and skilled and in a bit over her head. She is an expert on poison and is recruited to try to figure out what is making the princess sick. Without spoiling things too much, I can tell you that you may never look at a mirror the same way again after this novel.

This book was wonderful and was a story I could have lived in forever.

This was the one of the best new releases I have read in 2025 so far and it will probably be on my Hugo ballot next year! Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!

Dark retellings of fairy tales are all the rage right now, and I am here for it, especially when it comes to the ones by T. Kingfisher. She is an absolute master of taking a concept and really making it her own while keeping the essence of the story at the heart of it, and Hemlock & Silver is no exception. With a pretty decent knowledge of the fairy tale of Snow White, I thought I’d know where this story was going, but was pleasantly surprised to be taken on a journey that was still full of unexpected twists and turns.

I absolutely love Kingfisher’s lead characters that always feel so real and fleshed out; who are so interesting to follow and learn about throughout the story. Anja is an amazing addition to Kingfisher’s leading ladies, and I have no doubt that this book is going to be an enormous success.

T. Kingfisher is so incredibly gifted at writing such imaginative fantasy worlds. Even in her novellas, I get sucked in immediately. Hemlock & Silver is another fresh story with a good balance of emotional humor. Highly recommended for fans of her and fantasy/magic.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first T. Kingfisher book, and I have to say -- I am now HOOKED! I will definitely be reading more of her books in the very near future! How have I not read any of these sooner?!?

Hemlock & Silver was a fun fantasy read. It is a Snow White-esque reimagining, heavily focusing on the poison aspect. The story follows Anja, a Healer who specializes in poisons. Then the King interrupts her life by requesting her assistance helping his daughter Snow, who has been sick for some time. Having exhausted all other options and remedies, he turns to Anja's unconventional talents. Anja's life then gets a whole lot more interesting. And confusing. And, magical? She discovers there is a whole 'nother  world inside the mirrors. With the help of an unfriendly-but-likeable talking "cat" and a quiet guardsman, it's a race against time to save Snow and not die themselves.

I loved this book! It was such a fun adventure, interspersed with both magic and science (two of my favorite things)! The information on poisonous plants and animals was very fun and interesting! I loved the nods to Snow White and enjoyed the talking cat. Anja was particularly endearing, as she reminds me a lot of myself (science-obsessed, and a little odd and unsocial). Her personality (and surprise romance) was very refreshing and made for a fun and adventure-filled read! I would definitely recommend this book to fantasy fans!

Hemlock & Silver is a wonderfully imaginative and absorbing fantasy that swept me off my feet. T. Kingfisher creates a world that feels familiar yet fresh, filled with quiet magic, danger, and unexpected warmth. I loved following Anja, a healer who is both grounded and deeply human, as she navigates a mystery that unfolds in surprising ways.

The prose is beautifully balanced with humor, emotion, and just the right touch of darkness. The setting is richly textured and full of personality, and I especially appreciated how the story unfolded with a quiet confidence, never rushing but always engaging.

This book reminded me why I love fairy tale-inspired fantasy. It's smart, heartfelt, and full of charm. I’ll definitely be thinking about it long after the last page.

Five stars, always and forever, for any T. Kingfisher project. This is another fantastic fairy tale retelling with dark twists.

I see T. Kingfisher, I immediately add it to my TBR.
 
There's so much to love in Hemlock & Silver - firstly that it comes from T. Kingfisher, who always creates detailed and lovable characters that feel real and deeply human. All of her books, from the Saint of Steel series to the fairytale-like Nettle & Bone were immediately 5-star reads for me. Her writing is funny and detailed without ever feeling bogged down, easy to read, and with a hint of a lyrical style. She breaks genre conventions with 30+ aged protagonists who aren't always the "fairest in the land" but who are competent and mature, something we desperately need in fantasy.
 
Our protagonist for Hemlock & Silver, Anja, is one of my favorites from T. Kingfisher. She's endlessly funny and relatable, and her obsession with poisons is a really fun thing to explore alongside her. There’s nothing better to me than a protagonist who knows who they are, and isn’t apologetic and shameful about it. Anja loves to solve puzzles, is wicked smart, is a bit socially awkward in a hilariously straightforward way, and doesn’t have a maternal bone in her body—and doesn’t really want one. Her sometimes sarcastic, always witty narrative made Anja feel real in a way that sets her apart from standard leads.
 
H&S has the all ingredients of a Snow White re-telling: an evil queen, a princess, apples - but takes these pieces and makes something completely new. There's a MOMENT where the book flips from well-written but straightforward whodunnit to a magical, all-out ride where I couldn't stop until the end. The beginning did feel a bit slow, but the writing is unique and fun enough that it tells you that you can trust where the author is going.
 
While I wasn’t sure we’d be getting romance in this book, I was so pleasantly surprised when it began to bloom! It’s really not apparent in the first third or so that Anja is going to find love at the manor, but when it does start to become clear who her romantic interest is, it’s all very sweet and so welcome. It’s a relationship founded on mutual respect and genuine care, and feels established on a lot more than just lust or the book forcing them together.
 
Overall, it’s another knockout from T. Kingfisher! One of my favorites from this year, in a genre where retellings are flooding into stores.

T. Kingfisher is an autobus author for me! Her books are always just the right blend of funny, scary, and heartbreaking! I loved this take on Snow White!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor publishing for a allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The writing and the characters were fantastic, and I really enjoyed the first half of Hemlock & Silver a lot. There was a bit of a tone shift for the second half and I fear it lost me a little. This might have more to do with my personal tastes and preferences than any fault with the book itself though, and I think I would still recommend it to other readers.

I hope this is not the last we hear of Anja, she may very well be my favorite or T. Kingfisher’s characters and I would gladly follow her into other stories.

Healer Anja is no stranger to complex and obscure poisons; she has spent her life’s work devoted to the discovery of unobtainable cures. With one visit from the King her professionalism is challenged by the discovery that Princess Snow has fallen ill and all signs point to poison. As Healer Anja unravels the mystery surrounding Snow’s illness she discovers a magical mirror world and finds that not only is Snow’s life at stake, but so is everyone else’s.

Thank you to Netgalley, T. Kingfisher (Ursula Vernon), and Tor Books for allowing me to read this as an e-arc.

This book was so much fun. It took me a while to get through the first two quarters of the story, but every detail is for a purpose and is accounted for as the story moves forward. Honestly I was in awe for most of the book and enthralled with all of the scientific elements and procedures throughout. I loved how not only were the details of the story intricate, but so was the actual plot. It didn’t seem like a very close Snow White retelling, more like it contained familiar elements and characters of a beloved story with no direct parallel other than those elements also appear in Snow White.

Once the second half of the book kicked in I was sprinting to the end. I loved the twists and how the book wrapped up. I am hoping that maybe Healer Anja will pop up in more stories; I quite like her.

This was my first T. Kingfisher novel, and it definitely won’t be my last. I was instantly drawn to the book's description of a dark Snow White retelling with a poison-drinking healer, a cursed princess, and a haunted mirror world.

The only reason I have this book 4 stars is because the beginning was a little slower than I liked. I genuinely enjoyed this book and would recommend anyone who is into dark fantasy retellings.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the opportunity to review this book!

I love a good fairy tale retelling and one that uses poison and weird magic? Sign me up!
I enjoyed the mirrors and mirror world concept and how one had to eat food from the mirror world to be able to go through the mirror. I also thought the concept of a mirror geld was simultaneously cool and horrifying bc all I could think about was the amount of time I've used two mirrors to look at my hair or something. I wonder how many mirror gelds I have unintentionally contributed to.
I liked this retelling and truly enjoyed reading it. The characters were interesting and I stayed invested the whole time. Javier was such a vibe and I was intrigued by Snow and her reasoning for going into the mirror so many times while knowing how sick it made her.

A retelling of "Snow White". T. Kingfisher has a way in weaving a story into a fantasy world that makes you believe that you are there or want to visit it. This retelling was beautifully written, and I longed for more upon the ending. Another fantastic book from T. Kingfisher! Highly recommend!

Unfortunately I wasn’t hooked on this. I read about 25% before I had to set it aside. This is not to say I won’t try again later but I just wasn’t feeling connected to the story and nothing was calling me to pick it back up

Anja is a well-respected Healer, with a vast knowledge of poisons and a single-minded focus for finding cures for said poisons. She manages to be an educated woman in a male-dominated field without being labeled a witch (which is a feat in itself). The King has asked her to save his last remaining daughter, and Anja says yes, rather against her will. In this new spin on the tale of Snow White, Anja is up against the clock (and the sheer force of will associated with a moody teenager), to save the Princess, while navigating the total lack of privacy that comes from living in the Kings household and keeping her reputation intact. My favorite character was the cat, who has all the answers and no sense of obligation to share them. As much as this was pegged as a retelling of Snow White, I thought it equally showed some of the zaniness of Alice in Wonderland, which added some light-heartedness and humor to the story.

T Kingfisher knows fantasy! To be able to rewrite a classic in such a way that still remains so unique is incredible!

Thank you to Tor Publishing for this advanced digital copy via NetGalley.

I thought this was a unique take on using the elements within the Snow White fairy tale such as the mirror and the apples. This story was a little slower paced than I would have liked and I didn’t really like the main character very much so it was difficult for me to get into. So not much for me but I’m sure others will like it. Thank you again.