Such a poignant Snow White retelling. It hits all the points with the mirrors, the evil queen and the apples. Add in healer Anna and her “guard” Javier and you get another smash by T Kingfisher. Run don’t walk to get this one. The audio was amazingly done.

Ever since reading NETTLE & BONE I've been searching for a T. Kingfisher book that filled me with the same sense of joy and kept feeling like something that been missing from each of them, but I think this book has finally gotten me back there. The main character's voice was smart and snarky, the plot was a nice blend of traditional fairytale retelling mixed with fresh new ideas, and all of the side characters were wonderful too. I was also tickled pink to find myself laughing dozens of times throughout the story, because there was so much tongue-in-cheek humor here. This, to me, is more what I was expecting SWORDHEART to be, instead of what it ended up being in the end, at least from the main character. So much about this was just delightful, but I think the one thing I was a little disappointed with was the fact that while the main character was supposed to be a poison expert (or as much of one as could exist in a time before modern medicine) I feel like that particular part of the story was the most lacking. In the end I didn't really mind that, because I enjoyed the rest of the story so much, but considering the title implies poison heavily and the synopsis specifically points out how our main character is such a poison expert and how she's always dosing herself with them that specific part seemed to fall a little flat. Really though I can't complain too much, because I'm just so thrilled with everything else about it. I'll definitely be buying a copy for my own bookshelf, and I plan on hand-selling this to whoever I can corner long enough to tell them about it. My faith in Kingfisher has been restored and I honestly can't wait to see what fantasy offerings she comes up with next

I'm a big fan of T. Kingfisher but this book was just not it for me. I stopped reading around 30%. It didn't hook me the way their other books do which was disappointing.

Full disclosure: I love me some T. Kingfisher, but I was having one of the craziest weeks of my life when I read this book and it's quite possible that my head just wasn't in the right place when I picked this one up.

That said, I thought this book was fine. I always enjoy Kingfisher's reinvention of classic fairy tales, and the mirror world element in this one reminded me a lot of some aspects from her horror books like The Twisted Ones and The Hollow Places. I feel like I kept waiting for some bigger reveal that just never came though. A lot of this book is driven by the mystery of 'who is poisoning Snow and why?', and the answer just...didn't really blow my mind I guess?

However, I enjoyed the protagonist, and I thought the romance, though not the main focus, was quite cute.

I'll have to pick this one up again in the future and see if my rating improves! Definitely not bad, but not my favorite by Kingfisher.

T. Kingfisher is my favorite writer of modern-day fairy tales and retellings. Her ability to take a story we all know and find a new version with the charm and delight remembered from childhood, but a new twist shines through in this version of Snow White's story. Our protagonist isn't Snow (who is only 12), but instead, a middle-aged woman who has studied poisons trying to find cures since her own childhood. Her single-minded scientific brain makes her character entertaining when she is thrust into dealing with the king and court. As she tries to first discover what poison is involved and where it is coming from, she ends up dealing with "magic" that really messes with her scientific reasoning. I found both the mystery behind the poisoning and the characters in the book intriguing, especially the mysterious cat that helps Healer Anja navigate the craziness she finds herself in.

# TCO Reviews: Hemlock and Silver by T. Kingfisher
As summer turns early fall, it’s time to start putting aside the beachy reads in favor of cozier aesthetics. It’s early for true dark academia vibes - I don’t need roaring fireplaces just yet; but I also want something a little more thoughtful and grounded. I’m hoping that T. Kingfisher’s recent desert retelling of Snow White, _Hemlock and Silver_, will meet the moment.

Fairy-tale retellings are their own art form, and T. Kingfisher is one of its most prominent modern voices. The best retellings start with a love for the original—and a sharp eye for its gaps. But they also find holes in the story, asking, “why would someone do this strange thing?” “Why was Cinderella so compliant?” “Why is Beauty called such a reductive name?” “Why doesn’t anyone try subverting Sleeping Beauty’s curse?” And in filling those holes and expanding their worlds to match, they breathe new life into enduring stories, adding new twists to old texts. (Plus, they add a little more fun and action to stories that sometimes rob their protagonists of agency.)

It’s a lot to do in the space of one book, but I was hopeful that Kingfisher could manage. And so I was delighted to get an advance copy to mull over… (Thanks to Tor and NetGalley for the gift!)

## Snow White-inspired

_Hemlock and Silver_ is Kingfisher’s take on Snow White, and she takes pains to make it recognizable. There’s a princess named Snow (with a fun reference to her sister, Rose). She has skin that’s pale. She eats an apple that makes her ill. Mirrors are implicated, as is magic. There’s (eventually) a witchy step-mother.

But almost everything else is different, from the characters to the setting. T. Kingfisher often chooses to center a non-protagonist from the original story; her _Goose Girl_retelling, for example, focuses on the “king”’s sister, Hester. Here, she focuses on Anja, a healer the king tasks with saving Snow from a presumptive poisoning. Snow herself is a young girl, focused on entering the mirror world to right a wrong. Her story is mostly one of adult manipulation rather than true personal growth. She’s more than just a plot device—but not quite a fully realized protagonist.

By centering Anja, Kingfisher allows us to see more of her world and its society. Anja herself is a thirty-five year old spinster - an expert in poisons, large and unfeminine and pragmatic. She lives in a desert nation (intriguing for a Snow White story) and wears brown clothes to hide the dust. She’s reluctant to help the king (and concerned about what happens if something goes wrong), which keeps the story grounded to a point. However, as soon as she enters the mirror world, that grounding falls away, replaced by fantasy worldbuilding.

Like any good fairy tale, that fantasy world is more experienced than explained. There’s little explanation for why it exists, and even less of any rules there. Anja learns the barest-bones of the world from a convenient talking cat. Her scientific mind allows her to explore and learn more before she runs into too much trouble - i.e. before she meets the Evil Queen. (Note that this happens a bit later than I expected - it takes over a third of the book to get to Fairy Tale Happenings.)

I won’t rehash the whole Snow White story, but Queens are discovered and defeated. Snow has a little more agency in the whole affair, but requires much assistance to get the job done. And it does end in a Happily Ever After…


## Themes, through a glass darkly
Thematically, however, _Hemlock and Silver_ diverges quite a ways from the fairy tale it adopts. The original Snow White is a tale of vanity, of resentment, and of friendship. Snow’s step-mother worries about the daughter who will inevitably eclipse her; the tale is a warning of letting that emotion run rampant. And Snow survives through the love of her friends, who continuously rescue her from several murder attempts. The original Snow is not the sharpest tool in the shed (she’s tricked several times), but her perseverance and kindness redeem her. (Modern audiences may rue Snow’s lack of agency - but in reality, she’s got resourcefulness that’s appropriate for her ability to actually fight danger.)

Kingfisher’s story, with its dual protagonists, switches up these themes. We can start with Snow, whose story is (somehow) even more thematically depressing. Kingfisher’s Snow is a young girl, manipulated by the adults around her. While this provides an in-universe explanation for various questionable choices, it also paints a dark portrait of the value of agency. Kingfisher’s Snow is systematically isolated, doomed to a life of magical servitude, but for a timely outsider’s intervention.

Kingfisher’s Queen is much more power-hungry, and much less envious, than the original. Without getting too deep, this Queen wants to take over, and uses Snow and mirror magic in pursuit of those ends. Instead of using her magic to pursue and destroy a single family member, she has fighting forces and works to amass power. Snow’s story is that of an invading force, not a familial dispute.

Then there are the themes in Anja’s story. While Anja learns a little bit about the Power of Friendship, mostly her tale valorizes cleverness and independence. Anja doesn’t fit the mold—an unmarried, middle-aged poison expert more interested in science than society. She uses her curiousity and scientific mind to discover and engage with magic; it’s her knowledge and quick thinking that help her save Snow.

## Reader’s rating and review (⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️✨)
_Hemlock and Silver_ is an engaging modern fairy tale - but a limited retelling of Snow White. Kingfisher treats the original material as aesthetic and story-beat inspiration. This is really the story of Anja the Healer, as she intersects with a particularly important poisoning victim. The result is an engaging and intriguing fantasy world with a great balance between the everyday and the ethereal. (With a little romance and action thrown in for summer blockbuster vibes!)

I’m happy to recommend this for anyone looking for that fairy-tale aesthetic. If you’re looking for a story that has Something to Say about Snow, the Queen, and the society that created them, you’ll have to look elsewhere. As a fantasy fairy tale read, four stars; as a fairy tale _adaption_, three.

### Read this if…
- You love inventive worldbuilding and the thought of “mirror magic” intrigues you
- You enjoy pragmatic, middle-aged heroines with scientific minds
- You’re drawn to vibes and aesthetic reimaginings over strict retellings
### Skip this if…
- You want a character-driven retelling that centers Snow White
- You prefer faithful or traditional adaptations
- You dislike ambiguous world mechanics or dark fairy-tale twists

Humorous with exceptional writing. Thorough story telling but perhaps a tad too informative on the mechanics of mirrors.

If there’s a T Kingfisher ARC to be had, I’ll be trying for it, and if an ARC is not an option I’ll be preordering and starting it as soon as possible. Every time. The only reason it’s taken me this long to consume this book is because I had other things I had to review first.

I’ve seen this novel described as a Snow White retelling, but as with most of T Kingfisher’s books inspired by fairy tales, I feel like calling it a “retelling” is misleading. Kingfisher takes the bits and pieces of the original story – poison apples, magic mirrors, a princess named Snow – and weaves them back together in a new way that’s both reminiscent of and totally distinct from the source material. The result is always something that’s fresh, magical, and compulsively readable. I feel like your first hint that this isn’t really a “retelling” is that Snow is not the main character – it's someone who didn’t even exist in the original tale. I loved Anja as a character, she felt real and relatable. The side characters were fantastic as well - Javier, Snow, Greyling the cat, and even the king. And as always with Kingfisher, there’s hauntingly creepy imagery unlike anything you’ve read before.

I felt like the romance subplot was lovely but somewhat underdeveloped. I’ve seen it described as “slow burn” but I feel like that’s inaccurate - the romance doesn’t really even come into it until halfway through the book, which means that to me the buildup felt shorter than it could have been if there had been more interaction between the two characters up to that halfway point. But once it got going I really enjoyed that part of the book. I’m a bigger fan of Kingfisher’s romance books than any of her others (and that’s saying something, because her others are fantastic) so I knew I was going to love it, I trust her implicitly with that kind of content at this point. She’s so great with characterization to begin with, her characters are always multi-dimensional people who feel so real – and then she has such an amazing way of creating chemistry and showing believable bonding between the romantic leads. I just felt like in this book, that subplot was unnecessarily accelerated, when it could have been woven in more to the earlier parts of the book.

That’s such a minor gripe, though, that I’m only docking the book half a star. I really enjoyed this book - I barely wanted to stop it to go to sleep. 4.5 stars.

Hemlock and Silver is a retelling of the fairy tale “Snow White” that goes an unusual and intriguing direction with a unique point of view. Anja has a lifetime fixation on poisons. She’s the one they call when a patient has a life-threatening encounter with toxins. The King comes for her help to save his daughter Snow, who is slowly dying from a poison, and no one can figure out why. Anja travels to his home in the desert where she is isolated, but the poisoner has found her. Can Anja save Snow before it's too late?

T. Kingfisher has written another story that takes what feels familiar and makes it entirely new. In this case, she expands on the concept of mirrors and apples in the fairy tale and reimagines Snow White’s character. This book did suffer from a bit of a slow start as characters and settings were established. It will take some patience from a reader, but it pays off. The strength of this novel is Anja, a great character. Her encyclopedic knowledge of poisons and her world-view shaped from those experiences is captivating. She is down-to-earth and refreshing in her imperfections and admitted insecurities and flaws. Another successful aspect of this book is its tone. It gets very weird and there are some moments that are downright creepy, but there’s also a wonderful sense of wry humor through Anja’s point of view, and Javier, her bodyguard. There’s also a cat, who plays a pivotal role in the story. While some readers may not completely connect to this as a “Snow White” retelling, Kingfisher makes this fairy tale feel like an entirely new story with Hemlock and Silver.

4.5 stars

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this unique take on a Snow White retelling. It felt fresh coming from the point of view of someone outside the traditional characters and in a non-traditional desert setting. The mechanics of the "magic" were intriguing while still maintaining some nods to familiar fairytale tropes.

I loved Anja's personality. Her nerdery over the study of poisons was endearing, and her bluntness and the awkwardness that sometimes resulted were relatable. The humor throughout was funny without being slapstick or stupid.

The writing style was very strong with descriptive, sharp vocabulary that really brought the characters and tone to life. There were no wasted words; the to-the-point prose paired perfectly with Anja's point of view.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys strong main characters and fantasy.

You might like this if you like: Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik, In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune, Ash by Malinda Lo

In my opinion, this is Kingfisher’s best fairy tale-style book since 2023’s Thornhedge, which I have a terrifically soft spot for. While Hemlock & Silver doesn’t hit the same soft spot, it does hit a familiar sweet spot I come across when I find a protagonist I could see myself being fantastic besties with were they a real person.

Healer Anja is essentially a fairy tale world version of a clinical toxicologist that feels a bit ADHD-coded to me. She reminds me of the people I’ve had the best time with when researching, studying, and sitting around while discussing the weirdest things. Introverted but always wanting to learn something new. Yeah, she has a snake, but I’m sure she’d keep it far away from me. I greatly enjoyed watching her and her aggrieved bodyguard, Xavier, wrestle with both empirical science and the magical unknown in order to solve a royal mystery.

The themes of self-image, absentee parentism, grief, self-reflection, emotional and mental manipulation, narcissism, and learning that some things just don’t have an explanation were all just so well done and made this story absolutely fantastic. 5⭐️



I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: 5 Star Review/Action-Adventure/Fairy Tale/Fantasy

I loved this! From the moment the King walked into Anya's workroom and she, not realizing who is was, was like "I'll be with you in a minute."
Who else is going to give a Snow White retelling where Snow isn't the main character? Anya is one of my all-time favorites of T. Kingfisher's characters. She is more comfortable talking about poisons and finds talking to people in general tedious, at least if it's not about trying to figure out what's wrong with them.
This has everything I love in a story. Great characters, an amazing plot, a mystery with some pretty suspenseful moments, and a dash of budding romance mixed in. I was hooked from the very first page, and the story kept me engaged until the very end. This is one that I am so happy to have on my shelves and will absolutely read again and again.

Hemlock & Silver is everything I love about T. Kingfisher’s work—dark, witty, and brimming with heart. This reimagining of Snow White is equal parts eerie fairy tale and sharp, character-driven fantasy. Anja is a phenomenal heroine—practical, clever, and delightfully stubborn, with her unusual habit of drinking poison making her unlike any healer I’ve read before.

The supporting cast shines too: the gruff guard, the hilariously self-absorbed cat, and of course, Snow herself—haunting, fragile, and full of hidden depths. The plot balances creeping dread with laugh-out-loud moments, while the hidden mirror world adds a deliciously gothic layer of danger and intrigue.

What makes this book so remarkable is the way Kingfisher blends horror, humor, and hope into a story that feels both timeless and utterly fresh. It’s a fairy tale retelling that doesn’t just rehash the familiar, but reinvents it with sharp prose and emotional resonance.

A mesmerizing, imaginative triumph—I devoured it and already want to read it again. Fans of dark fairy tales, folklore, and Kingfisher’s signature charm will be absolutely spellbound.

A new release from T. Kingfisher always finds a place on my TBR, because I'm an absolute sucker for fairytales getting turned on their heads with her creativity and cleverness. This reimagining of "Snow White" is as atmospheric and unique as all of her other works, though I do admit that it took me a little bit longer to actually find myself completely engaged. (I'm inclined to say this is more the fault of current existence than it is the fault of the book, though, so don't let my experience deter you!) Once I was fully in for the ride, though, it was full-tilt through until the end, and I did enjoy it. With a little bit of something for everyone - action, adventure, romance, mystery, supernatural, and, of course, poison - it would be a thoroughly good choice for an upcoming spooky szn read!

One of the most unique retellings I’ve ever read. A new favorite book of 2025!! I loved this book!!

What I loved:

- Intelligent FMC!! Lowkey a women in stem… healer counts I think
- Well-thought out and immersive storytelling
- Animal companion = feisty cat
- Precious romantic subplot with delicious slowburn and no spice
- Hilarious main character – literally so relatable, I love her

Thank you NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, and T. Kingfisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

It was so much fun to dive back into a childhood favorite with this unique twist on Snow White. The main character, Anja, is so relatable and her inner monologue is just hilarious. The magic (and science) in this book was both fascinating and unique. Javier was a breath of fresh air in a literary world full of red flag morally grey men, his genuine sweet protective nature was nice to experience. Although it is a retelling of Snow White it is done in such a unique way I still couldn’t guess quite how everything would play out. All in all it was a fun cozy fantasy read that I think a wide variety of ages can enjoy!

This stunning atmospheric audiobook narration by @jenwrenpickens might be my favorite narration of 2025 🏆. I was hooked 🖤. Thank you @macmillan.audio for this ALC!
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Eerie dark Snow White reimagining, with a dash of Alice in Wonderland, a dollop of Stranger Things, and a blunt bad a*s FMC. I am obsessed 🩶.
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Nettle & Bone is still my favorite by Kingfisher, but Hemlock & Silver is a close second. This historical magical realism, told in a modern voice, woven together with threads from myth and fairy tale, may be my all-time favorite niche genre ☺️. (And Kingfisher absolutely nails it.)
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Anja is a healer, but not just any kind of healer. Her specialty is poisons. The King has hired Anja to save his daughter, Snow, who appears to be dying of unexplained illness. Anja can’t seem to find a reason for the illness, that is until she discovers a peculiar cat and a dark secret. The secret will draw her into an alternate world, turn reality on its head, and possibly doom them all.
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I absolutely devoured this creepy, haunting dark fairy tale retelling. And I loved the romance B storyline! The sharp witty banter had me laughing out loud.
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Do not sleep on this one y’all!
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Hemlock & Silver - Kingfisher
4.75/5⭐️ (rounded up to 5⭐️ for Goodreads.)
🎉OUT NOW!🎉
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If there’s something I can always count on, it’s that T. Kingfisher will write an older female protagonist that is awkward AF but is also easily the smartest person in the room.

And we love her for that.

SYNOPSIS: Poison expert must figure out why the king’s youngest daughter is sick as hell.

It’s odd to me that <i>Hemlock & Silver</i> is marketed as a Snow White retelling because while there are some elements of that story, it’s not really a true retelling. It’s like hard to say it’s even a reimagining.

And I’m not saying that as a bad thing. I’m just legitimately worried that some people are going to go into this expecting SNOW WHITE and then getting pages upon pages of a woman talking about different poisons.

But what a woman she is. Anja is probably easily my favorite T. Kingfisher heroine.

Yes, she can’t shut up about poisons and the pursuit of SCIENCE, but I loved her.

She’s easily relatable and also easily the best thing about this book.

I also really enjoyed the world building. I don’t want to give anything away since I went into this book knowing NOTHING, and I think the book works better that way.

I’ll just say that the world building is inventive, and I loved the blend of Fantasy and Science.

There’s a dash of romance in this story, and I really wish she had given more depth to that. I liked the male love interest, BUT we didn’t get enough of him to really feel like there was a deep connection between the two characters.

I can appreciate that T. Kingfisher enjoys writing a sweet romance…but I would have liked just a little bit more here.

Overall, I had a lot of fun reading this book. Not my favorite of hers, but it definitely reminded me of why I like Kingfisher as an author so much.

T. Kingfisher is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors, and Hemlock and Silver only cements that.

This dark reimagining of Snow White pulls you into a world of sick princesses, silver mirrors, and unsettling mirror-cats that draw Healer Anja deeper into danger.

I loved Anja. She is self-deprecating and socially aware, yet much stronger than she believes, which made her incredibly relatable. The supporting cast was just as strong, with Grayling and Javier of course being my favorites, I can never resist a talking cat. The twists caught me completely off guard, just how I like it. The darker aspects to this book are what really made it shine.

This was such a fun read, and I highly recommend Hemlock and Silver to anyone searching for a sinister story filled with poisons, dark secrets, and talking cats this spooky season.

I have loved everything I’ve read by T Kingfisher and this one didn’t disappoint. First of all, I loved our main character, I loved her narrative voice and her humour. This was a Snow White retelling but like all the T kingfisher fairytale retellings I’ve read, it’s twisty and dark. I thought the mirror aspect was very interesting and had a vibe like when time travel is a topic - mind boggling in the best way. It added a layer of suspense that I really enjoyed.