⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow I LOVED this !!
This was a great retelling!
It’s overall a Snow White retelling but has some Alice in Wonderland things in there.
The base of the story is a fantasy/mystery. There is a sprinkle of romance but not much. I’m generally a romance/romantasy type reader and I absolutely devoured this.
In-freaking-credible!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for providing the ARC.

I am in love with T. Kingfisher's writing. It is incredibly descriptive and lyrical, but there's also a sharpness about it that keeps it from being overwrought. Her characters are engaging and funny, if a bit snappy, but it's all part of their charm. Her stories are wonderfully evocative and lush, so much that it really feels that you get transported to the worlds she crafts.

Hemlock & Silver is no different. And as much as this book is a retelling, it's also a completely different story. There is a great deal of mystery and intrigue and she really keeps you on your toes as you try to figure everything out. Anja is witty and incredibly blunt, and really knows her place in life. I loved really about her journey and seeing how she navigated this mystery she ultimately found herself in.

This book is excellent and I am eagerly looking forward to reading more from Kingfisher.

This had a good mix of fairytale, eerie vibes, and chaotic shenanigans, which is what I really enjoy from T. Kingfisher's writing. The mirror concept was interesting, and the idea of multiverses inside mirrors scared me. While I predicted a portion of the book early, I still enjoyed the experience of getting there. Anja in her awkwardness was kind of relatable as well.

As someone who reads just about everything T. Kingfisher writes, I jumped into Hemlock & Silver with a lot of excitement—and, admittedly, sky-high expectations. And while it didn’t end up being one of my favorites, I still thoroughly enjoyed the ride. After all, she is one of those authors where even a “not a favorite” is still a very good read.

Billed from the publisher’s description as a “dark reimagining of Snow White, Hemlock & Silver is pure Kingfisher: quirky characters, intellectual curiosity, and a sprinkling of fairy tale inspiration. The story follows Anja, a healer who specializes in the theory and treatment of poisons. Armed with a chime-adder (their venom happens to be an ingredient in a great number of antidotes) and a regular habit of ingesting toxins to better understand their effects, her unusual methods have made her something of an oddity within her community. But one day, her quiet life is suddenly interrupted when the king himself appears at her door with a desperate request. Having recently suffered the loss of both his wife and one of his children, he’s now determined to save his only surviving daughter, Snow, who has fallen gravely ill. The best doctors in the realm have already been consulted, and not one of them can determine what’s wrong. Suspecting that Snow’s symptoms are from poisoning, the king is turning to Anja as his final hope.

Left with little choice, our protagonist agrees to investigate and is escorted to the isolated desert retreat where Snow has been sequestered since her mother and sister’s suspicious deaths. Once there, she begins careful observation of the princess, interviewing the staff, and testing all the food. When nothing turns up, and Snow is still sick, Anja is forced to consider other possibilities, including magical influences and the unsettling behavior of the mysterious, finely crafted mirrors that the late queen had brought with her from her homeland. Before long, Anja finds herself pulled into a hidden world that seems to defy all logic and her training, but it might be the key to unlocking what is ailing Snow.

Though “Snow White reimagining” is what it says in the blurb, Hemlock & Silver is in fact quite sparse when it comes to elements from the original fairy tale. Instead, it hones in on the concept of a magic mirror and turns it on its head in a very clever and original way. But because the book is more inspired by the spirit of the fairy tale rather than its storyline, I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a retelling, and prospective readers should know this going in, especially those with a soft spot for Snow White who might be expecting more faithfulness to the plot.

Still, what really stood out for me was the tone. As always, Kingfisher strikes a great balance between dark and unsettling themes, with just the right amount of wit to take the edge off. The pacing was spot-on throughout, and you know how I often nitpick slow beginnings, but even the early chapters of Hemlock & Silver stole my attention as we got to know Anja and how her unusual fascination with poisons began. She’s also a classic Kingfisher protagonist: smart, socially awkward, and just a tad too hard on herself. But there’s no doubting her deep commitment to her calling, and that passion is infectious. I always appreciate a competent main character, and Anja absolutely fits the bill.

The world-building was also fantastic, particularly the quiet presence of the animal saints in the background, whose lore added depth to the setting. That said, once we reached halfway point of the story and the mirror element took center stage, I did find myself struggling to fully grasp some of the mechanics. Whether due to the limited explanations or the rather vague descriptions, it wasn’t always easy to visualize how things were working, and occasionally I felt a little lost in the details.

But like I said, even though Hemlock & Silver isn’t my favorite T. Kingfisher novel, I genuinely don’t think she’s capable of writing a bad book—and this one still hit all the right notes for me. It’s a strong entry in the fairy tale inspired fantasy genre: a little weird and a little creepy, but also clever and funny, and best of all, deeply satisfying in the way it weaves together science and magic. If you’re a fan of Kingfisher’s work, or offbeat fantasy and clever takes on folklore in general, you need to pick this up.

Another stunning book from Kingfisher. The personalities of the characters are stunning and engaging. If you love Thornehedge you’ll absolutely love this one as well.

We begin this tale with Anja who is not a healer but rather an apothecarian scientist who is intrigued by and skilled with poisons. Anja does seem to manage to heal some people using her knowledge but she is clearly a specialist in the field of poisons rather than a person one would typically expect to heal broken bones or physical injuries.

Shortly after we meet Anja, she is visited by the King who requests the use of her skills to heal his daughter Snow, who has a strange, unexplained illness. However, Anja does not actually meet Snow until we're almost halfway into the book. And while I enjoyed the academic aspects of poison study, it was surprising how we lost that thread as the mystery unravels.

Overall, the book was eerie and a bit mind bending considering all aspects of what magic system was at work.

T. Kingfisher is known for her dark, imaginative fairytale retellings. Rather than dousing her stories with romance, she sprinkles it lightly. She does lean heavily into the "found family" trope, not just as a passing theme but as a central element. In the books of hers I’ve enjoyed (Nettle & Bone and A Sorceress Comes to Call), she consistently centers older women as the primary protagonists, bringing a refreshingly grounded perspective. T. Kingfisher also continues to skillfully walk the line between fantasy, gothic horror, and a bit of sci-fi.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

A more detailed review is located here: https://www.wilsonhillworks.com/reviews/hemlockandsilver

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this advance copy!

Book: Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher
Genre: Fantasy, Retellings
Rating: 5 stars!


Thank you to Tor Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

T. Kingfisher publishes faster than I can catch up on her backlog, but I was still so excited to receive an ARC of this book. I have read T. Kingfisher’s novellas, but this is my first full-length novel.

T. Kingfisher is a master of combining elements of fairytale retellings in a way that feels unique but honors the original work. Couple that with her ability to make her stories so dang creepy from time to time, but then laugh out loud funny the next… her ability to balance so many elements really shows her abilities as a seasoned author.

I love that T. Kingfisher is not afraid to make an unconventional main character. Healer Anja is older (not that old, but 30+ can be hard to find in a protagonist these days!), large, stocky, outspoken, and positively awkward from time to time as she goes from being mostly solitary in her work to surrounded by others.

This book kept me guessing with the plot. I did not read the synopsis because I like to go in blind for most books, so I had no idea we would be thrust into a creepy, mysterious mirror world. I was just as surprised as Anja! This is where the horror works its way in, and I ate it up.

For my romance fans, this book is not romance-forward (you may want to read Saints of Steel for more of those vibes), but there is a bit of romance interwoven into the plot. The mystery around Snow’s poisoning takes the front seat.

My favorite thing about this book is the mystery. Despite Anja being such a scientific person who is always experimenting to see how things work, we are left without all of our questions answered. The larger plot concludes in a satisfying way, but there are so many mysteries around this mirror world that I kind of hope T. Kingfisher takes us on another adventure in this world in the future.

At 368 pages, this is a great book to fit in for a quick, entertaining read, especially for T. Kingfisher fans!

I’ve been having really good luck with reading only amazing books lately and this one was definitely amazing. Anja is a healer who works with poisons. She’s spent her life learning everything there is to know about poison and how to reverse its effects even going as far as to poison herself to avoid hurting anyone else. She is approached by the king to help his 12 year old daughter who is very sick and they can’t figure out why. Anja works tirelessly to find what is killing Snow and ends up discovering something much more.

I loved the relationship between Anja and one of the guards assigned to protect her, Javier. The bond they built was so sweet and so strong. Anja reminds me a bit of myself with her awkwardness and the way she just says what’s on her mind regardless of who she is speaking to and I loved that. I have to be honest though Grayling the cat was the highlight for me. The sass, the personality, the extortion for information. I love him so much!

I also listened to the audiobook version of this book while reading and I loved it. It was narrated by Jennifer Pickens and I think she did a great job making the characters 3 dimensional. She has a great voice that keeps you entertained.

such an amazing reimagining of Snow white!! this was such a fun and slightly stress read haha. i absolutely LOVED Anja a ton. this book kept me hooked from the start and it's so incredibly creative and wonderful storytelling! i never felt bored reading this and the ending was satisfying, this would be something that would be so cool to be made into a show or movie. the twists in this were so wonderful, and personally for me didn't feel predictable!

Hemlock and Silver is The retelling to pick up this year. In a world on par with that of the Clockwork trilogy Kingfisher has created a compelling mystery with the highest stakes. I’d read another six books in this setting. A fresh high fantasy take on Snow White.

I really enjoyed this retelling of Snow White and Rose Red. Kingfisher is a master of dark fantasy, and this book was no different. The atmosphere, characters, and general creepiness, along with the humor that is characteristic of Kingfisher, all combined to make a beautiful, if horrific, story. Every book she writes is always an immediate yes for me, and I've never once been disappointed. Prepare yourself for a bit of gore, a little romance, and a lot of WTF, though if you're familiar with Kingfisher, you already know what to expect. I don't know that this is one of my favorites from her, but it's solid and enjoyable if you're a fan of creepy fantasy.

I received this ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Tor Books, in return for my honest review.

Hemlock & Silver is a Snow White retelling, yes, but it's a Snow White retelling by T. Kingfisher, so there's a lot more to it than just the story we already know.

Anja is a classic Kingfisher protagonist, 30s, hardy, and a great MC. A clever healer who has spent her life testing antidotes by drinking the poisons they cure, everything is turned on its head when she is called to the King to cure his daughter Snow who has a mysterious sickness. Add in magical mirrors, a talking cat, and some great intrigue, and Hemlock & Silver feels like it stands fully on its own, away from its source material.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor and Ms. Kingfisher (Vernon?) for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

This is purportedly a retelling of Snow White but it bears very little resemblance to the story for quite some time. Anja, the daughter of a reasonably successful merchant, is wholly devoted to the study of poisons of all kinds and would much rather take care of snakes than a family. She is "asked" (volun-told, more like) by the King to investigate what he suspects is the poisoning of his daughter, Princess Snow. Anja duly packs up her chime adder and her equipment and joins the King's retinue on their journey to a Snow's current residence, where she discovers that the problem is much larger-scale than anyone had expected.

Unfortunately the beginning really dragged for me. Anja isn't a fascinating enough character that a full third of the book hearing about her progression into poison research and packing for a journey kept my interest. I felt it was a struggle to keep reading. Luckily, things improve markedly once Anja reaches Witherleaf and the pace speeds up. I was not expecting the "talking cat" to be so much fun, as I'm not especially a cat person, but Grayling was one of the highlights of the book for me. Once Anja is in full mystery-solving mode things got really good. My advice, push through the first third, it's worth it. I don't want to spoil any of the twists: T. Kingfisher/Ursula Vernon writes GOOD books and while this wasn't my favorite (I think that honor goes to Swordheart) I still enjoyed it a lot.

★ ★ ★ ★

The concept was really unique, at least for the other fantasy books that I’ve read. I really struggled to get into this book. It felt like it was dragging in the beginning and through the middle. My favorite part was the humor with Grayling.

So typically retellings of tales are not things that I enjoy reading, however T. Kingfisher does an amazing job with them. This was another hit from T. Kingfisher for me. The mystery, story telling, characters and overall magic in it all was well done. The main character Anja reminded me of another of her characters that I absolutely loved. The only thing that I did have an issue with was that the beginning of this was extremely slow. For me it felt like it just dragged on and nothing really happened until the second half of the book. There were times when I had to put it down because I was getting bored and things seemed to just repeat themselves. Overall, I am glad that I was able to finish the book and ended up enjoying the story when it picked up.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher/ Author for an eARC of this title for my honest review.

Hilariously morbid mashup of Snow White and through the looking glass with the storytelling vibes of Assistant to the Villain!

Once again, I loved this T. Kingfisher book!

Hemlock & Silver starts out as a regular mystery type fantasy. Something is killing the king's daughter, and he needs help. As with any T. Kingfisher, this turns into a creepy, twisted fairytale.

I love that the fmc isn't some young confident woman, but an older, quiet woman that I can better relate to.

Love, love, LOVE!!!

Thank you Tor Books and Netgalley for an opportunity to read and review this book!

𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧𝘧, 𝘩𝘶𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘛𝘰𝘳 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘙𝘊. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

This one hit all my favorite buttons. Anja being a lovable little recluse who poisons herself for "science" and a talking cat with attitude. The whole story has that Kingfisher mix of cozy and creepy. I didn’t realize how much I needed this vibe until I was halfway in and completely hooked.

The characters really carry this one. Javier gives strong “quiet man with a lot going on under the surface” energy, and the slow-burn between him and Anja had me grinning. Snow is dramatic in a way that feels both tragic and entertaining and I hope my kiddo grows up to be like her, minus the trauma and secrets. The talking cat, the absolute star of the show and the minute he showed up I was sold. There were times where I felt like I was dragging my feet but the characters, the voice, and the strange little world made me not care at all.

Final thought: My personal rule stands: if a book has a talking animal, it will never drop below 4 stars. If that animal is sassy? Extra points. Talking cat. Automatic win.

Every time I pick up a T Kingfisher title I'm absolutely delighted at what I call her "uncommon" heroines - you won't see any stereotypical wilting flower, a girl barely out of her youth, a frail young thing here - our protagonist in Hemlock & Silver is in her 30s, a woman with curves and Stature and a mind that turns to science (of poisons) in times of stress or just, well, at all times. So who better to turn to when the king's family is in royal upheaval than this woman particularly learned in what could possibly be wrong with his young daughter Snow? No one is better than a woman with a vast knowledge of poisons, even if her bedside manner is questionable (read: blunt and clear, no softening for no reason), a scientist at heart with a full disbelief in magic... even when there *may* be a possibility of magic deeper down the story. Maybe. Possibly. Unsure.

This is a Snow White retelling, sure, but in such a way that a few people I was reading this with around the same time forgot. The focus is less on the standards of the old fairy tale but a lot more on the figuring out of it - Snow isn't a sleeping girl waiting to be awakened with a kiss in a forest, she's a girl dealing with the death of her sister and mother in a most troubling fashion (outlined in chapter 1 so, no real spoilers) while something is very wrong with her body at the same time....

Hemlock & Silver is a mystery and an adventure (even just in the one place) with a touch of maybe-magic maybe-not, a touch of romance, and a story that just kept me interested for the most part from start to end.

Thank you to Tor for the eARC in exchange for review!

A copy of the novel was provided throguh NetGalley for review. This will be a spoiler free review.

A fresh and inteesting take on the Snow White fairytale, Hemlock and Silver follows healer Anja as she tries to use her knowledge as a healer to save the king's daughter, Snow. Anja has never quite fit in, always more focused on learning about poisons and using her knowledge to help and heal people rather than more mundane things. This interest catches the attention of the king as he wants to use her expertise to help save his daughter.

While the book does start off a little slow, it's definitely worth it! The worldbuilding of this novel is exquisite and feels like the reader has stepped into the middle of a fairy tale in all the best ways. The characters are all fresh and dynamic and I found myself wanting to stay up late reading so that I could see what happens next, even if I had early work appointments the next day! The cast of characters were all unique and memorable in their own ways. I was defnitely rooting for Anja throughout the book.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves retold fairytales and wants to spend a couple of evenings curled up with a great book.

This was the first book by T. Kingfisher that I read and I can't wait to dive into the rest of the catalogue to see what I've been missing.