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.

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.

Going into T. Kingfisher's "Hemlock & Silver," I should be upfront: while I deeply admire her unique writing style, I often find myself drawn more towards original concepts, perhaps leaning towards literary fiction or truly unique genre takes, rather than fairytale retellings, which I sometimes struggle to fully immerse myself in. So, I approached this 'Snow White' reimagining knowing it might be a challenge for my personal preferences.

However, T. Kingfisher truly has a way of making any premise distinctly her own, and I found myself quickly captivated by the wonderfully creepy atmosphere she builds here. Anja, the practical healer protagonist, felt instantly familiar and engaging in the best Kingfisher way, grounding the story beautifully. The blend of unsettling folklore, genuine horror elements, and unexpected warmth is handled masterfully, creating that signature tone I enjoy so much in her work.

Now, regarding the 'Snow White' framework – while I could certainly recognize the clever ways Kingfisher twisted and built upon it, I have to admit that awareness of the source material did occasionally surface for me during reading. Yet, the strength of her original additions – the inventive mirror world, the engaging mystery surrounding the poisoning, the compelling character dynamics – often commanded my attention and significantly enriched the experience beyond what I might expect from a typical retelling. Her unique voice really took center stage.

Ultimately, "Hemlock & Silver" stands as a testament to how a truly skilled author can elevate any concept. While fairytale retellings aren't my usual go-to, the sheer quality of the writing, the fantastic atmosphere, the strong characters, and the unique horror elements made this a genuinely enjoyable and impressive read for me. It absolutely reaffirmed why I appreciate T. Kingfisher's work so much.

I stayed up late reading this; it was so good. Anya is a healer. Well, she is will try to heal you if you are poisoned. She has spent her life obsessed with finding anti-dotes for various poisons. She hasn’t succeeded – yet. The King has heard of her and asks her to save his dying daughter snow. Once she meets Snow, a wild adventure/investigation begins with apples, a snarky cat, an evil queen and magic mirrors. This twist on Snow White is compelling. Her distractions and her enthusiasms make her a wonderfully relatable character.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for this DRC.
#HemlockandSilver #NetGalley

If T. Kingfisher’s name is on it, I’m reading it—and *Hemlock and Silver* did not disappoint. This dark, clever *Snow White* retelling is everything I love about her work: eerie, witty, heartfelt, and deeply human. The atmosphere is haunting, the magic is strange and wild, and the heroine is unforgettable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for the ARC—an instant favorite!

This was just ok for me. I really love Nettle & Bone and Thornhedge, but I found this one to be less well-done. The first half was excellent with a lot of cool information about poisons and the mirror stuff was spooky at first. But after the halfway point I found myself getting pretty bored. I do think fans of T. Kingfisher’s horror will like this one more than I did, but it was just ok for me.

Slow to start, as it only picked up about halfway through. But even then it never fully pulled me in and the pacing felt off — basically the entire first half was build-up, so I wish we got less of that and more of the main part of the story. Also the romance didn't do much for me — it would've been better with more tension and development, because there was barely any chemistry between them throughout most of the book so tit didn’t really seem too believable

Nevertheless, the premise and world itself were really cool, with everything to do with the mirror dimension. Plus I do really enjoy kingfisher’s storytelling and the darker elements included in this story

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the ARC!