This may be my new favorite take on Snow White, especially given that it doesn’t even focus on that titular character. Instead we get a story about Anja, a healer and poisons expert, who is conscripted by the king to save his daughter who keeps falling ill for unknown reasons - possibly poison. There is a fascinating mirror world that may or may not be powered by magic. There is an aloof and grumpy cat that acts in a very relatable way to all cats. There are creepy monsters and creatures in the mirror world. And there is a bodyguard that is falling for his charge. All of this combined makes for one phenomenal cozy retelling that is not at all what you would expect from a Snow White story.

Jennifer Pickens brings Anja and her story to life so well. I felt so immersed into the storytelling as I listened to this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to @torbooks for the eARC and @macmillan.audio for the ALC. All thoughts are my own.

Hemlock & Silver is a dark reimagining of Snow White. I enjoyed this reinvention of the fairy tale. It is well developed with intriguing characterization. I liked the balance of world building and some truly creepy descriptions and storytelling.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall.......

The reflection says it all in this latest novel by T. Kingfisher. If you've ever read Kingfisher before, then you know that she writes fairytales for big people. Characters are wrapped in gossimer robes that disguise their intent......both the lighthearted ones and the ones imbued with tinges of evil. Storylines take us to places in high towers and perhaps deep, dark caves. But the telling, oh the telling.

Healer Anja has been summoned by the King. His twelve year old daughter, Snow, seems to be fading fast since the death of the Queen and Snow's sister, Rose. The King suspects poison which happens to be Anja's specialty. Anja's laboratory is filled with bottles and liquids. She engages in experiments even on herself to find antidotes. Maybe engaging even an unlucky rooster or two.

When Anja arrives at the castle, she is perplexed to find Snow deathly pale and refusing to eat. Anja tries to work with a process of elimination, but the prospects are mindboggling. That is until Anja comes across a great possibility in the shadows. With the aid of one of the guards, Javier, Anja will fall upon an adventure that has the earmarks of a superb Kingfisher tale.

Lined with barking humor and the injection of scientific modes, Hemlock & Silver guarantees a jaunt into mystery and mirth. The characters will peak your interest including a sassy, one-eyed, talking cat who jabs Anja around every corner. T. Kingfisher just keeps the big people fairytales coming.......just like we like 'em.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Tor Publishing and to the talented T. Kingfisher for the opportunity.

Kingfisher's fairy tale retellings keep getting better and better, though I would say that this is less a retelling of Snow White and more a story inspired by the fairy tale. Healer Anja has been obsessed with poisons and their antidotes since she was a child and her cousin died after accidentally eating hemlock root. Anja is living her best life, experimenting and trying to help poison victims in her village, when the King arrives and tasks her to help him find out what is ailing his sick daughter, Snow. As Anja investigates Snow's situation, she discovers intrigues and dark secrets all around. All of the characters are wonderfully drawn, Anja most of all, and I loved her friendship-turned-possibly-more with her guard Javier. There is also the most excellent cat, Grayling, and a fantastically imagined mirror world. Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for a digital review copy.

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪:

This is a top read of the year for me so far. Every time I think Kingfisher has outdone themselves, I read another that is even better than the last! Who can resist a dark eerie retelling of SNOW WHITE also…there’s a narcissistic talking cat?! Anybody….Didn’t think so. You get Kingfishers typical writing style but on steroids and it it page after addicting page. Twists and turns, doom and loom, mystery and some very interesting AND well written characters. This was such a fun read that I will continue to think about as well as recommend to all of my Kingfisher fans and fantasy/retelling readers alike. Bravo!

𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦: First Person POV, Fantasy, Snow White Retelling, Talking Cat, Dark & Twisty, Plus Size Rep, Cozy, Cottagecore

Large thank you to our Author, NetGalley as well as Tor Publishing Group | Tor Books

Lately I’ve been longing for autumn and craving spooky season reads with dark fairytale vibes, and T. kingfisher always delivers. Hemlock & Silver is what happens when Apothecary Diaries meets Snow White and I’m so here for it.

This is such a cool take on Snow White, dark and unsettling, balanced out by well-developed, lovable characters. I loved Anja and her backstory, her passion for poisons and search for more knowledge and cures. I also appreciated that this wasn’t the typical trope of getting coerced into helping the royal family under threat or necessity. And as usual in T. Kingfisher’s work, the supporting cast shines as well. The guards are delightful, Snow herself is so intriguing, and of course there’s the mysterious, moody cat, Grayling. And it’s not just the characters, the lore of the world and desert setting are so interesting and feel lived-in.

The mystery of Snow’s condition and behavior was really compelling and kept me turning the pages late into the night. And the mirrors and their secrets within brought back my childhood fears and superstitions and built a feeling of creeping unease and tension. This is a perfect blend of unsettling yet cosy, and somehow it works, and I absolutely love it.

If you love dark fairytale retellings like Thornhedge or Bryony and Roses, this will be right up your alley.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy. This review was written voluntarily.

A bit slow off the draw, but it sucks you in eventually and takes you on such a fun ride! Filled my fairytale loving heart and definitely got me excited to read more T Kingfisher!

This was possibly the best Snow White retelling I’ve read. It took so many elements from the story and just turned them on their head, and created this whole mystery from it. Snow White is the character being poisoned, and our main character is this healer who specializes in poisons. As she’s trying to find a way to heal her, she discovers a whole mirror realm (Mirror mirror on the wall…), and more puzzle pieces start to fall into place about what is really happening with Snow.
Javier and Grayling were two excellent additions. Javier— the brooding bodyguard who you just come to love, and Grayling— the talking cat who actually has a decent heart but will never let you know.
For a reimagining, I found this book incredibly original and unlike any other Snow White retelling I’ve read. It was so good! I loved how much detail was put into exploring the mirror realm, and walking through it like a scientist would in discovering everything. As a reader, I felt like I too was discovering things.

Thank you MacMillan Audio for the ALC!

I read the e-arc for Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher. This book is a retelling of Snow White. I was a little bit concerned that if we were retelling the story, and the evil queen was not going to be the bad guy, then who was? Was this going to be pinned on Snow? The king needs a healer for his daughter Snow. She is ill and no one has been able to figure out what is wrong. Even more concerning is that Snow's sister Rose took ill and died and so did the Queen. What is going on? Who is poisoning Snow? I ate this book up. It is fanbloodytastic. T. Kingfisher is an autobuy author. I loved the characters and the writing - this book will keep you reading into the wee small hours of the night.

I need to thank Net Galley and Tor Publishing for my e-arc. This book comes out on Tuesday, August 19th.

It was a bit of a slow start and tbh the first like 50 so pages almost lead me to dnf it cause I just didn’t like the droning thoughts of the protagonist which was most of the start of it. However, I’m glad I stuck it through because after the beginning once it got moving, I really liked the story. I enjoyed the unique and gothic take on Snow White, and the telling the story from the pov of someone trying to cure her poison. HTe main character was honestly really different from most female leads, and I found it really refreshing. At times, she did seem a bit neurotic with her thoughts but I found the humor in that. Once I reached like the 55% mark, I was pretty hooked on the mystery and world. I think this book would be perfect for October, when I’m more in the mood for gothic stories.

Hemlock & Silver is a slow-paced retelling of Snow White, and I think the best way to describe it is interesting. I liked the poison obsessed main character, the guard-turned-love interest, and some of the animal side characters. The mystery itself is very interesting and, without going into spoiler territory, I already didnt trust mirrors.

I think there was just a little bit too much going on before we got to the villa to figure out what was wrong with Snow.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Tor Publishing and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest by T. Kingfisher, with the audiobook amazingly narrated by Jennifer Pickens. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Healer Anja regularly drinks poison, seeking cures for those that other have given up on. Her quiet life is upended when she is summoned by the King. His daughter, Snow, is dying, and no one can figure out why. He's hoping Anja can save her. Nothing works, until she finds a hidden world inside a magic mirror.

I will read anything that T. Kingfisher writes, and this retelling of Snow White was fabulous - especially the audiobook, which I would highly recommend. I loved Anja's character - an older woman who says what she thinks no matter what, understands her own social awkwardness, and is so relatable. Plus, there are so many wonderful characters here - including a talking cat! This was just the perfect, dark fairy tale that really came to life with the author's skill and the wonderful narration.

I love a dark fantasy that makes me pause and rewind to make sure what I read is accurate! I thought I had an idea of where the story was going, but then it went full throttle and also got super creepy. This was also my first T. Kingfisher book, and I’m now hooked. It was beautifully written. I also loved Jennifer Pickens’s narration. She has such a calming voice, even at a higher speed.

NetGalley provided an ARC for me to read, and I couldn't be more excited.

T Kingfisher is quickly become a must read/always read author. This retelling of Snow White is unique and thoroughly enjoyable.. I like that the main character isn't the young pretty usual main character. She is so much more relatable to me for many reasons including her age, weight, insecurities, hyper-fixation, clear joy and happiness with regard to her interests, etc,

This is a dark story with a mystery to be solved. Will she find what she's looking for? Will she help the king? Who lives, who dies .... ? Definitely worth your time reading it to find out!

I reach for T Kingfisher books when I want to treat myself because her books never cease to deliver humor, immersive storytelling, and diverse characters who will draw you in and make you wish the book would never end.

I am a *bit* of a scaredy cat when it comes to thriller/ horror books but if anyone can get me to read the genre, it's Kingfisher. This book leans more into the Sword of Steel series and Nettle and Bone where it is very cozy and darling, but then a creature shows up or something happens that makes you wonder HOW Kingfisher was able to balance the macabre and delightful.

It was impossible to pick a favorite character or part since the entire book held nuggets of gold (or should I say shadow food) that kept me unable to stop turning the pages or put the book down.

I adore everything this author writes and this beautiful book is no exception. I also love a good retelling! The details and world building are just sublime.

Final Rating: 4.5 stars

I'm a huge fan of everything I've read from T Kingfisher so far, and this one was no different!

I love the way she integrates horror into all of her fantasy books, and I loved the vibes this one in particular had! I do love the Snow White fairytale, especially when it leans into the darker tone that T Kingfisher is just so good at.

And as always, I love that her main characters aren't always the ones you would typically see as a main character - in this case Anja is in her 30s, a bit awkward and quirky but incredibly intelligent. Her curiosity and interest in poisons catches the king's attention and he requests her help to solve the mysterious illness that his daughter Snow has. I really enjoyed the way the story progressed and all of the side characters, including Grayling the talking cat and Javier the grumpy, quiet bodyguard. And we also have a romance! It didn't overshadow the plot and was so sweet watching it develop, and it provided a nice contrast to the creepier elements of the story.

The only reason it's not a full 5 star for me is because I was a little confused by the mirror world and the theories Anja came up with to try to explain it all kind of made it drag a teeny tiny bit, but her curiosity and need to know how everything works makes it make a bit more sense why she'd try to work out something that so obviously didn't follow any rules (or at least, not logical ones).

Also, I got Snow White and the Huntsmen vibes, especially with the evil queen (although it's been ages since I've seen that version, so I might be wrong)

Thank you so much to Tor for providing me with an early copy to review!

T. Kingfisher has become a must-read author for me. It almost doesn't matter what the book is even about, I just read the thing. I won't lie, at the start, this one worried me a bit. It starts slowwwly, and I was worried I would not be a fan. But! Dear reader, you needn't worry! If you can make it through a sluggish beginning, it gets very good, and if you're anything like me, by the end you won't be able to put it down!

It's a Snow White reimagining, which is very clear from the start- the character named "Snow" is a dead giveaway, right? And mirrors, and apples, the whole shebang. But it definitely is not a retelling, it is using the cool parts of the story while telling a whole new story, with wonderful characters, a talking cat (and as such, a very skeptical scientist), a dash of romance, and some very exciting shenanigans in a mirror-world. Once the story gets going, it gets going, thankfully. And once that started, I absolutely needed to know all the things!

Anja, the healer/poison expert and main character, has the T. Kingfisher trademark wit and charm, and feels like someone you'd want to hang out with. Her journey is made that much more entertaining because of her personality, which I think is my favorite part about any T. Kingfisher book. I also loved the secondary characters, and the entire worldbuilding surrounding the mirror situation was fascinating and clever.

Bottom Line: After a slower start, it ended up being another win!

Thank you to Tor Books and Netgalley for sending me an early copy of this book! All opinions are my own!

This book was so good I'm not sure I know how to articulate it! I flew through this in basically 2 sittings because I needed to know more, immediately. It does such a good job of hooking you, and then every single new piece of information gives you so many more questions, and before you know it, the book is almost over.

I absolutely loved the way that this book centers around poison but also has so much more depth to it. Anja's passions really come through so easily that you find yourself getting passionate about poison too, without really knowing anything about poison. She is such a relatable MC, and I adored her wit and humor. She kept the story real despite the otherworldliness to it.

I am usually not a retelling fan, but this book had me from start to finish. You can see the inspirations, but the world is so wholly its own that the little easter eggs are points that make you giggle at the understanding but don't take you out of the narrative.

I cannot recommend this enough for the upcoming spooky season!

This was an intriguing story that gave me Snow White meets Alice in Wonderland vibes. It felt familiar but also very unique and I enjoyed it.

Hemlock & Silver is fascinating and, while it took me a moment to really get hooked, I quickly found myself captivated (and a little worried to go near any mirrors). There is wonderful character development and dynamic. I liked the writing style as it felt like Anja was truly telling me a story in a way that I relate to (allowing myself to veer slightly off course only to snap back to where I need to).

Overall, I am glad I read this book. It is one I would recommend. To me, it is suitable as a YA read (but be mindful of CWs and TWs as there are some topics and themes that might not be for all readers).