I always enjoy a good story from T Kingfisher and this one was no exception! With the way this author spins a story, having their take on a fairytale retelling was absolute perfection. I loved it. It kept me entertained for a night shift and the narrator was great with the story. Definitely recommend!

T Kingfisher has done it again with another creative fantastical fairytale retelling, this time: Snow White! 🪞🍎

She took this story in a completely different direction than Disney did, told from the perspective of a healer whose specialty is finding antidotes to poisons.

From that premise alone I was pretty sure I’d love this. And it was so good! Whimsical, smart, and quite a bit funny. As usual for Kingfisher, the story did get intense and there were some slightly creepy moments, but not too much even for me 😅

As for the audiobook narration, I’d probably listen to Jennifer Pickens read anything, honestly. I loved her narration of The Collected Regrets of Clover and she was just as good here. Her voice is so genuine, I feel she’s a friend telling me a story in person. And now I know she’s awesome at voicing magic talking cats, too 😸

Go for this one when you want a quick fun read with immaculate vibes.

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

Another fantastic novel by T. Kingfisher. Her fairytale retellings feel fresh and original. These are some of my favorite kinds of fantasy novels. The narrator did a fantastic job.

I knew from the first chapter that I was going to love this book! One of my favorite reads this year! This mixed the dark comedy from The Saints of Steel series with a spin on Snow White with plenty of body horror and it worked so well for me.

The story starts with a poison expert, Anja, getting a visit from the king, right when she has tested a batch of poison on herself. She's tasked with solving the mysterious illness of his daughter, Snow. If you think you know where the story goes from here, it might throw you for a loop!

Any book that can make me laugh, but also keep me in suspense is going to be a winner. I haven't liked everything I've read from T. Kingfisher, but Hemlock & Silver is up there with Paladin's Grace in my favorites list!!

I listened to the audiobook and Jennifer Pickens did a wonderful job bringing Anja to life. Her voice fit the character so well!

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for an early audiobook copy in exchange for this honest review.

I just finished Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher, and it’s another reminder of why she’s one of my favorite authors. Kingfisher balances sharp humor with unsettling, fairy-tale darkness better than anyone I’ve read.

Anja, a poison expert, is such a refreshing protagonist—practical, intelligent, and not easily rattled. The shift from her quiet, plant-filled home to the dangerous mirror world was seamless, and the tension never felt forced. Even the talking cat—dry, self-interested, and often hilarious—fit perfectly into the tone of the story.

I listened to a lot of it on audiobook, and the narrator was fantastic—capturing Anja’s wry tone and the book’s shifts between warmth and menace without overplaying either. It’s smart, atmospheric fantasy with just enough edge, and I read it quickly because I didn’t want to put it down.

Fun, mysterious, and cozy! This fantasy has everything I look for in a cozy read. Hemlock and Silver follows a healer named Anja as she is enlisted by the king to help solve the mysterious illness that has taken his daughter. While in the castle she stumbles (literally) into another world. What happens next is unexpected, whimsical and even romantic.

As this is my first read by this author, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I loved this. I will definitely be reading more.

As always, thank you to the author, publisher, and netgalley for this arc.

Hemlock & Silver is a dark and gothic retelling of Snow White with a super unique take on the classic fairy tale. The narrator does an amazing job with all the characters, and you’ll be hooked from the very first page.

The story follows a female protagonist, a reluctant bodyguard romance, and a sarcastic talking cat.

The FMC is Anja, a thirty-something poison expert who gets a plea from the King to save his daughter, Snow, who he thinks is being poisoned.

Anja’s bodyguard,Javier, is the only person who doesn’t seem to care about Anja’s obsession with poison. He helps her every step of the way as she tries to save Snow, and their budding romance is totally believable.

Then there’s Grayling, by far, my favorite character. He’s hilarious and perfectly embodies T. Kingfisher’s style of mixing darkness and humor, and the banter between the characters only adds to the darker tone of the story.

Hemlock & Silver was a great read, and I really enjoyed it. You might not notice the connection to Snow White at first, but I think that’s because Kingfisher weaves the fairy tale into her story, not the other way around. Don’t read it looking for the resemblance. Read it for the story, and you’ll find that the world she created is meant to explore the part of the fairy tale that’s been lost, maybe the most important part - the magic of the mirror.

4.5 rounded up to a 5 for Netgalley, I am so happy that I was given a chance to read/enjoy the audiobook version of the title. I originally had been granted a chance to read the ARC ebook and struggled with the pacing and engagement with the novel. That being said the narrator brought this title to life and I was able to disappear into this unique retelling of Snow White. It is done in such a way that had the princess not been named Snow I would of believed that this was a fairy tale that took inspiration from Labyrinth & assorted fairytales.

Whimsical, fantasy world. I loved the main character and how she doesn’t fit the classic mold. This book is a Snow White retelling but also gave me Alice in Wonderland vibes… but maybe that was just because of Greyling. Even with that, this story was completely its own and not just a reiteration of the fairytales you have heard before. I absolutely adored the storyline, the characters, and getting enveloped in this world.

The audiobook is fantastic - the narrator did an incredible job distinguishing characters and really making the story come alive.

Highly recommend (especially the audio version!!) and thank you so much to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an advanced copy!

T Kingfisher is an auto-buy author at our house, and I went into Hemlock & Silver totally blind. I later saw that it was a reimagining of Snow White. While there were parts of Snow White tucked into the story, it truly felt like a story all its own – and it pulled me in fully. Anja has made a life figuring out poisons. Between her no nonsense attitude, her love of science and the scientific method, and the confidence to be herself, she quickly became someone I wanted to invest my time with. Her uncanny ability to solve problems leads the way to finding out why the princess, Snow, is getting so sick. It’s a blend of dark and humorous, mystery and adventure, of being independent and of navigating relationships with others. T Kingfisher’s voice shines through in all the best ways. Hemlock & Silver jumps to the top of my most favorite of her books, as well as to the top of my overall favorite books read. As an audiobook, Jennifer Pickens was an astounding narrator. She brought life to the characters and to the story. I may have stayed up way too late because while I wanted to find out where the story was going, I also didn’t want it to end.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audio copy for review.

Step into a fairy tale full of magic, dark worlds, and impossible cures! Anja is witty, clever, and delightfully unorthodox… plus there’s a scene-stealing talking cat. Honestly, what more could a reader want?

An inventive, interesting take on the evil queen and Snow White tale! Our main character, Anja, is a poison specialist called upon to treat Princess Snow’s mysterious illness. Is Snow being poisoned? Will Anja find out in time? This was a twisty, mysterious but fun, horror jaunt, which is a great addition to T. Kingfisher’s collection! There was also a fun slow burn romance through the book which I wasn’t expecting, but enjoyed a lot! The narrator for the audiobook did a great job!

This was a new and interesting retelling of Snow White. I enjoyed Anja as a character, her obsessive focus on posions and her scientific approach to testing the magic system. And you can't go wrong with a sassy talking cat (or not a cat if you listen to Javier).

Only issues i had was the pacing feeling a little slow and finding Snow to be little more than a spoiled child through most the book that made things harder at every turn.

I know this wlis most certainly a stand alone but would enjoy to follow healer Anja on another adventure. I could see Slleping Beauty needing a posion expert.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an advanced audiobook for review.

Tbh, as someone who isn’t really a big Snow White fan I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this retelling. I was definitely intrigued and it was not what I was expecting.
I loved the twists and turns of this story, when you thought you had something figured out, you’d be wrong. I definitely still have some questions regarding the world, but overall it was an enjoyable listen. The narration did a great job of immersing you into the story.

Thank you to NetGalley + Macmillan Audio for the Arc!

🍎 For my friends who love reimagined fairy tales with strong female problem-solvers.

HEMLOCK & SILVER by T. Kingfisher (Jennifer Pickens, Narrator)

🎧Thanks, @Macmillan.audio, for the audiobook review copy. #macaudio2025

The King summons Healer Anja to save his daughter, who is wasting away for no known reason. It must be poison of some kind, and Anja is the best at ferreting out causes and antidotes. However, the more Anja investigates, the curiouser and curiouser the situation becomes. To call this a reimagining of Snow White falls short. This is a story deserving of standing on its own merit, relying only on a mysterious apple and a character named Snow to get the ball rolling.

Oh my heart. This is a perfect melding of story, character, world-building, and narration. This story was as crisp as a magic apple and as luscious as a velvet tapestry. The brilliant combination of T. Kingfisher and Jennifer Pickens was proven in A SORCERESS COMES TO CALL, and this audiobook might be even better. I loved how Pickens adjusted Anya’s strong speaking voice to a lilting, near-mocking sing-song when delivering her inner musings. And don’t get me started on the cat.

If you’re looking for a unique fantasy full of humor and steeped in poison, intrigue, and treachery, you’ll want to put this one in your ears and fall through the looking glass. Yes, this is another #FiveSpongeAudiobook for me (so compelling you’re willing to clean to keep listening)!

This was my first T. Kingfisher book and I’m 100% going to dive into their other works! I listened to the audio and thought Jennifer Pickens performance as the narrator fit the FMC so well.

Anja is a healer specializing in poisons & regularly drinks them herself so she can find cures for those suffering from their own ill fated poisoning. While she’s living a mostly quiet, herb-obsessed life, the King suddenly summons her to save his dying daughter, Snow. I didn’t know what to expect out of this dark Snow White reimagining, but it was not the completely chilling & fascinating muted world hidden inside the palace’s magic mirrors. The way classic parts of the original story were interpreted and made to fit this new engrossing world had me dying to figure everything out!

Grotesque creatures, great twists, and a very narcissistic/sassy talking cat added so much to this immersive world. The first chunk of this book was slow to get me hooked - but once it picked up it was full speed and I couldn’t stop listening! I’m glad I did the audio because the phenomenal narration kept me going. I enjoyed Javier as a character & found Snow herself to be so intriguing. Anja’s inner thoughts and bluntness are so relatable. I found much of what she had to say very humorous.

**Thank you NetGalley, MacMillan Audio & T. Kingfisher for the ALC of Hemlock & Silver in exchange for my honest review.**

Another T. kingfisher novel that hit it out of the park. An interesting merge of Snow White meets Alice in Wonderland. I am so here for this curious, twisty, mad tale. Such a trip and even the apples that are like metallic shards going down. The mirror that leads to another place. I don’t want to ruin this ride for you but if you are looking for an original twisted fairytale then don’t hesitate to pick up this one.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC Copy!

I love how versatile that T Kingfisher is with their writing. This is only my second of their romantasy stories that I have read but it is definitely my favorite. I love how it was still sweet and romantic, but it also had the darker elements that I have grown to love in their stories. It is my favorite Snow White retelling that I have found, and I think it was done in such a fun and unique way.

I think T. Kingfisher is one of my favorite writers now. I just don't think I've read a book of hers that I didn't like, which is wild considering how prolific she is. This is definitely another winner and I had a blast with this. The only thing is that I don't really see why it had to have a connection to Snow White. It's something I've felt with a bunch of her retellings. It's so wildly different, that I think it could have easily just been its own thing without anyone really noticing. Maybe even just an "inspired by" sort of thing. I don't mind, because the story's really great anyway and I'm not necessarily looking for fairytale retellings, but it's odd. Like, it takes place in a desert kingdom, for example, so not even the basic setup is similar. I even forgot which fairytale it's supposed to be based on until I noticed that there was a kid named Snow a few hours in. But yeah, that being said, it's such a fun story. I loved most of the characters, it was super creative and had some really cool concepts with the whole mirror world thing. I also really loved the narration. I didn't really like the narrator too much in Girl in the Creek recently, but she nailed this. She was super monotone in that one, but her voices here were super animated and distinct. I don't think anyone's doing horror tinged fairytales like T. Kingfisher right now and I'm really looking forward to her next book. I think she has like another three coming out, so it won't be long hah. Thanks for the ARC!

T. Kingfisher is an auto-read for me (though I’ll admit, some of her horror pushes the edge of what I can stomach—nobody does creepy and disturbing quite like she does). When I remember that her early career was in illustration, it always clicks into place—she builds worlds that are not just weird, but wildly evocative. I’m not someone who usually “watches” a book play in my head, but Kingfisher/Vernon has a talent for crafting universes so strange, so vivid, so specific that I can’t get the visuals out of my mind.

Hemlock and Silver is no exception. The world is textured, offbeat, and immersive. The story didn’t steal my heart quite as thoroughly as some of my other favorites (Nettle and Bone, Clockwork Boys, the Paladin series, Illuminations, Thorne Hedge, and A Sorceress Comes to Call are all still unbeatable, and Harriet the Hamster remains a household joy). However, it’s still got that unmistakable Kingfisher magic.

I adored Anja, our middle-aged, awkward, deeply nerdy, large-bodied, and funny heroine—exactly the kind of protagonist Kingfisher writes so well. The supporting cast includes the expected array of animal companions, one of which is an utterly bizarre, creepy-cute creature that I promise you couldn’t dream up on your own, as well as a paladin-like love interest.

If you love your fantasy tinged with weird-girl humor, a little horror, and a touch of sweetness, this one’s for you. Even if it’s not my personal favorite Kingfisher, I still feel awed and grateful that I get to live in the same timeline as her magnificent brain.

The narrator, Jennifer Pickens, did a phenomenal job of bringing Anja to life—I’ll be looking for more of her performances in the near future.

Thank you to Ursula Vernon, MacMillan Audio, and NetGalley for access to this ARC in exchange for my honest review.