I loved this book so much! T. Kingfisher is always a delight to read, and this one met all my expectations. It's a vey loose retelling of Snow White from the perspective of Anja a healer focused on poisons in order to find their antidotes. Anja was wonderful, a tall middle aged woman, who regularly ingests poisons, and is very excited to figure out the scientific reason for why things are the way they are. She's enlisted as a last resort by the King of her country to figure out what is poisoning his daughter. One at the daughter's castle, she's thrown into a web of mirrors, poison and magic. I love how Anja tries to use science to explain all the decidedly non-scientific things that she experiences.

Overall, just such a fun read. The narrator really did an excellent job of capturing Anja's energy and interpretation of the world.

Absolutely loved this twist in Snow White. It was played on enough to have me feeling nostalgic, but was inventive and different enough to not feel like it was just a rehash of a classic. It was dark enough to give me shivers (Hard pass on the Mirror Gelds!) but not too dark. The MC loving knowledge was super entertaining. Spouting facts to fill the silence & get over her nerves was very endearing.
Having an older MC was PERFECTION. And I love that T. Kingfisher continues that (I have read one other book by them) The narrator was wonderful and kept me engaged. It was a little slow to start, but once I was hooked I was all in.

I thought this books was fun. It's similar to A Sorceress Comes to Call in which your main narator is described as an older (unmarried late thirties) stout woman.
It's described by many as a dark snow white retelling and of course that's accurate, but it's got hints of Alice through the Looking Glass as well.

This book was fantasy, but in the dark fairy tale retelling style of Stephen King's Fairy Tale. The fantasy world isn't one you want to step into and live in. You want to escape it.

Anja is an odd duck, but she's snarky, straight forward, and awkward in conversation, so she's a fun character to read. She's not a healer, but a poison expert, who is called on to save the king's daughter, Snow. The characters Javier and Greyling were perfect companions throughout the book.

I requested this ARC on netgalley because I really liked A Sorceress Comes to Call and I am glad I got it. This was an audio book, so I wanted to say that I really enjoyed the narrator as well.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley

I've always heard good things about T. Kingfisher's writing, so I was excited to dive into this one when Netgalley approved my request. Even though my expectations were already high, they were still surpassed! I listened to the entire audiobook in two days. I was so desperate to listen to more, that I busied myself doing extra chores so I could find out what happens. It was so refreshing to read about a main character who wasn't a teen or in her early twenties. I found myself relating to a lot of things Anja was thinking and even laughing out loud at some of her internal monologue despite the seriousness of the plot.

Although this is promoted as "a dark reimagining of Snow White", it actually has very little to do with the original fairytale. If anything, it reminded me more of Apothecary Diaries (one of my favorite manga). Anja has many similarities to Maomao; I would highly recommend to anyone who wants to read something similar, but with a dark fantasy backdrop!

I believe this is the first time I've listened to an audiobook narrated by Jennifer Pickens and I really enjoyed her portrayal of the characters. There's one moment in particular where Anja doesn't want to admit she's crying and I was impressed by how well the feelings were conveyed in the audiobook.

I had such an incredibly fun time piecing together how things worked in the mirror world. Although I did find the end a bit predictable, I couldn't figure out how it would be made possible, so it left me guessing throughout the book. The pacing was so good, I couldn't bring myself to put it down. The first night I stayed up until 3:00am listening and turned it on again as soon as I woke up!

Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher is a beautifully dark and captivating retelling of Snow White. The opening felt familiar, like a half remembered fairy tale, which only added to the haunting atmosphere. I loved the direction the author took with this story, twisting the classic elements into something fresh, eerie, and utterly engaging. Kingfisher’s storytelling is rich and immersive, and the darker tone gave this retelling real depth. A must read for fans of gothic fantasy and fairy tale reimaginings.

Hemlock and Silver is a dark and twisty Snow White retelling centered on Anya, a sharp-witted healer and poison master summoned by the king to care for his mysteriously ailing daughter, Snow—who he suspects has been poisoned. As Anya investigates the illness, she stumbles upon a magical mirror that leads to a strange alternate universe. The deeper she digs, the more tangled the connection between this realm and Snow’s condition becomes, revealing long-buried family secrets and looming threats that could destroy them all.

The world-building in this book is intense and, at first, left me feeling a bit lost. I found myself trying too hard to piece everything together instead of just letting the story unfold. But once I relaxed into the narrative, I was completely hooked. Anya is such a standout character—clever, sarcastic, and genuinely funny. I really grew to love her voice and perspective. The mirror world was absolutely engrossing, with major Alice in Wonderland vibes.

Overall, I’m so glad I stuck with it. Once I got out of my own head, I found a rich, magical story that was absolutely worth the ride.


Thank you NetGalley for this free ELC!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher and narrator for the opportunity to listen in advance for my review

1st the narration was very good. 2nd the story was amazing. I thought there was going to be a love triangle at first... them as i listened more i learned so much. At times the story took some dark turns and I was like whoa where is this going. .. but I enjoyed it so much. A mystery wrapped in a ro.ance with a snow white twist. So good

one of the best books of the year so far. i think this handled heavier themes of abuse and gender in a meaningful and novel way. i’m usually not a fan of fairytale retelling but having this from the perspective of a third party narrator was perfect. i loved our main character and her knowledge of poisons and humbleness. the cat side character was top tier and the romance subplot was also adorable. expert blend of horror fantasy and romance

This is the book that is going to make a T. Kingfisher completist. I've read several of her books already, but this sealed it. I love her take on fairytales - she takes the familiar and turns it on its head just enough to give us something new and breathtaking. We have another thirty-something FMC, thank you, thank you! Anja is such a great character; a healer who studies poisons extensively and uses that know how to save lives. She is direct and unpretentious which is so refreshing. I love that we seem to always get an adorable, if unusual animal companion in Kingfisher's books and this one is no different. This time we get a rooster and a pit viper. As is also typical (I think), there is lovely romance, but it is soft and quiet. It is not central to the story, but we'd be missing out without it. Javier is so unfazed by Anja knowing more than him and is really just a supportive king. The mirror world and its processes was also brilliantly done. If I have a complaint it's that it felt as though the climactic action was over very quickly and without much fanfare, but I loved to see Snow's autonomy. I do highly recommend this one on audio; it is narrated by the terrific Jennifer Pickens who really sets the tone!

T. Kingfisher DOES. NOT. MISS! This is my 3rd book by them and I've rated them all 5 stars. She has such a way of making you adore the main characters, and they're also very relatable to me as well. This book sweeps you into a very interesting, complex, and magical world and there's also a dash of romance near the end. I loved every moment. I recommend going into this one blind. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

I fear my love of this author may drag down my overall tone, just because I expect this from Kingfisher at this point. But this was wonderful.

A 35 year old FMC? I didn’t know that was allowed. More of this please! She was wonderful, relatable and hilarious in her own way. I know a lot more about roosters than I did when I picked this up.

I liked that while Snow was responsible (in a way) for her own poisoning it wasn’t really her fault. I was going to be disappointed if she was just trying to get attention. The way it worked out was much more satisfying, especially since she killed the monster with her Mothers face.

The romance subplot was also very enjoyable, the characters had good banter; and it felt natural. 5 stars.

How is every T Kingfisher book so good? This was both charming, cozy, and absolutely horrifying in a visceral way. I'm so in love with Anya, and we all need more heroines are are in their mid-30s, tall, fat, and terrible with children. Though there wasn't a single character who I didn't enjoy. I honestly don't have much to say because this was perfect, and just what I needed.

I love T. Kingfisher and this is another fun story. I loved the main character and the magic in the world. The main character was well developed and interesting. Snow was fairly one dimensional but the story was less about her than it was about the puzzle she represented. I wouldn’t classify this as horror but there are some creepy parts. Worth the read/listen.

What a creative new taken on the Snow White story! There are so many authors who try to do a fairy tale retelling, but this was something brand new. The first 20% of the book is setting up the FMC (not Snow) and it was interesting, albeit a little slow. Then it starts ramping up and the story gets more intricate. It was really a fun read.

Thanks NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'm really not quite sure how I feel about this book. I usually live T. Kingfisher's writing, but I have mixed feelings on this one. Overall I did enjoy it however.

Anya reminded me a good bit of Maomao from The Apothecary Diaries, what with all the poison and court mystery elements. I really did enjoy her, Grayling, and Javier.

In fact, I liked all of the characters. They were well developed and unique. Even the rooster.

But the pacing was off. It was a very, very slow start. Then it picked up once Anya discovered the mirrors. The middle was about a medium pace, which is fine, but then the ending happened all in a rush.

Overall, I did enjoy it. It was an interesting take on the Snow White story, and I like that Snow had a sister named Rose, which was a nice nod to other fairy tales.

Anja isn't a people person, she's a problem solver, and poisonings are problems with people attached. So she enthusiastically studies poisons while searching for antidote and grudgingly deals with the humans she can't avoid along the way. Then the King comes and tells her his daughter Snow is sick and may be being poisoned and drags her along to investigate.

General writing-wise, it's classic T Kingfisher in its wonderful mix of humor and suspense with a dash of body horror and a down to earth heroine. I loved it. Narrator-wise, it took me a little bit to get into it, but once I did, the rest had excellent pacing. There weren't too many characters to swap between, and it was always easy to tell who was speaking without the changeover being jarring.

Thank you for the opportunity to review!
I loved everything about this audiobook. I seriously devoured it. The story itself was original and fresh, the characters were believable and the narration lended to the fantasy in such a way that I felt a part of the plot line. A definite 5 star read for me!

This book was an interesting twist on Alice through the looking Glass and Sherlock Holmes. There was mystery and magic that was perfectly woven together and then unraveled to tell a great story. The Author created an interesting and unique world that held me with rapt attention and characters that owned their flaws and still tried to help others despite their shortcomings.
The narrator did a great job bringing the story to life and using her voice to move the mystery along.

Rating: 5/5

I LOVE retellings, and this one was phenomenal to me. The narrator of the audio could not have done a better job of bringing this story to life!

I've read a T. Kingfisher novella that was also a fairytale retelling (Thornhedge), and what I wanted was MORE - this full novel-length retelling delivered exactly that!

Plot & Pacing:
I absolutely loved the unique plot. There were twists, turns, secrets, and everything I could have asked for. I really enjoyed the darker twist on the fairytale and how the story married both whimsy/magic (fantasy) and science through Anja's 'unusual' means of seeking ways to save people from poisons (by poisoning herself). There were so many different details and nuances to how the world works in the story, but I really liked getting to know it piece by piece as Anja works it out herself. Not being able to really predict things kept me even more engaged because I just wanted to understand - the twists were icing on the cake and like little bonuses. The mirror world versus the 'real' world was fascinating and I had a ton of fun learning about it. I was hooked from the start - the plot is compelling, the tension, mystery, and threat posed to Snow's life had me constantly thinking about the story and wanting to continue listening, and I was never quite sure exactly what was going on (which made it more interesting!). Also, the romance sub-plot was SO MUCH FUN!

Writing Style & Structure/Pacing:
The writing in this book was SO well done, in my opinion. I could imagine everything vividly and it truly brought the world and characters to life. While the pacing of events did majorly pick up once Anja discovers the mirror world (not until about halfway through), I didn't think the first half was slow at all, and the shift in pace didn't bother me! I will say that sometimes the descriptions of the poisons and plants took me out of the story at times because they got a little 'too' detailed for me and seemed almost like 'filler.'

Characters:
I was SO invested in the characters. Anja's personality was spunky, hilarious, blunt, and so much fun. I also loved the other characters (and loved to hate some!). Snow, Javier, and Grayling were my favorite 'side' characters, but the others were just as great. They all had distinct personalities, and I felt that they were really developed in that sense. The story is very plot-forward rather than character-forward, so I didn't think we needed a ton of depth in terms of their backgrounds/histories - what we get is the perfect amount, in my opinion. I felt that the characters were rich and had a lot of depth in the story's 'current' time; we come to understand their feelings, thoughts, motivations, etc. even through Anja's perspective. Again, the romance subplot was a fun addition, too! It developed gradually and never overshadowed the main story/plot itself but still added a fun little 'adventure' that allowed for more character development and personality to shine through (plus humor). In relation to the plot itself, I also genuinely became worried for the characters and cared for them!

What didn't work for me:
- It got frustrating to try to follow and understand the world, at times. I enjoyed it a lot more once I let go of trying to make sense of the details and instead just let myself follow Anja's own logic and confusion.
- It was hard to follow the different humors and saints that were referenced throughout the story (especially in the first half). A 'cheat sheet' to reference would be great!
*Nothing that bumped down the rating from 5!

Audio Narration:
The narrator of the audio was INCREDIBLE! She brought the story to life - from Anja's personality to the story's side characters, humor, and atmosphere/tone as it shifted at times (mysterious, humorous, suspenseful, exciting, etc.). The narrator varied the tone, pitch, and speed of narration perfectly to keep me engaged. The highlight for me was the narrator capturing Anja's personality and the humor of the story!

Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the ARC!

Kingfisher, the love I have for you.

This is how fairytale retellings SHOULD be done! The way the story doesn't paint one woman as a villain, but instead has them all learn to work together. The FMC finding her voice and learning that it isn't weakness to ask for help, to get assistance, but also there are times you must learn to stand on her own two feet. I loved the final few chapters, where the story really showed the growth of the FMC. But also, all the little fairytales woven in throughout was amazing, especially the lesser known ones.

I'd love another story set in this world.