One of the most unique retellings I’ve ever read. A little dark and weird, but in the best way possible. A new favorite book of 2025. A phenomenal audiobook rec!!

Jennifer Pickens was the perfect narrator for this story. She embodied Healer Anja’s quirks, curiosity, and humor beautifully. Her ability to change between tones and accents for other characters throughout the book was also really well done. I need to listen to more of Jennifer’s narrations asap. I could not set this audiobook down! I cannot recommend enough! The audio made this beautiful book even better.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was a fun and engaging character study and a plot driven mystery all at once. I had never read Kingfisher but will be finding her books again!
The author is a master at delivering worldbuilding elements within plot and characterization. Her dialogue and scenes are completely immersive and winning in their deft portrayal of this fairy tale world with modern elements that allow the reader to identify with the protagonist throughout.
The character of the King was especially well drawn and so his surprising actions within the twist landed so well.
I lived the protagonist so much throughout and enjoyed her ironic, humorous take on the world.
The narration was amazing, and added immeasurably to my enjoyment.
One quibble would be the length of the middle section. I felt it went on too long and could have been edited a little.

What a ride! A dark and mysterious reimagining of the classic fairytale of Snow White. Anja, a poison expert, is tasked with unraveling who is behind the poisoning of the beloved princess Snow. Anja is clever and snarky, and I so enjoyed her banter and humor. The audiobook narrator is excellent and captured her spirit well. The “mirror, mirror on the wall” has an unexpected and haunting twist. I couldn’t put this book down!

This stunning atmospheric audiobook narration by @jenwrenpickens might be my favorite narration of 2025 🏆. I was hooked 🖤. Thank you @macmillan.audio for this ALC!
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Eerie dark Snow White reimagining, with a dash of Alice in Wonderland, a dollop of Stranger Things, and a blunt bad a*s FMC. I am obsessed 🩶.
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Nettle & Bone is still my favorite by Kingfisher, but Hemlock & Silver is a close second. This historical magical realism, told in a modern voice, woven together with threads from myth and fairy tale, may be my all-time favorite niche genre ☺️. (And Kingfisher absolutely nails it.)
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Anja is a healer, but not just any kind of healer. Her specialty is poisons. The King has hired Anja to save his daughter, Snow, who appears to be dying of unexplained illness. Anja can’t seem to find a reason for the illness, that is until she discovers a peculiar cat and a dark secret. The secret will draw her into an alternate world, turn reality on its head, and possibly doom them all.
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I absolutely devoured this creepy, haunting dark fairy tale retelling. And I loved the romance B storyline! The sharp witty banter had me laughing out loud.
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Do not sleep on this one y’all!
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Hemlock & Silver - Kingfisher
4.75/5⭐️ (rounded up to 5⭐️ for Goodreads.)
🎉OUT NOW!🎉

𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑫 𝑰𝑭 𝒀𝑶𝑼 𝑳𝑰𝑲𝑬:
♡ fairytale retelling with a twist
♡ unique magic
♡ FMC who tells it like it is
♡ Snow White x Alice in Wonderland
♡ fantasy with a dash of romance

𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑻𝑯𝑶𝑼𝑮𝑯𝑻𝑺:
GUYS. GUYSSSSSS. Grab this audio RIGHT NOW!!!!!!! This is arguably my favorite audio of the year. The narrator was so perfect for this book and the main character. She brought the dry, socially awkward FMC to life and I found myself giggling at some of her rambling thoughts.

This book (to me) was Snow White mixed with Alice in Wonderland and it WORKED lemme tell you. The King’s daughter is dying and our FMC healer (well, more like poison expert who sometimes heals others) is brought in to try to save her. She stumbles into a magical world inside the mirrors of the palace and chaos ensues.

I won’t get too much into the details of the books but the world building was top tier. I listened to this on audio and at no point did I feel lost; everything was easy to understand and so FUN! I really enjoyed the creative creatures in the magic world and the magical system.

I will 100000% be buying a trophy for my shelves and listen again!

Hemlock & Silver is an exceptional audiobook experience, brought vividly to life through Jennifer Pickens’ masterful narration. Her composed and nuanced delivery, laced with subtle satirical inflections, captures the tone and texture of T. Kingfisher’s storytelling with remarkable finesse. The result is an immersive performance that enhances the novel’s richly drawn characters, inventive plot, and signature blend of dark humor.

Even for listeners who don’t typically gravitate toward fantasy, this work stands out. I count myself among that group, yet I always make an exception for T. Kingfisher—and Hemlock & Silver is a perfect example of why. With its compelling narrative and exceptional narration, this audiobook offers a truly enchanting experience.

Sincere thanks to Tor Books and Macmillan Audio for making this story available in such an outstanding format.

this was such a fun take on a snow white meets through the looking glass kind of fairy tale!

i absolutely loved that the main character and our narrator was a bookish healer who specialized in poisons and their antidotes, but not necessarily in all the "proper" mannerisms when engaging with other people.

i enjoyed the mystique of the world and the dynamics in the mirror a lot, but also the small moments of tenderness with the roosters really got me!

this was such a brilliant book that showed dynamic characterizations while also being a plot-driven read. i thought the pacing was well laid and the world uncanny in the best ways.

my only complaint was that some of the plot/character combos seemed unnecessary. if they were introduced to be some kind of red herring for us to follow as readers, then it didn't quite land. if they were introduced to give a more round picture of the kingdom then we didn't have enough of them on the page.

but otherwise this was so enjoyable and a fun read!

I really enjoyed this dark Snow White retelling. There was mystery and some spookiness. A talking cat...I mean hello! Sign me up. I really enjoyed the FMC and her internal dialogue cracked me up. I loved her sense of humor. I was gifted the ALC and really enjoyed the narration. The narrators voice was very soothing.

Healer Anja makes a habit of drinking poison. Not to die, but to practice. Forever searching for cures where others have given up. Her peaceful days of herbs and experiments end abruptly when the King calls upon her. His beloved daughter, Snow, is fading fast, and he hopes Anja’s peculiar talents might save her.

Armed with a grumpy guard, an unbearably vain cat, and her own relentless curiosity, Anja tries every remedy she knows. Nothing works, until a gleaming mirror reveals a secret world on the other side. But in this strange, enchanted realm, the cure Anja seeks may prove even more dangerous than the sickness itself.

This Snow White inspired fantasy/horror novel was an absolute delight to read! I'm already a big fan of T. Kingfisher and every new book I pick up makes me a bigger fan! This story was full of whimsy and fun while also having darker elements.

Anja is a very likeable and relatable character who I really enjoyed reading about. Her one track mind when it comes to poisons and finding cures was really interesting. She felt like a complex, real person to me.

Of course, the cat was a star. Anytime there's an animal sidekick type character you know I'm going to love them. He brought some comic relief to an otherwise fairly depressing story about a princess slowly dying and trying to figure out how to save her. He added a good balance.

I listened to the audiobook for this and really liked the narrator as well! She brought the characters to life perfectly. Overall, this was a very fun read and I would definitely recommend if you enjoy fairytale retellings!

3.8 stars!

This was a great retelling of Snow White. Filled with laugh out loud humor to break up the darker themes and enjoyable world building as well as a narcissistic talking cat. I especially liked Anja though, she is captivatingly quirky. Her first person narrative was engaging and I resonated with her since she doesn't know how to act with children, does not feel women should be motherly just because they are women, is knowledgeable on very niche subjects, and her internal dialogue in certain situations are the the exact same thoughts running through my head when I'm interacting with other people.

There are some parts that lacked for me though. Javier and Anja's relationship didn't feel emotionally charged. I know it's like a subplot but I wish there was more to their relationship. Unfortunately, I also did not feel drawn to any other characters besides the talking cat and Anja herself. So, I wish there was more depth to these characters.

I do love the narrators voice. Right off the bat she sounded just as I imagined Anja to be.

Overall it was an enjoyable read!

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audiofor the free ALC. My opinions are being left voluntarily. This unfortunately was a dnf at 17% I was constantly going I and out of listening and only caught par of it i tried to rewind and relisten however my interst in the story was jo where to be found.

Suggest skipping.

Dnf

T. Kingfisher has done it again! This dark reimagining of Snow White is everything I never knew I needed. It gave Snow White vibes with the poison apple, talking cat, and magic mirrors, but to the next level! It's dark, it's eerie, it's mysterious - all things that make a dark fantasy great.
The story starts off with Healer Anja being approached by the king and asked if she could heal his daughter. Healer Anja, being an expert on poisons, agrees but once she starts examining Snow and spending time with her, she starts to believe her illness may not be due to poison, but instead, something else. Things start getting absurd when Healer Anja finds herself in a different world inside a magic mirror. People and objects are the same but just mirrored. She comes across a talking cat, strange creatures, and to her surprise, the queen. Healer Anja does some digging into this mirror world and what she finds out it shocking!
5 stars, hands down! T. Kingfisher knows how to craft wonderful fantasies, bringing the perfect elements that bring them to life. The book does start off a little slow, but once it picks up, it really gets going!
Thank you NetGalley, MacMillian Audio, and T. Kingfisher for this outstanding ARC!

I love the author T. Kingfisher and she does it again. The first quarter of the book it is a little slow but after that it is hard to put down. It was so many twist and turns in it. I love this retelling of Snow White. The Narrator did an amazing job bringing all the characters alive.

A unique retelling with relatable humor, intrigue and realistic representation of toxicology appropriate for the setting.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an ALC!

Honestly, this book has a lot of tropes and aspects I enjoy, and I really didn't know what to expect going into it. T. Kingfisher has been an author I have been wanting to read for a while, and I am a fan now. Her inner monologue of Anja was relatable and humorous, and I truly admire all the small details she included of her studies in toxicology. World building could be a touch vague in areas but made up for some of it with deeper pantheon myths and lore and how different cities worshiped them.

I loved the early foreshadowing and nods to the grim horror aspects of Snow White as well as the red herrings sprinkled in for good measure. While I could see some twists coming, I did not forsee the whole picture and how it was orchestrated and loved being half wrong about some aspects. The ending was perfectly fitting, which is rare. Kingfisher is a good storyteller and knows her audience and what calls them. The humor was honestly one of my favorite parts, and it didn't remove me from my immersion. If anything, it just deepened it. The ending was honestly perfectly fitting and that is rare to find. If you enjoy retellings or just like smart women who aren't afraid to be different and chase their academic curiosity without a second thought, don't skip this one.

Jennifer Pickens is a master of her craft. Her voice just felt like it was a natural fit for Anja and her flow always matched the feel of the writing. I noticed she has done another Kingfisher audiobook, and I am definitely going to check it out.

🍎Snow White Retelling
☠️Toxicologist Spinster FMC
🍎Plus-size Rep
☠️Slow Burn Romance
🍎Talking Cat
☠️Low Magic
🍎"Pet" Snake
☠️Protective Solider Love Interest

“Hemlock & Silver” offers a fresh and intriguing twist on the Snow White tale. At its heart is Anja, a Healer called upon by the king to save his poisoned daughter, Snow. What follows is a story where not everything is as it seems—complete with a talking cat, a hot guard, and just the right amount of fantasy elements to pull the reader in.

The world-building is engaging, and the premise kept me hooked. My only critique is with the pacing toward the end—the climax felt a little rushed compared to the careful buildup earlier in the story. Still, it’s a clever and entertaining read that fans of fairy-tale retellings are sure to enjoy.

While I usually struggle with audio books and fully capturing my attention, I found this Snow White retelling kept me fully engrossed in the plot. Struggled in the beginning but enjoyed the later half of the book - very intelligent storytelling and twists that were somewhat unexpected. Will be continuing the series

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the alc in exchange for an honest review!

I have to start by saying that this narrator might top my list of narrators and absolutely nailed Healer Anja's dry wit and satirical nature. They set the tone for the entirety of the story and kept me engaged throughout. I love when a new author is introduced via an audiobook and inspires me to pick up their other works, which is what I certainly will be doing after finishing Hemlock & Silver.

At its core (pun intended) it was a Snow White retelling, but cleverly and uniquely done. The world was eerie, humorous, and rich with its own lore. The animalistic saint system I found to be fascinating and funny, and I gladly would've spent hours learning about each saint lol. Anja was a fantastic fmc--intelligent, quirky, and driven. There was even a cute romantic subplot that took me by surprise. But where it all works was within the complex magic of mirrors and the creepy feeling that comes with feeling watched. I actually felt pretty dumb listening to the explanation of the magic system and did struggle to truly grasp it, but that didn't detract from my overall enjoyment.

This was the perfect start to some more spooky and dark listening, with a lovely little side of sarcasm. Add this to your fall/spooky season listening!

more of a cozy fantasy which is not always my preference. I did enjoy the slow burn romance but did not enjoy how slow the pacing was at the beginning. I loved that it basically portrayed a female protagonist that was a woman in STEM. Overall, would recommend to anyone interested in a Snow White retelling and/or the cozy fantasy genre. I just tend to prefer higher stakes and more worldbuilding, so this wasn't my cup of tea.

Thank you to NetGalley for an audio ARC of this novel.

Gah! I loved this. T. Kingfisher is just so consistent in her storytelling. Our MC was a fantastic perspective to read from - so likeable and relatable. Her tangential thoughts were difficult to track sometimes, but overall I really enjoyed spending time in her head. It was a totally unique take on the story of Snow White. I loved it more than the original. Honestly, I will read anything that T. Kingfisher puts out at this point.

This was such a fun retelling of snow white. I listened to the audiobook and the narration was well done. I will definitely be getting a trophy for my book shelf. Thank you netgalley for the audio.