Thornhedge by T Kingfisher

Thornhedge by T Kingfisher
Buy Thornhedge by T Kingfisher at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: Fantasy
Reviewer: Olivia Tierney
Summary: A gem of a book, which is joyous and precious, Thornhedge is a retelling that twists and turns and makes an old story shine in new ways. With loveable characters and gorgeous writing, it's a novella that will leave you wanting a few more pages, and then a few more.
Buy? Yes	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 128	Date: August 2023
Publisher: Titan Books
ISBN: 978-1803364238
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You had a right to retake your place.

T Kingfisher's latest novella is a lovely reimagining of a fairytale that is well known and well beloved. But whilst there is a princess trapped in a tower, sleeping under an eternal enchantment, Thornhedge is not her story. Instead, our protagonist is Toadling, who was stolen away by fairies when she was a new-born baby and secreted away to the land of fairie where her childhood was spent being taught how to draw magic from her veins and cast spells.

Despite being happy to live there forever, once she becomes an adult the fae ask her to return to the human world and bestow a blessing upon a newborn child, a princess that is not quite as beautiful inside as on the outside. Toadling is told it will be simple, however it transpires to be anything but.

Dealing with the consequences of her mistake, for centuries Toadling works to detract people's attention away from the tower, always keeping to the shadows, hiding in case anyone catches a glimpse of her by mistake. Until, that is, an unlikely knight approaches the sharp and thick brambles encasing a tower that has been immortalised in myth. He, like others, has heard there is a curse on a beautiful maiden that needs breaking, but it is one that Toadling is determined to uphold…

This book has a little bit of everything – with themes of family, magic, duty and the blossoming of friendship and love – which will captivate readers and glamour them into turning one page after the next until the story reaches its end. I'm always cautious with retellings because often they can feel old and simple, unimaginative regurgitations of infamous stories. But T Kingfisher has managed to do what few do – write a story that is wholly and uniquely original as well as compelling. It is sown together seamlessly with writing that flows with a lovely cadence. I love how she has blended light and darkness, evil and goodness throughout the story, and how the narrative always avoids becoming heavy or dragging along.

The magic of this is the characters that against their nature take centre stage. Toadling is sweet and unassuming, unselfish in her thoughts and kind in her actions. She is a character that could so easily be a side character, hiding in the wings, lost in another's tale. Yet Kingfisher draws the curtain back and shines the spotlight on her. We are steered and ushered through her journey to finding where she belongs and how she fits into two worlds – that of our world and that of fairie – when she is between and betwixt. And it is a journey you cannot help but find yourself wishing it did not have to come to an end.

Alongside Toadling, is Halim, an unlikely and unconventional knight, who has his own depths for the reader to uncover. His story and how it intertwines with Toadling's is touching and uplifting. The kind, gentle, impoverished knight is not a character that graces many fantasy novels or novellas and his inclusion makes Thornhedge stand out all the more.

Both characters feel like old friends and how anyone could not fall in love with both Toadling and Halim and their stories, is beyond me.

Sweet and charming, Thornheadge, weaves the tale of Sleeping Beauty into a new tapestry giving the fairytale intriguing depth and unforgettable characters. It's a wonderful, endearing short story that gives the reader the most loveliest of escapes. One that will warm your heart and despite the neatly tied ending, one that will leave you longing to read a sequel.

Many thanks to the publishers for providing the Bookbag with a copy for review.

In terms of further reading, Uprooted by Naomi Novik similarly revolves around a dark, sharp edged fairytale which sparkles with magic and subverts traditional expectations. Alternatively if you are seeking a collection of more short stories, look no further than The Book of English Folk Tales by Sybil Marshall and John Lawrence whose stories delight and enchant.

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