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cozyscones's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
Minor: Body horror
podanotherjessi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Child death and Domestic abuse
purplepenning's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
The trees were full of crows and the woods were full of madmen.
Given that perfect opening line, I wasn't quite prepared for how much chickens would factor into the story — but I'm not mad about it!
Nettle & Bone is a bizarre and brilliant, dark and funny fairytale in the hero's quest tradition. A tradition that it gleefully follows and subverts. It features a simple but stalwart 30-year-old almost-nun/princess, a sharp but secretive dust wife/grave witch, an honorable but disgraced warrior/diplomat, at least one evil but kind fairy godmother, a loving but impulsive dog of bones, and a grumpy demon-possessed chicken. Their quest leads us from a beleaguered middle kingdom by the sea to a haunted stronghold in the north — and through unspeakable lands, markets, and boarding houses in between. Driven, always, by familial love, loyalty, and justice, even in the face of ancient power, its corruption and abuses. Especially in the face of its abuses.
Nothing is fair, except that we try to make it so. That's the point of humans, maybe, to fix things the gods haven't managed.
I sometimes want a little more lushness and emotion in my fairytales, but only sometimes. I also love this matter-of-fact, face-the-fears, roll-with-the-bizarre, do-the-hard things approach. It gives me Granny Weatherwax and Tiffany Aching vibes — and anything approaching the genius of Terry Pratchett's witches is okay by me. Fans of Nicola Griffith's Spear and Emily Lloyd-Jones's The Drowned Woods should also enjoy this one.
Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Pregnancy
Minor: Torture, Blood, Excrement, Cannibalism, and Classism
oliverreeds's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Let me say one thing - the writing is excellent. It's crisp, sharp and elegant. T. Kingfisher is clearly an old pro at this style, and not a word is wasted. I also really appreciated how Kingfisher takes common fairy tale tropes and uses them in ways that are alternately hilarious and profound. The female characters in this book are all incredibly strong, courageous and intelligent, but each of them expresses these qualities differently.
The issues I had may have had a lot to do with the time I took to finish it, despite its relatively short length. The pace was definitely slower than I would have liked, and there were times when the phrasing was just a little too cryptic and philosophical for my taste - I want to be intrigued, not confused!
Overall, this was a well-written, thought-provoking fantasy, but I wish it could have moved at a slightly faster pace.
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Grief, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Body horror, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, and Cannibalism
buttonburner's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Child death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy
wilybooklover's review
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Dementia, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape, Slavery, Torture, Cannibalism, and Abortion
tea_overload's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, and Pregnancy
Minor: Blood and Cannibalism
bittennailbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Well, you'd have a whole lot of fun.
Nettle & Bone was my first delve into the world of Kingfisher and I am never coming out. This dark fairytale re-telling has you rooting for the bad guys and cheering on murder. The characters were super engaging and funny as were all the side thoughts. A lesson in dark meets camp brought to you by T. Kingfisher. Would recommend to anyone who wants something less on the cozy fantasy side with a wagon full of charm.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
surelyinthefountain's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
It's my own problem, I know. I've grown to despise more and more with time the type of story that has few narrative compunctions with horrible, unspeakably grim things happen to people -- but oh no! A CUTE ANIMAL? GETTING HURT? Well that's just unacceptable. (Yes that is unacceptable, and yes it's harmless, and yes it's not meant this way -- but I just can't quite divorce this trope in my brain from that type of specifically white person logic that builds gorgeous humane societies with full AC and heating for shelter pets while human rentals don't even have window AC units and those without homes are lucky to find even a shaded sidewalk square to park their bodies.)
I think I might be done with T. Kingfisher books btw. Sometimes, something should just 100% be your sort of thing, but it's just not vibing with you the way you feel like it should. And man, considering how common my complaint is for her books that I wish they'd go full creepy and drop the romance, I think her stuff may just not be the right formula for me.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Miscarriage, and Misogyny