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adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A Fresh, Smart Twist on a Classic Tale
Hemlock & Silver started off a bit slow for me, but once it found its rhythm, I was completely hooked. The story breathes new life into the Snow White legend with a clever, dark, and imaginative twist that only T. Kingfisher could pull off.
The standout for me was the fantastic female main character. She's plus-sized, smart, and wonderfully analytical - refreshingly real and deeply relatable. Her intelligence and grounded nature made her a joy to follow through the eerie and enchanting world Kingfisher created.
I love T. Kingfisher’s writing style, and this book is no exception. Her prose is sharp, witty, and layered with emotion and insight. Even with the slow start, the payoff was worth it, and I’m already looking forward to whatever she writes next!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Vomit, Death of parent
Minor: Animal death, Child death, Death of parent, Murder
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Absolutely loved this twist on 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.
Granted an Audio Arc on netgalley, my review is honest & my own
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.
Granted an Audio Arc on netgalley, my review is honest & my own
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Death of parent
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit
Moderate: Drug abuse, Violence, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder
Minor: Child death
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Hemlock & Silver is an excellent addition to the T. Kingfisher library. Anja is an unconventional healer, focused on poisons and antidotes from a scientific perspective rather than the nursing and nurturing side of the job, yet she also heals with both compassion and indiscriminate focus. When the King approaches her to heal his daughter, she cannot refuse. Wrapped in scientific exploration and intrigue, Anja must find a cure to the poison Snow is ingesting with the help of a handsome but inarticulate guard and rather cheshire-like cat.
It has adventure, fantasy, horror, and a hint of romance.
No one does a reimagined classic like Kingfisher. She wields the original tale while magically conducting events that feel fresh and new and even more disturbing than the original. The only thing I missed was further character development for the Queen, but since she's dead before the book begins that's not entirely fair of me. It has vibes of Swordheart but much less cozy. There were many times I had to pause reading because OH MY GOD WHAT IS HAPPENING the tension was intense, but I quickly resumed because I had to know what happened next. Like Anja, I had so many questions. The ending was ultimately satisfying, and I'm so grateful to add this to my list of T. Kingfisher books I've read.
Thanks to NetGalley, Tor Publishing, and Macmillan Audio for this ARC!
Jennifer Pickens reads the audiobook, and she's now on my list of favorites. I especially loved the cadence she used for Grayling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death of parent
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Mirrors - YES
Apples - YES
Dwarfs - NO
Princes - NO
This is loose as retellings go, and I think that's a good thing. You might not even recognize this as a Snow White retelling if Snow's name were changed. Furthermore, the protagonist (Anja) doesn't understand Snow's perspective or motivations until the very end of the book, which makes it a much more interesting journey.
Anja and her relentless internal monologue are wonderful. Like many of us, she struggles with imposter syndrome and overthinks everything. Anja is also a bit older and a bit larger than your average fairy tale protagonist, so it was easy to relate to her as a regular person.
The magical system in this book was not quite seamless. There were a few aspects that didn't hold up to scrutiny, causing me to get hung up on the details at times.
Like in her other books, T. Kingfisher has injected a lot of humor into the narrative. Some of this comes via a sardonic cat, who is a definite highlight. Jennifer Pickens is a talented narrator who brings each character to life with unique tone and pacing.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ARC of this audiobook in exchange for my review.
Apples - YES
Dwarfs - NO
Princes - NO
This is loose as retellings go, and I think that's a good thing. You might not even recognize this as a Snow White retelling if Snow's name were changed. Furthermore, the protagonist (Anja) doesn't understand Snow's perspective or motivations until the very end of the book, which makes it a much more interesting journey.
Anja and her relentless internal monologue are wonderful. Like many of us, she struggles with imposter syndrome and overthinks everything. Anja is also a bit older and a bit larger than your average fairy tale protagonist, so it was easy to relate to her as a regular person.
The magical system in this book was not quite seamless. There were a few aspects that didn't hold up to scrutiny, causing me to get hung up on the details at times.
Like in her other books, T. Kingfisher has injected a lot of humor into the narrative. Some of this comes via a sardonic cat, who is a definite highlight. Jennifer Pickens is a talented narrator who brings each character to life with unique tone and pacing.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ARC of this audiobook in exchange for my review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Death of parent, Murder
Minor: Drug use
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol
Minor: Sexual content, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Death of parent
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I received this ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
T. Kingfisher has done it again! This book is a fantastical reimagining of Snow White. I adore Kingfisher’s ability to look at a story or trope and say, “That’s great, but what if…?”
This book follows Anja, a middle-aged woman who specializes in poisons and antidotes. Summoned by the king to save his daughter Snow, Anja soon finds herself unraveling a deeper mystery behind the princess’s illness as she uncovers a whole world alongside a fickle one-eyed cat? and her bodyguard.
This book beautifully blends the familiar tale with fresh twists and turns, leaving readers horrified, delighted, and laughing in equal measure. It’s a masterful retelling with a heartwarming and irresistibly charming romantic subplot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Drug use, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
*Thank you to the publisher and Libro.fm for the ALC! All opinions are my own.*
T. Kingfisher is a master of the fairytale retelling. She takes all the best vibes of a fairytale and infuses it with her unforgettable and hilarious casts of characters and a glorious blend of fantasy and horror. Hemlock & Silver is incredibly entertaining from the start and Anja is among my favorite of Kingfisher’s protagonists. Also, the narrator of the audio, Jennifer Pickens, is FANTASTIC. Highly highly recommend!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Death, Vomit, Death of parent
dark
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
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
I had just taken poison when the king arrived to inform me that he had murdered his wife. [opening line]
A new T Kingfisher novel is always a delight, and Hemlock and Silver -- a dark and occasionally horrific riff on 'Snow White' -- has brought me great joy, right from that opening line.
Healer Anja is thirty-five years old, unmarried, an expert in poisons and their antidotes. The king, having informed her that he'd murdered his wife, wants her to cure his adolescent daughter, Snow, whom he believes is being poisoned. The money is good and the offer difficult to refuse. In short order, Anja is on her way to Witherleaf, an opulent palace in the desert. She meets the young princess, who is clearly hiding something; she runs tests, the results of which are inconclusive; and she encounters an excellent cat.
I loved the worldbuilding: the beasts of heaven rose up and slew the cruel, pitiless gods, and are worshipped as saints. (There is no Saint Cat.) Anja refuses to believe in magic, and approaches her work with scientific rigour. She's a likeable narrator with a pragmatic approach and a burning urge to understand the world around her.
There are elements of horror that reminded me of some of Kingfisher's darker works, such as The Twisted Ones and The Hollow Places: there's also romance, friendship and the aforementioned excellent cat ("His Gloriousness, God-King of the Deserts, Lord of Rooftops, King of Mirrors, Heir to the Mantle of Harar, He Who Treads the Serpent's Tail, Whose Claws Have Scarred the Bark of the Great Tree") who is key to the resolution of the mystery.
UK publication date is 19th August 2025: thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my advance review copy!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Vomit, Death of parent