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A review by samantha_jones_72
Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-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
5.0
I love T. kingfisher’s work, so when I found out that she had a new book coming out I was super excited. I was even more excited to get an ARC from NetGalley and Tor so I was able to read this book early—thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early read!
The novel is a retelling of the Snow White story, and I am a sucker for retellings, especially fairy tales. In Kingfisher’s world, Anya is a talented healer, although she’d argue that point. Anya knows about poisons and their antidotes and sometimes can offer cures, often risky ones. When the king’s daughter Snow becomes ill and no one else has been able to help, he comes to Anya as a last resort.
The novel is super atmospheric, placing much of the story in a desert setting (drawn perhaps from the author’s own recent move to the Southwest). I love Anya’s story: she’s no ingenue, as so many main female characters in this genre tend to be, and she’s smart and funny. She’s great at her job, and her world doesn’t revolve around her love interest (although there is one and I enjoyed the way that storyline develops). Anya is energetic and curious AND a single woman in her mid-30s—all parts of her character that kept me rooting hard for her to succeed.
The minor characters pulled me in, too, from the kindly and wise Lady Sorrel to the mysterious talking cat (!!!) Greyling. (Important spoiler:nothing bad happens to Greyling, even though you might be worried about him for awhile—I love this about Kingfisher books, too—nothing bad happens to the animals you come to love!)
I can’t wait to read whatever T. Kingfisher does next!
The novel is a retelling of the Snow White story, and I am a sucker for retellings, especially fairy tales. In Kingfisher’s world, Anya is a talented healer, although she’d argue that point. Anya knows about poisons and their antidotes and sometimes can offer cures, often risky ones. When the king’s daughter Snow becomes ill and no one else has been able to help, he comes to Anya as a last resort.
The novel is super atmospheric, placing much of the story in a desert setting (drawn perhaps from the author’s own recent move to the Southwest). I love Anya’s story: she’s no ingenue, as so many main female characters in this genre tend to be, and she’s smart and funny. She’s great at her job, and her world doesn’t revolve around her love interest (although there is one and I enjoyed the way that storyline develops). Anya is energetic and curious AND a single woman in her mid-30s—all parts of her character that kept me rooting hard for her to succeed.
The minor characters pulled me in, too, from the kindly and wise Lady Sorrel to the mysterious talking cat (!!!) Greyling. (Important spoiler:
I can’t wait to read whatever T. Kingfisher does next!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Vomit, Medical trauma
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Death