Thornhedge by T Kingfisher
I would like to thank Titan Books for an advance copy of this novella in exchange for a fair and honest review
Publisher – Titan
Published – Out Now
Price – £10.99 hardback £6.99 Kindle eBook
There's a princess trapped in a tower. This isn't her story.
Meet Toadling. On the day of her birth, she was stolen from her family by the fairies, but she grew up safe and loved in the warm waters of faerieland. Once an adult though, the fae ask a favor of Toadling: return to the human world and offer a blessing of protection to a newborn child. Simple, right?
If only.
Centuries later, a knight approaches a towering wall of brambles, where the thorns are as thick as your arm and as sharp as swords. He's heard there's a curse here that needs breaking, but it's a curse Toadling will do anything to uphold...
The older we get we know stories offer truths and lies. Why are witches always bad, youngest children always the Chosen Ones and what is it with the rule of three even in this sentence making an appearance. Stories evolve and we’ve seen in recent years many re-interpretations and re-imaginings of various tales. T Kingfisher brings their usual unique view to a certain familiar tale in their fantasy novella Thornhedge and delivers a charming tale with a few surprises.
Toadling is a fairy guarding a tall and incredibly prickly hedge. One that surrounds a castle and it’s Keep, that few know about. The centuries pass and Toadling stays to do their duty but is shocked when a knight appears. Halim has heard about this magical place and wishes to enter it and discover the secret within. Toadling fears a great danger that she feels responsible for could be about to reawaken and so tells Halim her own life-story and how she is responsible for what was to come.
T Kingfisher always knows how to write an engaging story and to bring a fresh angle. What I enjoyed is the viewpoint here is not some super-powered well-dressed witch with interesting headgear but instead Toadling feels more a standard fae who simply was told by their bosses what to do. When your main character can just turn into toads and cast only a few spells we know we’re not dealing with true evil. In fact, Kingfisher makes us witness all of Toadling’s life from being stolen from humans; made to live in fae worlds and then told by a Hare Goddess no less, to visit a castle and do a job. Yes, we’re in Sleeping Beauty territory here but this time from a low-level fae viewpoint. This manages to be both comic and sad at the same time. We really care for Toadling especially as we realise their own connection to the Royal family she meets.
Indeed, Fayette as this version of Beauty here we find is the more alarming character. We don’t though find her unusually evil just very very very creepy and scary. The slow horror we eventually see is that Fayette themselves were basically doomed from the day they were born and they’re a really interesting antagonist that we fear, understand and in some cases feel sorry that despite all the havoc they create. It is refreshing that Toadling though is believed and treated fairly by people simply because Toadling is a kind person. No grimdark fears here to worry about. Finally, there is a lovely inversion as our Prince Charming in the form of Halim is a non-arrogant, soft hearted and very average looking hero that bonds neatly with Toadling. They’re two outsiders who find a connection and it’s a nice simple friendship with a hint of more to come.
The one drawback with story-tales though is even with inversions you know what is to come. This is a tale more of the strange and unusual rather than creepy and dark kind and overall while I really enjoyed it I think people may find the likely path of the story even with these changes still very familiar. Not though a bad thing. I really enjoyed this and read it in one sitting. Kingfisher is always entertaining, and this will warm hearts and bring a smile. Well worth a look!
