I received a temporary ebook ARC of Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. As a fan of subversive and dark fairy tales and horror, I was excited to read this novel but what totally unprepared for how much it would effect me.

After years of seeing her sisters suffer at the hands of an abusive prince, Marra—the shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter—has finally realized that no one is coming to their rescue. No one, except for Marra herself.
Seeking help from a powerful gravewitch, Marra is offered the tools to kill a prince—if she can complete three impossible tasks. But, as is the way in tales of princes, witches, and daughters, the impossible is only the beginning.
On her quest, Marra is joined by the gravewitch, a reluctant fairy godmother, a strapping former knight, and a chicken possessed by a demon. Together, the five of them intend to be the hand that closes around the throat of the prince and frees Marra’s family and their kingdom from its tyrannous ruler at last.

I LOVED this book. I adore it. I fully intend to purchase it probably via pre-order this weekend and put it in a place of honor on my book shelves. It is one of the best books I’ve ever read and I’m calling it now that its likely the best book I’m going to read this year.

First of all, there’s the main character. Marra is a princess turned kind-of-a-nun turned reluctant heroine. In the main activity in the book he is a 30 year old woman who is short and stout and loves fiber art (specifically embroidery and knitting but with a fondness of other forms as well) and this love does indeed help her multiple times on her adventure. Yall…as a short, stout, 33yo woman who spends half my time reading and crocheting or stitching or weaving…I never NEVER would have expected to see myself in a fairy tale princess at this point in my life. EVER. And yet…here we are. Oh and she has a protective pet dog…like me…but not…we’ll get to that.

Marra isn’t the only one in the story that doesn’t fall in line with the usual fairy tale character tropes. The dark witch at the end of the wasteland isn’t evil. The wicked godmothers aren’t at all what you expect them to be…and yea, there’s more than one. The hero? Well I think he gets saved more than he does the saving and that’s really ok. The sweet animal companion? Something straight out of Tim Burton. Oh and the prince? Fuck him.

Then we get to the setting and scenes themselves. When I opened this book, I had no idea what I was getting into. After a page, I fully expected this to be dark and terrible and zero happy ending. I’m ok with that, btw. I read A LOT of horror. Marra is in a bone pit in a land that is cursed by spirits because starving people did what they had to do. Spirits, as we learn, don’t much care one way or another about doing what you have to do to survive. Some of the descriptions are gruesome in this book but…there’s a poetry to them that makes bones, blood, infection, bruises, and childbirth all beautiful in a strange way. These descriptions grabbed my heard in the first chapter and held on so hard I couldn’t put the book down and engulfed it almost in one sitting (yes my back was sore in the end).

This next section contains a couple spoilers but I think its pertinent to my readers. As a witch, animist, and Polytheist- this story made me so happy.
Dust-wife and Agnes, the world that was built here about how magic works, and the interaction with fae and the spirits of the dead – so spot on regarding folklore and magic.
Theres a scene where the nonmagical humans are watching a chicken peck at a mask…thats all they see. Something very mundane sounding and yet…that chicken is a demon and its doing battle with a malevolent spirit and in the end the spirit worker herself that is holding this all together collapses even as she’s victorious.
Other mundane looking spells also completely drain the spirit workers.
Nothing is how it seems…to the non magical persons in this book and yet to the magical…if you turn your gaze just so you can see the magic clear as day. The magic has a signature that the trained or gifted can read clearly.
Then there are the liminal spaces where magic resides and the impossible can be accomplished…though its painful and hopeless and hard as fuck.
This…was so real that I had to step back and go “Damn…is this author a spirit worker?” I don’t know the answer to that question but they at least know their folklore and I have mad respect for them on that part.

I have 2 more T. Kingfisher books on my TBR and have moved them to the top with hopes that Nettle & Bone isn’t a one-off masterpiece.
I have also pestered all of my friends to BUY THE BOOK because it really is that good. I cannot wait to discuss it with fellow readers (especially the grumpy/sunshine couple and their future chicken filled homestead).

Recommendations

If you are a fan of Orphan’s Tales by Catherynne M. Valente and Spindles End by Robin McKinley, you are going to LOVE this subversive fairy tale by T. Kingfisher.