Thornhedge

By: T. Kingfisher

Narrated by: Jennifer Blom

From USA Today bestselling author T. Kingfisher, Thornhedge is the tale of a kind-hearted, toad-shaped heroine, a gentle knight, and a mission gone completely sideways.

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?

But nothing with fairies is ever simple.

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 way Thornhedge turns all the fairy tales inside out is a sharp-edged delight."
—Katherine Addison, author of The Goblin Emperor

Critic reviews

"I opened, I devoured. Absolutely delightful and full of charm and truth." —Naomi Novik, New York Times bestselling author of A Deadly Education

"Immensely charming, unexpected, full of heart, I was utterly delighted by this incredibly original retelling of Sleeping Beauty." —Katherine Arden, bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale

"Kingfisher never fails to dazzle."—Peter S. Beagle, Hugo-, Nebula-, and Locus-Award winning author of The Last Unicorn

“T. Kingfisher’s delicate, bittersweet style of fantasy is like nothing else on shelves at the moment and, as a result, she’s an author whose work I would read without knowing one single fact about it. But, in case you need facts, this Sleeping Beauty retelling with a twist is a perfect blend of sharp-edged humor and horror-tinged heart.”—Paste Magazine

“Haunting and unusual—a unique retelling of a classic tale!" —Tamora Pierce, New York Times bestselling author of the Tortall series

"The way Thornhedge turns all the fairy tales inside out is a sharp-edged delight." —Katherine Addison, author of The Goblin Emperor

"Thornhedge is Vernon at her most Vernon-est. . . . There is whimsy and heart and pain. This story is both kind and brutal as it shows how narrow the power of love is.”—Locus

"Toadling will break your heart and mend it at the same time, and that is how you know that Thornhedge is a story by T. Kingfisher. I loved this book so much."—Travis Baldree, New York Times bestselling author of Legends & Lattes

"Kingfisher’s trademark wit and compassion transforms “Sleeping Beauty” into a moving meditation on guilt, grief, and duty, as well as a surprisingly sweet romance between outsiders. There are no false notes here.”—Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

"At every turn, Kingfisher subverts familiar fairytale tropes into a fresh, complex, and extremely human story about loneliness, and the protective barriers we put around ourselves." —Sunyi Dean, author of The Book Eaters

"Kingfisher weaves elements of fairy tale, folklore, and history in this beautifully crafted story of loss, endurance, terror, and kindness. Thornhedge is sheer magic from beginning to end!" —Juliet Marillier, author of the Blackthorn & Grim and Warrior Bards series

"This marvelously fractured fairy tale takes a well-known and well-loved story and turns it completely around. . . . Highly recommended for anyone who loves to see fables fractured into new and different shapes, similar to Alix E. Harrow’s A Spindle Splintered.”—Library Journal, STARRED review

Whimsical and romantic

Absolutely such a fun jaunt. Well written and so fun! Loved the pacing and manner of storytelling!!

Unique Sleeping Beauty Retelling

I enjoyed this unique dark Sleeping Beauty retelling. The fairies were especially interesting.

Contains:
-Brutality
-Mention of suicide

Nice reimagining, but...

I liked the reimagining of a classic story, but it still felt a bit too outdated in terms of presenting kids self-esteem and insecurity as a virtue. the main character has barely any agency, just doing what it is told to do, watching and waiting or, when she does something out of line, only as a reaction of the events unfolding. The live story feels shallow (as do Disney love stories often feel): woman has been without human contact in centuries, so she falls in love with the first man that touches her (and is not a bad guy)...

Interesting twist on Sleeping Beauty

Spoilers





I liked the overall take on Sleeping Beauty. A strange looking fairy, an evil child of unparalleled beauty, but the writing.... it could have been much better. i just wasn't impressed.

Loved it

Great characters and storytelling. A charming twist on a classic fairytale. I also enjoyed this author's other works.

A Magical Development of Two Worlds

I really enjoyed the attention to details for a fairly short novel. I would have preferred the audio be a collaboration of female and male actors as the female voice’s attempts at male felt strange and uninteresting.

Wonderful modern fairy tale

Two for two 5 star listens from T. Kingfisher. My new favorite writer! Also, just finished prior to this Nettle & Bones, which was amazing. Can’t recommend enough both of these books! 

Fairytale at it’s best

A little dark. A little light. Worth the read. Another Kingfisher great read. Recommend it.

Beautiful Lyrical

Interesting take on Sleeping Beauty. Beautifully written, almost lyrical. I love that the writers characters are oddballs

Just what I was looking for

I loved this book. It was short and lovely and dark and whimsical and perfectly met my expectations from Kingfisher. The narrator also gave an absolutely excellent performance, adding so much to the atmosphere of the story. Solid book.