Nettle & Bone by T Kingfisher

Nettle & Bone by T Kingfisher

This is my first novel by T Kingfisher, but not because she's not publishing them. She released her first book back in 2015 and she has three coming out in 2025 alone (I'm putting Hemlock & Silver on my list). Another two books are scheduled for 2026. Normally, that schedule would scare me off but Nettle & Bone is a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee. It won the Hugo Award in 2023 for Best Novel and is on several lists for Top Fantasy Books of 2022. It deals with bullying, death of an adult and child, confinement, physical abuse, torture, pregnancy and miscarriage, classism, and murder.

Marra is the youngest of three girls, princesses of a small kingdom set between two much larger and more powerful kingdoms. But while her sisters are married off to help protect their people, Marra is sent to a convent and finds immense enjoyment in learning how to embroider. She is brought out only for special occasions like funerals and christenings. During one such special occasion, Marra learns that her sister's husband is abusive and she is unable to do anything about it - he's the king after all. So Marra takes the situation into her own hands. This is no fairytale, there is no hero coming to save her sister, so Marra is going to have to do it herself. What begins with being set three impossible tasks ends in Marra collecting a ragtag group of people to help her as she sets out to save her sister - who doesn't even like her that much.

Wow. I came into this book not knowing what to expect and it blew me away. I've been raving since I started it. The premise is fun and, while done before, still fresh and interesting. The characters are delightful. There's a small cast so it's easy to be enchanted by each of them in their own way. And the writing was funny. I had to pick and choose my favorite quotes for this one, it had be laughing out loud at times. It was pretty fast paced, and I loved where it went at the end.

I'm giving Nettle & Bone by T Kingfisher 5 stars. It was fun, it was funny, and I enjoyed almost every second. Do not sleep on this fairytale retold. I'm definitely putting more of her novels on my list for next year.

For more from T Kingfisher, check out her Instagram @redwombatstudio

Pairs well with English trifle and believing that nothing is impossible.

I had so many quotes put aside for this book, but I limited myself:

"'Lots of people deserve to die,' said the dust-wife finally. 'Not everybody deserves to be a killer.'"

"Girl, have I given you any indication in the last week that I joke about anything?"

"'You cannot help people who don't want help,' rumbled Fenris. 'You can't force someone to do what you think is best for them.'"