Thornhedge

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

I enjoyed a lot of details in the book, but the thing I loved most was our narrator. Thornhedge is a fairytale inspired by Sleeping Beauty, told from the perspective of the fairy who gives a gift to the princess on her christening day, and things don't go exactly to plan. Our fairy is named Toadling, and she is so gentle and humble and determined not to do any harm and to right her past mistakes. I just loved her. Other characters are not exactly what you'd expect from the original tale either, the princess and the knight in particular have also undergone intriguing changes in this retelling.

This tale also turns the original quest on its head by asking the question, 'what if some curses aren't meant to be broken?'. When the knight discovers Toadling's brambly hedge, that question is put to the test.

Thornhedge may be a quick read, but it brings a fresh take to this familiar tale, and the focus is on the journey through the story, not just the resolution. I would recommend it to fans of Sleeping Beauty, fairytale retellings in general, or anyone who enjoys a gentle tale told by an empathetic narrator.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is an unbiased review.