I love a good unlikely hero. The field mouse vs the monstrous rattlesnake. David vs Goliath. Any mid-major vs Duke basketball from 2000 – 2010. I think we love underdogs because they inspire us. If they can succeed despite the odds against them, despite their own limitations, then come hell or high water, so can we.
I’ve rarely read a more unlikely hero than Nettle and Bone‘s Marra, a princess, yes, but a youngest daughter quietly exiled to a monastery for her utter inability to navigate the challenges of court life. How will she untangle her kingdom and her sister from the thorniest of court intrigue (to say nothing of the dark magic behind it)? I adore the way this story highlights her unique talents to creatively solve huge problems.
let’s talk about it.
The Basics:
Title: Nettle and Bone
Author: T. Kingfisher
Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Fairy Tale
Published: Tor, 2022
Spoiler-Free Summary:
Marra is the youngest princess of a small kingdom. She is quiet, studious, and not very taken by courtly matters. Her middle sister disdains her openly for this perceived weakness. Her oldest sister and mother condescend to her for it, coddling her. Eventually, she is sent to a convent, where she can neither receive nor cause any harm.
In a move of desperate political necessity, the oldest sister is betrothed to the prince from a powerful neighboring kingdom. It isn’t long before this celebrated move proves itself less salvation and more deal-with-the-devil. As the true nature of her sister’s marriage reveals itself, it falls on Marra to rescue her sisters and her kingdom from the wicked prince’s grasp.
On her quest, Mara gathers unlikely companions, including an exile with a deathwish, a mascot made of bone, a posessed chicken, and not one but two eccentric lady hermits. Will their quirky, motley crew survive the terrors of a very dark kingdom in time to save Marra’s sister from her cruel fate?
Why You Will Love This Book:
Imagine Tim Burton was 33% happier. That’s the tone of Nettle and Bone. Scenes which would be creepy or terrifying in another author’s hands have a melancholy beauty when born of Kingfisher’s pen. It’s a quaint, occassionally tense, and ultimately inspiring tale.
Her writing style is, in a word, clever. Most of the time the pages are filled with clear-window prose which draws you easily into the story, but occassionally a passage jumps out with a little more flair. She knows how to conserve her stylistic flourishes for the most impactful moments, and I appreciate that.
The story is well-paced and extremely character-centric. It’s neither fast nor slow, but, to paraphrase Gandalf, proceeds exactly as it intends to. There are no small roles in this tale. Every character made me feel something, whether delight, revulsion, or something in between.
Oh, and if you’re into retellings, if you squint and tilt your head, you can almost see Bluebeard’s Wives behind the curtain.
I enjoyed this book immensely, and will definitely look for more Kingfisher novels in the near(ish) future. I know, famous last words from a bookwork’s TBR, but I am genuinely extited to check out A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking, or Thornhedge.
Where Can You Find More?
The author’s website has a delightful name, Red Wombat Studio. That alone is worth a click, in my book. She’s a prolific writer, so perhaps a resource like Fantastic Fiction will help you navigate that backlist.
Happy reading, folks.
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