Review: Thornhedge

Thornhedge by T Kingfisher

Published By: Titan Books
Publication Date: August 1, 2023
Date Read: August 8, 2024
Genre: Adult – Fairytale Retelling
Source: Bought
Format: Hardback
Pages: 125

From Goodreads:
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…

T Kingfisher has been on my radar for a while. I have seen their books around the blogosphere for a couple of years, but I have never read any of them before, mainly because their books seem to be more in the horror genres than fantasy. As a self-professed wimp, horror is just not my bag. But after being in a bit of a slump and discovering this novella on a TikTok video recommending whimsical fantasy, I decided it was finally time for me to dive in and try one of T Kingfisher’s books.

I am so glad I picked up Thornhedge. I really, really enjoyed this quick and cute novella. This novella is a twist on the Sleeping Beauty tale, but asks the question of what if she is put to sleep for a reason. Our main character is Toadling, the creature who has been tasked with the job of making sure the princess stays asleep… for people’s safety. I really loved Toadling. She is such a cute character and I loved the way the story was told from a mix of her telling a knight, and her memories. It was really short and fun and a great twist on a beloved tale.

I really enjoyed every moment of Thornhedge, and I will definitely be having a look for T Kingfisher’s other, more fantasy based books. It was just what I needed right now, after being in a slump for so long. This is a must-read for any fans of fairytale retellings and anyone who just needs a nice, short palette cleanser. Fantastic!