A sort-of princess, who is not quite a nun, builds a dog from bones to save her sister from an evil prince, because yes, this is simply the way things are done around here.
Picking up a delightful cast on route—an acerbic necromancer, a demon chicken, a bumbling fairy godmother and a stoical knight—our unlikely heroes must defeat a spell holding the kingdom in its power, and kill an evil prince before his heir’s christening. As you do.
“Magic never seemed to be much use at doing the things you wanted done in a reasonable time frame.” ― T. Kingfisher, Nettle & Bone
The novel is frankly adorable and was received with great excitement, winning the 2023 Hugo Award for Best Novel and being nominated for the 2023 Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel, and the Nebula Award for Best Novel of 2022. The tone is wry, homely, and fun, and the fairytale setting is extravagant with world-building, taking us from ‘the blistered lands’ through medieval countryside to a goblin market, and finally the labyrinth of crypts below the palace.
This is a simple quest narrative, well told, and boasting a delightful cast of loveable characters. If you’re looking for an easy, pacy, feel-good read, this is it. Sure, there’s a dark side to the political fairytale marriage where the prince is not charming and the princesses are replaceable, but stick with your friends and everything will come right in the end. With real life so full of tragedy, a bit of ‘happily ever after’ is a welcome relief.
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Buy on kindle £4.68
Paperback from AbeBooks £7.43
Follow the author @UrsulaV and if you want more book recommendations, follow me at @SLangridgeUK for updates on what I’m reading, or check me out on TikTok @theyrhymesometime
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