pickMarra, who is not-quite-a-nun & barely a princess, learns that her eldest sister was killed by her husband, the prince. Her middle sister is now married to the same man, crowned king; she stays pregnant to keep him from beating her — or at least hold him back a bit. Marra vows to save her sister, loosening the political noose around her neck, by killing the monster. She assembles a band of not-so-merry, magical misfits to aid her in her quest.👇🏻
monalyisha 1/3: This was my first T. Kingfisher. It won‘t be my last. Two words: “tooth. dancer.” That fantastically discomfiting imagery won‘t soon be forgotten. Amara Jasper‘s audiobook narration is pretty fab, too (with the exception of the way she pronounces, “Eh?”). 2d
monalyisha 2/3: At first, I griped about repetition & Marra‘s immaturity but any complaints were soon quelched (though I could‘ve done without the “cursed child” character; evil puppets have never really done it for me). Soon enough, I yielded to total immersion in the story. 2d
monalyisha 3/3: While not shying away from darkness, the tale somehow maintains a cozy vibe. And, as an added perk, the words Kingfisher chooses to end with are perfect. She leaves the story open to the possibility of further development while still providing a satisfying resolution. 2d
shanaqui I really don't know how Kingfisher manages to put darkness and cosiness together so well. It's a consistent *thing* through all her books I've read: somehow it's cosy reading even when it's also dark and awful. 1d
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so-so
