Every now and then, I read a book that blows me away, and this one falls into that category,
This book has it all; excellent writing, perfectly paced plot, characters that take stereotypes and transform them into something new.
I first found Nettle and Bone on a “best of” list for 2022. Out of the 25 listed, this was the only one that made the cut. Needless today, I was thrilled when the library had a copy in so that I could curl up with it as soon as possible.
The blurb captures the spirit of the book, but not everything. My husband asked what it was about, and I couldn’t sum it up neatly. For a while I did not envy T. Kingfisher the query process. It would be too hard to pitch this book in a few lines. Then I found she didn’t go through the usual process, and I totally envied her.
If I had to boil it down, this is a fairy tale with a lovely twist: the heroine doesn’t;t want to rescue the prince. She wants to kill him.
And even this idea is mimicked in other books. They just don’t have the technique and talent displayed here. If I’m totally honest, this book made me want to abandon my writing forever. I could never match this.
It’s just that good.
So add it to your TBR.
D. S. Dehel 