Rating:

A Dark, Magical Quest

Author: T. Kingfisher

Princess Marra is stuck in a convent when she becomes aware of a hideous secret; her elder sister, the one who hates her, is trapped in an abusive marriage. She was married for politics, to secure the peace and safety of the family’s tiny port-side kingdom. She has no chance of escape, except through death, and that will come soon enough if the evil prince continues to have his way unchecked. He’s killed wives before, after all, and children. Once Marra’s sister finally produces an heir that lives, her own life is forfeit. It’s only a matter of time, an open secret not spoken of in polite society, a political game of sacrifice and cunning. But Princess Marra doesn’t care about politics. She wants the prince dead and her sister rescued. Marra will find a way to make it happen.

Seeking out a powerful dust-witch (think necromancer), Marra sets about three impossible tasks, and completes them! She travels through a cursed land of cannibals, builds an undead dog from gnawed bones, crafts a cloak of invisibility from nettles, and traps moonlight in a jar. She will do anything to see the prince dead, to save her sister, and to secure her own future.

As the dust-wife follows her through a magical land, others come to join the adventure. There’s a warrior with a tragic past, a man who cannot return to his home. There’s a fairy godmother who can curse better than she can bless. And, of course, there’s a chicken with a demon in her. It’s a mix of humor and horror, a dark fairytale with moments of lightness,

Image by Square Frog from Pixabay

interspersed with adventure and desire, sacrifice and nobility, heartache and redemption, the pain of the past and the possibility of the future. Along the way, the traveling band of mismatched adventurers encounters tombs and curses, undying sorcerers and angry kings, fairy markets and more special chickens. But will it be enough to kill an evil prince, to transform a cursed kingdom, and to earn our beleaguered wanderers rest and hope?

Nettle and Bone is a strange tale at first glance, quirky and something that seems like it shouldn’t be taken too seriously, yet within the first few dark pages, the cadence is set, the weaving of the fairytale is all consuming, and the moments of lightness are a welcome respite in this world of very real abuse and intrigue. The fantasy and horror work well together, yet the story never strays from the truth of its humanity, despite the extraordinary nature and ability of our heroes and villains. In the end, it’s a story of sisters and family, one of duty and escape, and also one with a bit of magical love thrown into the mix. It’s at turns scary, at other times thrilling, but always emotive and true to itself. The characters are unforgettable, the near-misses and schemes perfectly timed and unraveled, and the storytelling as ensorcelling as any good story ever told over a crackling fire in the depth of the night. Unforgettable, at turns heartwarming and heart breaking. Highly recommended.

– Frances Carden

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Frances Carden
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