Was excited for a Snow White retelling, however I just found i had no connection to the main character. This made it hard for me to have an investment in her.
I enjoyed parts of this but found my mind wandering an awful lot and it took me a week to finish.

Felt very YA so I presume this is it as I often prefer darker themes and writing. However I believe many will enjoy this

I loved this so much!

A Snow White reimagining from the POV of the woman trying to find out who’s been poisoning her was way more exciting than I thought possible.

I loved the humour, the pace - everything blended so well together.

This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. Nothing really happens in the first 40% but it’s never dull - which is usually my problem when there’s no action. This is the kind of book you read when you want something simple but clever.

I usually rush through books but I had fun taking my time to follow Anja’s journey.

I was also super impressed by the mirror gelds 😭 they were just so cool and creepy!!

Thank you so much to Pan Macmillan for this magical, most anticipated ARC!
This really is becoming the year of T Kingfisher for me, especially after loving A Sorceress Comes to Call as much as I did!
Healer Anja is a great main character, a full on hyper-fixated overthinker, who takes no nonsense and is determined to walk her own path despite the fairytale pulling her in the opposite direction. Once again, Kingfisher’s ability to write relatable female characters with a whole bunch of quirk and whit means the world to me, let alone the ability to write romances that feel inclusive, natural, and humorous. When I think of T Kingfisher, I now also tend to think of Diana Wynne Jones and Terry Pratchett, who have that same spark of hilarity. What I also love about this one is the worldbuilding, with all of the Saints and the beliefs behind them, something that feels more fleshed out than the worldbuilding of the books before. It also plays around with Snow White in a way that I haven’t really seen before.
As for critiques, the ending is very well tied up and satisfactory, but did slightly feel like it forgot where it began? The plot is also a little bit slow and has a few false starts, which is exacerbated by the fact that the characters can be slow to realise things, despite that the plot and the story revealing things to the reader a little sooner....
Overall, my worry is that after a few more of these fairytale adaptations, they could get a tiny little bit formulaic. Will I keep reading them, regardless? Of course I will, because I love them. But I do worry that other readers may not be as satisfied.

I normally enjoy this authors book but this one didn’t work for me unfortunately. I really wanted to love this one.

4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this. T Kingfisher is a very solid 3-4.5 star author for me, and this is one of her best, in my opinion. I loved the desert setting - it evoked a North African/Middle Eastern-inspired world for me. I also appreciated the worldbuilding in terms of the gods and saints, and how Anja, the main character, relates to faith and the idea of magic from her more scientific perspective as a healer.

The mirror magic/horror is fantastic. Things get very spooky and atmospheric, and Kingfisher makes great use of the otherworldliness of mirrors. I loved everything from the cold, grey landscape to the nightmare mirror-gelds that get created out of the glimpses of people caught between two mirrors (honestly obsessed with them).

I enjoyed Anja as a main character. She's awkward and self-effacing, but extremely competent (in terms of her profession/lifelong special interest in poisons, if not so much in social situations). Shoutout, as ever, to T Kingfisher for having fat women as main characters and not being weird about it. The wry, witty first person narration is fun (and sometimes made me laugh out loud), but it also gets a bit repetitive and circular.

I do sort of feel like this is sold short by being positioned as a reimagining of Snow White. It's very much drawing on elements of that story to make something new, rather than being a retelling, and I thought it did a great job of that.

I was about 65% of the way through the e-book when my audiobook pre-order arrived, so I switched over to listening and really enjoyed that version as well. I can see myself re-reading this, so I don't regret not cancelling my pre-order when I was approved for the ARC.

☆☆☆☆

Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan | Tor for this audio ARC.

T. Kingfisher has a unique talent for weaving whimsical retellings that feel fresh, cozy, and clever, and Hemlock & Silver is no exception. This book really showcases her ability to blend humor, magic, and just the right amount of tension. These are elements I’ve come to love from her.

(view spoiler) Kingfisher’s pacing and character work are much stronger here, and there’s a wonderful mix of heart and mystery that makes it a great read for fans of fantasy that balances darkness and light.

Now, if you’re familiar with the fairy tale at the heart of this story, you might find the plot predictable at times. But honestly, that doesn’t detract from the enjoyment. Kingfisher’s signature wit and warmth breathe new life into the familiar, making even the predictable moments feel engaging and fun.

Overall, this is a cozy, enchanting read that leaves you both satisfied and eager for more of Kingfisher’s signature storytelling. Highly recommended if you're looking for a story that offers both charm and depth.

This was so fun! This is my second T. Kingfisher novel and I will definitely be back for more. It's so refreshing that she writes female characters in their mid to late thirties, who are not only interesting and likeable, but who have all of the life experience and aches and pains you would expect from a character that age. Anja, with her thirst for knowledge and enthusiasm for the world around her was a joyful POV to read from.

Hemlock & Silver is such a unique take on the Snow White fairy tale. I truly never knew where the story was going and I was surprised at every plot point. I didnt know T. Kingfisher had written horror before but oh boy can I believe it now. It's hard to talk about those points without spoiling the story, but let's just say it often made me feel eerily unsettled if I was reading the book at home alone.

In contrast, when the creepy things weren't happening, the story was quite cozy and comforting. Truly an original writing style. If you love fairy tale re-tellings, good side characters, quirky worlds and excellently realistic female protagonists, you will love this book.

This was fantastic and exactly what I expect from a T. Kingfisher novel. Seriously just let me inside her brain! I loved how this took the framework of snow white and then created a completely different story. Every time I thought I knew what was going on, I was wrong. And the horror aspect of the story was at just the right level for me, more on the creepy crawly and less on the nightmarish horror.
In addition to having a wonderful perfect brain that comes up with insane stories that i EAT up, I love T. Kingfishers romances, they are never overbearing or even a primary part of the story, but are still rich and captivating and this was no different.

Maybe it was all the hype around this book, or maybe my expectations were just too high, but sadly I didn’t fall in love with it. As a Snow White retelling, it had some really fascinating twists, but honestly, it didn’t fully grab me until about 60% in.

I really liked our MC, Anja, it was so refreshing to have an older protagonist (we need way more of this!). That said, she felt a bit flat at times. Her connection with Javier was sweet and grew nicely as the mystery unfolded, but my absolute favorite character has to be Grayling 🐱.

The biggest issue for me was pacing, the story just dragged in places. Overall, I enjoyed parts of it, but I really wish I could have loved it more.

If it allowed me to give more stars I would!

This is my first T. Kingfisher despite having a few of their other books on my ebook reader.

It's a very twisted retelling of Snow White and I am not sure what else to say about that withoit spoiling anything.

I loved it.

I would recommend it if you like a good healthy mix of comedy, romance, mystery, and horror. There were times I was recoiling in disgust and fear and others when I was laughing out loud or swooning!

thank you Netgalley UK for an early readers copy (ebook)

I don’t mind a slow plot but the first third of this book was so slow and it took me a while to get used to the writing style. The main character was refreshing and I liked the talking cat, but didn’t love the plot overall.
This was my first book by T Kingfisher. I was expecting it to be quite dark but it was very ‘cosy’.
I just happened to be playing Strange Horticulture on the Switch while reading this book, so I enjoyed the info dumping of plant, herb and poison knowledge probably more than I usually would.

It’s no surprise this is another hit from T. Kingfisher! It has all of the things I love about her books: the humour, the mystery, the cute and tentative romance, as well as refreshing portrayals of female main characters. Anja is a brusque woman with a passion for poison, more comfortable with her venomous adder than people. Her narrative is amusing and she leads us on a fascinating journey as she tries to uncover the poison at play. I have to say the book did take an unexpected fantastical turn and it took me a while to warm up to the twist but T. Kingfisher did win me over in time and I was once more fully invested in the plot, with all its quirks and host of wonderful characters. The romance is more a side plot but the kind that had me fizzing with the perfect amount of awkwardness and blushing. If you haven’t read any T. Kingfisher books, what are you waiting for? I’m yet to read a single one I wouldn’t recommend!

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

I have to start by saying I adore T Kingfisher so I knew this would be a high star read. I also have to say Snow White is one of my favourite fairy tales (all versions but particularly Grimm’s) so knowing this was a retelling or alternative was something that really got me excited. Thankfully I was not disappointed. This is arguably my favourite book by Kingfisher today, beating Nettle and Bone. I adored Anja (bonus points for being the same age as her). She is quirky, interesting and best of all independent add in a narcissistic cat (the only acceptable narcissist) and I was in love.
I devoured this novel in one sitting and I instantly got a physical copy ordered. We have Kingfisher’s amazing knack for storytelling, worldbuilding and characters all coming together to create a gripping retelling and one I will be raving about for months.
As always thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy to review, my reviews are always honest and freely given.

Snow White has never felt this sharp-toothed or shadow-drenched. Hemlock & Silver is a fairytale turned fever dream — eerie, witty, and unsettling enough that I meant to read a single chapter and ended up awake past midnight, completely absorbed.

What I appreciated most is how the book manages to be dark without ever feeling joyless. There’s a sly humour tucked between the shadows, and Anja’s resilience makes her easy to root for from start to finish. It’s a story with teeth — poisoned apples, fractured mirrors, danger in the glass — and it's perfect.

Hemlock & Silver is Snow White reimagined as gothic mystery, equal parts sharp and haunting, with a heroine I’d gladly follow into another tale.

The opening of chapter of his book is an excellent example of how to get a reader involved in a story as one revelation overrides another. Not only is it a good way to draw the reader in but you emphasise with Anya who is also flabbergasted.
Anya is very firm in her claim that she is not a healer, she is an expert in poisons and her research is centred around antidotes. She is asked by the king to visit the remote estate of Witherleaf to investigate whether his daughter Snow is a victim of poisoning. Before she leaves there is an example of her using her skills which also builds up a great snapshot of the realm and its society.
Once she gets to Witherleaf she finds more mysteries than an ill child, with the child herself having secrets that do not seem to be the harmless problems of childhood. She sets about methodically trying to work out if poison is involved and getting to know the people on the estate but all her inquiries keep finishing at dead ends. There are an enormous number of mirrors which have always been a source of uneasiness to Anja but which now begin to invade her sleep with horrors. Is this due to the isolation of the estate and her lack of success playing on her mind or is there something more sinister at play?
Although the narrative is derived from the fairy tale of Snow White it is like a Picasso painting of the story. Many of the pieces are there – a princess, evil mothers, mirrors, apples – but put together in a unique way. The narration is from Anja's point of view and she has a wonderful voice which switches between scientific enquiry, social anxiety, cynicism, and bemusement.
For those who enjoy the author's books I can say that many of her usual elements are there: a competent female protagonist who is not young and beautiful, a taciturn warrior, great banter, minor characters with interesting stories of their own, and roosters.

I had a copy of this book early through Netgalley

Overall I did not enjoy this book. Very confusing world building. I didn’t feel like the characters made sense.

ARC Review | Hemlock & Silver by T Kingfisher @redwombatstudio 🍎

Anja has been obsessed with poisons since she was little. For her sixteenth birthday she attended her first autopsy. If you have always been fascinated by what others called macarbe (my childhood dream job was to be a mortician), then you're going to resonate with Anja and you need to read this book!

One day the King walks into her workshop. He explains that his daughter Snow is very ill, and he suspects it's long term poisoning. Anja is recruited to investigate the illness and our story begins!

I found Anja to be the most relatable protagonist in a long time. She's witty, chunky, and genuinely hilarious. I found her inner voice to be very similar to my own and loved that she wasn't yet another skinny, barely 18 years old protagonist who is great with a bow and arrow. No hate to these characters- I've loved you so many times- but variety and representation is beautiful ❤️

I can't comment too much on the story without giving things away, but I loved Anja's logical investigation style, and I enjoyed that the romance was a very minor plot, rather than something huge. The investigation genuinely came first and I didn't feel like the romance was all encompassing, but equally it didn't feel like it was just tagged on pointlessly. I enjoyed the action, and the very vivid and fun characters we met along the way.

A wish I'd pre-ordered the Waterstones Exclusive edition of this 😭 If anyone decides to sell their copy then please let me know ...

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ From Derry!

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Tor at Pan Macmillan, and T Kingfisher. @torbooksuk @netgalley #NetGalley #HemlockSilver #hemlockandsilver #tkingfisher

4.5⭐️

I absolutely ate this book up!

The characters were so well-written, the storyline had some amazing twists and turns, and the romance element was subtle but lovely.

I laughed many times, I oohed and aahed, I held my breath and I smiled.

I loved having a slightly older heroine, with no special or undiscovered powers aside from having an unusual enthusiasm/hyperfocus that she’d had since childhood.

And I loved that I had no clue where the story was heading the majority of the way through.

I have only read one other T. Kingfisher book, but I will definitely be reading more in the future!

Thank you so much NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC.

Hemlock & Silver by T Kingfisher is a dark take on the story of Snow White shot through with plenty of the author's trademark humor. From the attention grabbing first sentence I was immediately captivated by Healer Anja, a woman who has devoted her life to understanding poisons and trying to develop antidotes following a traumatic childhood experience. Her quiet life is disrupted by the unexpected arrival of the King with a request that she return to the palace with him and try to save his daughter Snow. The young girl has been plagued by a mysterious illness that has defied all treatment from the kingdom's best healers and following the tragic murder of his younger daughter the King is desperate to save his only surviving child. Anja's methods may be unorthodox but she is Snow's best hope.
I always find T Kingfisher creates the most lovable and interesting characters and Anja is no exception, a woman in her thirties who is living an unexpected life, following her passions, conducting her own research and doing things on her own terms. Her practicality and down to earth nature make her an excellent proxy for the reader. All that being said, my favourite character in the book just might be a rather mysterious and delightfully sarcastic one eyed cat who winds his way through the story displaying the most cattish behaviour while being both wise and aloof.
Although the book is described as a reimagining of Snow White I also found a lot of things that reminded me of Alice Through the Looking Glass, and have no doubt that the story does take some strange, surreal and sometimes very dark turns before you reach the end. There is a gentle hint of romance, nothing that overpowers the story, instead it builds very slowly and occasionally quite awkwardly to give Anja the happy ending that she wasn't even looking for showing us just what a genre bending master T Kingfisher is, I can't imagine anyone else mixing fairytale, horror humour and romance so successfully.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved the vibes and the feeling this book gives you.
The world building was definitely my favorite because of how subtle but easy to understand it was.
I also love having characters in books that arent super young, you dont really see that often in fantasy.
This was wonderful and i will definitely be going to read T. Kingfishers back list as well.