Thornhedge

Written by T. Kingfisher

Narrated by Jennifer Blom

From USA Today bestselling author T. Kingfisher, Thornhedge is the tale of a kind-hearted, toad-shaped heroine, a gentle knight, and a mission gone completely sideways.

There's a princess trapped in a tower. This isn't her story.

Meet Toadling. On the day of her birth, she was stolen from her family by the fairies, but she grew up safe and loved in the warm waters of faerieland. Once an adult though, the fae ask a favor of Toadling: return to the human world and offer a blessing of protection to a newborn child. Simple, right?

But nothing with fairies is ever simple.

Centuries later, a knight approaches a towering wall of brambles, where the thorns are as thick as your arm and as sharp as swords. He's heard there's a curse here that needs breaking, but it's a curse Toadling will do anything to uphold…

"The way Thornhedge turns all the fairy tales inside out is a sharp-edged delight."
—Katherine Addison, author of The Goblin Emperor

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: Aug 15, 2023
• ISBN: 9781250900944

T. Kingfisher

T. KINGFISHER (she/her) writes fantasy, horror, and occasional oddities, including Nettle & Bone, What Moves the Dead, and A House with Good Bones. Under a pen name, she also writes bestselling children's books. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, dogs, and chickens who may or may not be possessed.

Reviews for Thornhedge

[Lee Tatum · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Absolutely beautiful. T Kingfisher peels back the obfuscating layers of hedges, briar rose thorns, and stone laid down by Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm, Disney, and many others to expose the beating heart that keeps this fairy tale alive through the centuries. Toadling is my new favorite heroine, human or fey, after decades of reading fairy tales and fantasy novels. She eclipses the sleeping beauty because she is kind and strong, and she proves through her actions that no one needs a fairy godmother. Her found mothers, the Greenteeth, give her love, and that is a better gift than hair as yellow as gold, skin as pale as milk, and lips as red as blood. The prose is so lovely that I plan to buy the hardback, which has illustrations by Ursula Vernon, next. This is a story that deserves a slow reading over time.

[Andrea Stith · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was an interesting twist for a sleeping beauty retelling. It was cozy while yet still managing to be dark. Who is the vilian? I am glad I read this one it was enjoyable and a bit of a pallette cleanser if you need one. I will definitely continue reading this author.

[Jessica Fee · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Unique Sleeping Beauty retelling that was beautiful and hard to stop listening to.

[Young Debbie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What an incredible fun story packed in this little book! Feels like more story than many big novels!

[april wheeler · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

another great one from T. Kingfisher, she can almost do no wrong.

[marie.madeleine · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

4.5 ☆
Short but sweet little fairy-tale with charming characters

[Desiree Conceicao · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So beautiful! I loved the subversion of the whole 'beautiful maiden in the tower' trope. Incredibly original and clever, and so many excellent quotable lines.

[Laurin Blanks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is an excellent story. I had to listen the night through. Thank you to the Author for that wonderful ride.

[Mandy Robitaille · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really loved this twisted retelling of the Sleeping Beauty story. Beautifully done with just the right twists and turns. I loved Toadling and her sweet Knight.

[Alex Torres · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

She is such a great writer, I’m always excited when a new one is available.
This story is a wonderful twist to an old tail.

[Jerry Weis · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fun, fractured fairy tale festooned with fragments of fright.

[Lynda k · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The twist on the fairytale and the characters were great.

[Monica Cruz · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good twist on what seemed to be a regular fairytale! Enjoyed it

[Amber kirsten · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved this dark and a bittersweet kingfisher never disappoints

[Karin Gorham · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a very sweet, twisted retelling of Sleeping Beauty. Toadling was quite loveable, as was where her relationships with other characters in the book. I really wish I could see her again sometime.