Kingfisher manages to make the “fairytale inspired” genre feel new and intriguing, rather than overdone and hackneyed. The story elements feel grounded in legend, but the characters are wholly new, with intriguing flaws, histories, and backstories. I cried along with Mara

when she discovered her sister’s abusive marriage,

and was rooting for her the whole way. I hate reviews that make comparisons with other authors, but I have to say that this is a successful dark take on Pratchett’s Discworld—a world brimming with practical magic, and characters brimming with life.