Brilliantly creative and wholly delightful! This is just the dark and refreshing fairytale I didn’t know I needed.  

 

A quest to kill an abusive, evil prince.  A (3rd string) princess that never expected to be a heroine. 

 

This is a spellbinding journey to a macabre and fantastical kingdom with a motley band of unlikely warriors:

 

Marra: The demure princess, who up until now has been hidden away at a nunnery

BoneDog:  Marra’s fiercely loyal companion made of resurrected bone and dust

Dust Wife:  Sharp witted and full of vigor! Her lines are some of the best in the book!

Demon Chicken:  *no description needed*  

Disgraced Knight:  Kind and endearing… with no shining armor or savior complex!

Fairy Godmother: Quirky and sweet… but is she all good???

 

These characters!  Complex and fully fleshed out.  They are some of my favorite that I’ve read all year.  Don’t let their names or descriptors give you pause.  I adored each one individually, but they really shine in community.  

 

From the very first scenes in the bone graveyard, I was fully immersed in this gothic tale.  And while certain aspects (that puppet!) are the haunts of nightmares, it’s not all darkness.  Kingfisher weaves in humor and heart, creating hope in the midst of mayhem. 

 

This was an easy book to devour! I don’t know how I haven’t read any of Kingfisher’s works before, but I will be rectifying that misstep very soon.  

 

One of my booksta besties, @bookmarked.by.becky, claimed this audiobook to be her favorite narrations of 2022.  And it’s easy to see why.  Amara Jasper’s narration is excellently executed, giving a distinct voice to each character and creating the perfect fairytale vibe.  

 

*I listened to this on audio, but I loved it so much I quickly grabbed a hardcover copy for my shelves! 

 

Many thanks to @macmillan.audio for a #gifted copy of this audiobook.