Review: Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher (#Ad)

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Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher

Published: 26th April 2022 | Publisher: Titan Books | Source: Publisher
T. Kingfisher’s Website

After years of seeing her sisters suffer at the hands of an abusive prince, Marra—the shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter—has finally realized that no one is coming to their rescue. No one, except for Marra herself. Seeking help from a powerful gravewitch, Marra is offered the tools to kill a prince—if she can complete three impossible tasks. But, as is the way in tales of princes, witches, and daughters, the impossible is only the beginning. On her quest, Marra is joined by the gravewitch, a reluctant fairy godmother, a strapping former knight, and a chicken possessed by a demon. Together, the five of them intend to be the hand that closes around the throat of the prince and frees Marra's family and their kingdom from its tyrannous ruler at last. From The StoryGraph.

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The StoryGraph | Goodreads

Trigger/Content Warnings: This book features dementia, childbirth, references to miscarriage, references to abortion, reference to death during childbirth, infant death, references to cannibalism, violence against women, domestic violence and abuse, uxoricide, and references to suicide.

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Review: The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

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The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

Published: 8th February 2018 | Publisher: Penguin | Source: Bought
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Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: her mother is stolen away―by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother's stories are set. Alice's only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.”

Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began―and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong. From The StoryGraph

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Trigger/Content Warnings: This book features blood, abduction, being held at gun point, insidious threat of sexual violence, violence against women, and murder.

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Review: Damsel by Elana K. Arnold

Damsel by Elana K. Arnold

Published: 2nd October 2018 | Publisher: Balzer + Bray | Source: Bought
Elana K. Arnold's Website

The rite has existed for as long as anyone can remember: when the prince-who-will-be-king comes of age, he must venture out into the gray lands, slay a fierce dragon, and rescue a damsel to be his bride. This is the way things have always been.

When Ama wakes in the arms of Prince Emory, however, she knows none of this. She has no memory of what came before she was captured by the dragon, or what horrors she has faced in its lair. She knows only this handsome prince, the story he tells of her rescue, and her destiny to sit on the throne beside him. Ama comes with Emory back to the kingdom of Harding, hailed as the new princess, welcomed to the court.

However, as soon as her first night falls, she begins to realize that not all is as it seems, that there is more to the legends of the dragons and the damsels than anyone knows–and that the greatest threats to her life may not be behind her, but here, in front of her. From Goodreads.

Trigger Warning: This book features rape, sexual assault, abuse, and degradation, and discussion of suicide.

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Once Upon a Retelling: Damsel by Elana K. Arnold

Welcome to Once Upon a Retelling! I'm a huge fan of retellings, and I'm really interested in hearing about authors' own love of the original stories, and what inspired them to retell those stories. And so Once Upon a Retelling was born, a feature in which I interview authors about their versions of well-loved tales.

Today, I've got something a little different for you guys. Elana K. Arnold is stopping by to discuss her original fairy tale, Damsel. It's not a retelling of a specific fairy tale, but it takes the tropes of fairy tales, and turns them on their head. It's an original story that looks like a fairy tale, but the story is not what you would expect. And it sounds amazing! So without further ado, on to the interview.

Can you tell us a little about Damsel? How does it differ from other fairy tales we know?

Here’s the official synopsis, which I think does a pretty good job of setting up the story:

A dark, twisted, unforgettable fairy tale from Elana K. Arnold, author of the National Book Award finalist What Girls Are Made Of

The rite has existed for as long as anyone can remember: When the king dies, his son the prince must venture out into the gray lands, slay a fierce dragon, and rescue a damsel to be his bride. This is the way things have always been.

When Ama wakes in the arms of Prince Emory, she knows none of this. She has no memory of what came before she was captured by the dragon or what horrors she faced in its lair. She knows only this handsome young man, the story he tells of her rescue, and her destiny of sitting on a throne beside him. It’s all like a dream, like something from a fairy tale.

As Ama follows Emory to the kingdom of Harding, however, she discovers that not all is as it seems. There is more to the legends of the dragons and the damsels than anyone knows, and the greatest threats may not be behind her, but around her, now, and closing in.

I’ve also heard people call DAMSEL “a fairytale #MeToo” and “Handmaid’s Tale meets the original (pre-Disney) Sleeping Beauty story.”

Continue reading Once Upon a Retelling: Damsel by Elana K. Arnold