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For years, Marra — the shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter of a king — has watched her sisters suffer at the hands of an abusive prince. First, he married her eldest sister, who died heirless under mysterious circumstances. Now, it’s her middle-born sister, suffering and afraid, under his control. No one is willing to come to her sister’s rescue. No one, that is, except for Marra.
Seeking help from a powerful grave witch, Marra is offered the tools to kill a prince, but only if she can complete three impossible tasks. Doing the impossible is only the beginning of Marra’s journey, though.
On her quest, Marra is joined by the grave witch, a reluctant fairy godmother, a strapping former knight, and a chicken possessed by a demon. Together, the five of them must find a way to free Marra’s family and their kingdom from its tyrannous ruler once and for all. Getting away alive would be nice too.
Nettle and Bone is an original fairy tale that at first glance seems born of madness. While it’s true the plot is crossed with a dark, eccentric mystery and a light touch of horror, it is also a meticulously built fantasy with endearing characters and page after page of sarcastic, witty dialogue.
I am not a fan of horror and was leery at first of picking up the story, but T. Kingfisher absolutely swept me away with this creative and surprisingly entertaining fantasy quest. It has become an instant favorite that I am still recommending to my friends. Any readers who enjoy fairy tales (especially the spooky, darker kind) will definitely have a lot of fun with this tale.
Rated: Moderate, for harsh topics of physical and psychological martial abuse, fear of death, and the death of a child. There are stories of a husband paranoid of his wife’s infidelity (who also makes his guards stand watch while he is intimate with his wife). A woman contemplates how to sell her body for money (she doesn’t). References are made to characters “making love” or being “bedded.” Male body parts are mentioned. A character serving as a midwife witnesses hard births and is taught all the ways to avoid pregnancy. Violence includes the story of a boy flogged to death. In catacombs reminiscent of Egyptian tombs, characters learn of past human sacrifices made, encounter human and animal skeletons, and discover gruesome depictions on the walls. There is some blood and death. Language includes one use of moderate language, 8 uses of mild language, and one use of the name of Deity.
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