AUDIO

Thornhedge

Macmillan Audio. Aug. 2023. 3:43 hrs. ISBN 9781250900944. $10.99. FANTASY
COPY ISBN
Kingfisher (Nettle & Bone) returns with a ruthless Sleeping Beauty retelling—the young princess, Fayette, is asleep because she’s dangerous. The traditional fairy gift at Fayette’s birth is twisted, leaving the royal family with a devilish daughter and a meek fairy changeling, Toadling, who tries her best to fix the problem. Left for hundreds of years protecting the tower, Toadling resists the meddlesome knight’s insistence on exploring the keep, yet in this topsy-turvy world, the unexpected denouement can still deliver a happy-enough ending. Narrator Jennifer Blom adopts a gentle, almost ethereal tone to voice the action of this Grimm-like fairy tale. Subtle voice variations are used for the handful of characters, and Blom compellingly vocalizes the intensity of the novella.
VERDICT With a running time of fewer than four hours, this is perfect for short road trips. Recommend to faerie and folk tale fans who enjoyed Seanan McGuire’s “Wayward Children” series or Kell Woods’s After the Forest.
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.


RELATED 

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?