An Instant USA Today & Indie Bestseller An Oprah Daily Top 25 Fantasy Book of 2022 A Vulture Best Fantasy Novel of 2022 An NPR Best Sci Fi, Fantasy, & Speculative Fiction Book of 2022 A Goodreads Best Fantasy Choice Award Nominee From Hugo, Nebula, and Locus award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes an original and subversive fantasy adventure. *A very special hardcover edition, featuring gold foil stamp on the casing and custom endpapers illustrated by the author.* This isn't the kind of fairytale where the princess marries a prince. It's the one where she kills him. Marra never wanted to be a hero. As the shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter, she escaped the traditional fate of princesses, to be married away for the sake of an uncaring throne. But her sister wasn’t so fortunate—and after years of silence, Marra is done watching her suffer at the hands of a powerful and abusive prince. Seeking help for her rescue mission, Marra is offered the tools she needs, but only if she can complete three seemingly impossible tasks: —build a dog of bones —sew a cloak of nettles —capture moonlight in a jar But, as is the way in tales of princes and witches, doing the impossible is only the beginning. Hero or not—now joined by a disgraced ex-knight, a reluctant fairy godmother, an enigmatic gravewitch and her fowl familiar—Marra might finally have the courage to save her sister, and topple a throne. “Nettle & Bone is the kind of book that immediately feels like an old friend. Fairytale mythic resonance meets homey pragmatism in this utterly delightful story. It's creepy, funny, heartfelt, and full of fantastic characters I absolutely loved!” —Melissa Caruso, author of The Tethered Mage At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
THE 2025 HUGO AND NEBULA AWARD NOMINEE FOR BEST NOVEL From New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes a dark retelling of the Brothers Grimm's Goose Girl, rife with secrets, murder, and forbidden magic. Perfect for fans of Naomi Novic, Alix E. Harrow and Nettle & Bone. Cordelia knows her mother is unusual. Their house doesn't have any doors between rooms—there are no secrets in this house! Cordelia isn't allowed to have a single friend. The only time she feels truly free is on her daily rides with her mother's beautiful white horse, Falada. But more than a few quirks set her mother apart. Other parents can't force their daughters to be silent and motionless—obedient—for hours or days on end. Other mothers aren't . . . sorcerers. After a suspicious death in their small town, Cordelia's mother insists they leave in the middle of the night, leaving behind all Cordelia has ever known. They arrive at the remote country manor of a wealthy older man, the Squire, and his unwed sister, Hester. Cordelia's mother intends to lure the Squire into marriage. Cordelia knows this can only be bad news for the bumbling gentleman and his kind, intelligent sister. Hester sees the way Cordelia shrinks away from her mother. How the young girl sits eerily still at dinner every night. She knows that to save her brother from bewitchment and to rescue the terrified Cordelia, she will have to face down a wicked witch of the worst kind.