A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
I arise from the dead to review a book as I drone on to the end of the school year.
There are some very disturbing descriptions with this book, especially around loss of autonomy. Definitely check out the content warnings. If all of that sounds good, jump on in.
Take Brothers Grimm, mix it with a dose of body horror, and you will have something close to A Sorceress Comes To Call by T. Kingfisher.
A Sorceress Comes To Call (referred to from here forward as Sorceress in italics) is part of a tradition in western literature of retelling famous fairy tales with more modern writing conventions and the personal style of the author. Grimm's fairy tales are an iconic piece of European canon that has captured the imagination of creatives for centuries. T. Kingfisher uses her own skill at constructing the macabre and penchant for snappy writing to create something thoroughly new to enjoy.
T. Kingfisher is an author I’ve read a fair bit of. My wife and I both found her when we were on a road trip. I forget where that road trip was to now, but I distinctly remember she had picked Paladin’s Grace for us to listen to because she knew I liked paladins. It was a surprise to both of us when that book turned to a wholesome romance, despite the gruesome aspects. It served as my gateway to romantasy.
While Sorceress isn’t a romance book, there are some romantic aspects that are reminiscent to me of the Paladin books, and when the blood seeps through the page, I find myself remembering the more visceral scenes from that series. Sorceress shifts the romantic plot to the background to focus on the horror. Unusually for me, I read this book in about a week as I was unable to put it down.
One of our two deuteragonists is Cordelia, the 14-year-old daughter of the titular sorceress, Evangeline. Cordelia is a survivor of overwhelming child abuse by her mother, which shapes her behavior in a way that is tragically realistic. Our other deuteragonist is Hester, the unmarried sister of a rich, bachelor squire whom Evangeline seeks to marry. She is the first adult cast member to pay attention to the relationship between Evangeline and Cordelia and recognize what it is.
Both of our main characters have distinct voices, and the author will regularly shift point of view mid-chapter during a scene of distress that both characters are experiencing. These transitions are smooth, and serve to provide a cohesive view of each scene and of the world.
I am always reluctant to quantify my rating of books into a simple five-star likert scale because of personal taste. Therefore, I will simply say I would recommend this book if any of this intrigues you.