by T. Kingfisher
Tor, 2024. 325 pages. Fantasy
Cordelia knows her mother Evangeline is overbearing. Their house doesn't have any doors between rooms—there are no secrets in this house—and her mother doesn't allow Cordelia to have a single friend. Unless you count Falada, her mother's beautiful white horse. The only time Cordelia feels truly free is on her daily rides with him. But more than simple eccentricity sets her mother apart. Other mothers don't force their daughters to be silent and motionless for hours, sometimes days, on end. Other mothers aren't evil sorcerers. When her mother unexpectedly moves them into the manor home of a wealthy older squire and his kind but keen-eyed sister, Hester, Cordelia knows this welcoming pair are to be her mother's next victims. With Hester's help, Cordelia must figure out a way to thwart her mother's plans before things go terribly wrong.
T. Kingfisher has written a fascinating fantasy novel set in Regency England. Although the sorceress Evangeline is a formidable foe, Cordelia finds solid allies in Hester and her friends. This means that while the book contains some dark themes and menacing elements, the story is sprinkled with moments of lightness and camaraderie as well. This book takes some inspiration from Brothers Grimm fairy tale The Goose Girl, but you don't need to know the fairy tale in order to enjoy this book. I highly recommend this novel!
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