THE 2025 HUGO, NEBULA AND LOCUS 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 Novik, Alix E. Harrow and Nettle & Bone.
Cordelia knows her mother is unusual. Their house doesnt have any doors between roomsthere are no secrets in this house! Cordelia isnt allowed to have a single friend. The only time she feels truly free is on her daily rides with her mothers beautiful white horse, Falada.
But more than a few quirks set her mother apart. Other parents cant force their daughters to be silent and motionlessobedientfor hours or days on end. Other mothers arent . . . sorcerers. After a suspicious death in their small town, Cordelias 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. Cordelias 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.
