A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher Narrator: Eliza Foss, Jennifer Pickens
Published by Macmillan Audio on August 6, 2024
Genres: Fantasy
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I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
A dark retelling of the Brothers Grimm's Goose Girl, rife with secrets, murder, and forbidden magic
Cordelia knows her mother is unusual. Their house doesn’t have any doors between rooms, 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 sorcerers.
After a suspicious death in their small town, Cordelia’s mother insists they leave in the middle of the night, riding away on Falada’s sturdy back, 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, and 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. Hester 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.
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A Sorceress Comes to Call is a retelling of the Brothers Grimm’s Goose Girl. While I have not read that fairy tale before, I found this audiobook a delight to listen to. The characters are very lively and entertaining and the story itself was fascinating.
Cordelia has never had a normal life, she lives in a house with her mother, Evangeline, who is extremely controlling. Evangeline is a sorcerer and has no qualms about doing whatever is necessary to get what she wants. After a death in their town Evangeline grabs Cordelia in the middle of the night and they run. They wind up at the Squire’s mansion, he is a wealthy gentleman that lives there with his sister Hester. You see where this is going, Evangeline sets her sights on the Squire, but in doing so her control relaxes a bit on Cordelia.
Meanwhile his sister Hester takes Cordelia under her wing. She slowly is unraveling what is truly going on and trying to find a way to help as well as to get Evangeline away from her brother. You wind up hoping that somehow, they will find a way to stop Evangeline, that good will triumph and Cordelia will finally be set free. The story is a bit dark so keep that in mind, but if you are looking for a fairy tale retelling, you have to check this one out.
