A Sorceress Comes to Call Review

Hello, all!

If you're looking for a spooky but still summery read, then you need to add A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher to your TBRs. Big thanks to the publisher for the copy!

Pub Date: 8-6-24
Adult - Fantasy

Cordelia has spent her entire life in fear of upsetting her mother, Evangeline. It's normal for young girls to want to please their mothers, but Cordelia's mother is a cruel sorceress who delights in coming up with new ways to make her daughter obedient. Evangeline has strict rules for her daughter, and the only glimpses of freedom Cordelia gets are on her daily rides with her mother's horse, Falada. With their money running low, Evangeline decides they must leave their small town in search of a new benefactor for her to snare.

When Cordelia meets Hester--the sister of the wealthy squire her mother has set her eyes on--she feels the need to be brave for the first time in her young life. Hester can't quite figure out why she doesn't trust Evangeline. Maybe it's because her daughter seems like a frightened rabbit in her presence. Or it's the cunning gleam in Evangeline's eyes when she thinks no one's looking. Either way, Hester is determined to keep Evangeline's claws from sinking further into her hapless brother, and if she can save poor Cordelia along the way, all's the better. But Hester soon learns going up against Evangeline comes at a price, and Cordelia is left choosing between her mother and doing what's right.

Kingfisher is my go-to author when it comes to dark fairytale retellings. I'm unfamiliar with the story of "The Goose Girl," so I can't speak to how faithful of a reimagining this is, but that didn't hinder my overall enjoyment of it. Right off the bat, you feel so much sympathy for Cordelia. She's so timid and nervous, and watching Hester break her out of her shell was so gratifying. I love it when an older character takes a younger one under their wing, so the relationship between those two was my favorite. My only complaint was that the plot was a little meandering. Nothing happened until the last ~50 pages, and then it wrapped up very conveniently. I'd still recommend checking it out if you're in the mood for something more vibes than plot.

Rating: 3/5