Disclosure: I received a finished copy of The Language of Thorns on the Hill from Pansing Books, a regional distributor, in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo • contains 281 pages • published September 26, 2017 by Imprint, Macmillan Publishers • classified as Fantasy, Young Adult • obtained through Pansing Books • read as paperback • shelve on Goodreads Synopsis:
Love speaks in flowers. Truth requires thorns.
Travel to a world of dark bargains struck by moonlight, of haunted towns and hungry woods, of talking beasts and gingerbread golems, where a young mermaid's voice can summon deadly storms and where a river might do a lovestruck boy's bidding but only for a terrible price.
Inspired by myth, fairy tale, and folklore, #1 New York Times-bestselling author Leigh Bardugo has crafted a deliciously atmospheric collection of short stories filled with betrayals, revenge, sacrifice, and love.
Perfect for new readers and dedicated fans, these tales will transport you to lands both familiar and strange—to a fully realized world of dangerous magic that millions have visited through the novels of the Grishaverse.
This collection of six stories includes three brand-new tales, all of them lavishly illustrated with art that changes with each turn of the page, culminating in six stunning full-spread illustrations as rich in detail as the stories themselves.
Leigh Bardugo is an author whose growth has impressed me a great deal. The Language of Thorns reflected that same journey.
I wasn’t a fan of Shadow and Bone, though I did see her potential. The rest of the original trilogy didn’t impress me but then Six of Crows came along and I liked it a lot. For the record, I adored Crooked Kingdom.
Three of these short stories (The Too-Clever Fox, The Witch of Duva, Little Knife) had been previously published as ebooks. They were written during the time of the original Grisha trilogy, so I knew to temper my expectations.
The three new stories were a completely different matter. I enjoyed them tremendously! When Water Sang Fire was my absolute favourite. It was (dare I say it?) even better than Marissa Meyer’s take on this retelling, and that was one of my other favourite short stories that I read this year. Funny thing is, I never liked the character Ulla was based on.
What I loved about When Water Sang Fire was the familiarity of the retelling mixed with a style and characters that were beautifully reimagined to become Leigh’s own. The Solider Prince too enthralled me. Based on the The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, it was a magical read. Even though retellings are inevitably predictable, these ones still managed to surprise me.
All in all, The Language of Thorns encompassed fairytales that were wholly befitting of the the Grishaverse. While they didn’t expand on the lives of the protagonists, they still gave insight into their world, which I appreciated. Add in the stunning the illustrations, and this book is definitely worth picking up!
If you’ve not read The Language of Thorns yet, you might be interested in my Twitter giveaway:
Want a copy? I have one paperback edition of The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo to give away! To enter, RT + follow @definitelybooks and me. T&Cs in the second image. pic.twitter.com/SM8HAsrdqa
— Joséphine (@wordrevel) December 16, 2017
Glad you enjoyed it! I agree, Leigh’s growth as a writer is amazing and visible for us to see! I’ve read the previous 3 short stories, but I haven’t read the newest three. When Water Sang Fire seems like everyone’s favorite though, so I can’t wait to read that one!
Yes! I always love it when authors are obviously improving because then you know there’s always something new to look forward too :)