Book Review: A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
T. Kingfisher’s A Sorceress Comes to Call is a dark, gripping retelling of the Brothers Grimm’s Goose Girl — but this version is steeped in menace, layered secrets, and forbidden magic.
Cordelia has always known her mother was... different. Their house is strange, eerily open without doors, and Cordelia is kept isolated, her only true companion a magnificent white horse named Falada. Yet it’s not just oddity that marks her mother — it's power. A sorceress’s cruel power, one that demands Cordelia’s silence and submission through brutal, unnatural means. As Cordelia’s world narrows, the tension tightens like a noose, and the story unfolds with the inevitable, chilling weight of a fairy tale gone wrong.
Kingfisher masterfully reimagines the classic tale, giving it teeth — and a pulsing, emotional core. Cordelia’s fear, confusion, and desperate hunger for freedom are palpable. This isn’t just a story about magic; it’s a story about survival, resilience, and reclaiming your voice against overwhelming odds.
Atmospheric, unsettling, and beautifully written, A Sorceress Comes to Call captures everything Kingfisher excels at: characters who feel achingly real, a slow build of dread that creeps under your skin, and a dark fairytale world that feels just a little too close to our own.
Final Verdict:
For readers who love fairy tale retellings with a razor-sharp edge, A Sorceress Comes to Call is an absolute must-read. Dark, emotional, and fiercely empowering.