A Sorceress Comes to Call is retelling of The Goose Girl with T. Kingfisher’s signature writing style that’s whimsical and fantastical and weird and just a little bit creepy. This book is mostly fantasy, but it does have a few horror elements thrown in there as well, and the setting also has a historical feel to it.
I haven’t read The Goose Girl, nor do I know what the tale is about, so I don’t know how well this retelling follows the original story, but I did enjoy this book nonetheless. It stands on its own without the reader needing any prior knowledge of the classical tale.
A Sorceress Comes to Call is a multi-POV tale largely centering Cordelia, whose mother, Evangeline, is an evil sorceress trying to con her way into a better life with a wealthy older man called the Squire. Cordelia reluctantly comes along for the ride and finds companionship and solace in the Squire’s sister, Hester, who is very suspicious of Evangeline. Hester and Cordelia team up with a few others at the estate to try to stop Evangeline from ensnaring the Squire and release Cordelia from her controlling clutches.
I loved the characters in this novel. Cordelia was really delightful and I enjoyed seeing her grow into her self and become more confident throughout the story. Hester and Lord Evermore were my favorite “not-a-couple” couple and I loved their dynamic. There are even protector geese and a very eerily-aware horse named Falada. All of the characters were so well written and memorable.
Overall, this was a delightful story. I love T. Kingfisher’s writing style, and if you do too then you will also like this book. I recommend it to anyone looking for a classical standalone fantasy tale that’s a little dark and a little cozy and a little funny all at the same time.
I received a digital copy of this book for review from the publisher via Edelweiss.
