Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher | Book Review (2 Stars)

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

A Snow White Retelling That Never Quite Cast the Spell

I went into Hemlock & Silver excited for another T. Kingfisher novel. Unfortunately, this one never found the same magic for me.

This is an incredibly loose reimagining of Snow White; so loose, in fact, that if you removed a few familiar names and plot points, it could easily stand on its own as an original fantasy. If you’re expecting a traditional fairy tale retelling, this isn’t it.

Instead, we follow Anja, a thirty-five-year-old healer whose specialty is creating antidotes for poisons and venoms. When she’s summoned to the palace to save Princess Snow from a mysterious illness, she finds herself drawn into magical mirrors, palace intrigue, and a mystery that’s far less mysterious than it initially promises.

While the premise is wonderfully unique, I kept waiting for the story to become something more than it ultimately was.

What I Loved

🐈 The Cat

Without question, the talking cat stole the entire novel.

Every scene featuring the cat was witty, entertaining, and full of personality. If there was one character I looked forward to every time they appeared, it was this wonderfully sarcastic feline.

🪞 The Mirror World

The mirror magic was easily my favorite piece of worldbuilding.

Kingfisher creates an imaginative alternate realm that feels eerie without becoming overwhelmingly dark. I actually wished we had spent considerably more time exploring this aspect of the story because it was by far the most fascinating element.

❤️ Anja Herself

I genuinely liked Anja.

It’s refreshing to have a heroine in her mid-thirties who isn’t written as either a flawless beauty or comic relief. She’s intelligent, compassionate, plus-sized, practical, and capable. I also appreciated that her body was simply accepted by everyone around her; there’s no body shaming or constant judgment from other characters.

Unfortunately, I never fully believed she was thirty-five. Her internal voice often read much younger.

What Didn’t Work for Me

The Poison Expertise Felt Wasted

One of the biggest disappointments was Anja’s profession.

A healer devoted to studying poison should have been endlessly fascinating. Instead, her knowledge often felt surprisingly surface-level, and many of her deductions seemed based on very basic logic rather than years of expertise.

I kept waiting for clever toxicology, intricate deductions, or moments where her unique skills would truly shine.

They never really came.

It felt like such a missed opportunity.

The Story Lacks Suspense

For a fantasy mystery, this book is remarkably straightforward.

There aren’t many surprises, and the central mystery never develops into anything particularly twisty. I found myself predicting nearly every major reveal long before the characters did.

Combined with a first half that moves at a very leisurely pace, the novel struggled to maintain momentum.

Modern Dialogue

One thing that continually pulled me out of the story was the dialogue.

Although the setting feels like a classic fairy-tale kingdom, the conversations often sounded surprisingly modern. The phrasing and reactions lacked the timeless atmosphere I expect from historical fantasy, making the world feel less immersive than it could have been.

Missed Opportunities

As much as I adored the talking cat, I couldn’t help wishing Kingfisher had leaned even further into enchanted animals and objects.

Imagine if the snake, the rooster, or other creatures within the story had personalities and voices of their own. The whimsical fairy-tale atmosphere could have been elevated so much by expanding beyond a single talking companion.

It feels like the world was hinting at something much richer without ever fully embracing it.

Final Thoughts

Hemlock & Silver isn’t a bad book; it simply wasn’t the book I hoped it would be.

There are flashes of brilliance, particularly the mirror world and the unforgettable cat, but they’re surrounded by a slow-moving story, predictable plot, excessive internal narration, and a fantasy mystery that never becomes particularly mysterious.

If you’re looking for a cozy fantasy with light fairy-tale inspiration, you may enjoy this much more than I did.

If, however, you’re hoping for a dark, gothic, atmospheric Snow White retelling full of twists and rich historical fantasy, this one may leave you wanting more.

For me, it was a 2-star read; pleasant enough to finish, but not memorable enough to revisit.