The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic (edition 2017)

One of the best fairy tale collections I've read in years -- rich, creepy, sometimes funny, sometimes sad, but beautifully and hauntingly illustrated, and all original tales. I kept losing time every time I opened the book, because they just would not let me go. In the Grisha universe, but you don't need previous knowledge to enjoy these gorgeous fantasies. ( )

Where to begin? My entire body is thrumming with energy after having read this book. (I just finished reading it). This is what fantasy should feel like, and this is what retellings should be like. While the stories do remind one of childhood fairy tales, they do just that: remind. They don't conveniently replace characters and worlds while retaining the story line of those old tales. Rather, they are new innovative story arcs with just hints thrown here and there to lure one further in. And the stories command one's attention. They are each beautifully wrought, dark, twisted, with endings that are much more credible than happy-ever-after ones and leave one satisfied. In fact, The Soldier Prince was downright frightening. I was reminded of Keith Donohue's The Puppet Master. I'm sure I'll have nightmares for a few nights at least.
The Language of Thorns is a must-read for fantasy lovers, especially Bardugo's fans. ( )

Today I have my review of The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic by Leigh Bardugo.
The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic by Leigh Bardugo is, a collection of 6 tales that teaches and transports the reader with beautiful illustrations.
I would give "The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic" by Leigh Bardugo a three star review because, for some reason I didn't really like this book the six tales were wonderful and the illustrations were beautiful and just helped bring the tales together. ( )

Beautifully illustrated (a great touch that the illustrations advanced with the story, culminating in a full page spread)and filled with tales reminiscent of the original Grimm's fairy tales (complex choices, endings that aren't necessarily happy), Bardugo's new work is maybe her best. You could say some of the tales are influenced by others (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid), but the uniqueness of the tales allows the familiarity to be an asset rather than a crutch.

"Ayama and the Thorn Wood" - a little slow and predictable, but the fact that Amaya and her sister and their grandmother loved each other and looked out for themselves was nice. And I did appreciate that Amaya turned into a monster rather than the monster turning into a human, and that neither of them liked the cliched "happy" endings of the stories she told because of course they weren't true.

"The Too-Clever Fox" - I loved this one. The fox, as ugly as he was, accepted it and was willing to use anything possible to his advantage to survive, but he wasn't selfish. It didn't really make sense that he didn't immediately see Sofia as a threat rather than her brother, and the ending was a little gruesome, but satisfying.

"The Witch of Duva" - I read this one for free on Tor a while ago, so skipped it in reading this collection, but remember liking it. The simple but well-done twist, the forging of one's fate for oneself, the importance of seizing your own power, all are well-told.

"Little Knife" - maybe my least favorite. Very predictable it was obvious that the river was doing this for itself and not the Tidemaker (who's name I've already forgotten), and the noblewoman (who's name I've also forgotten!) isn't really much of a character; she's beautiful and that's it. I did appreciate that her goal wasn't to find love and a husband, and she viewed her beauty as a hindrance, and found peace in her solitude.

"The Soldier Prince" - OK. The main character was a little flat, but it made sense since he wasn't really a person and didn't yet have the capacity to understand feelings or desires. Clara was annoying however, Freidrich wasn't really anything, and I didn't quite understand the end.

"The Water Sang Fire" - my favorite. I've always had a weakness for villain origin stories, and this gave me a kind of "pre-Ursula" vibe. Ulla was a relateable character, ostracized but ambitious and willing to make sacrifices when she needed to. The betrayal she faced at the end was on one hand totally predictable and on the other surprisingly heartbreaking. ( )

I would give this book all the stars I can without even reading it just for existing. Because this book is just GORGEOUS!!!!! Every story starts off with a small image in the corner which wraps around the pages as a frame as the story goes on, ending in a beautiful illustration that sums up the tale. Hats off to the idea and the colors and the art and Sara Kipin for bringing it all to life so beautifully.

I am usually not a fan of short stories but I have grown up reading the Indian fairytales and when your favorite author writes fairytale retellings, you don’t ignore it. I was just happy staring at this book and wouldn’t have minded even if the stories weren’t great, but the writing surprised me. Because these are not your usual happy, morally superior, happily ever after type tales. They are dark and twisty and a little creepy but also more mature and realistic. They tell you that not everyone who looks like a monster, is one; adventures don’t just happen to pretty girls; sometimes, the stepmother is not the only evil one in the story; you need to be wise, not just clever; and the most important one – Princes don’t always save you.

I enjoyed all of them (except may be Soldier Prince which confused me a little) but my favorites were Amaya and the Thorn Wood and When Water sang Fire. The writing is just amazing as usual, the words are so lyrical and beautiful and I kept going back to reread some gems. I also enjoyed the setting of the stories in our favorite fictional universe. It’s magical as usual.

And the most important part – Look for a little cameo from one of our most favorite Grishaverse character ever!!!! Ohhhh I loved it ❤️❤️❤️❤️ ( )