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

by Leigh Bardugo

Sara Kipin (Illustrator)

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, no. 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.

• ISBN10: 1510104518
• ISBN13: 9781510104518
• Publish Date: 26 September 2017
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 5 March 2021
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Hachette Children's Group
• Imprint: Orion Children's Books
• Format: Paperback (UK Trade)
• Pages: 304
• Language: English

Reviews

I don't think this book had any chance of getting a five-star rating from me. I have never been one for short stories. I am not the biggest fan of the Grishaverse. I do like dark stuff, but for me it often felt as if the dark stuff in these stories was just there to shock the reader, instead of serving any purpose.

I liked some stories more than others. They all had a message and were interesting retellings of classic fairytales, but it wasn't anything special.

I certainly thought it was an entertaining book. If you like dark stories and enjoy the Grishaverse, go for it. I wasn't the right reader.

[Mad Soul Child]

Великолепный сборник сказок, красивое оформление. Особенно впечатлила последняя сказка о сильдройрах. Магически и тревожно, но очень и очень интересно

[alindstadtcorbeax]

Star Rating: 4.5 Stars!
(-0.5 stars for Little Knife)

Super tired, but just have to say... the Fjerdan little mermaid retelling was the absolute best LM retelling I’ve ever read. It makes me want to sing and dance and celebrate haha. Even though it was an only a short story- it was INCREDIBLEEEE.

IT. WAS. PERFECT.

RTC on rest of stories coming- pretty much told in my updates but still!

"You know how the stories go. Interesting things only happen to pretty girls; you will be home by sunset." (Ma Zil to Ayama, Ayama and the Thorn Wood)

What an awesome anthology of short stories from the Grishaverse! The stories in The Language of Thorns are dark, feminist and delicious.

The short stories from The Language of Thorns have some similarities to fairytales such as Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, The Ugly Duckling, The Nutcracker and Little Mermaid, but they are much more darker, honest, brutal, cruel, realistic and human. I was looking forward to the twists, turns and trope subversions and couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see how Bardugo was going to spin a well known tale and make it her own.

My favourite stories in The Language of Thorns are Ayama and the Thorn Wood, The Witch of Duva and When Water Sang Fire (a origin story for Ursula from The Little Mermaid that I adored). However, there are a few stories that miss the mark.

I can't wait to read more of Leigh Bardugo's short stories. She certainly has a knack for telling them.

"We were not made to please princes." (When Water Sang Fire)

[Joséphine]

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

Initial thoughts: The illustrations really make this book! They added so much impact and intrigue, beautifully accentuating the stories. Much love for them!

Now, for the stories, I didn't expect to enjoy The Too-Clever Fox, The Witch of Duva, Little Knife all that much. They were written during the time of the original Grisha trilogy, which I wasn't a fan of either. I did, however, love the Six of Crows duology, so I had a lot of hope for the three new short stories that were part of this anthology. I was not disappointed.

I liked Ayama and the Thorn Wood and The Soldier Prince a lot. They were imaginative and the prose showed a marked improvement over the older short stories. Then there was When Water Sang Fire. I adored that story! 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. Yet here I am, singing praises for Leigh Bardugo's take.

[Nessa Luna]

I still love these stories so much. I think my favourite may be The Witch of Duva, but honestly I don't want to pick a favourite because they're all magical and amazing in their own ways!

[Stephanie]

Yesss, Little Knife.

[nightingalereads]

Overall, I'd give this collection of Grisha fairytales a solid 4 stars. The only reason it missed a 5 is because it's difficult for short stories to evoke strong feelings of love in me. Unlike with most short-story collections, every single tale in this book I found to be engaging, beautiful, and unique. (I say unique for what they are - Grisha retellings. Obviously, the stories draw inspiration from Hans Christian Anderson, the Grimm Brothers, and other classic fairytales authors!) I did, though, enjoy some stories more than others, just based on personal preferences.

Individual Story Ratings:

Ayama and the Thorn Wood - 4.5 stars 3
- (recommend if you like Beauty & the Beast)
The Too-Clever Fox - 4 stars
- (recommend if you like stories from Aesop's Fables)
The Witch of Duva - 3.25 stars
- (recommend if you like Hansel & Gretel)
Little Knife - 3.25 stars
- (not sure of the inspiration; it felt very unique)
The Soldier Prince - 3 stars
- (recommend if you like The Nutcracker)
When Water Sang Fire - 3.5 stars
- (recommend if you like The Little Mermaid)