Thornhedge

Delightful. Sweet. Refreshingly nonlookist. Kindhearted. It felt at times like a love child of Brené Brown and Becky Chambers with a little DNA from Epictetus. (Doesn’t that make you want to grab a copy right away?)

I loved the explorations of trust; how it can develop over time. I especially loved how Kingfisher uses kneejerk reactions, moments caught off guard, to reveal personality. I loved the lead-with-heart conversations, the leaning into curiosity without initial judgment. Obviously I loved the snipe at the “beautiful people are good, ugly are evil” trope. I loved the exploration of whether some people simply need killin’. And, above all, I loved the overarching spirit of kindness even in difficult circumstances.

Recommendation: don’t read the jacket blurb. It’s anti-helpful. Not really spoilery, but just, I think it would've detracted from my enjoyment of the first 20-30 pages (I read the blurb after finishing the book).