Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher (2022 fiction)

Marra is the youngest princess of her kingdom. Her eldest sister was married off to the prince of a neighboring kingdom and died under suspicious circumstances. Her second sister was then married off to the same prince and even sheltered Marra, since sent off to live in a convent, can see that something is very wrong. If nothing happens, her sister will die and then she will meet the same fate. There is no one to save them but Marra herself. So off Marra goes to the dust-wife, who requires her to complete three impossible tasks before she will commit to helping Marra on her equally impossible quest. Marra is thirty years old. She isn’t fantastically beautiful, intelligent, clever, or talented. But she is a kind soul, and she’s persistent. And somehow she seems to have a knack for the impossible. Perhaps the little group she’s pulled together has a chance at success, and just maybe they won’t all die in the process. Though there were some points where the pacing felt off, and places where explanations would have been appreciated, I found that I greatly enjoyed this novel. It’s a standalone, so there’s no waiting for the next in the series.

Reviewed by Amber Marsh