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The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic

Leigh Bardugo
Illustrated by Sara Kipin
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The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic

Leigh Bardugo
Illustrated by Sara Kipin
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Overview

288 PAGESENGLISH
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Overall rating: 4.375 / 5 from 64 reviews.

AI Generated Review Summary

This collection of fairy tales from the Grishaverse is praised for its enchanting stories, stunning illustrations, and exquisite writing. Perfect for fans and new readers alike, it offers a mesmerizing read filled with dark magic and beautiful imagery.

Summary topics

  • illustrations: 28%
  • fairy tales: 24%
  • book quality: 48%
  • short stories: 38%
  • reading experience: 14%

Review topics: ["artwork","feel","story","book","tale","illustrations","read","fox","writing","knife","issues","fan","written","ending","favourite","work","author","grimm","twist","leigh bardugo","series","bardugo","pictures","place","prince","mermaid","influence"].

Review highlights

  • "Beautiful book with excellent illustrations and unique tales." — Emma
  • "I love the universe that this author has created, and this book was a wonderful and quick read to add to that." — Carter
  • "Such great stories (though I'd definitely suggest reading the other books in this universe first)." — Ceilidhe

Reviews

Pretty pictures

"Didn’t get to read it but I thought the illustrations were interesting. They added on each page and then the final picture at the end was a really cool idea"

— Anon (5/5)

Leigh Bardugo has done it again

"This book was so so good! (Though what else can one expect from Leigh Bardugo?) It is very well written and the style of the stories gives them the feel of century's old fairy tales while also baring important messages for our world and some darker, not-so-happily-ever-after undertones. I definitely enjoyed ""When Water Sang Fire"" the most, but each story was amazing in its own way."

— A. M. (5/5)

Wow

"Beautiful book with excellent illustrations and unique tales. Wonderful companion to the original series"

— Emma (5/5)

For the diehards

"Just wasn’t for me but for a lot of Grishaverse fans it will be"

— Danielle (2/5)

Really good

"It was a very well received gift. “Man, it was awesome. ”"

— Anban (5/5)

Quick and beautiful

"I love the universe that this author has created, and this book was a wonderful and quick read to add to that. The art work was beautiful and I loved how it progressed the further you got into the story!"

— Carter (5/5)

A Bit Disappointing

"I liked some of this but other parts I found myself having to listen to over and over again. I'm not sure I would have picked this up if it hadn't been an Audible Daily Deal. Truly, more and more I have been disappointed by Leigh Bardugo's work which makes me sad because I loved the Grisha series and even SIX OF CROWS. In fact, I named my car Zoya because of it. But we'll see what happens and if I continue reading. I just think this is the downfall for me, personally."

— Jamie (3/5)

4. 5 stars

"I want to preface this review by saying that you don't need to read Bardugo's Grisha trilogy or Six of Crows duology to appreciate this book. This book is for anyone who has ever been made to feel like their worth was determined by their beauty. It’s for anyone who has ever felt like they weren’t loved by the people who were supposed to love them most. For anyone who has been betrayed by someone who claimed to love them. It’s for anyone who’s ever felt like their own needs and desires didn’t matter, like they were just a tool to foster happiness in everyone around them. It’s for anyone who’s ever wanted something more than the role the world assigned them. It’s for anyone who’s ever felt tired of being stepped on and still being a good person anyway — anyone who’s ever had a cold, hard, little ball of resentment build in their chest because of it. This book is for anyone who’s ever been hurt, angry, lonely, trapped, or frustrated. And this book is for anyone who’s ever felt a little uneasy about the messages imparted by fairy tales, their general senselessness. The stories in The Language of Thorns are anything but conventional. “Ayama and the Thorn Wood” is something like a cross between “Beauty and the Beast” and The One Thousand and One Nights, with Ayama’s own tales subverting the conventions of the fairy tale. “The Too Clever Fox,” as far as I can tell, is not based on any other story, but is its own clever, sorrowful little thing. “The Witch of Duva” is definitely the most disturbing story of the bunch, but it’s gorgeous and it has Baba Yaga undertones. “Little Knife” is a small feminist masterpiece that probably has roots in many fairy tales and turns them all on their heads. “The Soldier Prince” is a surprising and sympathetic take on The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. “When Water Sang Fire” is a sort of prequel to “The Little Mermaid,” and can almost be considered a novella. I can’t choose a favourite from the collection, but it’s between “Ayama and the Thorn Wood” and “When Water Sang Fire. ” Each story is beautifully illustrated, but even more beautifully crafted through Bardugo’s writing. You don’t need to read any of Bardugo’s other works to appreciate this one."

— Micaela (4/5)

Overall Amazing

"Beautiful artwork, thrilling mini stories that always lead you a way different direction than you thought. My friend convinced me to read it and now I'm buying a bunch of copies for my family."

— Lauren (5/5)

Pretty Book, Awesome Stories

"First off, oh my god is this a pretty, pretty book! I spent as much time admiring the illustrations as I did reading the stories I think. And man were those awesome short stories! It was delightfully thought provoking, dark, creepy, and in several stories, surprising. My two favourites were the Hansel and Gretel-esque story (which does not go in any of the directions I expected, and the bad guys are not whom they seem), and the final one which is an origin story for Ursula from the little mermaid. It's a testament to the skill with which the author manipulated these that I didn't guess the final story unless well towards the end of it. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys fairytales twisted on their heads, who has, like me, felt a bit dissatisfied in the past with fairytales and their black and white 'we told you so' attitude. Highly Recommend."

— Emily (4/5)

Q&A

  • Published date: Sep 26, 2017
  • Language: English
  • No. of Pages: 288
  • Publisher: Imprint
  • ISBN: 9781250122520
  • Dimensions: 6.5" W x 0.9" L x 9.45" H

A New York Times Bestseller

"Lushly designed and wonderfully rendered ... Bardugo doesn’t twist familiar tales so much as rip them open." —Booklist, starred review

"Strong writing, compelling stories, and gorgeous illustrations make this collection a must-have." —School Library Journal, starred review

"Beautiful imagery conceived from precise, beautiful prose; beautiful cover image and interior illustrations that creep across each page toward a beautiful consummation; beautiful lands inhabited by beautiful hearts." —VOYA, starred review

"Elegantly crafted...stylishly intricate illustrations...all fans of the darker side of folktales and folktale-like stories will find the stories satisfyingly full of pain, danger, and vengeance." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

"Gorgeously otherworldly...Any lover of retellings or original fairy tales will enjoy." —Kirkus Reviews

“Gorgeous, cruel and almost wistful windows onto the dreamscapes and hard lessons of [Bardugo’s] alternate universe … fairy tales with all the darkness intact.” —NPR Book Review

"Those who seem innocent are shown to be guilty, one-dimensional characters become more complicated, and mothers who once were absent are given presence and power.” —Mashable

"This new collection will intrigue, awe, frighten, and inspire both stalwart fans and new readers looking for a heady spoonful of fantasy.” —Hypable

"This nightmare-inducing collection is short but powerful, each tale as brilliant and absorbing as the one before... brilliant storytelling” —Romantic Times

"Marvelous tales, as full of twists and delights and strangeness as anything found in the Grimm Brothers. Leigh Bardugo is a master." —Kelly Link, author of Get in Trouble

Praise for Crooked Kingdom:

“It’s a delicious blend of masterfully executed elements ... Bardugo outdoes herself in this exhilarating follow-up, and series fans will have their eyes glued to every page.”—Booklist, starred review.

“Un-put-down-able excitement from beginning to end.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review.

“Bardugo’s ingenious plotting that characterized Crows is again on full display, and the backstories, loyalties, flaws, and romantic alliances….are richly developed.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (BCCB), starred review

Praise for Six of Crows:

“This has all the right elements to keep readers enthralled: an entertainingly combative team of skilled misfits, a twisty plot, and a nerve-wracking cliffhanger.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Cracking page-turner with a multi ethnic band of misfits with differing sexual orientations who satisfyingly, believably jell into a family.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“This is an easy choice for teens who enjoyed the Grisha Trilogy, Diviners, or any of the Shadowhunter books.”
—VOYA, starred review

Leigh Bardugo is the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of the Ninth House series and the creator of the Grishaverse, which spans the Shadow and Bone trilogy (now a Netflix series), the Six of Crows duology, the King of Scars duology—and much more. Her short fiction has appeared in multiple anthologies, including The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy. She lives in Los Angeles and is an associate fellow of Pauli Murray College at Yale University.

Illustrator Sara Kipin is best known for her fantasy works portraying strong, self-empowered, feminine characters. Her style is inspired by early animation and romantic paintings. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art and currently lives in Burbank, California.

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