Nettle & Bone
core novel 2022 Nettle & Bone
Record
| First published | 2022 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 4.07 (157,357 ratings, collected 2026-09-14) |
| Page count | 325 |
| First-edition ISBN | 9781250244048 |
Synopsis
Marra, the youngest of three princesses, is sent to a convent after her eldest sister dies under mysterious circumstances following her betrothal to Prince Vorling. Years later, when her remaining sister Kania marries the same prince and Marra learns that Kania is suffering abuse at his hands, Marra leaves the convent determined to save her. Seeking a way to act against a prince far more powerful than herself, she turns to a dust-wife, a witch who deals in bones and the dead, who agrees to help only after Marra completes three seemingly impossible tasks: weaving a cloak from nettles, building a dog out of bones, and catching moonlight in a jar. Once the tasks are done, Marra and the dust-wife set out together, gradually gathering unlikely companions, including a disgraced knight and a chicken possessed by a minor demon, as they move toward a confrontation with the prince.
Where it sits
- Universe: Nettle & Bone
- Series: not part of a registered series (standalone work within its universe)
- Author: T. Kingfisher
Awards (verified)
- Hugo Award (Best Novel), 2023: won; thehugoawards.org itself could not be reached; registered on the strength of 2 independent contemporary trade-press reports (Gizmodo, CGTN) plus Wikipedia, all in agreement -- revisit and cite thehugoawards.org directly if a future pass can reach it.
- Locus Award (Best Fantasy Novel), 2023: finalist; sfadb.com could not be reached to independently corroborate; registered as finalist (not won) per Wikipedia -- revisit against sfadb.com in a future pass.
- Nebula Award (Best Novel), 2022: nominated
- Dragon Award (Best Fantasy Novel), 2022: nominated
Notes
- Standalone dark fairy-tale novel (Tor Books, April 2022) -- registered as a single-work universe, T. Kingfisher's second universe in this canon alongside The Saint of Steel.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Nettle & Bone
- Nebula Awards: T. Kingfisher nominee page
- Gizmodo: The 2023 Hugo Award Winners Have Been Announced
- CGTN: Sci-fi writer T. Kingfisher won Hugo Award for Best Novel
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