The Language of Thorns
6 stories - View chapters and summaries
Characters (45)
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
Althea Zelverhaus Clara's mother. | Minor |
Anton Kozar A one-legged war veteran in the village. | Minor |
Ayama A plain, flat-footed kitchen girl, overlooked beside her beautiful sister; sent as the king's messenger into the thorn wood. | Minor |
Baba Anezka A mirror-maker witch (Fabrikator) in the mountains. | Minor |
Baba Olya An elderly villager who trades in warnings and gossip. | Minor |
Bela Pankin Uri's mother. | Minor |
Clara Zelverhaus A merchant's daughter who is given an unusual nutcracker doll. | Minor |
Droessen A clocksmith and toymaker who crafts marvels for wealthy Kerch families. | Minor |
Edvin Another of Roffe's brothers, also seeking a gift to win their father's favour. | Minor |
Frederik Zelverhaus Clara's older brother, a young military officer. | Minor |
Genetchka Lukin A village girl crowned Queen of the Thaw. | Minor |
Havel Nadya's brother, away with the army. | Minor |
Hjalmar A celebrated court singer who performs at the prince's birthday. | Minor |
Ivan Gostov A loud, blustering black bear; Koja's friend. | Minor |
Kalle The eldest of Roffe's brothers. | Minor |
Karina Stoyanova A widow who marries Maxim and joins the household. | Minor |
Kettil A young sildroher in Ulla and Signy's singing class. | Minor |
Kima Ayama's elder sister, celebrated for her beauty and her singing voice. | Minor |
Koja A clever runt fox with a patchy coat, who talks his way out of every trap. | Minor |
Lev Jurek A tall, handsome hunter, famous in the district, who arrives with his sister. | Minor |
Showing 1 to 20 of 45 items
Page 1 of 3
Groups (7)
| Name | Type |
|---|---|
| Groups in Grishaverse (universe) | |
| The Crows | Faction |
| The Dregs | Faction |
| The Drüskelle | Organisation |
| The Grisha | Organisation |
| The Ravkan Court | Organisation |
| The Ravkan First Army | Organisation |
| The Second Army | Organisation |
History
| Date | Event | Details |
|---|---|---|
26 September 2017 | Publication | Language of Thorns received strong reviews on publication in 2017, with critics praising Bardugo's command of the fairy tale form and her ability to work within its conventions while subverting their expected resolutions. Reviewers noted that the collection demonstrated range beyond the propulsive thriller plotting of the Grishaverse novels - the prose is more ornate, the pacing more deliberate, and the moral frameworks more ambiguous than the main series. Sara Kipin's illustrations drew consistent praise as an integral part of the reading experience rather than decoration, with the intricate designs that grow across each story's pages noted as a distinctive formal choice that rewarded careful attention. Individual stories were singled out across different reviews, with Ayama and the Thorn Wood and The Too-Clever Fox most frequently cited as highlights. Some reviewers noted that familiarity with the Grishaverse enriched the experience without being required, and that the collection functioned as an effective entry point for readers new to Bardugo's world. Language of Thorns is generally regarded as a mature, confident work that expanded the Grishaverse's cultural texture while standing on its own terms as dark fantasy fiction. |
Publication26 September 2017
Language of Thorns received strong reviews on publication in 2017, with critics praising Bardugo's command of the fairy tale form and her ability to work within its conventions while subverting their expected resolutions. Reviewers noted that the collection demonstrated range beyond the propulsive thriller plotting of the Grishaverse novels - the prose is more ornate, the pacing more deliberate, and the moral frameworks more ambiguous than the main series. Sara Kipin's illustrations drew consistent praise as an integral part of the reading experience rather than decoration, with the intricate designs that grow across each story's pages noted as a distinctive formal choice that rewarded careful attention. Individual stories were singled out across different reviews, with Ayama and the Thorn Wood and The Too-Clever Fox most frequently cited as highlights. Some reviewers noted that familiarity with the Grishaverse enriched the experience without being required, and that the collection functioned as an effective entry point for readers new to Bardugo's world. Language of Thorns is generally regarded as a mature, confident work that expanded the Grishaverse's cultural texture while standing on its own terms as dark fantasy fiction.