Thistlefoot cover art

Thistlefoot

A Novel

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Thistlefoot

By: GennaRose Nethercott
Narrated by: January LaVoy
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About this listen

 In the tradition of modern fairy tales like Naomi Novik's Spinning Silver comes an immersive fantasy saga, a debut novel about estranged siblings who are reunited after receiving a mysterious inheritance.

“A wonderfully imaginative, wholly enchanting novel of witness, survival, memory, and family that reads like a fairy tale godfathered by Tim Burton in a wild America alive with wonders and devils alike. Thistlefoot shimmers with magic and mayhem and a thrilling emotional momentum.” —Libba Bray, bestselling author of The Diviners

The Yaga siblings—Bellatine, a young woodworker, and Isaac, a wayfaring street performer and con artist—have been estranged since childhood, separated both by resentment and by wide miles of American highway. But when they learn that they are to receive an inheritance, the siblings agree to meet—only to discover that their bequest isn’t land or money, but something far stranger: a sentient house on chicken legs.

Thistlefoot, as the house is called, has arrived from the Yagas’ ancestral home outside Kyiv—but not alone. A sinister figure known only as the Longshadow Man has tracked it to American shores, bearing with him violent secrets from the past: fiery memories that have hidden in Isaac and Bellatine’s blood for generations. As the Yaga siblings embark with Thistlefoot on a final cross-country tour of their family’s traveling theater show, the Longshadow Man follows in relentless pursuit, seeding destruction in his wake. Ultimately, time, magic, and legacy must collide—erupting in a powerful conflagration to determine who gets to remember the past and craft a new future.

An enchanted adventure illuminated by Jewish myth and adorned with lyrical prose as tantalizing and sweet as briar berries, Thistlefoot is a sweeping epic rich in Eastern European folklore: a powerful and poignant exploration of healing from multi-generational trauma told by a bold new talent. Fantasy Fiction Jewish Magic World Literature
All stars
Most relevant
Such an impactful story about generational trauma and perseverance. Family connection. The art of puppetry and drama with a sprinkle of howls moving castle.

Howls moving castle vibes

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This is a great story with a really terrific narrator. It's fantastical and uses certain fairy tale tropes, but the underlying themes and plot are very heavy (namely, the genocide of Jewish communities, aka the pogroms), so don't listen if you're looking for something light! The way the story uses fantasy to portray themes of inherited trauma, and how pain is passed down unknowingly through generations is really interesting and well done. I also found the emphasis placed on memory really important. Overall, a fantastic audiobook - highly recommend!

Great story about inherited trauma

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***
Thistles ReTelling

A nice retelling of the Baba Yaga Story, that was taken form Ukraine to the USA,
Some really well written descriptive parts of the story stand out.

But I felt that it was lacking a little heart, although it is a shame because you can really tell as you read the time and effort the writer put in, I wanted characters to develop a little more, as some who were introduced felt like the were there for plot convenience, when they could have been so much more.

Thistles ReTelling

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