'Gorgeous, cruel and almost wistful windows onto the dreamscapes and hard lessons of Bardugo's] alternate universe.

'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.' - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review Leigh Bardugo is a master.' -Kelly Link, author of Get in Trouble 'Marvelous tales, as full of twists and delights and strangeness as anything found in the Grimm Brothers. 'Gorgeously otherworldly.Any lover of retellings or original fairy tales will enjoy.' - Kirkus Reviews 'Strong writing, compelling stories, and gorgeous illustrations make this collection a must-have.' - School Library Journal, starred review Bardugo doesn't twist familiar tales so much as rip them open.' - Booklist, starred review

'Lushly designed and wonderfully rendered. This collection of six stories includes three brand-new tales, each of them lavishly illustrated and culminating in stunning full-spread illustrations as rich in detail as the stories themselves. Perfect for new readers and dedicated fans, the tales in The Language of Thorns will transport you to lands both familiar and strange-to a fully realized world of dangerous magic that millions have visited through the novels of the Grishaverse. Travel to a world of dark bargains struck by moonlight, of haunted towns and hungry woods, of talking beasts and gingerbread golems, where a young mermaid's voice can summon deadly storms and where a river might do a lovestruck boy's bidding but only for a terrible price. Inspired by myth, fairy tale, and folklore, #1 New York Times-bestselling author Leigh Bardugo has crafted a deliciously atmospheric collection of short stories filled with betrayals, revenge, sacrifice, and love. Print The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic

The language of thorns illustrations