The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic

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.

Enter the Grishaverse...

Love speaks in flowers. Truth requires thorns.

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.

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.

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.

An Imprint Book

This title has Common Core connections.

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