Thistlefoot by Gennarose Nethercott

"Generations pass, and suddenly, we forget. Our descendants are born yearning and they do not know why, for they have forgotten. Their hands are full of fire. Their legs are trembling to flee. The body remembers. The soured air remembers. We cannot forget. I cannot forget. And if I am to remember, so too, I vow, will you."

Our protagonist is a house named Thistlefoot. Reading this book reminds me of what I miss most in fantasy. To experience fantasy as something unexpected, bizarre and whimsical. In this universe, houses are affected by the events they witness. For example, a houses that experiences a pipe explosion develops a mouth to let the gas escape. All we know about Thistlefoot is that it saw an event so terrible that it needed to grow legs in order to escape. Our story is centred around this event and what still pursues Thistlefoot.

"Do not be a fool. There exists no such a thing as ghosts of the dead.

But, little house, you say, what is a memory if not a ghost?"

We begin with Thistlefoot being shipped off to the youngest in the Baba Yaga lineage and as a result ending up with a brother and sister. Bellantine and Isaac are both gifted. Bellatine with the ability to bring to life inanimate objects as well as resurrect the dead. Isaac the ability to shape shift into anyone. Both of them hide their ability from each other. Bellantine falls in love with Thistlefoot and seeing this, Isaac makes a deal with Bellatine that he would sell his part of the house so that she would be the sole owner. However, he has one condition, Bellatine should travel with him for one year and help him earn money. Bellatine agrees and so begins their journey.

Their plans soon turns into a race from that which pursues Thistlefoot. Has haunted Thistlefoot for centuries.The shadows of some events are more a part of ourselves than we realise. Its effect on us regardless of the time has passed. Thistlefoot and the Longshadow man who want to destroy Thistlefoot are both embodiments of a terrible event. Isaac and Bellatine soon realise that they are part of something much bigger and older than themselves.

"And yet, this is a ghost story.

There are no ghosts of the dead. But events? Events, if they carry enough wailing, can leave a mark. Can squeeze themselves into terrible shapes, grow arms, legs, a head on which to wear a hat, feet on which to follow you.

Events- they have a way of coming back."

What I love most is that we have the story narrated by Thistlefoot at times. Thistlefoot, very much talks like a cat would if it could speak. In an all knowing, wise yet mischevious way. It is not always honest and like any ancient being speaks in riddles. It backtracks on its origin on how it got legs and never gives a straight answer.

"And as for you-you have only one task. Come. Sit at my hearth, which burns and burns and does not stop burning. Hear the wind move through me as a family once did. Bear witness."

I was not a fan of the conversations. How they call each other baby. It felt out of place and took me out of the story. The pacing of the story also could have been better. However, I think the uniqueness of the world definitely makes up for all it's shortcomings. The imagery and atmosphere are so well done. I love the concept of the house as a character and its point of view. I do wish we got more of the story from the perspective of the house. For me, Thistlefoot will not be forgotten.

"Kill the lantern. Raise the ghost."