A not quite nun meets a dust-wife, a fairy godmother, and an exile. Together, they will kill a prince or die trying. Their story is called Nettle and Bone, a fall read that draws readers in as surely as its goblin markets draw in mortals.

The stand-alone novel draws on the dark and whimsical traditions of European fairy tales but isn’t afraid to depart from them when necessary. The main character, Marra is the youngest of three princesses of a small harbor kingdom. By the time the story really starts, she’s thirty years old. Her oldest sister, Damia, was married off to a powerful prince and died soon after. Her remaining sister, Kania, was married to the prince in Damia’s stead. Marra, meanwhile, lived in a convent, learning things that princesses do not. However, she also missed out on lessons princesses do learn, like how cruel princes can truly be.

Her journey is one of magic, friendship, and determination to save her sister no matter the cost. It takes her to impossible places and people, bringing the reader along as she explores a world that is at once familiar and foreign. A cloak weaved out of nettles, a dog skeleton brought to life, and a whistle that can make teeth dance out of mouths are all delightfully woven into a unique but grounded setting. Best of all, though the world of the novel is distinctly unfair, it allows justice to be served where it’s needed most.

Nettle and Bone may not be a classic fantasy novel with chosen ones, dramatic battles, or a whole kingdom saved. But it has a charm all its own, one that promises to enchant readers who are willing to give it a chance.