" 'I promised that if you guessed your true name,' he said, locking his dark blue eyes with hers, 'I would return your memories and heart, and you would be free to leave.' He unspooled a leaf of parchment that bore signatures, but Thea was too panicked to read it properly. She clamped a hand to her chest, an unfamiliar sensation unmooring her. Where once there must have been a rhythmic thudding, now there was a flutter that felt too light, too insubstantial. 'What did you do to my heart?' "
I love M A Kuzniar's writing and I enjoyed her previous books, Midnight In Everwood and Upon A Frosted Star immensely, so I was delighted to receive an ARC of her new book some months ago. I can now confirm that A Remedy for Fate is just as magical and enchanting as her previous novels, so if you liked those books then you will love this one too.
This novel is set in a magical world, hidden within the heart of Prague and protected by wards. Only those with a true need and no ill intentions can get through the portal into the Magic Quarter and seek the help of a witch. It is in this quiet little village that Thea runs the apothecary on behalf of her boss, Jasper. The problem is, Thea doesn't actually know who she is or how she came to be in the Magic Quarter. All she knows is that Jasper somehow stole her heart and her memories, leaving her with no choice but to work in his shop until she can figure out her true name and so break the spell.
If this sounds somewhat familiar its because this story is loosely based upon the Rumplestiltskin fairytale. Jasper Stiltskin has a strange hold over Thea, but each time she tries to guess her name and win back her freedom, he tells her that she is mistaken. She has lived in the Magic Quarter for seven years and in that time she has forged a life for herself there, making good friends, mediating between squabbling neighbours and tolerating the curiosity of Rose who lives next door above her flower shop as she pries into everyone's life, because every street has its local gossip, even a magical one. Thea has created a cosy home for herself above the apothecary, where she lives with Cinnamon, her pet rabbit, drinks copious amounts of hot chocolate from an enchanted teapot and reads romance novels late into the night as she is curled up in bed.
Its a cosy life of comfort and reading, freindship and the satisfaction of being able to use her herbal knowledge and magic to help people. She is content, but also frustrated that she cannot remember her life before this time, that she doesn't truly know who she really is. Jasper pops by every few days to check on his shop and ask how the business is going, but he offers no clues as to her true name. She hates him for keeping secrets, yet she is also drawn to him too.
So when the wards begin to fade and mortals start to wander into the Magic Quarter, Thea and her friends know that something is amiss, especially when the witch hunters wander in and demand to search homes and businesses. Thea and her friends now have to work alongside Jasper to find out what is going on, before the witch hunters destroy the Magic Quarter altogether. But can Thea trust Jasper? Or should she allow herself to be swept away by the mortal man, Malek, who has wandered through the weakened portal seeking help?
This novel reads like a fairytale, with beautiful balls, enchanted teapots, a gingerbread house, owls that tell the time and ravens that carry messages. Set in the 1700s it is full of lavish descriptions of panniered gowns, powdered wigs and tricorn hats, with wild carriage rides and dresses that sing in alignment with the wearers emotions. Imagine the aesthetic of the 1988 movie Dangerous Liaisons with the magic of Diagon Alley and you have this book in a nutshell.
A Remedy for Fate begins in autumn and ends in the heart of winter, having all the cosy vibes that you could wish for. As a bookworm, Thea likes to stockpile new books to read (don't we all?!) piling them beside her bed ready for when she is tucked up at the end of a long day in the apothecary, with Cinnamon snuggled up beside her. Its a lovely world and she will do anything to protect it and to keep her friends safe.
From magical weathervanes and kitchen witchery, to more serious subjects such as what it means to steal a heart or to lose memory, this novel resides in the space where lost memories should be. Desperate to reclaim her heart and her memories, torn between two loves, her loyalty stretched between being true to her friends and true to herself and her unknown past, Thea must navigate a way to bring all the threads of her fate together into a cohesive whole. But it takes a village to raise a web of magic and Thea is working against the clock of the time-telling owls. Can she find her true name, reclaim her heart and memories, and save the Magic Quarter in time? You'll have to read the book to find out! If you enjoy magical realism with cosy vibes, you will probably enjoy this novel.
Happy reading.
Marie x
AD: This book was sent to me by the publisher, Hodder & Stoughton, for the purposes of review and published on 12th March 2026 in hardcover, audio and digital formats.
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