The River Has Roots

The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar is a beautiful novella that reads like a folk tale. 

In the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, dwells the mysterious Hawthorn family.

There, they tend and harvest the enchanted willows and honour an ancient compact to sing to them in thanks for their magic. None more devotedly than the family's latest daughters, Esther and Ysabel, who cherish each other as much as they cherish the ancient trees.

But when Esther rejects a forceful suitor in favor of a lover from the land of Faerie, not only the sisters' bond but also their lives will be at risk...

After being introduced to Amal El-Mohtar's writing in This is How You Lose the Time War, I will be reading everything she publishes! This is a gorgeous book with beautiful illustrations.

El-Mohtar, Amal. (2025). The River Has Roots. New York: Tor.