If it wasn't immediately clear after The Wolf and the Woodsman, Ava Reid books are now an auto-buy for me. The prose is stunning, the worldbuilding is masterful, and their ability to tackle dark subjects in a fantasy world is unmatched. This is a book I'm going to be thinking about for a while.

Juniper and Thorn is a loose retelling of "The Juniper Tree,' which I knew nothing about prior to this book. I think dark, gothic fantasy is perfectly suited to their lyrical writing style and the progression of the story had me flipping pages the entire time. Marlinchen's character development was my favorite part of this book - she starts to trust herself after years of abuse and doubt. There are descriptions of parental abuse and self-harm in this book that were quite jarring and gruesome - I was uncomfortable right alongside the characters and I think Reid's ability to put those dark, traditionally taboo feelings into words is honestly kind of groundbreaking. I've never read something that tackled those subjects in such a nuanced way that didn't feel gratuitous, especially in fantasy.

I'd advise all readers to really heed the trigger warnings associated with this book but if they feel it's something they can handle, I can't recommend this enough. I'm so thrilled to see what Reid writes next.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ava Reid for providing me with an eARC! I have been anticipating the release of this book for quite a while after finishing <i>The Wolf and the Woodsman</i> last June, and I'm so glad I got to read and review it.

↠ While I have not read a lot of gothic horror novels, <i>Juniper and Thorn</i> has made me want to read so many more books in that genre. While the descriptions of the beautiful things are vivid, the descriptions of the horrifying things are vivid as well, which is what truly makes this book so engaging: from the start, you are engrossed in Marlinchen's point of view from Reid's detailed descriptions and you see exactly what Marlinchen sees.

↠ Another thing I loved about this book is the clarity and accuracy through which Reid documents Jewish history through the writing of the Yehuli, particularly through the character of Sevas and through Marlinchen's learned perceptions of them, and how her bond with Sevas helps her unlearn her biases.

While I do recommend reading the trigger warnings before starting this book, this story is incredibly important to read. It has been a long time since I have read a book that has impacted me as much as J&T has, and I will most likely continue to talk about how this book has changed the way I see reading, see the world, and see the history of my people. Please consider picking up this book if you can. I swear you will not regret it.

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got a copy of this book from NetGalley to review.

Thoughts: This story follows Marlinchen, one of three daughters of a wizard. Marlinchen lives with her cursed wizard father and two sisters in an old house. When Marlinchen and her sisters sneak out one night to go to the theater, a series of events starts to unravel everything that Marlinchen has ever known to be true.

This story has a wonderful dark, adult fairy tale vibe to it. It is a retelling of “The Juniper Tree”. The description is well done and the characters are all kind of evil but strangely fascinating. I enjoyed the odd world created here; Oblya is a city moving away from magic into industry and Marlinchen and her family are relics of that magical time. Their magic is strangely visceral and this is reflected in the dark sexuality that is woven through the story. I know some other reviewers have complained about the sexuality here, I honestly didn’t think it was that prominent or that out of place given the tone of the story. It is however, very dark; there is child abuse and sexual abuse throughout but it wasn’t frivolous…just be aware this is a dark adult fairy tale.

Marlinchen was a fascinating character. She came across as both innocent and strangely drawn to darkness. The relationship she ends up in is oddly suited to her and I enjoyed how different, dark and yet, loving it was compared to what you see in a typical fantasy story. Her sisters, father and others that wander in and out of the story are just as fascinating. They are kind of all jerks and they definitely all need some counseling of some sort, but I enjoyed reading about them all the same.

This is a fairly deliberately paced novel but there are some mysteries woven through the story that propel it forward. You are constantly wondering if Marlinchen’s father’s curse will be broken, if the daughters will one day escape their father, and if the mystery of the gruesome dead bodies being found around the city will be solved. I enjoyed the twist at the end of the story and honestly didn’t see it coming. I also liked the irony in how the story ended.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I really enjoyed this and thought it was an excellent dark adult fairy tale retelling of “The Juniper Tree”. It is very dark but the lyrical writing, fascinating characters, and world on the brink of industrialization really pulled me in. This isn’t the type of book I would like to read every day but I enjoyed how different the tone was from a lot of other fairy tale retellings. I plan on checking out Reid’s first book “The Wolf and the Woodsman” at some point in the future.

I had high expectations for this book to the point where I tried to curb them before I started reading because I knew odds were good that when I think a book is going to be THIS good, I’m probably going to be disappointed.

If I had to describe this book as simply as possible, I would say that it’s 50% fairytale and 50% horror, mixed in with a classic feminist literature flair.

One of the reasons why I was really looking forward to this book is because it’s a fairytale fantasy, similar to THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE or UPROOTED. From the first page, Ava Reid delivered. The prose was stunning and repeatedly returned to fairytales throughout the book. It wasn’t just a childhood story, based on mythology, or using a metaphor from a folktale. It used fairytales in every way imaginable. Every fiber of this book was built from their threads. I loved that.

I began to get uneasy because the book overall was very sensual (hence my description of it as having a bit of a classic feminist literature flair). Sometimes I get frustrated with books that are overly sexual for no reason and with this one it seemed liked it was going beyond that into being weirdly sexual. There was one specific thing I found disconcerting, but then I realized a.) this is a horror book and I’m MEANT to find this content disconcerting and b.) there was a specific, in-book reason for the hyper-focus on this one thing that I just didn’t realize yet because it hadn’t fully been revealed yet.

Another reason why I was super excited for this book was because I had seen Ava Reid talking about her protagonist on her Instagram stories. Marlinchen is very feminine. She wears pink silk dresses, has long hair, does the cooking and cleaning for her family, is her father’s youngest and most obedient daughter, and her most prized possession is the charm bracelet she inherited from her mother. I love the idea that women should be allowed to be soft and kind and feminine and not be killed for it or sneered at for conforming to the patriarchy. I’ve grown up in the age of YA fantasy and dystopias where every “strong female character” whines about having to wear dresses, has a sharp tongue, and wields a weapon better than any man. I’m sick of it. If anything, it’s more pro-masculinity than feminist. I know a lot of people in the book community have pointed this out, but even in 2022 a ton of the YA fantasy books I pick up have similar protagonists, even if the authors have made them less “not like other girls” in an outward way that puts down other women. I’m not seeing very many stories at all with women who are embracing their femininity and who are also strong women. Marlinchen is exactly what I’ve been looking for.

This book is also squarely a horror book and I would suggest checking trigger warnings if that’s something you like to do. There were a couple scenes in particular that I found particularly challenging. In many ways, the entire book was uncomfortable. I don’t think there was a single scene in this book that made me genuinely happy or hopeful. I mostly found it disturbing, rather than frightening or disgusting. Everything had at least an undercurrent of unsettling energy. Most of the negative reviews I’ve seen have centered around this content and the fact that people don’t seem to realize this is a horror novel before they start it. There were lots of things that seemed excessive to me at first—especially some of the things that are highly sexualized—but make total sense within the context of Marlinchen’s trauma. I don’t want to get spoilery, but Marlinchin has bulimia and severe body dysmorphia as a result of the trauma she faced and continues to face.

I also want to address the relationship between Marlinchen and the love interest. I saw a couple criticisms that it was a bit insta-lovey and too full of lust without enough development. On one hand, I do agree that they get together very quickly, but this makes complete sense given that Marlinchen is a young woman who hasn’t been allowed to walk past the gates of her house in the twenty-three years of life because of her abusive father. Of course, she’s going to fall in love with the first beautiful man she meets. She’s desperate for acceptance and love, and here is someone who is offering it to her. It occurs to me that Reid could have taken a much darker turn here—in addition to all the other horrible things that happen in this book, Marlinchen’s lover could easily betray her. As I said before, there aren’t any scenes in this book that are truly happy. I think having a slightly idealized version of events in finding Sevas and falling in love is necessary both because it gives the book the only hope it has to offer and because it would be unbelievably grim without that.

I’m not sure how much I actually enjoyed reading this, but after I got a good ways into it I absolutely couldn’t stop thinking about it. I started writing this review when I was about 85% done because I just had so many thoughts I needed to get out (sorry, I know this is long—it’s probably the longest review I’ve ever written). I did drool over Reid’s beautiful prose while I was reading it. Now that I’ve finished, I still can’t stop thinking about Marlinchen. I don’t know when I ever will.

One final note: I’ve never read The Juniper Tree so any love or distaste in that aspect of it is completely lost on me. I do have a copy of the Grimm’s book and I intend to go look it up soon to read it. I’m incredibly intrigued in the original story that inspired this one.

Within the pages beneath this gorgeous cover is an eerie fairytale reimagining of three witch sisters living under the thumb of their father, a powerful and perpetually hungry wizard. Together, they live trapped in a crumbling house filled with magical creatures and are forced to use their gifts in order to sustain their way of life. However, the desires of the heart are often difficult to ignore and freedom is an idea difficult to resist.

Crackling with magic, Ava Reid richly weaves a beautiful story that skirts the boundaries of helplessness vs rebellion, self-love vs self-hatred, and the cruel reality of familial obligation vs a life of independence. Dark and deliciously enchanting, this is definitely one retelling you will want to sink your claws into. Recommended for fans of Eastern European folklore and darker retellings.

Thank you to Netgalley, HarperCollins, and Ava Reid for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review. It was truly a pleasure to read.

This is a dark fairytale with a lot of content warnings that I wish I had seen before I began reading. I could not connect with the characters and the graphic descriptions of self mutilation were not for me. DNF @ 25%

Marlinchen is one of three daughters of the last wizard in Oblya. Isolated from civilization and forbidden to leave the grounds of their home, Marlinchen and her sisters use their powers to service curious clients who are willing to make the trip to the house and overlook the mysterious monsters crawling the grounds and their tyrannical wizard father. Marlinchen considers herself the kind and dutiful daughter, tasked with keeping their father fed and happy despite his depthless hunger, but one night she decides to sneak out with her sisters and meets a beautiful dancer who has her imagining more for her own life.

This book was a trip. Apparently it's a retelling of one of the Brother's Grimm DARKEST tales?? And you can definitely tell. I'm going to copy and paste the content warnings straight from the author below:

Gore and body horror
Child sexual abuse; incest
Cannibalism
Antisemitism, xenophobia, and scientific racism
Physical and psychological abuse by family members; gaslighting
Self-harm and suicidal ideation
Bulimia; graphic descriptions of vomiting
Animal death

Some of these elements are more intense than others. I would strongly recommend anyone with ED triggers to avoid this book. The main character also has graphic fantasies of self mutilation that, as someone who strongly dislikes body horror, was difficult to read about.

The romance was a bit insta-lovey which wasn't my favorite, but given the twisted fairy tale nature of the story I was a little more willing to forgive it. Also Marlinchen's particular brand of magic seemed almost forgotten about at a certain point. She often repeats that her magic "is only for showing, not for doing or creating," which reinforces the helplessness she feels throughout the novel (especially in regard to her own body and those who feel entitled to it due to her powers), but she doesn't really even utilize it beyond the 50% mark which was confusing to me. There were moments of the book where she was trying to unveil truths that seemed like they could have been revealed with her flesh divination.

Despite the bleak and grotesque elements, this book was strangely beautiful. The gothic horror atmosphere is strong, the prose is quite vivid and lovely, and the overall narrative about overcoming trauma and fighting back against an abuser is powerful. I think that those who are drawn to dark, gothic themes will enjoy this story.

This was an exceptionally creepy tale that had me loathing characters like I have never loathed characters before. The father was absolutely vile and downright disturbing. I have come to love the way Reid writes her stories out. They always have a horror-esque way about them. While reading, you are almost so horrified you want to put it down, but also unable to do so. This tale sucked me in so thoroughly I was seeing eyeless ravens circling at night, and wings sprout on the most unlikely places. There were some certainly dark themes surrounding Marlinchen and Sevas. So definitely look up TW before reading. This story has stuck with me even though it has been a few days since finishing. It was such a wonderfully weird, horrifically seductive story that it almost felt wrong at times. Well done Ava Reid on another spectacular story!

A dark, gothic fairytale that I couldn’t put down! I finished this book in less than 24 hrs. Magical, haunting, and with ample quantity of monsters and villains, I recommend fans of dark fairytale retellings to add this one to their TBR list.

"Magic is the first sip of good wine that makes the edges of your vision blur. Magic is the cool breeze of the boardwalk at night and organ music in the air. Magic is landing a grand jeté and nearly going deaf with the crowd's applause. Magic is the low flicker of tavern lights and the girl you're courting leaning close so you can kiss."

QUICK SYNOPSIS

Marlinchen is the youngest of three in a magical household. Her father and older sisters run a business steeped in witchcraft and wizardry in Oblya, a city on the cusp of changing times. Determined to use his witch daughters as a way to keep their family business afloat, their cursed father dominates and controls the girls through fear and threats of transforming them into animals, like he did their mother. When the money starts to run out and the family business starts to fail, how much longer can Marlinchen and her sisters avoid their father’s wrath and magic? Another monster also lurks in Oblya and men are starting to disappear only to re-appear half eaten…

REVIEW

I loved Ava’s writing style. The prose is simply lovely and made it so easy for the reader to capture the mood of the story and be drawn in. This book does have darker themes so please check the content/trigger warnings before reading!

Our main character Marlinchen has an impressive arc in this story. When we first meet her, she’s as quiet as a mouse and has very low self-esteem. Forced by her father to use her magic, she has few goals in life and only wants to be a dutiful daughter. Throughout the story, she transforms into a rebellious, strong woman, capable of making her own decisions. We learn more about her upbringing and past as the book progresses and while it is a darker history, it made her a worthy heroine and an excellent main character. Marlinchen wouldn’t have had such a great character arc if it wasn’t for the supporting characters aka Sevas and Rose. Loveeeeeddddddd Sevas so much!!! A dark haired, beautiful ballet dancer, Sevas was everything a witch could want.

I love a good fairytale re-telling but wasn’t familiar with the fairytale ‘The Juniper Tree’, an Eastern European tale of cannibalism and guardianship. Because of this, I found the plot to be unpredictable and well-paced. I loved that Ava included a short synopsis of the original-ish fairytale in story! It added a foreshadowing element and depth to the world building.

Be warned, it is a darker fairytale and be sure to check the trigger/content warnings before reading. I wasn’t anticipating the story to be as graphic/violent/dark as it was so I’m removing a star for that. However, the dark themes of the book did add a lot of ‘shock-value’ just because I couldn’t believe that that plot twist actually happened.

Thanks again to Harper Voyager and Ava Reid for an advanced reading copy of this story in exchange for an honest review!

Content Warnings: sexual abuse, gore, body horror, cannibalism, xenophobia, antisemitism, self-harm, bulimia, animal death, suicidal ideation, murder, psychological abuse from family members

After the 2021 release of her debut novel “The Wolf and the Woodsman,” Ava Reid has returned with the gothic fantasy-horror standalone “Juniper & Thorn.” Set in the world of “The Wolf and the Woodsman,” “Juniper & Thorn” is a fairytale, but not in the way that Disney has led one to expect. Instead, Reid’s novel expertly crafts a world of monsters and monstrous men to explore the consequences of patriarchy and trauma.

The novel is a loose retelling of “The Juniper Tree,” one of the Brothers’ Grimm most gruesome fairytales, in which an evil stepmother tricks her husband into unknowingly eating his own son for dinner. While the plot of “Juniper & Thorn” bears little resemblance to the original fairytale, it retains the grisly heart of the story. “Juniper & Thorn” is wickedly gory and revels in its more nightmarish aspects. What else could you expect from a novel whose source material is a story about cannibalism?

The novel follows Marlinchen and her two sisters, who live sequestered away from the rapidly industrializing city of Oblya. Locked in their home by their authoritarian wizard father, the three sisters are forced to use their magical abilities for money to feed themselves and their father, who has been cursed with perpetual hunger. When the sisters sneak into the city one night, Marlinchen meets Sevas, a ballet dancer with whom she quickly falls in love. But a murderous monster roaming through the city makes the outside world dangerous, and Marlinchen has to find a way to stop the killings before it’s too late.

The immersive setting of “Juniper & Thorn” is a standout. By setting the novel in Oblya, an Eastern European-inspired city where magic is being pushed out by science and technology, Reid creates a compelling universe populated with witches, wizards, and mythological creatures. The setting of “Juniper & Thorn” makes its horror sequences even more striking, as readers’ vision of a fairytale world is punctured by scenes of violence and death.

Another strength lies in the novel’s main character. Marlinchen is a convincing protagonist, although she’s not necessarily a standard heroine. For most of the novel, Marlinchen is not an active character. While her passivity might be frustrating to the reader, Reid does well in making her lack of resistance understandable and sympathetic in the context of the repressive world in which she lives. Marlinchen is portrayed as a victim of Oblya’s patriarchal society, and her perspective is an intriguing one from which to experience the story. “I would smile blithely if someone tried to saw off my leg,” Marlinchen narrates. “But no one had ever told me that I was allowed to scream.”

Perhaps most importantly, “Juniper & Thorn” offers a nuanced criticism of how patriarchal structures enable violence against women. Throughout the novel, Marlinchen is constantly seen by her father, her clients, and even herself as an object to be used by the men around her. Because of this, her self-objectification permeates the novel’s narrative style. This makes for a somewhat unsettling read, as the reader’s understanding of Marlinchen — as a young person unjustly robbed of her agency — conflicts with the unforgiving way that she views herself. For the most part, Reid handles this well and navigates this uncomfortable perspective with the necessary compassion and skill.

One minor issue with the novel is that while Marlinchen is the most compelling character, the side characters sometimes fall flat in comparison. In particular, Marlinchen’s two sisters are rather one-dimensional. Sevas also lacks some complexity, and Marlinchen’s romance with him isn’t entirely convincing. This, however, is only one small weak spot in the otherwise complex world that Reid has created.

“Juniper & Thorn” is a fairytale with teeth. Reid expertly strips back the skin of the world she has created to reveal its blood and guts, both literally and figuratively. Ultimately, “Juniper & Thorn” is well worth the read for anyone looking for a vividly written and darkly horrific fantasy story.

WARNING: This is not a light-hearted fairy tale. This is the old, gruesome type of story. There is cannibalism. Kind of a lot of cannibalism, actually. There are mentions of rape and sexual assault. There is body horror. If any of these bother you, then do not read this book.

I’m not sure what I thought Juniper & Thorn was going to be about, but it isn’t what I read, that’s for sure. If I remember right, when I originally requested this ARC, maybe an adventure or possibly a strict retelling of a piece of folklore. It is a retelling, but damn it’s dark. To be fair, the original story that Juniper & Thorn is borrowing from is pretty dang dark, too.

Juniper & Thorn is about three witch-daughters of a great wizard. The eldest daughter is cruel, mean, and beautiful. The middle daughter is clever, and beautiful. The youngest daughter is plain, and meek. The wizard is (you guessed it) cruel and mean to his daughters, but powerful enough that they fear disobeying him. Each daughter has their own power that their father sells to the local townspeople so they can have money to eat. The father was cursed long ago to never be satisfied by anything – no food will fill his belly, no sleep will get him rested, and his daughters will never be good enough, etc, etc.

They live just on the outskirts of town, and are not allowed to leave the grounds of their estate. Of course, the very first thing they do in the novel is…leave the estate to go to town to see a ballet. This kicks off everything that happens — the youngest daughter is finally exposed to the real world, and falls in love with the main ballet dancer. While there, the three daughters overhear a conversation about men being found dead with their eyes, liver, and heart missing. This is important later. They return home, are eventually found out, and…well. The rest of the story happens, obviously.

I’m not entirely sure I enjoyed this book. The ending was extremely satisfying — it ends happily, surprisingly enough. It is written phenomenally, the story is told well, I just think the subject matter is not one that really vibes with me. Cannibalism is one of my extreme yucks, and there was… a lot of it in this book. However, if you’re into dark, gruesome fairy tales, I can quite easily recommend this book.

Juniper & Thorn

From highly acclaimed, bestselling author Ava Reid comes a gothic horror retelling of The Juniper Tree, set in another time and place within the world of The Wolf and the Woodsman, where a young witch seeks to discover her identity and escape the domination of her abusive wizard father, perfect for fans of Shirley Jackson and Catherynne M. Valente.

A gruesome curse. A city in upheaval. A monster with unquenchable appetites.

Marlinchen and her two sisters live with their wizard father in a city shifting from magic to industry. As Oblya’s last true witches, she and her sisters are little more than a tourist trap as they treat their clients with archaic remedies and beguile them with nostalgic charm. Marlinchen spends her days divining secrets in exchange for rubles and trying to placate her tyrannical, xenophobic father, who keeps his daughters sequestered from the outside world. But at night, Marlinchen and her sisters sneak out to enjoy the city’s amenities and revel in its thrills, particularly the recently established ballet theater, where Marlinchen meets a dancer who quickly captures her heart.

As Marlinchen’s late-night trysts grow more fervent and frequent, so does the threat of her father’s rage and magic. And while Oblya flourishes with culture and bustles with enterprise, a monster lurks in its midst, borne of intolerance and resentment and suffused with old-world power. Caught between history and progress and blood and desire, Marlinchen must draw upon her own magic to keep her city safe and find her place within it.

Ava Reid's sophomore novel raises some conflicting feelings and emotions; its setting and backdrop are enchantingly unique, but the character arc and story development stumble around in its dark and gruesome environment. The story is about three sisters: Undine, Rose, and Marlinchen, whose xenophobic father doesn't allow them to leave the grounds of their home. Each possesses a magical gift and their father uses their powers to line his pockets and feed his insatiable hunger.

Reid meticulously crafts a dark fairy-tale led by an unreliable narrator, who slowly learns that she cannot trust anyone in her life and their intentions. Similar to her debut, the world of "Juniper & Thorn" is mesmerizing as she reveals snippets of it through lyrical prose and teases at the outside world through the hateful vitriol that Marlinchen's father spews. It is a world on the brink of advancement, where technology is becoming a new form of magic, and Marlinchen and her family's powers have not found their place in this new world; a fact that Marlinchen's father fears intensely.

Despite the captivating settling, the book falters in its development of Marlinchen as she navigates between the dichotomy of the old and the new. Marlinchen wavers between loyalty to her father and following her heart to freedom with the principal dancer. As a result, the story rapidly switches between the two creating a sequence of events that don't feel sensible or logical. The story also never gives a sense of Marlinchen's inner thoughts or motivations besides plaintive and repetitive declarations of being ugly and describing her mindless devotion to feeding her father. Even with the revelations at the end, it felt meaningless as the story happened to Marlinchen, but she never gained autonomy from the stronger familial forces in her life as a result of her own choices.

What an absolute masterclass in characterization & worldbuilding. I mean, THE WOLF AND THE WOODSMAN is already one of all time faves so I was ready to be blown away but this story just blows everything out of the water. The writing hits like a fresh razor—every word has a place and not a single paragraph is wasted—and the fantasy world has the vibes AND the depth, but also this deep understanding of human nature, and the unapologetic portrayal of pain and trauma and attempts at healing. Please bear in mind, though, that this is definitely a darker book, and I strongly recommend you check the trigger warnings before diving in.

I really struggle with this level of heavy content and violence and encourage everyone to pay close attention to the trigger warnings below. Still, I can appreciate that Reid has crafted a deeply twisted, deeply frightening, and deeply compelling dark fairy tale that is packed to the brim with meaning. The story tackles issues from scientific racism, to disordered eating, to the erasure of victims in pseudo-feminist narratives. Marlinchen is total deconstruction of the typical fairy-tale protagonist, and I was blown away by the nuanced portrayal of her actions and reactions as a learned consequence of trauma, and became highly invested in her struggle for freedom on her own terms.

The setting of the novel is all belching coal smoke and slimy fish guts and churning machines: pitting the dark underbelly of industrialization against grasping roots of history and tradition. This book does not blunt its edges: it is often unbearably violent and relentlessly dark, but all in the service of spinning a tale of horror so intractable that I'm going to be a while peeling the grit and gristle of it away from my bones.

PLEASE, PLEASE pay attention to the following trigger warnings, all of which I wish I had been aware of going into the story. TW for: cannibalism, body horror, disorder eating, animal abuse and animal death, sexual assault and sexual violence, pedophillia, self-harm, and anti-seminitism.

Magic, darkness, trauma, and lush, descriptive prose. This book is weighty and deals with a lot of pain, but as far as a Grimm retelling goes, it was an immersive read. As others have said, heed the content warnings. The richness of the writing can make the heaviness of this character-driven magical story almost oppressive. While there are some places I feel the author could have pulled back and given us breath, it was overall well worth the read. I will definitely be rereading, even, this time after I've read the source material so I can better understand where the story comes from.

Ava Reid has done it again!

Beautifully complex world that we’re a bit familiar with from her debut, with vivid characters and a story that’s surprisingly dark! (Please check the TW!)

The family dynamic, the setting of a world shifting from old to new, the magic and monsters!

This book was a feast for those who love beautiful prose!

I liked that it dived deeply and carefully into the waters of abuse and trauma, these things happen to people of all ages and seeing it reflected on the page, in fiction, is important.

An excellent and exciting retelling: one I’m definitely eager to get into with my highlighters and tabs when my physical copy gets here!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC!

Juniper & Thorn is a horror novel set in the same world as The Wolf and the Woodsman. I haven't read all of that one yet, but I can definitely say these are very different books. I have copied the author's content warning list at the end of this review. Please read these warnings before making a decision about reading this book.

One thing that stands out about Juniper & Thorn is the writing. It's very dark and vivid and atmospheric and I could feel it with all of my senses. And since this is a horror story, with some pretty intense body horror and gore, that made this one rather unpleasant at times! Even though it was hard to read some parts, I was very engaged in this novel.

This is a story about abuse and trauma. The main character and her sisters live with an abusive parent and they face many different types of horrific situations. I appreciate the way that the author wrote about these topics and especially the way that the characters reacted to their traumas. This story is dark, painful, and scary. It's full of monsters and blood and violence and horror. It's everything it claims to be in the blurb. There's also more hope in this than you might expect based on the description.

I refreshed my memory of the Grimm fairy tale The Juniper Tree before starting this book and I'm glad I did. While it's not a retelling, the two stories have common aspects and preparing myself beforehand helped me to face the tone of this book better and be less shocked by some of the darker moments.

I really admired a lot about this book and it kept my attention, but a few elements keep it from a higher rating for me. First, the pacing was challenging for me. It starts pretty slow and then gets almost too fast. Second, I never felt like I fully knew any of the characters. This made it hard to be fully invested in the love story as well. This was a 3.5/5 for me, rounded up.

This is a book that you DEFINITELY need to check trigger warnings for. According to the author, this is the list: gore, body horror, child sexual abuse, incest, cannibalism, antisemitism, xenophobia, scientific racism, physical and psychological abuse from family members, gaslighting, suicidal ideation, self-harm, bulimia, graphic descriptions of vomiting, animal death

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book to read and review.

thanks so much to netgalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review!

juniper and thorn has to be one of my favorite books this year! its the perfect spooky retelling and i enjoyed every second of it. can’t wait to read more bu this author !

At first, I rated this book a three, but after letting my review marinate and re-reading sections of the novel, its brilliance really deserves a four. This book really is magnificent in many ways. The prose is gorgeous, real-life effects of trauma are woven into classic fairy tale architecture making the story inescapably disturbing. Grimm’s fairy tales always made me want to hide under the covers as a child, but Ava Reid gave new life to those dark themes making them more present, real, and emotionally compelling, but at times just too much to bear.

When I started reading the book, I was immediately pulled in by its elegance and poignance, intrigued by the story, captivated by the magic and monsters, but the intensity of the abuse at Marlinchen’s home, and one particular scene which I will never read again, made all of the things I loved about the book slip into the background. I felt betrayed in a sense.

One scene, one character, made me originally give this book a lower rating. I didn’t expect such a scene in a fantasy/fairy tale novel, no matter how dark. When I read it, I felt myself go numb. I was reading in bed and woke my husband up to tell him what I read so I could process it. I put the book down for several weeks. While there is a trigger warning here on Goodreads, I didn’t see it until after reading the book. The scene and the character could be removed entirely and the book would not be less for it in any way, and I would have been free to entirely cherish this skillful interpretation of The Juniper Tree.

After a few weeks of letting the book sit, and with apprehension, I returned to the story so I could finish and review it. I was again taken into this world and wrapped up in its dark, painful, and achingly beautiful tale. I found myself invested in every character (all but one, as mentioned above), even the monsters.

Trauma is the backbone of this story. It ties all of the characters together. Even the main romantic relationship seems to be a trauma bond built on the need to escape and to find belonging. I find this interesting because it’s something classic Grimm fairy tales didn’t flesh out. They were dark and disturbing, but Juniper & Thorn takes this to the next level by showing the symptoms and consequences of trauma in the characters’ lives. I can only imagine writing this novel was both cathartic and emotionally exhausting.

If one scene were removed, I would recommend this book to those who love very dark fairy tales and witchy fantasy, main characters who unfold and discover themselves before your eyes, and rich prose that pulls you through each page to the next. As it is though, I found the novel to be too triggering to recommend widely. I don’t regret reading it, but I do regret not checking Goodreads prior for the trigger warning.