What a wonderful and intricate worldbuild in such a short span. Though it takes a moment to absorb the rules of this world and its magic, once you understand it is a fun puzzle and a beautiful ride.

I wasn't sure what to make of this at the beginning, but I was hooked by the end. Precious story about a sapphic romance, and really imaginative storytelling. After reading so many books about magic, it's a joy to discover new worlds like this one.

Wow I loved it. This was an absolutely beautiful, lyrical, fascinating story. This novella was ethereal and felt like a dream. The story of a bond between two sisters and the magical realm at the edge of their world. Any fairy tale and fantasy lover will find something to like about this story. The writing in this story is gorgeous and complete. I often find myself wanting to return to Thistleford.

Thank you Tordotcom for the ARC!

I was swept away by the gorgeous writing and lush descriptions in this short book. This whimsical novella explores the enduring bond of sisterhood and the allure of the Fae realm. The magic in this world is called grammar and it is described using many of the words associated with language, although the force itself is channeled through nature. The Hawthorne sisters, Esther and Ysabel, sing daily to thank and honor the magic, as their family has done for generations. But, as often happens in fairy tales, a love interest comes into the picture to complicate things. Elder sister Esther wards off the unwanted advances of an enterprising man while harboring a secret Fae lover. I highly suggest you pick up the audiobook–the narrator sings short songs and there is occasional ambient noise which creates a very immersive experience.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for a review.
This book absolutely shook me! So many emotions in such a short time. Amal El-Mohtar stared into my soul. Books about sisters almost always hit me hard and this one made me laugh and cry in equal measure. Probably my favourite story about a relationship between sisters ever.

It’s not really the done thing, but in talking about The River Has Roots, the first offering from Amal El-Mohtar since she co-authored This Is How You Lose the Time War with Max Gladstone, I have to first at least mention Margaret Atwood. Or really, I have to mention Atwood’s famous “Spelling” poem, which so powerfully draws the lines directly between language and power and magic. El-Mohtar’s reflections on the magic of grammar are absolutely the natural, narrative heir to “Spelling.” I adore her thinking on the subject, and all the subtleties she teases out. This is very much a poet’s novella, rich with language and meaning.

The heart of the novella is the poetry of relation: one word to another, one meaning to another, one sister to another. The riddles are truly excellent, lovely little gems studded through the story, lending it both clarity and beauty. Which in prose of already surpassing loveliness is no small feat. And the sisterly bond at the core of the book is no less impressive.

Often sisters are pitted against each other in fairy tales, but this is a story of concord and love. Esther and Ysabel complement each other in so many ways, their personalities and voices both. They sing together not just to meet the tenets of their pact with fairyland, which requires them to sing at the seasons’ turning, but daily, to show their love for their lives and each other.

And their lives are quite lovely. Their village is smallish but prosperous, and their own family is well-regarded, their place assured by their care for the land and respect for the borders where fairyland touches the mortal realm. But this border is necessarily uneasy, and it makes the sisters uneasy with each other. Esther, the eldest, is eager and curious for what lies beyond; Ysabel, the younger, likes things as they are. These differences are not extreme, though, as most writers would make them: El-Mohtar understands that characters must never be caricatures, and that sisters will have to be similar even when they’re their own people.

In following Ysabel and Esther, The River Has Roots wonders how we negotiate difference, even—or especially—when it’s between people who love each other? How do we make our peace with places, too, when Here and There both have their appeal?

The River Has Roots is gentle with these questions, and with the answers it finds. It’s a story about being closer than you are far, and about the way that love, like magic, fills the gaps and bridges the distances.

I should note, though, that this novella is very short, and as such, I don’t really feel I can review it without a certain amount of spoilers. I’ll do my best not to be excessive or detailed.

****Spoilers Ahead****

The River Has Roots is a fairy tale, and it plays by the rules. Its good is good, its bad is bad, and its ending is in its beginning. There’s a certain satisfaction in that, and in the way it plays out. It was extremely heartening especially to see the downfall of a would-be robber baron, though I wonder if the final confrontation could have been expanded.

That’s not writerly license, by the way. I really do wonder. I’m torn because the narrative is wholly concerned with the sisters. To allow another character to intrude, even the major villain, is contrary to the point of the story. Samuel, whether in his success or his failure, was never that important. When the story refuses to allow him even his villain era, there’s a certain elegance in it.

However, for narrative satisfaction, I did feel that the final denouement was a little swift in coming. For all that there’s an existential threat to Esther, that threat isn’t really felt much beyond the statement that it exists. There are not really any dangers to overcome, nor any further hard choices to make. Even Samuel needs only be defeated—not convinced, understood, or examined.

The same is true of Rin, actually. The fey folk are suitably ambivalent, dangerous and attractive as the fey should be, but Rin is maybe not as fully fleshed as I would have wanted. Their interiority never becomes much clearer, and we are largely left to see them as a supporting character. This is true of all the secondary characters, actually. They are the shadows cast by the sisters; they would not really seem to exist without Esther and Ysabel there to move them.

Overall, the book is the story it sets out to be. And that’s great! I despise twists for the sake of twists, and I love beautiful prose. So what’s the problem?

There really isn’t one, except in terms of expectations. Ultimately I think I would have felt like this story was the crown jewel of a short story collection, scintillatingly brilliant and enhancing all around it. As a standalone though, I’m a little puzzled by some of the choices to make The River Has Roots into such a straightforward fairy tale. It doesn’t really interrogate the subgenre, or feature an extensive journey, or offer any intractable complexities. Its moral is gentle but firm, and its prose makes everything feel plush and elegant.

Isn’t that enough? Well—yes. It’s brilliant! The writing is gorgeous! You should absolutely enjoy it in whatever format you best like to enjoy books. But you should also be aware that it is very short, and you might, at the end, feel a little puzzled by the presentation.

Amal El-Mohtar's writing is lyrical and pulls you in. The love of language and of music is deeply woven into this novella, but most important is the relationship between the sisters at its centre. Loved it, will be happy to recommend it once my library gets a copy!

3.5/5

Thank you @tordotcompub #partner for the gifted copy of this book.

The River Has Roots is a short novella told in mostly a poetic style that felt a little like a dream. It’s about a sisterly bond full of magic and fairies. The magic system is very unique and a little hard to understand fully but nonetheless felt one of a kind. I did find it entertaining however, when this wrapped up still felt like I wanted to get to know the characters better. I think this is a me problem however because I often feel I want a longer book when I read novellas. If you are looking for a fantasyland lighter story with more of poetic prose grab this one! It’s out on March 4th!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to review this book ahead of it's release date. I absolutely LOVED this one. It was full of fantastical, beautiful world building & descriptions, and the most meaningful relationship between the sisters that as the reader, I couldn't tear my eyes away from the pages. This was my first read by this author, but it certainly will not be my last!

A really beautiful story of sisters, songs, and magic.

This has all the makings of a classic fairy tale and I loved every minute of it. A really magical experience.

A lovely lyrical gem of a book - more of a novella in length, and it reads more like a fairy tale with its abstract and whimsical writing. Not for everyone, but it reminded me a lot of Patricia McKillip. I wish the concept of grammar as magic had been fleshed out more, it was an interesting idea but ultimately didn't add anything and just made things a bit confusing.

As I was reading, all I could think was a silent little plea into the universe please, Amal El-Mohtar, please write more books. I need more of your beautiful writing. Please, explore all the stories in the lands around the Liss River. I want to spend as much time here as you will allow.  

I have been a fan since the first time I read This Is How You Lose the Time War. El-Mohtar has a gift for poetry, delicate intimate world building, and big feelings that resolve into joy. The River Has Roots demonstrates this again. If you're a fan of beautiful writing; stories that read like poetry; or the idea that grammar can be molded into a magic system, read this as soon as you can (March 4 in the US).   A novella that I enjoyed as an eArc thanks to Tor Publishing Group and Netgalley, The River Has Roots is a book I will buy in print, a book that already serves as a comfort read earning a permanent place on my favorites shelf. 

Two sisters Ysabel and Esther live next to a magical river, singing to the trees that filter the magic for human use. If you enjoy stories that read like fairy tales but prefer them without the misogyny, run, don't walk to get this one. What sets this story apart (I mean besides the gorgeous writing, entrancing world building and satisfying conclusion) is the authentic, respect soaked emotions that the heroes offer one another. If this is a time that has you hunting balm for all your banged up emotions in book format, this is my prescription.  

Bonus: The River Has Roots includes a sample of another upcoming book! Sometimes the universe delivers the thing you most ardently request.

The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar was a gorgeous, and very very short, read—under 100 pages!! I'm still surprised by how short it was, and how much of an impact it left while being so short.

I’d be lying if I said I understood everything happening in the book. I didn’t. Some parts were beyond my intellectual reach, with the prose and lyrical and poetic writing style. But MY GOODNESS, I loved this story. This was my introduction to Amal El-Mohtar, and now I have This Is How You Lose the Time War sitting on my shelf, waiting to be read. After experiencing The River Has Roots, I’m even more excited to dive into it and experience it.

What a weird and wonderful experience. It takes so much heart and talent to write a story that feels this powerful and endearing in under 100 pages, but this one will stay with me for the long run. The story centers on the unique, special, and unbreakable bond between two sisters. As someone who has an older sister I love with my whole heart, the connection between Bel and Esther had me in tears. Esther's dedication to protecting her little sister—prioritizing her above all else, even the love she’s found in a magical realm—was incredibly touching.

This story broke me. It’s heartbreaking and yet hopeful and magical, filled with both sorrow and endearment. El-Mohtar's writing is magical and immersive—it makes you feel fully present in the world she’s created. It felt like a fairy tale.

This story will stay with me. I’m so grateful to have experienced it.

This novella about sisters bound together and magical faerie trees growing beside a river was a little too literary for me. While it was lyrical and AMAZINGLY well done on audio, I'm not sure I fully got into it other than to just enjoy the listening experience with songs and sound effects. I would recommend it for fans of authors like Alix E Harrow. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @libro.fm for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

A beautiful story that felt like a fairytale. It reminded me of Leigh Bardudgo's Language of Thorns. I loved it! Esther and Ysabel have a heartwarming bond that kept me hooked. I love stories that value sibling love so highly. The writing is unique and if you liked their previous book, you will love this one. The magic system is unique and explained just enough. A magical fairytale story that you'll want to read again and again.

Thank you Tor and Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book is magic. I was hooked from the first line and couldn't have put it down if I wanted to. The prose flows and runs like a river (hah) and I was but a traveller along it, paddles up, letting the current take me. Aman El-Mohtar made me believe in the magic of grammar, but don't let that scare you. They could probably tell me I have six fingers, and I'd believe it. Instantly a top book of the year for me.

Elegant and lyrical retelling of an old murder ballad, about the power of sisterly love. El-Mohtar creates the world of faerie and magic with the barest minimum of words, along with the characters of sisters Esther and Ysabel.

Amal El-Mohtar, who is most recognized as the co-author for "This is How You Lose the Time War", launches her solo debut with a lush fable about the love between sisters. On the cusp of Faerie, the Hawthorn sisters reside on their family’s willow farm. Though different in appearance and personalities, they are two sides of the same coin. When an act of jealousy threatens to tear them apart, they must solve magical riddles, sing a secret song, and journey through Faerie to return to each other. Rich in its storytelling and masterful in its worldbuilding, "The River Has Roots" is a brilliant modern fairy tale.

The River Has Roots is as much a product of language as it is enchantment. The language is lyrical, and--in a very real sense, in the old sense of 'grammar' "like grimoire"--magic. Every morpheme is weighed and has its place in the alchemy, a literary fairy tale.

Thx Netgalley!

For whatever reason, Amal El-Mohtar’s work with Max Gladestone (This Is How You Lose The Time War) left me rather cold, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from The River Has Roots. Still, a solo work is quite different to a joint one, and I was curious, so I snagged this one to give it a shot — and really liked it. Mohtar’s style works well in this fairytale retelling (which I ID’d fairly quickly), and the narrative works well with the fairytale style. There’s a touch of the Valente/McGuire-style commentary on fairytales (heck, even C.S. Lewis), which never dips into condescension. Just… storytelling, explaining the world, as fairytale narrators can do in a way which adds to the worldbuilding and tone of the story.

Fairytale retellings can sometimes fall down by sticking too close to their origins, but Mohtar is careful to flesh out the two sisters, Esther and Ysabel, and their needs and wants. It stops short of explaining too much (despite the helpful narrator): Rin remains a little bit of a mystery, as does Agnes Crow — but there’s more than enough to tantalise.

I was a bit worried about the pacing given my progress through the book, but all made sense when I realised the review copy also came with a teaser for an upcoming book of short stories. The River Has Roots was the perfect length, I think, with the ending leaving enough questions to leave the reader some work to do with the imagination.