A lovely novella that makes you feel apart of the story.

A very quick read fills with faeries and danger. I loved the sisterhood bond and mysterious magic surrounding the family, it was written beautifully and was easy to understand- though far magic usually is tricky. The artwork inside is gorgeous and similar to sketches you would find in a history book depicting medieval times. I believe it enhanced the story which, in its poetic vibe, made it more magical.

I don't want to spoil anything as I worry that no matter what I write it will spoil something for someone, so l'll just say go ahead and read this beautiful novel.
My rating: 4.25

I have deep love for a fairy tale - especially the ones that border on the macabre.
The River Has Roots is a beautiful tale of two sisters who live on the border of Arcadia (Faerie), and sing to the Willow trees twice a day in tribute to the men they once were.

The sisters are very close: Ysabel and Esther, and they always want to be together. But of course, as in all good fairytales, a man throws a spanner in the works.

The River Has Roots is a novella and honestly, if El-Mohtar wrote this as a full length novel or decided to write more such stories, I would be all in. The writing is beautiful - full on fairytale style at its best.

This gave me “The Twa Sisters” vibes, equally as tragic, but not exactly the same - you’re not getting an exact retelling. This is a story in its own right.

The Lino-cut illustrations (Kathleen Neely) throughout the book were perfect for the story, too.

There was a bonus story at the end, “John Hollowback and the Witch”, and it was a rather pleasant surprise - a fabulous cautionary tale.

This is a must-read for my fellow fairytale fans!

"Oh What is stronger than a death?

Two Sisters singing with one breath."

GENRE: Dark Fairytale Fantasy Book
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐.75/5
FORMAT: eBook Arc from NetGalley

Would I recommend to others?: Yes, if you are in the mood for a short novel that has gothic fantasy vibes and a fairytale story AND if you are a fan of T.Kingfisher as well! If you choose to listen to an audiobook of The River has Roots, you will hear music that Amal & her sister performed together

Long Review:
Where do I begin? Usually, short novels (or novellas) are hard to write and truly captivate your audience as there isn't many pages to dive into the characters and the place. However, Amal El-Mohtar truly makes you attached to the sisters and the story a few pages in, which is quite rare in fantasy!

As an elder sister with only a younger sister, I truly enjoyed reading The River has Roots and seeing the bond between Esther and Ysabel was a wholesome experience. Make no mistake though, this book is meant to be a dark fantasy or as I like to call them: gothic fantasy book. The tale is an eerie one, in which we give power to those who do not deserve it.

The prose in The River has Roots is truly beautiful, with a unique concept of "Grammar" as well. I am HoH/Deaf so I did not get to listen to the audiobook (usually need to do that in immersive format) but if you are lucky enough to pick up an audiobook, Amal & her sister perform the music in this novella too and how wholesome is that? A song and melody performed by sisters in reality as Ysabel & Esther build their lives.

Essentially, The River has roots is a story of change, of understanding that life, like Grammar, can fluctuate and is not a solid shape. It is, in fact, a shifting shape that can be sad, happy and yearning all at once. In this novella, we see the consequences of two sister who wish for different things in life but one forsakes it for the sake of her younger sister and is truly fulfilled by the love of her sisterhood.

I'd recommend this novella to everyone as it gives you a taste of dark fantasy and dark fairytale, which are my one of my top favourites sub-genre in fantasy. I didnt include a lot of quotes with this review as I typically would as it is a short novella and it would be hard to avoid spoilers, but trust me when I say its worth the read!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an eArc in exchange for my honest review

The River Has Roots is a beautiful and lyrical faerie tale novella. The language is incredibly poetic and coupled with the stunning illustrations, makes for a captivating and immersive read.

The story itself comes in at fewer than 100 pages and could easily be read in a single sitting. I appreciated the addition of the short story - John Hollowback and the Witch - although perhaps didn’t enjoy it quite as much as The River Has Roots.

I’m very tempted to listen to the audiobook version too!

The River Has Roots is a whimsical novella that centres on sisters who sing together and a magical fairy land they live near. I liked parts of this story but found some things hard to grasp.

The writing of The River Has Roots has a fairytale tone to it which suits the story immensely as it is kind of a fairytale type of story but sometimes it can be hard to get immersed into. It is a beautiful writing style but I felt detached from the story because of it.

The setting was interesting with Thistleford being close by the magical land of Arcadia and how sometimes people can get lost in it. The magic of 'grammar' was confusing to get around at first but I did think it was unique.

I liked the focus on sisterhood in this book and how close Esther and Ysabel were but I wasn't as attached as I thought I would be to the characters. I did enjoy reading the riddles that Esther came up with and I liked the ending.

Overall I have mixed feelings on The River Has Roots, it has a wonderful fairytale type of writing style to it but I wasn’t attached to the story or the characters. It was a quick and unique read and reminded me a lot of Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire, so if you want similar vibes then maybe check this one out.

(I was sent a Netgalley ARC of this book to review)

Sometimes less is more. Amal El-Mohtar's breakthrough This Is How You Lose The Time War was a pretty slim novel, or long novella, and that was co-written with Max Gladstone. The River Has Roots is short, definitely a novella if you aren't quite willing to call it what it really is: either a fairy tale or a murder ballad. It's a fairy tale along the lines of Hope Mirrlees Lud-In-The-Mist, about the borderlands between the mundane world and fairie. But also like Lud-In-The-Mist it is more than content to mainly leave the Fairylands as a mystery, or at least one whose lack of logic and sense make any real story about them directly to be nonsensical.

It is also a murder ballad (since there is death and music), and very much in a Nick Cave way. The story concerns two sisters living on the edge of Thistleford on the edge of Fairie. Their family safeguard and honour their position by singing to the ancient trees on the river that marks the border. So we have a river, and we have the roots of the trees, though El-Mohtar also has other more metaphorical roots in mind too - this is a book that is also about wild Grammar. Whilst this is a slight tale, the language is beautiful and has the right air of world-building digression required when talking about fairie magic, anything can happen but there are rules, but those rules don't necessarily make sense to us. Nevertherless it makes sense within the lyricism of the book, and we know the rules of murder ballads, and to a lesser extent fairy tales (they may have morals, but they don't always serve them up in a kind way). The book also contains a short story as a teaser for an upcoming collection, and my sense is she works particularly well in the format, unusually not because of narrative but because they will allow this linguistic freedom. Highly recomended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this novella to review.

The River Has Roots is a love language to, well, language itself. A short and sweet novella that ties magic to the use of grammar almost literally. We follow two sisters, Esther and Ysabel, as they tend to two old willow trees that separate their typical English countryside village and the world beyond, in Faerie. In this novella, your words matter. Through song, or poetry, or riddles, or names, we see how the language we use is the key to harness the magic we use, for better or for worse.

I utterly adored this read. It was a delightful treat to an otherwise bad week, and nothing has been able to switch my mood quite so suddenly. I was surprised to the songlike prose from the very beginning, but it made it easy to find the feeling of the story. It felt as though I was reading in rhythm, which felt perfect for such a story that use songs in the plot as well.

Speaking of the plot, it was fun from start to finish. I loved the way that as Esther, we were pulled between the two important relationships in her life. The first with her younger sister Ysabel, who begs her not to leave for Arcadia, the Fae Realm. The second being her lover Rin, one of the strange folk from the depths of Arcadia. Between the sisterhood and the flirtation, it was easy to want both, and just when it is almost within reach we have it snatched from our fingers. I’ll refrain from spoiling more than that, but the resolve is just as satisfying as the conundrum itself.

The characters as well are delightful. Esther is a wonderful protagonist to follow, and you really want to believe in her ideals of exploration of Arcadia. Ysabel is a sweet younger sister, and I truly loved the sisterly relationship between them that creates the pillar of this book. Their bond ties all the plots together, which I find particularly sweet as a sister myself. I did however adore Rin. I loved their cheek and mischief that is standard for any fan folk, but I also liked how Rin wasn’t trying to fool Esther. It was a nice difference, especially with it being a sapphic relationship of sorts. Will note, perhaps the strangest sex scene I have ever read (yes it absolutely was a sex scene, you cannot convince me otherwise). Their scenes together were some of my favourites, and honestly I wish I could read so many more pages of their interactions.

Overall I loved this story, and have nothing to critique. I think it did what it wanted to do well, and if you are looking for something short that reads like folklore then this is the perfect thing to quench your need. I will not stop talking about this for a while I’m sure. It was wonderful, please take the opportunity to read it if you can.

Thank you once again for the advanced copy to read!

[ARC provided by NetGalley and Arcadia. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review The River Has Roots.]

Rating: 4/5

The River Has Roots is a beautiful novella packed with lyrical prose, fairytale elements, and a delightful magic system. I blasted through this in an evening and found the ending to be bittersweet as I could have easily continued reading for another couple of hundred pages, but perhaps that’s what makes this little story so brilliant.

Set in the little town of Thistleford, perched on the edge of Faerie, The River Has Roots introduces us to the mysterious Hawthorn family. Among them are sisters Esther and Ysabel, who are especially dedicated to tending to the enchanted willows. Their harmonious songs of gratitude to the willows' magic reflect their perfect balance, though they don't always agree on everything. When Esther turns down a persistent suitor in favor of her love from Faerie, the sisters must confront new challenges that could change their lives forever.

With beautiful internal illustrations and a lovely, musically themed audiobook, The River Has Roots has something for everyone. This is the kind of story that reads like an old fairytale and each page transported me to another world where trees are magical and rivers have character. I especially loved the relationship between the sisters’, which was the kind that could overcome any obstacle.

If you’re looking for an enchanting story to sink into then I definitely recommend giving this one a try. This whimsical tale won’t take you long to get through, so if you have some time to spare, consider spending it in Thisteford.

Beautiful and magical beyond compare, El-Mohtar weaves a story that is a song that is a truth. A ballad well known and recognised, El-Mohtar crafts her story to seem both ancient and fresh all at once, like Faery itself.

Sisters Esther and Ysabel have always lived and sung together by their willows and the river that runs into the other realm, with no thought of parting; but when Esther rejects a mortal suitor for a lover from the realms beyond the ones we know, a strange fate is set in train…

Full of the richness of music, of sisterhood, of magic and romance, and of the legends we know in under 150 pages, this is a gorgeous illustrated novella you cannot afford to miss.

This was a lot shorter than I expected, especially because there's a short story at the end from the author's upcoming collection. However, this was beautifully written and slightly easier to grasp than the prose in This is How You Lose the Time War if you found that a bit much! I loved the sisters and their relationship, and the fairytale like story in this.

This felt like a fairytale for adults and sisters. I felt tangled in this world of curious magic and sisterly bonds, I only wish it was longer.

This was beautiful – I loved the literal grammar magic system and the idea of conjugation – it’s such a unique way of looking at quite natural magic, even if the fact that it comes from the fay is more well-known. The way it affects the world and the landscape, and how regular folk work with it, the singing to the trees, I liked it all. The bond between the sisters and the writing was engaging. My only gripe would be the length – I wanted more of this world, but also think it could have been even better with just a little bit more time spent with it, especially around the resolution.

Esther and Ysabel Hawthorn live in the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie. Like their ancestors, they tend and harvest the enchanted willows and honour an ancient compact to sing to them in thanks for their magic. None are more devoted than them, who cherish each other as much as they cherish the ancient trees. However, when Esther rejects a forceful suitor in favour of a lover from the land of Faerie, the impact on her is profound, as well as on Ysabel.
Without revealing too much, what captivated me about this story was its ability to reveal the magical nature at its heart. The ability of Amal el-Mohtar to weave the story in such beautiful prose was amazing. There is truly magic at play in this story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Having recently read Susanna Clarke’s short tale The Wood at Midwinter, which is a woodcut illustrated fairytale, it was interesting to pick up The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar, which is a mixture of fae fantasy and folk tale similarly brief and with arresting woodcut imagery.
It borrows elements from Grimm’s The Singing Bone and riffs on other familiar folk tales, creating a memorable and unique story all of its own. I especially liked the substitution of glamour for grammar, where it is words that are magical and cause faerie transformation.

I can’t wait for her collection of short stories coming soon.

This was simultaneously very sweet and very biting.

It's a delight to read, and it will have you clutching at whatever you're sitting or lying on whilst doing so.

It's set kind of-ish in our world and also in Arcadia, which might be Faerie. It's about sisters and love of all kinds, loyalty and spite, riddles and justice and fidelity and rivers.

The River Liss is a character, and I love them.

The willows are characters, too, in a more understated way. I'm Australian so willows don't play a huge role in my botanical experience - but I've read enough European folklore to understand why they feature here.

This novella is completely captivating, like everything El-Mohtar writes, and I want to gently throw it at everyone so they read it and get to enjoy it with me.

There's a lot of beauty in this book: a gorgeous cover, lovely illustrations, excellent storytelling.
A short story featuring fairies, sister relationships. A well plotted and compelling short story i loved
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I really enjoyed this book. It was short and fantastical and I really loved the writing style and how beautiful the world building was. It was full of some beautiful illustrations and I had a really fun time reading this one. It was a fairytale full of fairies and magic and enchanted places and I’d recommend it to anyone!

A beautiful dark romantic fairy tale. Lovely prose, making the world and the relationships just sing. It brims with magic, whimsy, the deep bond between two sisters and the love (and loves) that endure through trials.

More please!

A delightful and whimsical folktale about the bonds of sisterhood and power of song. This is a beautifully written novella, with careful and lyrical prose that feels quite wistful and nostalgic without veering too hard into flowery and purple. Stylistically, it won't be to everyone's tastes, but I enjoyed it immensely. As though it were a children's story I had long forgotten.

I do wish that we got to see more of this world. The magic system is so unique and interesting, but maybe too ambitious for a novella. I was desperate to learn more, but unfortunately left wanting.

Though it's hardly a searing critique to say you wish there more of something, and I do absolutely highly recommend giving this a read. Allow the words to become stories and the stories to become dreams. You won't regret it.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for review.

The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar is out March 4th! Thanks to Netgalley and @quercusbooks for the eARC.

The River Has Roots is an experience. I think with novellas you have more space to be experimental and in this novella Amal El-Mohtar does that through magic. The magic system is based on and called grammar. It's a concept that is hard to grasp at times but plays into the atmosphere I associate with fairy tales and with faerie in particular. The prose is part of the magic and so it's poetic and playful and sometimes weird.

We follow two sisters with a deep bond who live on the edge of faerie. They care for and sing to the enchanted willows on their land. Ester has two suitors, an unwanted one from their town and a mysterious one from Faerie who she loves. She ends up torn between the love for her sister Ysabel and home - and being she is in love with.

I loved the bond between the two sisters and how their different personalities are explored. The dynamic between Ester and her faerie love was also really intriguing. It's not the first version of this fairy tale I've read but I liked that it focused less on the sisterly jealousy and gore and more on the whimsy and strangeness. It made the strangeness of the original tale feel more magical and fit the the vibes of the story. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 stars)