This was fine! Absolutely beautiful writing, but an okay story that I felt like I had heard before. If you're here for the prose, you'll love it. If you're here for the story like me, well, meh. There was beautiful music and singing, which made for a great audio experience. There were also sound effects, like water running. This was very beautiful to listen to, but as someone who listens at *at least* 1.5x speed, I got a bit confused thinking something was wrong with my headphones.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

5/5
Stunning, no notes.

The writing and story are so lyrical and unique. I love the interpretation of grammar as magic and the way the story alludes to traditional fairy tale linguistic patterns while still being unique and distinctive. The story itself is beautiful and a lovely adaptation of a traditional folktale/story.

The audiobook is beautiful - the narrator's performance is great and I loved their different voices (especially for Agnes). I also love the song bits and was literally constantly hoping for more singing. The subtle background sounds like water rushing or murmuring song are also just enough to add ambience without being distracting.

Highly recommend.

Normally I only read an audiobook over a print or ebook copy for the sake of convenience, but this is one of those rare cases where I will wholeheartedly endorse the audiobook as the SUPERIOR experience. Amal El-Mohtar and her sister created ethereal, original music that immerses you completely in the world of the story. The narrator, Gem Carmella, also contributed her warm vocals to the performance; I'm not saying the narrator must sing when the characters in the story do, but her voice was a perfect embodiment of the sisters and their enchanting songs.

The story itself was a lush fairy tale, exactly like the kind a mother might tell her children that has been passed down for generations. I was so swept up in the world of Thistleford, Arcadia, and the river Liss that I couldn't bring myself to examine it with a critical eye. The set dressing of the magic (grammar, conjugation, etc) was fascinating but never took up too much attention as to distract from the story. I normally love magic systems and enjoy getting into the nitty gritty details of its rules and inner workings, but I can enjoy a soft magic like this if it doesn't ask me to look at it too closely. The River Has Roots succeeds in this regard; whenever grammar is mentioned, the narrative only gives you enough to get the *gist* of it, so you can understand what is going on without needing to ask why or how it works that way. El-Mohtar deftly walks the tightrope of giving enough info the follow along, never so much that you are distracted into interrogating further nor so little that you cannot grasp its effects on the story and world.

I feel like this is one of those stories where the less you know about plot and characters the better your experience, so I won't explain it. If you, like me, took an interest in this work because you enjoyed This Is How You Lose the Time War then do not fret, because this book proves without a doubt that Amal El-Mohtar can deliver outstanding writing solo as well. Cannot recommend enough.

Usually, I hate singing in audiobooks, but this is the first one I enjoyed. The music and sound effects were also positives to my audiobook reading experience. When I recommend this book, I'll recommend the audio specifically.

The prose is beautiful, the magic system of verse/lyrics/riddles was interesting, and the world was unique. The relationship between the two sisters was one I rooted for. That being said, something felt like ti was missing for me. I was stoked about the solo debut, but I think I was expecting something a little closer to This is How You Lose the Time War, which is my fault for the preconcieved expectations.

“The River Has Roots” by Amal El-Mohtar transports listeners to a realm of wonder and folklore. The timeless fable weaves magic and enchantment, leaving an indelible impression. This audiobook was an exceptional listening experience. Captivating singing, nature sounds, and musical accompaniment created an immersive atmosphere.

This felt like I was listening to an old lady tell a story her grandma from Ireland told her, one that had been passed down for generations to warn women of the dangers of settling for men who won't move the earth for them, who only want them as a means to an end. The audiobook with background music and sounds was a particularly wonderful way to experience this book and I highly recommend it, in fact it feels like an oral history kind of story. Not the western literature that should be a book, but a story that should be told, not read. Amal El-Mohtar has the most lyrical and poetic prose and I adore it, Amal is my modern Shakespeare and I will continue to read everything she publishes.

Beautiful, whimsical and dark in the way that only fae stories can be. The solo debut from Amal El-Moher in no way disappoints. A lyrically written novella which mirrors the murder ballad premise it bases itself on.

BOOK REVIEW: “The River Has Roots” by Amal El-Mohtar

If you follow the river Liss, one will find themselves among fairies. This book follows the story of two sisters, Esther and Ysabel, who cannot be separated even in death. When one sister rejects the proposal from an arrogant suitor, the girls’ lives are suddenly at risk.

Although I am generally a fan of books of prose, this just didn’t hit it for me. It was very flowery and somewhat wordy. It seemed to take so long to get to the point. At the end of the book I sat there wondering what in the world I just read. I’m not even sure what the plot was?

I listened to this as an audio book and I found the narrator very difficult to listen to. She had a very strong accent, and in between chapters were bouts of thunderstorms and rain sounds. Overall, it just wasn’t for me.

I rate this book as two stars. ⭐️⭐️ I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion.

Gorgeous, lyrical, full of noble people and family bonds...and so close to being five stars.

If you read this book in any form, please make it the audiobook. The songs are sung, there's environmental noise, and perfect voice acting.

For such a short book, it really packs a punch and scratches that folktale itch. I was just recently looking into how western magic systems always require everything be rules and order and control, and The River Has Roots is the opposite of that–which I loved.

It's also legitimately the first I've ever enjoyed a story about sisters. They're both very endearing, and their bond was so strong I couldn't help but root for them. Yes this is a romance, but the sisterly bond was the star of the show.

The only thing that holds me back from singing its praises and giving it five stars is the ending. My full review on Storygraph has a spoiler tag with explanations,

Wowowowowow. I LOVED this. This novella was such a beautiful experience. The audiobook is just under 4 hours and it’s something I’d listen to again.

The vibes: folktale/love story/bond of two sisters/music. If you aren’t into pretty vibes and prose, maybe not for you- this isn’t a book for picking apart the plot and magic system- it’s poetry. The rain sounds and narration at the start made me take an involuntary deep breath as I closed my eyes. It felt like someone was telling me a story around a campfire. I loved the sisterly bond between Esther and Ysabel, and how the character Rin was the embodiment of fluidity. There’s so much clever wordplay- I imagine I didn’t catch all of it via audio, so I’m definitely picking up a hard copy. I still think audio is the way to go. The extra sound effects and music performed by the author and her sister 🤯 were a soothing balm for my brain. So grab some headphones and listen to this tale.

I was really excited to see Amal El-Mohtar's solo debut on NetGalley because I loved This Is How You Lose the Time War so much. The audiobook is a beautiful experience including music and songs performed by the author and her sister, making for an emotional background in a story about the love of two sisters. It's clear El-Mohtar is a poet, and she tried to pack a LOT into a novella. I half wish this were full-length, fleshing out the magic system a bit more, getting to know characters better...but I also kinda think I would have said it could be much shorter if it were. A beautiful book all the same.

The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar

This was an excellent book but possibly the worst audiobook I have ever encountered.

I really enjoyed This is How You Lose the Time War (I read it when it came out, years before Bigolas Dickolas) so I was excited when I heard that Amal El-Mohtar had her first solo book coming out. I didn’t get an eARC from the publisher but I did get an audio ARC. I love audiobooks - I’ve had an audible membership since before Amazon bought them - and I listen to audiobooks all the time. I almost never listen to music. I want to listen to a book. What I don’t want is to listen to music when I’m trying to focus on a story. What I want even less is to listen to running water when I’m listening to an audiobook. Do you get where I’m going here?

This is a delightful, if slight, story. (The hardcover is less than 150 pages - I’m read longer novellas so I don’t know why it’s being advertised as a novel). It’s a tale of 2 sisters in a fantasy realm where people can cross over to sort of a fae realm but the villian ( a needy incel) is sadly much more based in reality.

I enjoyed the sisters and their story. But the audiobook production was atrocious! You could barely hear the narrator some times due to the music or the running water sounds. They were just dreadful. And the producers obviously didn’t think about what listening at higher speeds would do to their sound effects. Like many people, I listen to audiobooks at around 2X speed. I find many narrators are too slow and this way I can enjoy more books. But at an increased speed, the sound effects and the singing, and the music were just intolerable.

Do yourself a favor, get this book in hardcover or e-book formats. It was an excellent story and I will happily read anything else this author writes. Don’t get the audiobook.

I absolutely loved The River Has Roots in audiobook form—it’s truly something special. Amal El-Mohtar’s lyrical prose is already breathtaking, but hearing it performed with such emotion made the story even more powerful. The narration is stunning, drawing me in completely, and the addition of original music by the author makes the experience even more magical. The music flows seamlessly with the story, adding an extra layer of depth and emotion that lingers long after listening. This audiobook isn’t just a story—it’s an experience, and I can’t recommend it enough!

I listened to The River Has Roots audiobook yesterday and loved it so much that I actually stayed up late to listen to it a second time.

The River Has Roots is a haunting and beautiful story about two sisters, Esther and Ysabelle Hawthorne, and the enduring love between them that is stronger even than death.

I won't go into too much detail about the story here because I went in without any context and loved it all the more for the rich world and vibrant characters that El-Mohtar manages to construct in the limited space of this novella.

The audiobook features several beautiful songs sung by the narrator @gem_carmella, whose performance is absolutely incredible!

Additionally, the author and her sister recorded the most enchanting harp and flute music, along with vocals, which add the loveliest quality to the audiobook.

This is the kind of immersive audiobook that’s clearly a labor of love, and I’ll likely listen to it again this week.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amal El-Mohtar for this ARC!

While I really enjoyed the magic system and the beautiful writing, it felt too short for me to believe some of the characters’ motivations. If more time was given to develop the relationships between the families, Pollard’s actions would have been more understandable (though no less immoral). If more time was dedicated to the building of the relationship between Rin and Esther, their seemingly strong connection would have been more believable. I loved grammar as the basis for the magic system and with a longer book, we would have been able to see more of its role in this universe and how the Professors fit into everything. Ultimately, I still enjoyed the novel because of the lyrical writing, but it feels more like the preamble to a large fantastical universe than a standalone book.

The audiobook is a trip! There are TONS of sound effects as the story is being told. From singing to water running and even guitar, this novella was a unique blend of story and musical elements.

As far as the story itself, it’s very flowery and atmospheric but lacks depth and engagement. I found myself wandering off as the story hits a little more bland than the narrator and sound effects. I’d say it was a fun auditory experience without the enjoyment of a good story experience.

Many thanks to McMillan Audio and Netgally for an advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a delight. In this novella, El Mohtar is able to conjure magic, mysterious auras, and an atmospheric setting that virtually comes alive. A tale of two sisters with voices that complement each other beautifully, heigten their families magic and link to the willows, and strengthens a bond that is beautiful.

The narration and original songs and musical.pieces that accompany this production are spectacular and elevate the reading experience exponentially.

The river has roots

Thank you Tordotcom for the physical ARC and NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook ARC.

This was a lyrical fairytale novella about the a sister’s bond as it stretches across realms. It has mysterious fae-beings, magically conductive trees, and a hit of romance.

I came into this book blind to Mohtar’s writing and this story (learned after the fact that it’s a retelling of The Two Sisters ballad). Mohtar’s writing style was descriptive and adept to storytelling. (For those that don’t like overtly purple prose, this one may not be for you.) While I think the logistics of the grammar magic system went over my head, it’s concept was intriguing and one I would love to learn more of. For the length, I felt like we got to know our main characters, Esther and Ysabella well enough.

The ARC format was lovely with graphics of the willows and grass bordering the text in the margins. I’m looking forward to also seeing the additional artwork slated for the pages directly before each chapter heading in the finished copy.

I highly recommend the audiobook as Gem Carmella’s voice is perfectly matched for this project. Carmella’s soothing tone reads as an old story being told you. In addition, Mohtar and her sister contribute the instrument and vocals respectively for the song portions. The river sound elements felt adequently placed and don’t overpower the narration audio. All together, it was an immersive experience.

This was a gorgeously written novella! The world-building was unique and interesting, but a bit confusing and not throughly explained. The story captured the love of two sisters and sacrifices they will make for each other.

This audiobook is a quick listen at under 4 hours, and narrated by Gem Carmella. The narrator’s voice really immerses you in this beautiful prose and world. I would highly recommend the audiobook for the added sound effects as well as singing from the characters.

Thank you to Tordotcom Publishing & Macmillan Audio for providing me with copies of this book and audiobook. This review is voluntary, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this beautiful audiobook for review. This was a wonderful lyrical fairytale that was just made even more more on audiobook as parts of the books were sung so well that added to the magical world.