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The River Has Roots (Hardback)
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The River Has Roots (Hardback)

(author)
£14.99
Hardback 144 Pages
Published: 04/03/2025
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Waterstones Says

From the co-author of the bestselling This is How You Lose the Time War comes a beautifully realised and atmospheric slice of fantasy fiction centred on two inseparable sisters who live on the edge of Faerie.

Follow the river Liss to the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, and meet two sisters who cannot be separated, even in death.

The hardcover edition features beautiful interior illustrations.

'Oh what is stronger than a death? Two sisters singing with one breath.'

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...

The River Has Roots is the hugely anticipated solo debut of the New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award winning author Amal El-Mohtar.

Publisher: Quercus Publishing
ISBN: 9781529443363
Number of pages: 144
Weight: 260 g
Dimensions: 218 x 134 x 18 mm


MEDIA REVIEWS

Half delicious murder ballad, half beguiling love story, Amal El-Mohtar transports us to Faerieland so seamlessly it seems as though she just stepped out of it - Holly Black, New York Times bestselling author of The Cruel Prince

When it comes to storytelling, Amal El-Mohtar is like one of the grammarians of Thistleford, a magician capable of deftly transforming the familiar into the unfamiliar and the numinous into the humane. The River Has Roots is an utterly enchanting tale of love and longing, language and song, and the unbreakable bond of sisterhood - Fonda Lee, author of the Green Bone Saga

Gorgeous and glorious! Every sentence sings! Amal El-Mohtar weaves a lovely and poignant fairy tale that will linger in your heart - Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop

This book is lyrical, elegant, and above all, kind. I devoured it in one sitting. This story feels like the smell of rain. This is a fairy tale wrapped in brilliant language. An absolute must-read. Amal El-Mohtar is quite simply one of the best writers on the scene in ages - T. Kingfisher, New York Times bestselling author of A Sorceress Comes To Call

The River Has Roots is the perfect fable: both bright and brutal, very old and brand new. It's a story that outlasts itself, lingering like a song; I adored it - Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author of Starling House

Amal El-Mohtar's genius fairytale reflects a truth we can never forget: words carry enormous power. The River Has Roots is truly exquisite - Zoraida Córdova, USA Today bestselling author of The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina

The River Has Roots is a beautiful, musical, and loving story, perfectly rendered in El-Mohtar's beautiful, musical, and loving prose. This novella has all the dark comforts of an old tale and all the light vigors of a new classic, and will inspire you to raise your voice in song with those you love - Emma Törzs, author of Ink Blood Sister Scribe

A powerful, gorgeous little story of sisterly love, the power of words, and revenge as a dish best served in verse. - SFX (five stars)

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“Fantasy”

Thank you NetGalley and Quercus Books for this eCopy to review

I recently read The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar, it is an ethereal, dream-like fairy tale cantering on the bond between two sisters, Esther and... More

Hardback edition
Helpful? Upvote 4

“Stunning!”

Amal El-Mohtar, a talented Canadian Lebanese author, has made a stunning solo debut with The River Has Roots. Known for her co-authorship of the acclaimed This is How You Lose the Time War, El-Mohtar brings her unique... More

Hardback edition
Helpful? Upvote 4

“A gorgeous fairytale brimming with emotions and magic”

Thank you to Netgalley and Arcadia for this eARC.
What a gorgeous story|! I have a new favourite!
This was a really short classic fairytale-like fantasy and I loved every minute of it. Coming from This is How You... More

Hardback edition
2 similar books recommended
Helpful? Upvote 3

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