de Ava Reid
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.
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.
Critiques-
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January 1, 2022
Reid sets her retelling of the Brothers Grimm fairytale "The Juniper Tree" in the world of her internationally best-selling The Wolf and the Woodsman, crafting the story of Marlinchen and her two sisters, the only true witches left in Oblya and unfortunately burdened with an overbearing wizard father. Marlinchen is just beginning to rebel when her magic is needed to save Oblya from a looming monster. With a 100,000-copy first printing.
Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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Starred review from March 28, 2022
Reid’s darkly enchanting second fairy tale retelling (after The Wolf and the Woodsman) takes on “The Juniper Tree.” Zmiy Vashchenko is the last true wizard in Oblya, and he keeps his three witch-daughters locked away in their crumbling home. The only people the women are allowed to interact with are the clients who pay for their respective powers. Undine sees people’s futures in her scrying pool; Rosenrot is an herbalist who creates healing poultices and potions; and the youngest, Marlinchen, is a flesh diviner, able to read people through the touch of their skin. When the girls sneak out to the ballet one night, Marlinchen catches the attention of the lead dancer, Sevastyan Reskin. Later, Sevastyan’s handler brings him to their home looking for a cure for his peculiar malady, and when Zmiy notices Marlinchen’s interest, he further tightens his grip on his daughters. Life within the Vashchenko house becomes ever more dangerous for the women—and life in Oblya isn’t any safer. There’s a monster plaguing the streets, and Marlinchen is especially haunted by the deaths. Reid fully embraces the darkness of the original tale while adding enough twists to make the story her own. Grimms’ fairy tale fans—and those who like their fairy tales grim—will be thrilled. Agent: Sarah Landis, Sterling Lord Literistic. -
July 15, 2022
Reid's loose fantasy-horror retelling of "The Juniper Tree" is as lovely as it is gruesome. In the crumbling manor of Zmiy Vashchenko, the three daughters of the last wizard of Oblya (for he's killed the rest) live as veritable prisoners, plying their magic to the curious for rubles to appease their father's insatiable appetites. Marlinchen, the youngest, is the lesser daughter: not smart and beautiful like her sister Rosenrot, or brave and beautiful like her sister Undine. Forbidden from leaving the grounds, the trio nevertheless sneak away to see the ballet, where Marlinchen is captivated by the principal dancer, Sevastyan, and he with her. This secret attraction propels Marlinchen into greater acts of rebellion, which eventually reveal to her the shocking lengths her sisters and father have gone to to keep her subservient. Reid twists the familiar magic of fairy tales into gothic horror, telling a powerful story of surviving trauma that doesn't shy away from its ugliness, while giving Marlinchen the agency to carve a better life. Reid's intimate, visceral storytelling, veering at times into body horror, may make this a hard read for some; others will find themselves reflected in its pages with nuanced understanding.COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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Shelley Parker-Chan, bestselling author of She Who Became the Sun
"Reid fully embraces the darkness of the original tale while adding enough twists to make the story her own. Grimms' fairy tale fans—and those who like their fairy tales grim—will be thrilled." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"The Juniper Tree is as lovely as it is gruesome...Reid twists the familiar magic of fairy tales into gothic horror, telling a powerful story of surviving trauma that doesn't shy away from its ugliness, while giving Marlinchen the agency to carve a better life. Reid's intimate, visceral storytelling, veering at times into body horror, may make this a hard read for some; others will find themselves reflected in its pages with nuanced understanding." — Booklist (starred review)
"Sweeping, emotional descriptions and scenes of tightly wound suspense brings to mind both Eastern European ballet classics such as Stravinsky's "The Firebird" and Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" and gothic horror like Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House—a juxtaposition that makes Juniper & Thorn an utterly compelling read." — BookPage (starred review)
"Utterly astonishing. This masterful, complex retelling conjures the pure horror of powerlessness as modernity crashes into tradition, and bodies are transformed and consumed. Juniper & Thorn is the dark fairytale brought to perfection: terrible, and true, and full of teeth."
— Shelley Parker-Chan, bestselling author of She Who Became the Sun"In this baroque Grimm retelling, Reid proves again that theirs is a powerful and essential voice. Through Marlinchen—a layered and unforgettable heroine, brought to life with immense compassion—she tells a tale of fear and survival, hope and yearning and defiance, in timelessly elegant prose. It will enchant you, break your heart, and chill you to the very marrow." — Samantha Shannon, bestselling author of The Priory of the Orange Tree
"This is a dark and bloody tale, full of magic both otherworldly and familiar, and despite its monsters, it reads like comfort. After you read it, you'll start saving space on your shelf for Ava Reid."
— Kendare Blake, #1 NYT bestselling author of Three Dark Crowns"This riveting, atmospheric dark fantasy unflinchingly explores the disturbing roots of classic fairy tales." — Buzzfeed
"Haunting and great." — Paste Magazine
"Juniper & Thorn is one of my favorite books of the year and I know I'm not alone in that sentiment. Reader after reader has found something in this book that rings true to their heart, resonates with their experience."
— Tor.com"A gothic masterpiece. Reid weaves threads of unsettling horror and abuse with astonishing empathy."
— Kat Dunn, author of Dangerous Remedy"I was thoroughly enchanted by Juniper & Thorn, because it felt like the kind of timeless classic that gets at the core issues of being human in a way that seems fantastical, but upon introspection is all too real." — Lightspeed Magazine
"Juniper & Thorn is a Gothic wonder of a novel." — Fantasy & Science Fiction
"Reid expertly weaves a dark and delightful tale that packs a sting. Love, betrayal, and a heroine for our time. I absolutely loved this novel."
— T. L. Huchu, author of The Library of the Dead"Ava Reid's spellbinding prose will draw you deep into this dark fantasy about three gifted...
