I received a digital advance reader’s copy (ARC) of The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar. Since this version is just a proof and not the final version, I won’t quote directly and will keep my comments general.

In The River Has Roots, two sisters Esther and Ysabel live by a river that flows from Faerie to their world. They tend to the willows, enabling their magic to endure. But Esther has fallen in love with a resident of Faerie, despite the citizens of her town disapproving of outsiders. Ysabel worries what this will mean for her sister, even more so because Esther hasn’t let anyone in the family meet her lover. Then, Esther goes missing, and finds herself in Faerie, after a man from her world seeking her hand in marriage grows angry at her refusal and attacks her. She’s determined to hold him accountable, but must consider how much she is willing to sacrifice to get justice—and whether she is willing to give up her family or her love to do so.

This novella got my attention from the very first sentence. The writing is lyrical and whimsical, sounding like a fairy tale that’s been passed down through the years, while also being very fresh and original. I really liked getting to know Esther and Ysabel, whose bond is the heart of this story. You can really feel their love for each other, even as they face obstacles and struggle on their own.

I also quite liked Esther’s relationship with Rin, the person from Faerie. It’s so cool to see how Rin’s life—and very existence—is so different from Esther. For example, Rin can transform into nonhuman forms, even somewhat abstract ones like clouds. Yet their connection is clear, and it’s very sweet to see how they regard each other with such gentleness and adoration.

The plot of this story progresses at a decent pace, but despite the short page count, it never feels rushed. Instead, each moment feels deliberate and doesn’t overstay its welcome, nor does it move on too quickly. The action is nicely balanced with the more character-focused parts, all serving to further the story and its themes. Speaking of which, while this is a strange and fantastical setting with rather strange trappings, this is really a story of love, especially between sisters.

In the end, I really enjoyed The River Has Roots. El-Mohtar crafts an intriguing setting that straddles a familiar world with an otherworldly one, defined by the power of language and words. The relationship between the sister protagonists is strong and compelling, as is the romance between Esther and Rin. The whole novella has the tone of a classic fairy tale, and it’s easy to read in one sitting. I can imagine that this would be a really good story to experience via audiobook (and I already have that version preordered)! If you like lyrical fantasy stories, check this one out!

The River Has Roots will be published on March 4th, 2025!