In her newest fairytale retelling, Reid has done what she’s proven to do best - take an aged fairytale and lay its dark and gritty guts bare for the reader from an angle not considered through the lenses of the past. She breathes new, dark, and realistic life into tales we read as children hungry for magic and darkness. Juniper & Thorn is the story of a cursed wizard, a changing world who is leaving behind old world magic, and his three witch daughters living in a crumbling house beside a juniper tree and a garden full of monsters. To what lengths will one go to sate desire and keep things always as they were?

I, like many, grew up reading the old versions of fairytales and always valued the darkness in them. We all know that many of tropes within those fairytales, however, were problematic at best. Reid takes the decaying patriarchal corpses of those stories, prizes open their guts, and transforms them, with seeming magic, into something so guttural and emotive that they become their own sort of magic.

In Reid’s world, no character is truly the Ivan or the Snow Maiden, the knight or the damsel, there is no simple black and white, and females are not simply witches or princesses, girls or women - they are multifaceted creatures who are as likely to love as to kill, to rescue as to be rescued. But, beneath it all, Juniper & Thorn is a dark and emotional allegory for what happens to those who are abused and what form the unseen wounds of that abuse leaves behind in its wake. Abuse is its own strange form of darkened evil magic that can take root in the soul and cause us to become shadows of ourselves we never knew possible. But most of all, this story is about hope and what can take place after the dragon is slain.

★★★★★

I am in the odd position of greatly appreciating this book from a thematic and literary standpoint but also knowing it does not fit my personal tastes. I really struggle with this level of heavy content and violence and encourage everyone to pay close attention to the trigger warnings below. Still, I can appreciate that Reid has crafted a deeply twisted, deeply frightening, and deeply compelling dark fairy tale that is packed to the brim with meaning. The story tackles issues from scientific racism, to disordered eating, to the erasure of victims in pseudo-feminist narratives. Marlinchen is total deconstruction of the typical fairy-tale protagonist, and I was blown away by the nuanced portrayal of her actions and reactions as a learned consequence of trauma, and became highly invested in her struggle for freedom on her own terms.

The setting of the novel is all belching coal smoke and slimy fish guts and churning machines: pitting the dark underbelly of industrialization against grasping roots of history and tradition. This book does not blunt its edges: it is often unbearably violent and relentlessly dark, but all in the service of spinning a tale of horror so intractable that I'm going to be a while peeling the grit and gristle of it away from my bones.

PLEASE, PLEASE pay attention to the following trigger warnings, all of which I wish I had been aware of going into the story. TW for: cannibalism, body horror, disorder eating, animal abuse and animal death, sexual assualt and sexual violence, pedophillia, self-harm, and anti-seminitism.

Ava Reid is definitely one for the ages. I first read The Wolf and the Huntsman and knew they would be a must read for every book they write, and Juniper and Thorn is no different.

That said, this is a dark awful hard book. I really urge everyone to take care of themselves first before venturing into this novel. I bump it down a star only because I’m not sure I would have read it as fast as I did had I known about some of the contents. I may have missed it, but I do think this needs some more clear and up front trigger warnings.

Past that, what a story. If you can manage not to cut yourself too hard on it’s teeth, there is a cathartic relief, hopefulness, and even happiness to be had. I applaud Ava Reid for what they’ve done with this and can only hope they found as much release from writing this as I did reading it. They have so successfully crafted a protagonist who can exist with their trauma and still be strong instead of having to overcome it.

Ava Reid doesn’t shy away from the brutality and ugliness of The Juniper Tree. Arguably one of the darker Grimm brother tales, Reid takes the original material and creates something entirely her own in Juniper & Thorn. It’s the very best kind of retelling because it takes that which is old and makes it new; it takes something familiar and turns it on its head. Whether you know the original tale or not, Juniper & Thorn keeps you on your toes and up all night, claiming, “Just one more chapter…”

What struck me first and foremost was the language. Reid captures the dreaminess of the fairytale genre in her prose. Every word is precise, expert. The figurative language is layered. It isn’t used just to describe or paint a picture. Reid plants similes and metaphors like seeds: they blossom into something more, something impossible to ignore.

So, too, are her characters a force of nature. Marlinchen is a dynamic protagonist, though maybe not the most trustworthy narrator. The reader is rooting for her to escape, to win, to live. The reader might also be afraid of her. To see the world through Marlinchen’s eyes is to see her imperfections reflected back. But she isn’t ruined because of those flaws. What she’s been through has made her stronger. Every experience has led her here, and every choice has gotten her closer to the freedom she so desires.

Juniper & Thorn revitalizes an old story and shatters fairy-tale stereotypes. Marlinchen is both the damsel in distress and the knight in shining armor. She may even be the dragon guarding the tower.

Juniper & Thorn follows Marlinchen, one of the only remaining witches in the city of Oblya. Along with her sisters, Marlinchen ensures that the household stays afloat by using her abilities to serve their clientele. She is also the one who takes on much of the daily care of the household with her cooking. Her father is an incredibly cruel wizard who keeps her and her sisters under his strict command. The sisters, however, find ways to sneak away from his watchful gaze to attend the beautiful plays and performances Oblya is bursting with. The book follows Marlinchen as her world is thrown off balance after meeting a beautiful dancer and confronting his secrets. Juniper & Thorn is a gorgeous book. From the world building to the descriptions of the food Marlinchen cooks, the reader is swept away by the rich fantasy. Ava Reid is an incredible storyteller and I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a deeply flawed heroine that is doing her best. I would recommend this book to everyone, I couldn’t put it down!

I cannot believe I was blessed enough to get an ARC of this book. When I say blessed I mean it, because this book is ART.

Juniper & Thorn is the dark fantasy retelling of my dreams. This book truly has everything: a romance you root for above everything, an antagonist who truly feels like an antagonist, some of the most beautiful writing I’ve had the privilege of reading, and just enough real-world relatability where one could see this happening both 100 years ago, today, or in an entirely different universe. It also was just creepy enough where I was consistently sitting on the edge of my seat, needing to see what happened next, and by the time I even had an inkling as to what was going on, I was so enthralled and disturbed that my heart took permanent residence in my throat.

More importantly, it has a wonderfully complex main character who is everything I’ve ever wanted in a fantasy heroine. Marlinchen’s naïveté is not based in the need to, for some reason, have a female MC who needs to be blind to the world for some grand reveal later. Instead, it’s rooted in very real and believable trauma - the kind that is both believable and horrible to read, while not being a crutch that undermines the story and her character. She is an unreliable narrator in parts, but that only makes her more relatable: her wavering between love and disgust towards her main abuser only adding to that complexity. Marlinchen is not a weak character who needs a man, or anyone to save her. She is a survivor who claws her way out of her situation as much as she can, demanding what she’s owed to the best of her ability while also not shying away from the help of others.

Trauma is depicted in several ways throughout this book. It’s in each of Marlinchen’s sisters, and how then interact with each other. It’s with Sevas, in what I think might be **trigger warning/spoilers** the only instance of SA against a man I’ve read in a SFF book. Ava Reid does not shy away from tough topics, but also does not romanticize them or present them as unbelievable. Instead, this fantasy is rooted in real world problems that really makes this story grow roots in your heart and mind and stay there.

I am just floored by how amazing this book was. This probably will not be the most eloquent review, but that’s fine, because my endorsement will come from begging all of my friends to preorder Juniper and Thorn, preordering a copy for myself to have and love forever, and the fact that I will never ever shut up about this book.

After reading The Wolf and the Woodsman, I knew Ava Reid would become one my favorite authors and I would buy and devour each and every one of her books.

The writing style and language just pulls you in and weaves together an enchanting, dark, twisted story. Reid is so talented in the way she crafts her stories, all the different elements of her books are so well balanced and developed. I loved Sevas’s character, and the way ballet and some of the harsher aspects of being a dancer added to his story. Marlinchen was such a compelling protagonist reading through her view of how things unfolded, the cruel realities of her story that she was stuck in and her relationships with her family. The ending was so satisfying with the good for her moments I love from a final girl sort of horror. Marlinchen is a survivor and in my personal opinion her trauma was well written and depicted in her character and I loved her growth.

*Thank you NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for providing a copy of the book*

This book truly feels like being told a story on a cold night huddled next to a wood stove. It is a beautifully written gothic retelling of the fairy tale 'The Juniper Tree', and the prose that I fell in love with while reading Reid's debut, "The Wolf and the Woodsman" returns in their sophomore novel.

'Juniper and Thorn' excellently analyzes the ways moderninity and traditionalism clash and I absolutely adore Marlinchen and Sevas, who are flawed and human in their experiences of hope, love, and trauma. Their character growth is a magic in itself. Despite the dark themes, you can't help but cross your fingers in hopes that they get a happy ending. Additionally, Reid handles the effects of the trauma her characters experience incredibly well.

Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager, and Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC of 'Juniper and Thorn' and to Ava Reid for creating this gorgeous novel.

CW:
Gore and body horror
Child sexual abuse; incest
Cannibalism
Antisemitism, xenophobia, scientific racism
Physical and psychological abuse by family members; gaslighting
Self harm, suicidal ideation
Disordered eating, bulimia; graphic descriptions of vomiting
Animal death

First and foremost, I would love to express my gratitude to Ava Reid and Avon Books, Harper Voyager Books for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC through NetGalley.

Based on the fairytale, “The Juniper Tree”, Ava Reid’s new novel creates an illustrious world of darkness, magic, and romance. This is by far deserving of over five stars because the amount of care and love put into this work is immense and astounding.

Marlinchen is by far a heroic, flawed, and fully developed protagonist. The reader is left enchanted by her growth as a young woman and character. It is easy to root for her and her love interest throughout the entire tale and all the way up to the satisfying ending of the story.

Both gothic and gorgeous in nature, the atmosphere the author creates with this story is exceptional. The village, the ballet, Marlinchen’s magical home…each place is crafted with the most gorgeous imagery. The reader is sucked into the world of Oblya and there is an aching for more once Juniper & Thorn ends.

The fairy tale elements and tropes used in this novel are clear to the reader and unfold her story perfectly. Each plot point is seamless, leaving the reader to grow with the protagonist and weep at the challenges, tragedies, and abuses she faces.

This work is perhaps one of Ava Reid’s best yet. I recommend picking it up, especially if you love to fall in love and don’t mind the incredible darkness that lurks within its pages. This is already going to be one of my most favorite books of the year, so much so I must swiftly get a hard copy to hold in my hands.

Review on Instagram under @ivy.haunts will be forthcoming.

Juniper & Thorn is just spectacular. Brimming with unsettling magic, monsters, and intrigue, I couldn’t put this down and read it in one sitting. I think Ava Reid is absolutely one of the most talented authors out there. This is a fantasy/horror retelling of The Juniper Tree, and it’s set in the same world as The Wolf and the Woodsman, which I also read and loved. I honestly don’t have words to describe how I felt reading this book. Good books can make you feel like you’re watching events unfold like a movie, but Reid’s writing has the really unique effect of making me feel like I’m actually within the story as it’s taking place. I’ve rarely felt more immersed in a book.
This is my second read of 2022 and I already know it’s going to be my favorite of the year (coincidentally, The Wolf and the Woodsman was also my second read of 2021 and my favorite read of the year). 5/5 stars; I would give it more if I could!