Juniper & Thorn: A Novel

by Ava Reid

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062973160
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	06/21/2022
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	233
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Ava Reid was born in Manhattan and raised right across the Hudson River in Hoboken, but currently lives in Palo Alto. She has a degree in political science from Barnard College, focusing on religion and ethnonationalism. 

Editorial Reviews

★ 03/28/2022

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. (May)

Publishers Weekly

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

"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)

"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." (starred review)  — BookPage

"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

"A gothic masterpiece. Reid weaves threads of unsettling horror and abuse with astonishing empathy."
— Kat Dunn, author of Dangerous Remedy

“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 sisters who are trapped by the magic of their wizard father. Thrumming with feminist power, and riveting in its worldbuilding, Juniper & Thorn is an unforgettable tale.”
— Ausma Zehanat Khan, author of The Bladebone

From the Publisher

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

Ava Reid’s spellbinding prose will draw you deep into this dark fantasy about three gifted sisters who are trapped by the magic of their wizard father. Thrumming with feminist power, and riveting in its worldbuilding, Juniper & Thorn is an unforgettable tale.”

Ausma Zehanat Khan

"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

"A gothic masterpiece. Reid weaves threads of unsettling horror and abuse with astonishing empathy."

Kat Dunn

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

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

"THE WOLF AND THE WOODSMAN is a book that made me remember how beautiful and gut wrenching historical fantasy can be. It’s a fundamentally Jewish tale, one that gripped me from beginning to end. A riveting debut that will keep you up all night, desperately chasing the heart-pounding conclusion.” 

Victoria Lee

With a setting rich in detail and folklore, a fascinating look at the complex morality of religious disagreements, and an enemies-to-lovers romance between strong characters, this is an excellent debut.” 

Booklist on The Wolf and the Woodsman 

"Gorgeously written and grimly real, The Wolf and the Woodsman is both a myth and a mirror, a bloody fable about two people caught in the jaws of history. It quite literally took my breath away. It has the unsettling-but-compelling gore of Henderson's The Year of the Witching, the folkloric lilt of The Bear and the Nightingale, and the moral complexity of Seeing Like a State. I’m obsessed.” 

Alix E Harrow

Évike may be the only one in her village without ‘powers,’ but that doesn’t stop her from being an in-your-face heroine who stands up for the things she believes in and never backs down. Reid has crafted a story that is not only relevant for our times, but has timelessness about it that truly makes it shine. The Wolf and the Woodsman is not a book I will soon forget.” 

Genevieve Gornichec

A thought-provoking, thrilling magical twist on the history of religion and politics that I couldn’t put down. In her stunningly rendered—and frankly terrifying—forbidden forests, Reid conjures up some of the ghastliest monsters I’ve ever read, and yet never lets us forget the worst horrors are perpetuated by human hands.” 

S. A. Chakraborty on The Wolf and the Woodsman 

"THE WOLF AND THE WOODSMAN, beautifully written and expertly told, is a darkly magical tale from beginning to end. I was equal parts terrified and delighted, somehow swept away and grounded in a world as beautiful as it is deadly.

Isabel Ibañez

Combining religion, magic, and evocative language, Ava Reid has created a daring fantasy world full of imagination and fierce heroics.” 

Luanne G. Smith

01/01/2022

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.

Library Journal