Genre Fiction
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Juniper & Thorn: A Novel
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.
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.
Editorial Reviews
"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 bes...
"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 bes...
Readers Top Reviews
LouiseLouiseKylee
I don’t even know how to find words that feel like enough to express how absolutely, deeply this story has my heart. It was far and away, without question my favorite read in YEARS. Swept away into what feels like a dark, mysterious fairytale full of poetic melancholy, I didn’t want it to ever end and kept stalling reading the last 10% of the book because the thought of it being over was just unacceptable. It is both heartbreakingly sad yet also somehow feels impossibly like home. One of those stories that seems to be simultaneously seeping into and out of my heart, my bones, my soul…speaking to my inner despair, calling to all the dark shadowed parts of myself in a way that made me feel seen and less alone in the world. I read and enjoy many different genres and types of stories but in the end what I want from a book is to feel *something*…and this story absolutely made me FEEL, all the way to the very core essence of my being. It’s a stunning work of art and an absolute must-read for anyone who likes dark, gothic horror, I cannot recommend it enough! I received a copy of this book from the publisher. Opinions and review are my own and provided voluntarily.
CassieLouiseLouis
Woah. What a book. I am not new to the horror genre whatsoever and I love gory guts but this story is intense. It feels slimy and dark while you're reading and sits like a rock in your chest. But you cannot look away! I felt hypnotized to finish it, the story was fascinating, the world was rich, and the pain the characters feel so real. I overall enjoyed this book but feel slightly traumatized from it. Make sure you fully know what you are getting into before picking this up but if you do...prepare yourself!
Meloney C HanksCa
I adored this book and struggled to put it down to attend to my daily life. The pacing is a sprint all the way through, the world Ava Reid spins tumbling around you as you race to keep up. A wonderfully different story with all the taste of old fairytales, with the bitter sweetness of real life and loss mixed in. A new favorite, I’ll have to order a physical copy so I can read it again and again and share with friends.
angela cummingsMe
Hello horror lovers—I assume most people know about this book. What I heard about it? Cannibalism. I thought cool love that. I did not realize the TW’s until I mentioned it to a friend and I googled them because it did NOT include them in the book before the story started (I did double check). TW’s for SA, pedophilia, murder, death, xenophobia, self harm, suicidal ideation, antisemitism, medical trauma, bulimia, and honestly a lot more I highly suggest looking on StoryGraph for a good list. I also saw many people complain about over-sexualization and I personally didn’t feel it was overdone but be aware going in. I really enjoyed Sevas, I think he was wonderful and I wish I got more of his perspective! Marlinchen was so tragic 🥺 little noodle. 🫐🐐🩰 ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏꜱ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ: ɪᴛ ʜᴀᴅ ᴜɢʟʏ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀꜱɪᴅᴇꜱ. ᴡᴀɴᴛɪɴɢ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴛʀᴀᴘ 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘆 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆: 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵, 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. “𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚍𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚊 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚢,” 𝚂𝚎𝚟𝚊𝚜 𝚜𝚊𝚒𝚍. “𝙲𝚛𝚞𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚢, 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙳𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚘𝚗-𝚃𝚜𝚊𝚛. 𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚢, 𝚒𝚗 𝙳𝚎𝚛𝚔𝚊𝚌𝚑’𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚍. 𝙸𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚊𝚖 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚝𝚑, 𝚊 𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝚞𝚙 𝚘𝚏 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚜, 𝚠𝚑𝚢 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝙸 𝚏𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚜𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚊 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚗𝚘𝚠? 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚗𝚘 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚏𝚎𝚌𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚠𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝚖𝚢 𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚊𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚊𝚝 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚊 𝚓𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚕.”
Sarahpantsangela
"Juniper and Thorn" by Ava Reid is a beautifully written fantasy novel that explores themes of power, love, and sacrifice. The story follows two main characters, Juniper and Reid, who are brought together by fate to fulfill a prophesy that will determine the future of their world. The world-building is rich and immersive, with vivid descriptions of magical creatures, landscapes, and cultures. The characters are complex and well-developed, each with their own motivations and struggles. The romance between Juniper and Reid is a slow burn, and the tension between them adds to the overall sense of danger and urgency in the story. The plot is well-paced, with plenty of action and intrigue to keep the reader engaged. The themes of sacrifice and the true cost of power are explored in a thought-provoking way that will stay with readers long after they've finished the book. Overall, "Juniper and Thorn" is a must-read for fans of epic fantasy. Ava Reid's writing is both lyrical and captivating, and her characters will capture your heart from the very first page.
