As someone who fell in love with This is How You Lose the Time War, I have been eagerly awaiting for Amal El-Mohtar’s next solo title and it did not disappoint. A beautiful, lyrical fairy tale, The River has Roots is a gorgeous and delightful read (did I cry? Yes.).

The River has Roots has the feel of a classic English or Grimm fairy tale, with the worlds of fae and humans colliding. She packs so much wonderful worldbuilding, emotion, and nostalgia into its short page count. The writing is beautiful and immersive – it evokes sitting outside under a tree on a warm summers day – and the ballad-like storytelling draws you into the magic of the story.

Stories featuring sisters will always be a soft spot for me, and the sibling relationship in The River has Roots is wonderful. Ester and Ysabel’s deep love for each other is the highlight of this book. It was immediately obvious that Mohtar has a sister – she nails the sibling dynamic perfectly. I absolutely loved the way these two interact with each other, how their love for each other pushes the story onward, and how far they’ll go to protect each other.

You’ll love The River has Roots if you’re a fan of portal fantasy, fairy tales, and damn good writing. I don’t know what the finished eBook looks like, but I’d definitely recommend picking up the physical copy. There’s beautiful artwork throughout the book!