{"id":2250,"date":"2025-03-11T13:19:46","date_gmt":"2025-03-11T13:19:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/?p=2250"},"modified":"2025-03-11T13:19:46","modified_gmt":"2025-03-11T13:19:46","slug":"the-river-has-roots-by-amal-el-mohtar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/?p=2250","title":{"rendered":"The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar"},"content":{"rendered":"

In \u201cThe River Has Roots,\u201d Amal El-Mohtar crafts a mesmerizing tale where enchantment isn\u2019t merely an abstract concept but a tangible force that flows through the world like water through a riverbed. This slim novella\u2014just under 100 pages\u2014delivers an impact disproportionate to its size, weaving together folklore, sisterhood, love<\/a>, and betrayal into a tapestry as intricate as the willows that line the banks of the River Liss.<\/p>\n

El-Mohtar, who previously co-authored the critically acclaimed epistolary novella \u201cThis Is How You Lose the Time War\u201d with Max Gladstone, demonstrates her singular voice in this solo venture. Her prose sings with the same poetic sensibility that made her previous work so distinctive, but here she applies that lyrical quality to a narrative deeply rooted in folk ballads and fairy tales.<\/p>\n

A Story Within Stories<\/h2>\n

Set in the small town of Thistleford on the border of our world and Faerie (or Arcadia, as it\u2019s sometimes called), \u201cThe River Has Roots\u201d follows sisters Esther and Ysabel Hawthorn. The Hawthorn family has long tended the enchanted willows that line the River Liss, singing to them in an ancient tradition that honors the trees\u2019 ability to translate the wild grammar of Arcadia into forms more accessible to the mortal world.<\/p>\n

The sisters share an uncommonly close bond, their voices intertwining in perfect harmony. As the narrative unfolds, we learn that Esther is torn between two potential suitors: the pompous, calculating Samuel Pollard, who covets her family\u2019s land, and the mysterious Arcadian known only as Rin, whose otherworldly nature both fascinates and challenges her.<\/p>\n

When Esther chooses Rin, Pollard\u2019s jealousy takes a deadly turn, leading to her murder. But in this world where grammar is magic and transformation is possible, death isn\u2019t necessarily the end. Through Rin\u2019s intervention, Esther is transformed into a magical harp that can still speak and sing, allowing her to return to her sister and reveal her murderer.<\/p>\n

Strengths That Sing<\/h2>\n

El-Mohtar\u2019s greatest strength lies in her prose, which manages to be both poetic and accessible. Consider this passage about the sisters\u2019 voices:<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen people say that voices run in families, they mean it as inheritance\u2014that something special has been passed down the generations, like the slope of a nose or the set of a jaw. But Esther and Ysabel Hawthorn had voices that ran together like raindrops on a windowpane. Their voices threaded through each other like the warp and weft of fine cloth, and when the sisters harmonized, the air shimmered with it.\u201d<\/em><\/h4>\n

The novella\u2019s engagement with folk traditions is equally impressive. El-Mohtar draws from ballad traditions, particularly those featuring murdered siblings and magical instruments made from their bodies. Yet she transforms these familiar elements into something fresh and affecting, infusing them with her own perspective on love, belonging, and sisterhood.<\/p>\n

The world-building is fascinating despite the novella\u2019s brevity. The concept of \u201cgrammar\u201d as a magical force that can be harvested, refined, and utilized creates a unique magical system that feels both ancient and innovative. The River Liss itself becomes a character, carrying transformation in its waters and connecting the mundane world with the otherworldly realm of Arcadia.<\/p>\n

Areas of Dissonance<\/h2>\n

Despite its many strengths, \u201cThe River Has Roots\u201d occasionally struggles with pacing. The first half of the novella unfolds at a leisurely pace, establishing the sisters\u2019 relationship and Esther\u2019s romantic entanglements. The second half, however, rushes through major events and transformations that might have benefited from more space to breathe.<\/p>\n

Some readers may find the antagonist, Samuel Pollard, somewhat one-dimensional. While his jealousy and entitlement are well-established, his character lacks the complexity and nuance given to other figures in the narrative. His villainy sometimes feels too straightforward in a story that otherwise delights in ambiguity and layers.<\/p>\n

Additionally, while the novella\u2019s ending is emotionally satisfying, it leaves some questions unanswered. This may be intentional\u2014a reflection of the story\u2019s fairytale quality\u2014but readers seeking complete closure might find themselves wanting more.<\/p>\n

The Music of Language<\/h2>\n

What truly distinguishes \u201cThe River Has Roots\u201d is El-Mohtar\u2019s attention to language. The novella is filled with riddle songs, folk ballads, and linguistic play that doesn\u2019t merely decorate the narrative but forms its very foundation:<\/p>\n

Riddles and Transformations<\/strong>: The riddle songs become metaphors for transformation and understanding.
\nNaming and Power<\/strong>: The power of names and the danger of speaking them echoes throughout the text.
\nTranslation and Interpretation<\/strong>: The willows\u2019 ability to translate wild grammar mirrors the human struggle to understand and interpret the world.
\nVoice as Identity<\/strong>: Singing becomes an act of self-definition for the sisters.<\/p>\n

These elements combine to create a meditation on language itself\u2014how it shapes our understanding<\/a>, connects us to others, and can be both a tool for manipulation and an instrument of truth.<\/p>\n

Themes That Resonate<\/h2>\n

Beyond its magical elements, \u201cThe River Has Roots\u201d explores several profound themes:<\/p>\n

Sisterhood<\/strong>: The bond between Esther and Ysabel forms the emotional core of the narrative, with their connection transcending even death.
\nManipulation and Control<\/strong>: Pollard\u2019s attempts to isolate and control Esther speak to real-world dynamics of emotional manipulation.
\nBelonging and Home<\/strong>: Characters repeatedly face choices between different worlds and different kinds of belonging.
\nVoice and Agency<\/strong>: The ability to speak one\u2019s truth becomes literally magical in this context.<\/p>\n

The River in Context<\/h2>\n

\u201cThe River Has Roots\u201d stands as a worthy successor to El-Mohtar\u2019s previous work while establishing her distinctive voice in solo fiction. Readers who enjoyed \u201cThis Is How You Lose the Time War\u201d will recognize her poetic sensibility, though this novella has a more folkloristic quality compared to the science fiction elements<\/a> of her co-authored work.<\/p>\n

The novella feels connected to a rich tradition of fairy tale retellings and folkloric fantasy, sharing DNA with works like Naomi Novik\u2019s \u201cUprooted,\u201d Seanan McGuire\u2019s \u201cWayward Children\u201d series, and Katherine Arden\u2019s \u201cWinternight Trilogy.\u201d Yet El-Mohtar\u2019s voice remains uniquely her own, particularly in how she weaves poetry and song throughout her narrative.<\/p>\n

Final Notes<\/h2>\n

The novella concludes with a bonus short story, \u201cJohn Hollowback and the Witch,\u201d which further showcases El-Mohtar\u2019s talent for reinterpreting folkloric elements. While thematically distinct from the main novella, it demonstrates her consistent interest in transformation, truth, and the power of stories.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe River Has Roots\u201d is a slender volume that contains multitudes. Like the willows that feature so prominently in its pages, it transmutes wild concepts into accessible forms without losing their essential magic. It\u2019s a story that lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned, like the echo of a song whose words you can\u2019t quite remember but whose melody haunts you nonetheless.<\/p>\n

Verdict<\/h2>\n

El-Mohtar proves she\u2019s a singular voice in fantasy with this lush, poetic novella about sisterhood, sacrifice, and the transformative power of voice. Despite some minor issues with pacing and characterization, \u201cThe River Has Roots\u201d stands as a remarkable achievement that blends ancient ballad traditions with original world-building. Recommended for readers who appreciate lyrical prose, folkloric elements, and stories that prioritize emotional truth over literal explanation.<\/p>\n

For a novella concerned with the power of voice, \u201cThe River Has Roots\u201d speaks with uncommon clarity and beauty about the things that can never truly be translated: love, loss, and the bonds that transcend even death.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In \u201cThe River Has Roots,\u201d Amal El-Mohtar crafts a mesmerizing tale where enchantment isn\u2019t merely an abstract concept but a tangible force that flows through the world like water through a riverbed. This slim novella\u2014just under 100 pages\u2014delivers an impact disproportionate to its size, weaving together folklore, sisterhood, love, and betrayal into a tapestry as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2250","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bookreviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2250"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2250"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2250\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2250"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2250"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2250"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}