Juniper & Thorn is one of those books that buries itself beneath your skin and refuses to move. It has captured my mind entirely.
The Wolf and the Woodsman enraptured me last year, with its gorgeously written, rich and dark adult fantasy that expertly wove elements of Jewish mythology and Hungarian history. Juniper & Thorn goes darker and deeper in a way that entranced me even more. Reid has proven themselves as a stunning spell-weaver and I know I will need their next creation in my hands imminently.
From the list of trigger warnings, you know this is a dark and heavy book but it is one that I will hold dear to my heart. Juniper & Thorn takes every last drop of tainted blood from the original fairy tales and weaves it into something entirely new, surprising and entrancing. Reid does not hesitate to really delve into the brutal reality of these topics. It is a difficult read at times, but it is one that challenges you and your assumptions around victimhood. This is a grotesque, stomach-churning book that constantly reminds you of the horror waiting to sink its teeth into you.
This is a horror through and through. There are plenty of moments that really shocked me to my core and reminded me of classic horror scares. I love the historical tradition of writers using horror to explore taboo topics and societal anxieties of the period. Reid pays homage to this in the best way, weaving gore with scenes laced with such emotional fragility and complexity that truly moved me. Yet again, Reid’s strong invocation of grey morality infused the story with a philosophical mediation on the nature of evil and a nature-nurture debate. The rippling effects of trauma and abuse are keenly felt. They are often heart-wrenching and close to the bone. Reid is unflinching in this depiction, showing every last manipulation tactic and internalisation of messages from abusers. The behaviour shown is abhorrent and adds a very human layer to the fantastical horror, reminding us of the monsters living amongst us now. This is not a far-off fantasy, this is lived experience and ongoing actions in our society.
Reid stunned me into complete silence with this gory, gruesome and nuanced depiction of trauma wrapped inside a pitch-black fairytale. The writing was so gorgeously evocative and enrapturing, full of circling, labyrinthine details and tiny flourishes. It was full of darkness and despair, with a hidden monstrosity behind every line. This is razor-sharp, cut-throat writing that is relentless, yet you cannot tear yourself away. Reid casts their siren song over you and you are forever lost in this intricate, elaborate world.
I really liked the way they wove in snippets of lore and fairytales as complimentary notes to the main narrative. It added in that intertextual element, paying homage to the original spirit of the Grimms, while also indicating how this is something distinctive and unique. You have the mystic wonder and beauty of the romanticised nostalgia we associate with fairy tales, but Reid deconstructs this to reveal how they enforce societal expectations of the time. Any behaviour outside of this norm is deemed as a monstrous mistake, a harbinger of doom and destruction. Reid demolishes this. Their complex take on morality, particularly in an environment of death or survival, complicates this. Nothing is easy or without consequence. This is a book that mires in that murky space between good and evil, while also reminding you of the true evil lurking in plain sight. Abuse and trauma is explicitly depicted, showing the dark heart of many folk and fairy tales.
Juniper & Thorn is a book that grabs you by the throat and refuses to let you go, digging in its blood-encrusted nails. Reid weaves the malevolent essence of the original tales with a heartfelt, emotionally raw and vulnerable depiction of trauma to craft something unforgettable.
Juniper & Thorn is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of June 21st 2022.
Will you be picking up Juniper & Thorn? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
The last magic practitioners in their small town, and living in house filled with monsters, Marlinchen and her family are both loved and reviled by the townsfolk they work to cure. Their father, cursed to never be satisfied, keeps a tight grip on his daughters; their freedoms, virtues and powers under his control.
But when, chafing at his restrictions, the sisters sneak out to attend the theatre and they hear of two men found dead, rumoured to have been brutally ripped apart, Marlinchen is soon drawn into a situation she never could have dreamed, and that will reveal secrets she’ll wish she never discovered.
After all, can you ever be truly free from the monster that lives inside yourself?
I’m going to have to check out juniper & thorn. This is actually the first time I’m hearing about it.