Juniper and Thorn by Ava Reid

(Del Rey, 2022)

Reviewed by Ksenia Shcherbino

Ava Reid’s Juniper and Thorn is a dark and complex story about identity, silencing and betrayal, and forgiveness. Its fairy-tale setting is as delightful as it is misleading—there is nothing magical about abuse and trauma, and the wondrous and baroque details hide all too common violence and power struggles within a dysfunctional family.

Marlinchen is the youngest daughter of Zmij Vasilchenko, the last wizard of Oblya, an ancient land swallowed by the cosmopolitan and capitalist empire of Rodinya. The eldest daughter, Undine, is beautiful and can see the future, the middle daughter, Rosenrot, is wise and skilled in herbs. As it often is the case with the third child, Marlinchen is plain-faced and simple-hearted, and her gift to read people’s feelings by touching their skin is closer to a curse. Her father seems to love her most, but his love is a curse, too, as there’s neither warmth nor kindness in it.

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Review from BSFA Review 22 - Download your copy here.