The River Has Roots

The Hawthorn family has tended the magical willows on their land for generations, providing songs of thanks in exchange for the trees’ power. The residents of the town of Thistleford, sitting near the edge of Faerie, know that sisters Esther and Ysabel Hawthorn continue to provide according to the ancient agreement, and the two sisters are as much tied to each other as they are to their enchanted trees. However, love and life can still bring the possibility of taking one, or both, away from each other. When Esther rejects a suitor in favor of her lover from Faerie, the devastating results may not only separate the sisters but end their lives as well. El-Mohtar’s poetic prose brings the magic of language and song to life, with a river that is filled with grammar and two women who use songs to show the world their truths.