Follow the river Liss to the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, and meet two sisters who cannot be separated, even in death.
“Oh what is stronger than a death? Two sisters singing with one breath.”
In the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, dwells the mysterious Hawthorn family.
There, they tend and harvest the enchanted willows and honour an ancient compact to sing to them in thanks for their magic. None more devotedly than the family’s latest daughters, Esther and Ysabel, who cherish each other as much as they cherish the ancient trees.
But when Esther rejects a forceful suitor in favor of a lover from the land of Faerie, not only the sisters’ bond but also their lives will be at risk…
I will read anything Amal El-Mohtar writes. So excited for this solo debut!
~~~ updated after reading ~~~
El-Mohtar has blown me away once again with this absolutely incredible solo debut. Esther and Ysabel have lived all their lives tending to their family’s land in Thistleford, but Esther often thinks of the magical land of Arcadia that they were lost in once as children. She may have a chance to go back there when she meets one of its’ residents, Rin, a non-binary being that is drawn in by Esther’s song.
It is amazing how much heart Amal El-Mohtar can write into such short stories, but despite the length of this book I was completely invested in these characters and their lives. This is a brief and beautiful story about selfless love between family and loved ones.
Thank you to the publisher for providing this advanced readers copy.