The River Has Roots

De: Amal El-Mohtar

Narrado por: Gem Carmella

The River Has Roots is the hugely anticipated solo debut of the New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award winning author Amal El-Mohtar. 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.

This program features music performed by the author and her sister, Dounya El-Mohtar with Amal and Dounya on harp, flute, and vocals; and songs sung by the narrator, Gem Carmella. It also includes the short story "John Hollowback and the Witch," from the author's upcoming collection.

"Half delicious murder ballad, half beguiling love story."—Holly Black • "An absolute must-read."—T. Kingfisher • "Every sentence sings!"—Sarah Beth Durst • "Utterly enchanting."—Fonda Lee • "A story that outlasts itself."—Alix E. Harrow • "Truly exquisite."—Zoraida Córdova • "A beautiful, musical, and loving story."—Emma Törzs

“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…

“Musical effects combine with Carmella’s singing at key moments…A stunning performance.”—AudioFile (Earphones Award Winner)

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor.com.

©2025 Amal El-Mohtar (P)2025 Macmillan Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Half delicious murder ballad, half beguiling love story, Amal El-Mohtar transports us to Faerieland so seamlessly it seems as though she just stepped out of it."—Holly Black, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"El-Mohtar’s solo debut (after cowriting This Is How You Lose the Time War with Max Gladstone) is a heart-wrenching fairy tale about the bonds of love and family. It’s a murder ballad in book form that will linger long after the final page is turned."—Library Journal, starred review

"El-Mohtar’s ethereal prose paints a clear picture of the unbreakable bond between her worthy heroines."—Publisher's Weekly

Definitely preferred the audiobook more than the traditional reading experience

It's a simple yet palpable, whimsical story. Fairytale like, too. but what I really want to focus on in this review is how much better this was to listen to than it was to read. the musical element made the story come alive more than simply reading could.

Fantastic production!

Great narration, music, background noises. Overall one of the best audiobooks ever, congrats to the narrator!

truly beautiful

the persistent play on words and their meanings and the way the story was woven together with song is amazing

Absolutely gorgeous writing and audiobook support

The songs being sung, the sounds of the rivers, the magical quality of the storytelling made this the most beautiful novella.

The audiobook is beautiful.

I’m not a huge music person but I loooooved the music that accompanies this story. It’s cute and short and I feel like everyone should listen to it.

Beautifully sweet and sad

An absorbing fairy tale with lovely music and sounds effects that really highlighted the story. Short but impactful.

Narration worthy of a gorgeous story

This is one that definitely needs to be enjoyed on audio. The words, the background music, the song, the melodious voice of the narrator all complement each other in a gorgeous production. This was an unexpected treasure.

The speculative concepts and the world building

Really loved this. Fantastic concept, moving story and execution, and gorgeous production and narrative performance. Highly recommended.

Gorgeous story, beautifully narrated.

This book was magical from start to finish. The stories were gorgeously written and the narration was the perfect match to the words. Amal El-Mohter is a new find for me, and she is a revelation. Both the River has Roots and John Hollowback embody all the timeless, best magic of fairytale and effortlessly blend into that genre. El-Mohter’s shift in perspective is organic and authentic, and imbues great power into her creation. I haven’t been this excited to find a new writer in a while, and I look forward to diving deep into her work

Creative brilliant word play

Original visceral bewilderment playing with the readers intellect. Engaging & unpredictable, beautifully read and sung. A real gem!