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4.25 AVERAGE
4.25 AVERAGE
relaxing
medium-paced
“The river has roots” was a simple but exquisitely written novel about the love of two sisters, love so deep it and powerful it can cross worlds, time and even…. Well, that’s a secret you need to find out for yourself.
The world building is great (in both meanings of this word) but full of unknowns and things left unsaid but that’s the thing about great tales. Sometimes we don’t need to know everything. Sometimes the magic lays within the words unspoken.
I listened to this book in audiobook and I highly recommend you do it too, as the music plays a big role in this novel and the audiobook is brilliantly made with the songs actually sang.
To conclude, listening to “The river has roots” was like listening to one of the grandma’s tales as a child. I enjoyed every second of it and every beautifully sang melody. Amal El-Mohtar writes in a way that moves your heart and soul and turns even simple stories into grand tales from another time and space. It doesn’t just grip you, it entangles you and gives you a whole experience. It’s not just a book. It’s magic.
The world building is great (in both meanings of this word) but full of unknowns and things left unsaid but that’s the thing about great tales. Sometimes we don’t need to know everything. Sometimes the magic lays within the words unspoken.
I listened to this book in audiobook and I highly recommend you do it too, as the music plays a big role in this novel and the audiobook is brilliantly made with the songs actually sang.
To conclude, listening to “The river has roots” was like listening to one of the grandma’s tales as a child. I enjoyed every second of it and every beautifully sang melody. Amal El-Mohtar writes in a way that moves your heart and soul and turns even simple stories into grand tales from another time and space. It doesn’t just grip you, it entangles you and gives you a whole experience. It’s not just a book. It’s magic.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If you are a fan of Studio Ghibli, fairtales, and folklore this is such a great read. This story is full of imagery and elegant story telling. I recommend so deeply!
adventurous
dark
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
How the hell do you think of magic systems like this???
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The world-building was top-notch. I appreciated how Amal subtly gave this fantasy world a vibrant texture with unique turns of phrase. The author managed to bring the fantasy world to life without clunky exposition. In fantasy, introducing the lore can sometimes bog down the story, but not here. It felt light and natural. The magic in this world is described as grammar, which is an interesting concept. It makes me curious to see if there are clever Easter eggs in the written book. However, I listened to the audiobook, which was its own reward. Song is central to the plot. Song and other audio cues were woven in, making for a very satisfying aural experience. After listening to this book, I would seek out Gem Carmella's other work. At the end of the audiobook, there was a preview of Amal El-Mohtar book of short stories, which was just as fascinating and unique in its fantasy world as The River Has Roots. I will certainly read whatever I can get my hands on from Amal in the future.
I wouldn't call this YA, but I could see this being a fun read for teen readers, too. The sister dynamic in the book would make it a really sweet read for two sisters to tackle together. Growing up, I read to my siblings a lot and would have loved to read this to my youngest sibling.
I wouldn't call this YA, but I could see this being a fun read for teen readers, too. The sister dynamic in the book would make it a really sweet read for two sisters to tackle together. Growing up, I read to my siblings a lot and would have loved to read this to my youngest sibling.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No