A review by thecosymoose
Greenteeth by Molly O'Neill

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious sad
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Jenny Greenteeth: English myth, legend, and cautionary tale. You may know her from being walloped with a frying pan by Terry Pratchett’s Tiffany Aching, or blamed for the harassment of villagers in Clare Chase’s second Antiques Store Detective novel. She’s a lake dwelling creature of folklore, said to grab children who stray too close to the water’s edge. 
In Molly O’Neill’s novel, we get to hear from Jenny herself. She’s minding her own business in her lake, tending to it with care, keeping it clean and tidy, when a mob of villagers thrown in a manacled woman to drown. Temperance Crump is from a line of Cunning Ladies, with the knowledge of herbs and witchy powers used to the advantage of the village, but a new parson in the village turns the people against Temperance, condemning her to a watery death. 
Picking up the drowning woman in the water, Jenny is drawn to her and… saves her. 
The two form a tentative bond, each learning about the other. Investigating the Parson, and the villagers sudden turn against witchcraft, Jenny is shocked to find that a more powerful force has taken up residence in the village, one that she alone can not banish, and it may even begin to threaten her water. 
A Hag, A Witch and a Goblin walk into a Fae Court…
Teaming up with a hobgoblin travelling salesmen, Jenny and Temperance head off to see the current king and queen of the high fae for assistance in banishing the evil, and are sent on three quests to retrieve key items for the battle ahead. 
The quests see the new found family travel through England to Wales and Scotland, weaving in folklore tales from each country, bringing to life the myths and legends, testing our three characters and forcing them to look at who they really are, and challenging the friendship. 
The novel feels like a new fairytale, a cosy fantasy based on folklore. Full of warmth, humour and heart, I completely lost myself to this book.
I loved the voice that the author gave to Jenny. She’s not good, she’s not evil, she’s just a Jenny Greenteeth, and her true power lies in knowing exactly who she is. A story of found family and friendship, and remaining true to what is important. 
Catrin Walker-Booth was the perfect narrator for the audiobook, conveying the personalities of all the characters beautifully, and it was a joy to listen to. 
Many thanks to the author, NetGalley and Little, Brown Audio for the advance copy of the audiobook for review.