tandewrites 's review for:

The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar

3.0

fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The writing is dreamy and ethereal, and I was immersed in every page, despite my grip on the story being a thread at best. There are some beautiful descriptions of people and places, and I am usually someone who can get behind a book that prioritises Vibes over plot. However, this has been mentioned in other reviewers’ thoughts, but I agree that the story is too ambitious for the length, and despite being mentioned multiple times, the magic system feels under-explained. The pacing drags at the start and then rushes from climax to conclusion in a handful of pages, so exposing and dealing with the villain is incredibly underwhelming.

Overall, it’s a heartfelt story about sisters which managed to capture a lot of emotion in a small amount of time, and I would love to read a full-length novel in this world focusing on some of the side characters.

(and yes, i did cancel my preorder)