Set in a fictionalized nineteenth-century Odessa, this gothic fairy tale follows Marlinchen, the youngest of three sisters who live under the suffocating control of their father, a wizard named Zmey. While the city modernizes with industry and railways, Zmey clings to ancient, gruesome magic, feeding off his daughters’ vitality to maintain his power. Marlinchen sneaks out to a local theater where she meets Sevalin, a ballet dancer. Her quest for autonomy triggers a series of grotesque events fueled by cannibalism, curses, and the brutal legacies of generational trauma.
This book serves readers of dark fantasy and folklore who prefer visceral, unflinching imagery over traditional whimsy. It appeals to those interested in the darker origins of Brother Grimm tales and the tension between Slavic tradition and industrial progress. The reader gains a stark depiction of how victims of domestic abuse navigate internal guilt while attempting to dismantle the structures that harm them. It leaves the audience with a heavy, atmospheric portrait of survival achieved through systemic destruction rather than simple escape.
Insights from Juniper & Thorn
“We are the daughters of a monster. We are the fruit of a poisoned tree.”
Marlinchen and her sisters are so hungry for life it hurts. They eat things they shouldn't just to feel something outside that house.
“The world is becoming a machine. It has no room for us.”
The city of Obayda is changing so fast. Magic is rotting away because nobody has time for old stories anymore.
The ballet scenes felt so visceral. It turns art into another way to hurt the body for an audience.
“Everything beautiful is fed by something dead.”
The gore in this story feels very honest. Fairytales used to be bloody before we cleaned them up for children.
- Published
- 2022
- Publisher
- Harper Voyager
- ISBN
- 9780062973160
- Language
- EN
