Captivating and boldly imaginative, with a tale of sisterhood at its heart, Rena Rossner's debut fantasy invites you to enter a world filled with magic, folklore, and the dangers of the woods.*Publishers Weekly: Best Book of 2018: SF/Fantasy/Horror*BookPage: Best Book of 2018: Science Fiction & Fantasy"With luscious and hypnotic prose, Rena Rossner tells a gripping, powerful story of family, sisterhood, and two young women trying to find their way in the world." — Madeline Miller, bestselling author of CirceIn a remote village surrounded by vast forests on the border of Moldova and Ukraine, sisters Liba and Laya have been raised on the honeyed scent of their Mami's babka and the low rumble of their Tati's prayers. But when a troupe of mysterious men arrives, Laya falls under their spell despite their mother's warning to be wary of strangers. And this is not the only danger lurking in the woods.As dark forces close in on their village, Liba and Laya discover a family secret passed down through generations. Faced with a magical heritage they never knew existed, the sisters realize the old fairy tales are true. . .and could save them all.Discover a magical tale of secrets, heritage, and fairy tales weaving through history that will enchant readers of The Bear and the Nightingale, Uprooted and The Golem and the Jinni.Praise for The Sisters of the Winter Wood:"Intricately crafted, gorgeously rendered. . .full of heart, history, and enchantment." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)"A richly detailed story of Jewish identity and sisterhood. . . Ambitious and surprising." —KirkusFor more from Rena Rossner, check out The Light of the Midnight Stars.
Rena Rossner lives in Israel, where she works as a literary agent. All eight of her great grandparents immigrated to America to escape the pogroms, from towns like Dubossary and Kupel. It is their story, together with her love of Jewish mythology and fantasy, which inspired her to write her debut novel, The Sisters of the Winter Wood.
There are plenty of great long-running series in the science fiction and fantasy section, but it can be tough to walk in on the middle of a story. With that in mind, here are some great, recent SFF novels—each is either a completely standalone read, the very beginning of a series, or a story that […]
While I enjoy fairy tales set in the vagueness of the long ago and faraway, I truly love when they are situated in a specific place and time. The fairy story—the folk tale—exists outside of history in a way; it imparts morals that seek to be beyond a place and time. When that esoteric message […]
For two decades, Jim Killen has served as the science fiction and fantasy book buyer for Barnes & Noble. Every month on Tor.com and the B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog, Jim shares his curated list of the month’s best science fiction & fantasy books. What’s your top new SFF book in September?
The woods are full of mystery in The Sisters of the Winter Wood, an enchanting tale of family loyalty and secrets. Drawing on elements of Jewish and Russian myth, along with Christina Rossetti’s poem, “Goblin Market,” Rena Rossner’s debut novel makes for an intoxicating brew. Sisters Liba and Laya couldn’t be more different—and each will discover […]