THE RIVER HAS TEETH BY ERICA WATERS
26/7/2021
To celebrate the launch of Erica Waters' The River Has Teeth, which is published on 27th July by HarperTeen we have a special double review of The River has Teeth and Erica's debut novel Ghost Wood Song from Tony Jones. ERICA WATERS – THE RIVER HAS TEETHWe often hear about the second ‘difficult’ album or novel in which the creative juices which fed the debut struggle to flow, however the second release from Erica Waters completely blows this old wife’s tale from the water. The River Has Teeth is a superb second novel and considering that Ghost Wood Song (2020) was a highly accomplished debut, this is an author to watch very closely and if she continues writing dark/horror YA fiction is destined to become a major new voice in the genre. Although the plots of her two novels are completely different, they have some similarities when it comes to themes, music (bluegrass to be precise) dominated Erica’s debut and although it does not do so in her second novel, it does play a role of some significance. Also, both novels feature bi-sexual female teenage characters who financially struggle and might be described as coming from the wrong side of the tracks. Erica convincingly gives these marginalised teens a voice. If you read and enjoyed Ghost Wood Song, you will absolutely adore The River Has Teeth. It hums with its own type of magic, which is so vibrant, believable, and beautifully described you will probably end up totally emersed in it. The action takes place in a small town in Tennessee where teenage girls have been disappearing and seventeen-year-old Della believes her mother to be the culprit. Della’s families are what we would probably term ‘hillbillies’ and live in a ramshackle house outside of town and make ends meet by selling remedies and potions to superstitious locals. Della is the youngest of a long family line of witches whose magic is connected to the area of land where they live and cultivate for the potions they create and make a living from. However, Della believes the magic has gone bad and this has turned her mother into a creature when night comes (don’t worry it’s not a vampire or werewolf) and as the police and others come snooping what can the teenager do to protect her dangerous mother? The story is told via a split first-person narrative, between Della and Natasha, whose sister is one of the disappeared girls. Natasha comes from a rich family but has her own problems from being adopted and accepting she is bisexual. After the police draw a blank Natasha comes to Della for help and after an initial personality clash the novel documents their developing friendship, secrets, and more. The River has Teeth was convincing on several levels and although magic never dominated the novel, it had an earthy type of feel to it and within the constraints of the book and the way the family operated was excellent. The conflict between the two teenagers, and developing friendship, was also a pleasure to read, both having their own problems, issues and clashes. The way in which everything came together was top notch writing, and I enjoyed the fact that the killer was not the most obvious character (or the second most obvious) helping build a very satisfying finish. Both novels by Erica Waters have specialised in giving the reader terrific ‘outsider’ characters to root behind and I cannot wait to see what this she gives us next. AGE 13+ Tony Jones Lush and chilling, with razor-sharp edges and an iron core of hope, this bewitching, powerhouse novel of two girls fighting back against the violence the world visits on them will stun and enchant readers. Girls have been going missing in the woods… When Natasha’s sister disappears, Natasha desperately turns to Della, a local girl rumored to be a witch, in the hopes that magic will bring her sister home. But Della has her own secrets to hide. She thinks the beast who’s responsible for the disappearances is her own mother—who was turned into a terrible monster by magic gone wrong. Natasha is angry. Della has little to lose. Both are each other’s only hope. From the author of Ghost Wood Song, this eerie contemporary fantasy is perfect for fans of Wilder Girls and Bone Gap. Praise for Ghost Wood Song: “A gorgeous, creepy gem of a book.” —Claire Legrand, New York Times bestselling author of Furyborn and Sawkill Girls "It will make your heart dance." —Jeff Zentner, Morris Award-winning author of The Serpent King and Goodbye Days "Strikes the perfect balance of atmospheric chills, dark familial secrets, and a yearning for the warm comforts of home.” —Erin A. Craig, New York Times bestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrows “Waters' debut features a bisexual lead with both male and female love interests, an atmospheric southern gothic setting, and, for the musically inclined, lots of folk and bluegrass references.” --Booklist “Haunting and alluring.” --Kirkus Erica Waters – Ghost Wood Song |
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