Sarah Beth Durst, The Warbler

About: The women in Elisa's family are cursed to never be able to stay in one place for more than ten months or so without literally taking root—i.e., turning into trees.

Verdict: Magical realism isn’t my go-to genre, but I was lured in by the author’s writing and the book’s unusual premise. I liked that a possible, pedestrian explanation for the family curse—mental illness—was hinted at alongside the supernatural one, and that tree imagery was gently woven throughout the story. A major theme of the book is the weight of expectations in one’s life, and I certainly approve of the message, but it may be a little overdone here. I also remain a little confused by the book's ending.

Publication: 2025 · 321 pages
Rating: 4 stars