The Juniper Tree

The Juniper Tree is a novel by Barbara Comyns, reissued as an NYRB Classic with an introduction by Sadie Stein.

A contemporary reworking of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale of the same name, it follows Bella Winter, a woman rebuilding her life after homelessness, job loss, and a car accident that has left her with a facial scar.

As she gradually finds work, a home, and something like a family of her own, the novel builds quiet tension around whether her hard-won happiness might come at a cost to those around her.

Comyns blends the clear, fable-like quality of a fairy tale with sharp psychological realism, creating a story that is by turns unsettling and, ultimately, strangely hopeful.