About the Book
From an absolutely unmissable voice in cozy fantasy, this tale shares the story of fae, folklore, and found family, told by a charismatic lake-dwelling monster with a voice unlike any other.
★ "Full of magic that is rich, mysterious, and exciting." --Booklist (Starred review)
★ "Full of magic, but even more heart." --Kirkus (Starred review)
★"A beautiful story of found family among the most disparate of creatures." --Library Journal (Starred review)
Beneath the still surface of a lake lurks a monster with needle sharp teeth. Hungry and ready to pounce.
Jenny Greenteeth has never spoken to a human before, but when a witch is thrown into her lake, something makes Jenny decide she's worth saving. Temperance doesn't know why her village has suddenly turned against her, only that it has something to do with the malevolent new pastor.
Though they have nothing in common, these two must band together on a magical quest to defeat the evil that threatens Jenny's lake and Temperance's family, as well as the very soul of Britain.
This is a tale of fae, folklore, and found family, perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher and Travis Baldree.
About the Author :
Molly O'Neill was born in the UK and moved to Australia in 2019. She works as a geologist, building roads and rail tracks, and she also runs Book Fair Australia, a literature festival in Sydney.
Review :
"A charming novel with lots of fantastical beings, found family, and humor. But what really makes the novel is Jenny and her many rows of teeth and her begrudging interest in helping. She's like Murderbot, but green and soaking wet."--Book Riot: Best of the Year 2025
"An excellent example of the recent trend of books about outcasts who form a chosen family -- except that O'Neill continually springs twists that feel organic and keep the reader guessing ... All those surprises have the effect of deepening the characters, turning Greenteeth into a more keen exploration of how monsters can live safely among us."--The Washington Post
"An extraordinary tale about the most unforgettable (and unlikely) heroine! Jenny Greenteeth is a brilliant creation, a fabulous lake monster and a magnificent character! I loved every second of this wonderful, delicious book!"--Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop
"Refreshing, thoroughly compelling, and nostalgic in the best ways, Greenteeth is an enchanting fairytale with fangs. I've never identified with a swamp monster more."--Julie Leong, author of The Teller of Small Fortunes
"Sharp yet sweet, Greenteeth is a heartening folkloric adventure with hidden depths aplenty. I found Jenny strikingly relatable--as a parent, as a recluse, and as someone constantly perplexed by what this whole "being human" thing entails."--Sylvie Cathrall, author of A Letter to the Luminous Deep
"O'Neill's story of friendship, family, and perseverance is so sweetly written that even her finely drawn fairy world and excellent plotting take a backseat to the growing bonds among her unlikely heroes. Full of magic, but even more heart."--Kirkus (Starred Review)
"A magical quest undertaken by an endearing monster, bittersweet and full of heart."--Caitlin Rozakis, author of Dreadful
"This delightfully magical historical fantasy combines creatures out of folklore (including the lake-dwelling monster Jenny) with a desperate quest, a sad tale of magic leaving the world, and a soul-quaking battle between quiet good and vast evil, all set in a beautiful story of sisterhood and found family among the most disparate of creatures. Readers who love the creatures, magic, and mythic settings of T. Kingfisher's Thornhedge and Nicola Griffith's Spear will find something similar and beautiful in O'Neill's debut."--Library Journal (Starred Review)
"This will be a hit with fans of classic quest fantasies."--Publishers Weekly
"This vivid fantasy, inspired by the stories of King Arthur and by Welsh folklore, explores a Britain populated by fae, ancient but dying off. O'Neill's debut is full of magic that is rich, mysterious, and exciting, and Jenny Greenteeth is a morally grey, delightfully monstrous protagonist that fantasy readers are bound to fall in love with. Fans of T. Kingfisher's award-winning Nettle & Bone (2022) will enjoy this novel's questing structure as well as its twists on stories familiar and new."--Booklist (Starred)
"A charmingly monstrous debut."--T. Kingfisher, author of Nettle and Bone
"Charming, magical and intensely human, with grace notes of Pratchett and T. H. White, Greenteeth is a masterclass in the art of storytelling."--Tom Holt, author of The Portable Door
"In all my life, I've never loved such a flesh-eating fae monster as Molly O'Neill's Greenteeth. This coziest of swamp villains is an ally to witches, an enemy to elven airbags, and a role model to goblins everywhere. She stands proud with the likes of Granny Weatherwax and the Wizard Howl against the creeping evils of this world. Drown me, Jenny, and pick your teeth with my bones - only, let's be friends."
--C. S. E. Cooney, World Fantasy Award winning author of Saint Death's Daughter
"Greenteeth is a breathtaking quest through the wild roads and deep lakes of ancient England, shot through with dark folklore and darker magic. An unforgettable tale of unlikely friendships, impossible choices and the unbreakable bonds between mothers and daughters."--Holly Race, author of Six Wild Crowns
"Greenteeth is a delight--a joyful, warm-hearted adventure, riddled with unique characters and poignant friendships, rooted deep in old magic and myth. Jenny's voice will live in your head long after you leave her story behind."--H. G. Parry, author of The Magician's Daughter
"An enchanting folkloric fantasy infused with fae magic and Arthurian legend, Greenteeth gives us a morally grey heroine with bite you can't help but root for. I was hooked from start to finish."--Alicia Jasinska, author of The Dark Tide
"Greenteeth is a completely delightful tale, full of warmth, wit and legendary adventure. As comforting and as moreish as a cup of tea and a packet of chocolate biscuits."--Francesca May, author of Wild and Wicked Things
