A cosy fairy tale with a little bite
—
A cosy fantasy that takes the British folklore character of Jenny Greenteeth—a capricious water sprite that will do more harm than good—and gives her a small quest against a Big Bad. This could be seen as a companion piece to the Emily Wilde books but lacking their subtlety and satisfaction. Greenteeth starts off well, Jenny herself saving a woman accused of witchcraft from drowning, but the lightly picaresque quest takes its time to build to a climax, diverting through hallucinatory lands that will give Jenny and her companions what they need to save the day. That is, until a left of centre development which is poorly telegraphed derails the whole enterprise, and perhaps Jenny won’t be able to be the hero of her own story.

It’s just missing the whole bite. Everything paddles along a little too smoothly, and what might have been revelatory—a fairy tale from the perspective of a British monster—becomes something more plebeian. I can see exactly what O’Neill wants to do but the deus ex machina doesn’t work, sadly. However, I imagine there will be more to come and I’m willing to try.

Greenteeth by Molly O'Neill

3 STARS

I liked the setting and mythology present throughout this book. Fables and mythology from Britain, which are brought to life through memorable and enjoyable characters. A good read.

Greenteeth is a beautiful fairytale full of fun, fae magic and tales of monsters. The links to the old magic and myth were wonderfully written.
I loved the relationship between the three companions. Unlikely companions but brought together on a quest and sharing their skills and fortitude.
Each of the challenges give each individual the opportunity to prove themselves and their support towards eachother so admirable.

Molly O'Neill has such a captivating way with words. Enchanting writing, a magical setting and characters you root for.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for this eARC.

Greenteeth is an extremely fun play of the classic fairytale, and one I would highly recommend to those who enjoy fairytale retellings.
I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the found family, and the main plot was highly engaging. My only critique is that the pacing felt a little off in spots however the payoff was still enjoyable.

This was such fun! I was instantly sucked into Jenny's story and the folklore from the first chapter, but I didn't realize I'd be getting an adventure book with found family but the family is monsters?? Utterly delightful.

Thank you to the publisher, Orbit, and to NetGalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed this book a lot. The story was fun and the narrator was excellent. It was a good production and one I would listen to again.

I would have liked Jenny to be a bit more feral. She was portrayed with a lot of humanity. I liked the character as she was. With her well-ordered lake, she had her charm, but I just wanted something different out of the book.

I liked the other characters too. I liked the adventure they went on and the quest format of the book. It very much reminded me of a fairy story of old, with them having to fulfil three tasks before they could get the help they needed.

It was a really good book, not what I wanted from it, but I still enjoyed it a lot.

I really loved this, so much so that I bought a physical copy for my shelf as soon as I could.
Full of folklore and reminded me of the darker fairytales my mum used to tell me. Loved it

This was a fabulous folklore inspired fantasy full of heart and charm. At times this felt light hearted and comforting/cozy but it also explored some of the darker elements that are so intrinsic to folklore, especially around the Fae. I absolutely adored Jenny as a protagonist, her narrative voice was fun and engaging and had me chuckling to myself more than once yet she was also flawed and true to her monstrous ‘faeness’, unapologetically so.

Everything about this book felt quirky and the only way I can describe it is that reading the book felt like what I imagine it would be like to be under the effects of a Faerie illusion or Faerie wine… there are darker elements woven between the merriment, you know if you look out of the corner of your eye you will see something sinister, but you don’t want to stop. In fact, if I was still capable of staying awake all night reading or spending a whole day doing nothing but bingeing a book I could have easily read this in one sitting because it really drew me in and pulled me along on Jenny’s quest with Temperance and Brackus (both likeable characters that added to the narrative)

I admit I don’t know a huge amount about folklore from the United Kingdom (criminal really- I’m a Yorkshire girl born and bred 🤦🏼‍♀️) but this did a wonderful job of weaving together lots of different elements to create it’s own story, following the tradition of folklore often being an amalgamation of many different snippets of tales from different places and communities spread orally. There were twists that I didn’t see coming and moments where things clicked in to place and had me exclaiming out loud (to the confusion of my husband) and overall I just found this to be easy to get lost in, charming, enjoyable and uplifting to read.

This was such a fun, warm-hearted cosy fantasy but with a great adventure that kept it difficult to put down! There's a rich source of worldbuilding in British folktales and mythology which O'Neill uses to create an equally and immense rich world here. There's a splendid cast of creatures that you can't help but feel affection towards, particularly our protagonist, Jenny Greenteeth, and I loved how this wasn't about a group of people who sought out a quest but more of those bound by a shared purpose and a shared emotion that they couldn't let things happen! The writing is also exceptional, straightforward and pithy but surprising and emphatic in places you wouldn't expect. It also evokes so much imagery and sensation, particularly around the interplay with nature, which really gave this story an ethereal undertone. I really hope more people pick this book up!

Quality Rating Four Stars
Enjoyment Rating: Four Stars

Greenteeth is a love letter to the folklore, mythology and fairy tales of the British Isles. Taking inspiration from a breadth of sources, a Jenny (river-hag), a witch and a goblin are sent to all corners of the UK on a classic adventure quest done right.

This book was so much fun, with so much heart. Someone please make it into a Dreamworks animated series or film. It marries together wondrous discovery and friendship with real struggles of identify, belonging and activism. I loved that the characters were all fallible, and their conflict often comes from understanding each other as much as the antagonists.

I'm so happy there's a resurgence of retellings of UK myth alongside the Classical and Asian reimagining that have recently come to prominence. And Greenteeth really does tick the box of every beloved cornerstone of our storytelling canon; from Fae to Avalon to unicorns to witches to the Wild Hunt to goblins and more. And it recognises the darker origins of these storytelling traditions; the novel is mostly 'cozy' but respects the primal aspects of old lore. Even as someone who wrote their dissertation on fairy tales (in film specifically), there were new things for me to uncover and devour.

While the hype around this book seems moderate, as a debut novel it really does leave a lasting impression - and for someone who love folklore and myth as much as I do it's a dream. I hope O'Neill does more work in this sort of storytelling.

“I’m sure your own mother or grandmother told you about Jenny Greenteeths. We make a good story for winter’s night when the wind is howling down the chimney and the fire is casting long shadows on the wall.”

Inspired by Arthurian legend and British folklore, Greenteeth follows Jenny and some unlikely friends as they quest to vanquish the Elder King. They must first complete three tasks set by Gwyn ap Nudd, king of the fae, to receive the blade to defeat the evil power that is the Elder King.

Greenteeth echoes folktales we were told as children growing up in Britain, of hags and Jenny Greenteeths—and for those of us growing up in Scotland—of kelpies and unicorns. This book is marketed as adult, but I feel it suits a younger audience with its simple writing and flair similar to Howl’s Moving Castle. The story beats are classic and recall children’s stories—found family, a quest to retrieve precious items and encountering magical creatures on the way, ultimately to vanquish an Erdrich evil from taking hold of the small village the characters reside. With it’s cosy countenance the stakes feel low throughout the book and it has a quiet wit that is a delight to uncover. Because of this I would say it’s more suited to those who enjoy books like The Spellshop and Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries.

“I might not have eaten her, but I certainly wasn’t good. I wasn’t bad either. I simply was.”

‪Going into this book I was expecting a dark, adult folktale inspired story like those of T. Kingfisher, as is marketed, however I didn’t feel that in this book. It is light, simple and if you can overlook some of its tedious sequences, magical in its own way. Whimsy and a more tangible sense of magic was missing from this book, there are moments that could have been much more impactful with some figurative imagery and less literal descriptions. However, there are some nice passages that I had picturing as scenes plucked straight from Princess Mononoke. The dreamlike sequence during the second trial of the quest was interesting and gave the story some more whimsical action, plus the moment with the unicorns was quite moving, a welcome reprieve fro the matter-of-fact storytelling. ‬

“As the water trickled back to me I could perceive the contagion of the opposing spell, coating the water droplets like oil. It tasted like wood, like fit tees and pine needles. It was almost sweet at first it the longer I held it on my tongue the more it congealed into something rotten. I saw a dark forest, so overgrown that light could not penetrate and the whole undergrowth was dead. No life moved, no wind stirred the fallen leaves.”

The found family in this book was gentle and nice to read, with Jenny slowly warming to her humanity throughout the story. Despite this, I found that the misunderstanding between Jenny and Temperance became tedious very quickly. The rejection Jenny feels concerning her nature by Temperance, the human character, is understandable considering her lack of humanity, but she acts childish despite her years and this felt frustrating and shallow to read. The book shows Jenny gaining humanity through her friendships and this argument had the chance to reveal this to the reader but with the lack of reflective writing over literal description it was a lost opportunity. Misunderstandings and quarrels between characters can strengthen the found family and help the reader witness bonds be tested, however this felt trivial and at odds with the stakes and time constraints in which our characters were questing to solve. It would have been interesting to have the character of the Afnac explored—even as a character invited into their quest party—the instant resolution he brought Jenny to make amends felt trite. Jenny is a paradox, on one hand childish and defensive, on the other a centuries old mother and creature of folktale.

“I realised that they both thought I would give in. In that moment I knew I would do anything rather than admit defeat.”

Multiple point of views from the characters would have been so enjoyable in this book, helping the found family by exploring each character and their machinations. Exploring the disagreement Jenny and Temperance from both points of view could have shown the viewer more of their complexities as characters and as friends during the resolution. Some banter from Brackus’ perspective could’ve lightened the mood and strengthened their bond as a group—adding nicely to the cosiness this book is promoted to be. The beauty of this book is ultimately the way it transported me back to childhood, being told a bed time story full of magic, quests and friendship. An audiobook or oral telling of this book may be more immersive and it could be a good choice for a storytime reading to a younger audience.

Greenteeth is a wonderfully cozy historical fantasy, perfect for readers who enjoy folklore-rich storytelling. The novel weaves mythology and legend into an atmospheric tale that kept me engaged throughout.
The story follows Jenny, who stumbles upon a witch being drowned in her lake. As tensions rise in their village with the arrival of a new pastor, Jenny and the witch must embark on a journey to protect their home.
I particularly enjoyed the author's vivid descriptions of nature, which added to the immersive, almost dreamlike quality of the book. It also introduced me to aspects of British mythology I hadn't encountered before, making it both an entertaining and enlightening read.
Thank you for the audiobook and the e-arc, a great experience reading and listening at the some time.

'I'm sure your own mother or grandmother told you about Jenny Greenteeths. We make a good story for a winter's night when the wind is howling down the chimney and the fire is casting long shadows on the wall.. That's the best kind of night for stories. I bet you liked to curl up with a blanket and listen to tales about the bogeymen, the pixies, and the hobgoblins. Jenny's belong in fairy stories, and like the other fae creatures, we're more real than your mother would like to believe.'

I love the cover of this book, and this opening chapter from the book. As a child I was brought up in Lancashire, living close to a canal and River and was always told the tale of Jenny Greenteeth. I was petrified about going anywhere near the water and remember thinking the green algae or pond weed on the water was her hair. The tale both thrilled and fascinated me. It is a tale that has stayed with me into adulthood and I find myself warning my nephews about the dangers of going too close to the water as you never know what lurks beneath and Jenny could be waiting for you.

I really enjoyed this book and it took me back to those days of walks down the canal and river with my Dad. Jenny the lake monster, is sat cleaning her cave when she hears a splash in the water. It is a human witch who has been thrown in and Jenny decided to help her instead of eat her. I really enjoyed the concept of the story. It also features other mythological characters including the Erl King, unicorns and Hobgoblins. The pair battle the forces of darkness and go on an incredible adventure. I must admit I did find some of the writing a little pointless and boring in places overall I have really enjoyed this one and was transported back to my childhood and fairytales.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Molly O’Neill has blended Arthurian legends with folklore from the British Isles to create ‘Greenteeth’, a quest narrative featuring a rather unlikely found family.

Narrator Jenny Greenteeth is an ancient swamp beast whose peaceful existence is interrupted when a witch is hurled into her lake.

After saving Temperance from drowning, Jenny soon discovers that the evil force responsible for Temperance’s watery mishap is affecting a whole lot more than the witch’s wellbeing.

The unlikely pair team up with the hobgoblin Brackus to complete a series of tasks from the faerie king. In exchange, the king of the hunt will give them the resources necessary to defeat the evil that’s threatening Temperance and Jenny’s homeland.

Personally, I imagined Jenny as a kind of Gollum-meets-mermaid-from-2003-live-action-Peter-Pan hybrid, which was a whole lot of fun.

The narrative voice is youthful and bouncy but there are some violent scenes and darker themes, so check the content warnings before diving in!

'Greenteeth' will suit your TBR if you're a fan of: cosy fantasy with a dark twist; folk tales; task quests; and found family.

Thank you to @netgalley and @littlebrownbookgroup_uk for the digital ARC!

This book was a bit of a surprise to me, so I've been telling people about it ever since I read it and I hope it does good numbers too now it's out in the world!

The basic premise of Greenteeth is that it's told from the perspective of Jenny, who is a water-fae, living a happy life in her lake. One day that life is interrupted by the sudden appearance of an unexpected addition, namely a young woman (Temperance) who's been bound with chains and thrown into the lake to drown. She is, after all, a witch. Rather than letting Temperance drown, Jenny decides to rescue her and this starts the ball rolling in terms of their quest together to take down the black-clad pastor who tried to kill her and who is also controlling the people of Temperance's village (since he's not what he seems and is decidedly not human himself).

Along the way, Jenny and Temperance run across a wide variety of characters from English and Welsh mythology (the Wild Hunt, Gwyn ap Nud, hobgoblins etc) and both of them are changed by their experiences together. For a first novel, this is a well done piece of work and I can't wait to see what else this author does.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, via Netgalley. This is my honest review of the book in question.

Greenteeth had a lot of buzz and an interesting premise. The cover is appealing and the promise of a potential cozy fantasy sounded great to me. Unfortunately i was left a little dissapointed.

The start where we meet Jenny Greenteeth and the witch she saves is very strong. The idea of this world where there are the witch hunts with fae scattered throughout was appealing. The world of Jenny, who she is and her species, was great to read about.

But once the plot gets going and we head into the fae court where they get 3 quests, things start to meander. It was not compelling to read about, and Jenny and her witch are having an unnessecary and childish tiff throughout it. Even worse, the ending about who Jenny is made me cringe to be honest.  It was too much.

The relationship between Jenny and her witch had a good start as in, it had a lot of potential to grow. But it didn't end up deepening the way i would have liked. It looks like it does, on the surface level, but if you really start critically looking at their interactions, it doesn't go quite as deep.

All in all it didn't even give me the cozy feels. Jenny does not invite that. There is nothing cozy about her, she's a monster as she likes to point out herself. She might make the 'right' choice, but that doesn't make her any less what she is. And there is nothing wrong with that. I'm all about the unapologetic monster. But cozy it is not quite. But cozy fantasy is also a personal feel.

It was a decent read. I can see why it appeals to others.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Orbit for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

TW: animal death, child death, violence, blood, murder, witch trials

Jenny Greenteeth has a contented, simple life in her lake- she hunts, tidies up and avoids the humans who live nearby- even if she is a terrifying monster with sharp teeth. She’s never spoken to a human, but when a woman is thrown into her lake accused of being a witch, Jenny doesn’t eat her, she saves her. Temperance isn’t sure why her village has turned on her, she’s been a witch and healing woman for most of her life to the people’s benefit. She’s convinced it’s something to do with the passionate new pastor twisting everyone’s minds, even Temperance’s husband and children. Jenny and Temperance team up to go on a quest to defeat the evil that is infecting Jenny’s lake and influencing the village, gathering together a goblin salesman and an enchanted dog to protect the lives of everyone in Britain, whether monster, human or fae.

One of the first things I loved about this book is the really distinct voice that Jenny has, and how because she’s never really associated with humanity before, she has to learn. Her character development is beautiful, she’s very isolated (except for her daughter, who lives in another lake now) and misses companionship. The different faerie races that Jenny, Brackus and Temperance meet on their journey were all so different and realistic, I especially liked how the high fae are perceived by the deeply unimpressed Jenny. I loved how this book wove the myths and legends of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland together. There's a lot of Welsh mythology in this and I learned new stories to read about more. I really enjoyed the way that she and Temperance tried to fix things and how their differences made both of them see the world in another way. This is a sweet, short and cosy book, but it tells a gorgeous story about unlikely friendship, being yourself and protecting what’s right.

"A Witch, a goblin and Jenny Greenteeth are off to seek the King of the Fairies,' he said. 'What a delicious disaster this could be."

GENRE: Cozy Fantasy
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5
FORMAT: eBook Arc from netGalley

Would I recommend to others?: Yes! This book is perfect for those who enjoy cozy fantasy, found family and folklore! It is cozily eerie and goes on an adventure with three different people to defeat an evil that threatens their village and lake.

Long Review:
Greenteeth by Molly O'Neill is definitely a top read of 2025 for me, with the fact that it combines alot of my favourite tropes: Found Family, historical fantasy, cozy fantasy, witches and other folklores. I had so much fun reading this book and got invested into all of the characters and wanted to know the outcome. It is also a funny book and has many instance where you will be laughing with the characters and at the jokes & the way they maintain each other.

This book follows Jenny Greenteeth, who is a monster in the lake with sharp teeth and is meant to be hungry and consume whatever comes into her lake.
"I've never been quite sure what it is that I am; apart from a Jenny, that is. Jenny Greenteeth, that's my name. And it's my mother's, and her mother's, all the way back upstream to the source of all the rivers and lakes in the country."

We delve into the folklore of Jenny Greenteeth and the style of writing in here definitely captivated me and put me in the mood to read more about Jenny Greenteeth:
"I'm sure your own mother or grandmother told you about Jenny Greenteeths. We make a good story for a winter's night when the wind is howling down the chimney and the fire is casting long shadows on the wall. That's the best kind of night for stories. I bet you liked to curl up with a blanket and listen to tales about the bogeymen, the pixies and the hobgoblins. Jennys belong in fairy stories, and like the other fae creatures, we're more real than your mothers would like to believe."

Additionally, we get to see how Jenny battles with her own feelings about how Temperance views her. This is seen throughout the story, where Jenny states that she is not necessarily bad, but she isn't good either.
"I frowned. That certainly wasn't the lesson I wanted her to learn from our collaboration. I might not have eaten her but I certainly wasn't good. I wasn't bad either, I simply was.

There's bad magic and good magic just like there are bad humans and good humans,' I said, picking my words carefully. 'Most of us low fae aren't either one.'"

However, when Temperance, a witch & a human, is dumped into her lake by her village, Jenny saves her and takes her into her cave. Mind you, Jenny's cave is organised and filled with collectibles she has gathered or bought from a goblin that we get to know, Brackus.
"I like to keep the lake looking neat and tidy. You wouldn't know it from the surface,
but my lake is spotless, with excellent water circulation and the best crop of brown trout in western England."

Obviously Temperance is afraid of her in the beginning, but as they get to know each other, they find out that Temperance was thrown into the lake by an evil pastor. Jenny goes to investigate this and they find out that there is a bigger evil threatening their village & lake so they band together to work against the evil creature.

Jenny is bonded to Temperance in the fact that Temperance is a mother and Jenny has her own daughter, also named Jenny. The way Jenny Greenteeths make daughters are quite interesting:
"Any Jenny can make another Jenny, but it doesnt happen very often. We dont give birth to our own babies. There aren't any male Jennys and frankly the idea of human reproduction makes me feel a bit sick. We make our children from the unwanted offspring of others."

Throughout folklore, there are many instance where unwanted children are turned into creatures and since this is the first time I have heard of Jenny Greenteeth, it was quite interesting to see the same theory apply here.

We also see the flourishing of found family and watch the main characters build a bond throughout the months that they spend together:
"I was surprised at how happy it made me to think of future company. I had always thought I was content to live alone in the lake."


There is a bit of a conflict too (no major spoilers here) that basically shows why different "species" do not mix together as Jenny & Temperance deal with a fall out. Jenny then tries to convince herself that she has been okay for years alone and that she does not need her new companions.
"Well, I didn't need them anyway. I had been doing find on my own for a thousand years, I would do fine again. Maybe I would be gone by the time they came back for me; if they came back at all. people rarely did in my experience - they left and didn't return."

All in all, this book addresses the different tropes and themes in a unique way and yet remains to be cozy fantasy in a lovely way. You'd love it if you enjoy retellings & cozy fantasy together with found family there!

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this eArc in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Orbit Books for providing me with a review copy. Greenteeth recently released, so this is the perfect time to pick it up!

Jenny Greenteeth’s life in her lake is disturbed when a witch is suddenly thrown in. Jenny decides to help Temperance in fighting against the new pastor who is a more dangerous threat than imagined.

This is a faerie story that features many figures from folklore in Britain. I really loved the vibes of this book because it really did feel otherworldly, even outside of the faerie court. It is set in the past, and feels fantastical as well as historical.

I feel like I have a pretty good knowledge of folklore from the British isles, both from general knowledge and from appearances in other fantasy books. However, I’d never heard of Jenny Greenteeth before so it was fun to read about a new figure.

The character of Brackus was a nice surprise. I really loved his personality and seeing him and Jenny gripe at one another with Temperance kind of stuck in the middle. Seeing the friendships and dynamics between the characters was probably my favourite part.

This book was quite fast paced. It was fun to move between different settings, follow parts of a quest, and see the relationships between characters develop. I wish there was a bit more time with the characters at the end to have more of a resolution.

I do think given the nature of threat they faced, the stakes could have been higher. I feel like I understood Temperance’s motivations, but it was so easy to forget about her normal life from before and her family. I also think the book could have just been longer to allow for additional detail and development.

All in all, though, I really enjoyed this. The atmosphere was really engrossing, and Jenny was such a memorable character. It was so interesting to see humanity through the eyes of such a character. This was a great debut and I look forward to seeing what Molly O’Neill does next.