This is the real deal—literary fantasy that earned its Nebula and Hugo nominations honestly. Naomi Novik takes the bones of Rumpelstiltskin and builds something wholly original: three women's stories braided together across human and fey kingdoms, each fighting to escape the consequences of their fathers' failures.

The writing is gorgeous, the worldbuilding is rich (that Russian-flavored setting with ice fey feels both familiar and fresh), and the themes around economic justice, Jewish identity, and female agency give it real heft. This isn't cozy fantasy—there's domestic abuse in the backstory, some violence, and the emotional stakes are high—but it's never gratuitous.

For parents of strong teen readers (14+), this is an excellent choice: sophisticated enough to be genuinely enriching, but still page-turning enough that they'll actually want to finish it. Just know it's adult fantasy despite the fairy tale roots, so save it for when they're ready for moral complexity and darker themes.