The Animals We Became: Deluxe Stenciled Edges

A visionary new retelling of the Welsh myth of Blodeuedd, this lyrical medieval fantasy about a flower transformed into a lord’s wife – and her desire to become something more – is perfect for readers of Katherine Arden, Allison Saft, and Madeline Miller.

*DELUXE HARDCOVER EDITION with stenciled edges and design by renowned artist Tom Roberts*

You exist because of a crime, because of a curse, and because of a trick.


Blodeuedd never asked to be made.

Created from flowers of oak, broom, and meadowsweet to marry a man cursed never to have a human wife, Blodeuedd has no knowledge of the world, no family outside the marriage, and no power to choose. But a caged animal still has claws, and Blodeuedd will find a way to be free, whatever the cost.

Gwydion knows what it is to be unmade.

Haunted by the years he served in animal form as punishment for his brother's crimes, Gwydion has turned his tricks to his nephew's happiness - and the creation of Blodeuedd is the greatest trick of them all. But his creation asks questions he cannot answer and drags from the depths of the forest the past he has been trying so hard to forget. Now they both must face their unmaking.

A lyrical retelling of the Welsh myth of Blodeuedd, The Animals We Became is a profound exploration of cyclical trauma, transformation, and the quest for freedom.