Nightshade and Oak

An Iron Age goddess must grapple with becoming human in this delightful historical fantasy of myth and magic from the author of Greenteeth.

When Malt, the goddess of death, is accidentally turned human by a wayward spell, she finds she's ill-equipped to deal with the trials of a mortal life. After all, why would a goddess need to know how to gather food or light a fire?

Unable to fend for herself, she teams up with Bellis, warrior daughter of Boudicca, on a perilous journey to the afterlife to try to restore her powers. Frustrated by her frail human body and its inability to run a hundred miles in a single day, Malt might not make the best travelling companion. But as animosity slowly turns to attraction, these two very different women must learn to work together if they are to have any hope of surviving their quest.

“O'Neill has delivered yet another excellent story rooted in the folklore of the British isles, this one charged with a slow-burn queer love story”
Booklist (starred review)

Praise for Greenteeth:

“A charmingly monstrous debut” — T. Kingfisher, author of Nettle and Bone

“I loved every second of this wonderful, delicious book!” — Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop

“A masterclass in the art of storytelling” — Tom Holt

“Full of magic, but even more heart” — Kirkus