Woven from Clay

WOVEN FROM CLAY is an intriguing YA fantasy that demonstrates how we are more than just what makes us and how we can make our own destinies. Terra was adopted as an infant in a town full of adoptees, thanks to Mr. Quill, a local man who is able to make adoptions happen through his connections. She is about to be starting her senior year of high school, and she has big plans for her senior project and for her future after high school.

Everything changes when she is confronted by a new boy in town, Thorne, who threatens her and exposes her true nature- Terra is a golem, made of mud and a bit of bone by a warlock. Thorne is a witch tasked with hunting down her maker, Quill. Terra's whole life seems to unravel with this knowledge and her understanding of self and the people she thought she knew - but no one aside from Quill knew the truth behind the adoptions.

If Quill's sentence is carried out and he dies, so will Terra and the other golems he has created. Determined to stop that from happening, Terra makes a bargain to try to prove she is more than just mud and bone - a task that seems, at times, impossible, but to not complete would be even more so.

What I loved: This book has some really strong themes around prejudice, humanity, cruelty/kindness, community and connection, and what determines someone's essence and their destiny. Witches have a lot of preconceived notions about golems and their lack of humanity - but Terra and the other human golems she knows are more than soulless mud and magic. Knowing her past and what she came from could be a hurdle to believing in herself and her capabilities. However, Terra rises to find herself, her essence, and her humanity. While this is a magical/unlikely narrative for readers, it still feels quite relatable as they may have their own family histories or have been adopted in the past, and these histories do not need to determine who readers are or who they will become. Other themes likewise felt very relatable throughout the book.

Terra is a compelling character who is full of ambition and kindness. The story is told from her perspective, and it is all the more powerful for it. Aside from Terra, there are other characters that the reader gets to know throughout the book that are easy to like and appreciate. While the reader does not fully get into their heads, they can get to know them as Terra does and like (or dislike) them along with her. The romance with Thorne was a slow-burn with a bit of fake dating and enemies-to-lovers flair.

The world-building was fascinating, with the reader learning about witches, magic, and golems alongside Terra. The premise felt quite unique and led to some unforgettable themes. The end of the book wraps things up nicely, and it felt complete as a stand-alone with an ending that worked well.

What left me wanting more: The middle of the book seemed to get lost a bit in the details, and the pacing ended up feeling a bit slow in those places. That being said, it was easy to be invested in what would happen to Terra that will keep readers continuing until the end. As another small thing, I was challenged by the lack of closure for a character whose cruelty seemed shocking in places, as there did not seem to be any real consequences for it (vagueness to avoid spoilers).

I also would have loved more insight into Thorne and his mindset, as the reader does not get inside his head and so does not feel like they understand him as well with challenges to feeling the potential depth of the romance. That being said, it leaves a lot more mystery and intrigue with only learning information alongside Terra.

Final verdict: WOVEN FROM CLAY is an intriguing YA fantasy with thought-provoking themes that will work well for young YA readers looking for a good mystery and a touch of romance.

Going into this book, I thought it was going to be a lot like Megan Shepherd's Grimm Lovelies duology, but I was pleasantly wrong.

Woven From Clay by Jennifer Birch is a YA urban fantasy novel about a golem learning the true history behind her creation. Terra Slater might not know anything about her birth family or where she comes from, but that’s never stopped her, and she fully intends her senior year to be her best yet. Until the dark and mysterious Thorne Wilder―a magical bounty hunter―moves to town, bringing revelations that wreck all of her plans. When Terra learns she is a golem, not born but crafted from mud and magic by a warlock, her world is upended. Worse, Cyrus Quill, the warlock who made her, is a fugitive, on the run from the witches who want to hold him accountable for his past crimes. But Quill’s sentence is death, which would unravel the threads of magic that hold Terra―and all of the other golems that he crafted―together. Desperate to save herself and her friends, Terra strikes a deal with Thorne and his coven to preserve the warlock’s life and his magic. If she can prove her worth to the coven by mastering the magic within her, the golems will survive. If she can’t, they’ll perish along with Cyrus. As Thorne helps her to see and manipulate the tapestry of magic that surrounds them, their unexpected alliance evolves into something more and Terra comes to understand the depths of her magic, her humanity, and her love for the people most important to her.

What I liked most about this book is the genuine uniqueness it possessed with the simple fact that the main protagonist is a golem. Which isn't a detail seen often through both young adult literature and the general fantasy genre. I also really liked Birch's magic system and world building, as it's one so rarely used in fantasy fiction. And don't get me started on that slow burn romance.

The only flaw I found in this book, was the general vibes and pacing. I don't know why, but it made it feel like I was reading another paranormal romance book from the early 2000's, when Twilight was popular and everyone was raving about Hush Hush. I guess I wasn't expecting such a nostalgic callback from a 2025 fantasy novel?

Regardless, Birch's Woven from Clay is a solid read for anyone in need of a unique read.