"Juniper" by Monica Furlong is an intriguing novel about a young girl learning to fulfill her destiny. Juniper goes to study to become a doran with her godmother, Euny, and when she returns home, she learns the purpose of her training when she discovers her Aunt Meroot's scheming to take over the kingdom. Though newly trained, the young doran must summon all of her power and bravery to defeat the experienced sorcerer. "Juniper" is an endearing and entertaining novel that chronicles a young girl's growth into something more than she ever expected.

Born a princess of Cornwall, Ninnoc is raised in the splendor of the Wooden Palace, but she shows signs of possessing magic when she heals her cousin, Gamal, and finds water underground. Her godmother, Euny, says she must live with her to continue her education and learn the magic of the doran in a year. This is a concept that Ninnoc dreads. When the time comes, Ninnoc, whose real name is Juniper, according to Euny, leaves her family and the castle to journey to Euny's hut in the Outlands.

Juniper finds Euny's hut unbearable as she suffers from cold and hunger, plus Euny teaches her nothing and treats her like a servant. Juniper often considers returning home. During the winter, Euny leaves Juniper to study with Angharad, another doran. Angharad and her apprentice, Trewyn, are kind to Juniper, and Angharad teaches her to spin and weave, instructing her to make the cloak of the doran which will be her protection against the evil magic of sorcerers. When Euny returns, she and Angharad perform the rituals to welcome Juniper and Trewyn into the order of the doran. Shortly after the ceremony, Euny and Juniper return to Euny's hut where Euny begins teaching Juniper about spells and potions, telling her that her gift is healing people.

Her training complete, Juniper returns to the Wooden Castle and learns that her Aunt Meroot, Gamal's mother, is marrying the Gray Knight of Caerleon. She also learns that the crops and animals in the kingdom are dying, threatening famine, and when she sees Meroot cursing the land, she performs a countercurse to heal the kingdom. After her wedding, Meroot moves to Caerleon, taking Gamal with her. When Juniper does not hear from Gamal, she worries that Meroot is taking out her frustration at her defeated schemes on him; she is jealous that her brother's birth prevented her from taking the throne and hopes to overthrow his lineage and put her son on the throne. Visiting Euny, Juniper has a flying dream where she sees a small house by an inland cliff which she knows will be her home. When Juniper returns home, King Mark tells her that Meroot has informed him of Gamal's desire to marry Juniper, and he sends Juniper to Caerleon to discuss the marriage with Finbar accompanying her. Finbar tells Juniper that when he last saw Gamal at Caerleon, Gamal appeared to be sleepwalking, and realizing Gamal has been ghosted, his spirit removed so he acts as a slave, Juniper determines to save him.

At Caerleon, Meroot will not allow Juniper to see Gamal, claiming that he is sick, but Juniper sneaks into Meroot's apartments and finds her ghosted cousin. Pretending to believe Meroot's lies, Juniper agrees to the marriage before she leaves Caerleon, but she sneaks back into Castle Caerleon with Finbar and rescues Gamal. They all escape to Angharad's cottage. Juniper and Finbar try to heal Gamal, finally getting a reaction when they sing a lullaby he played as a child, and when Meroot arrives to demand they return Gamal to her, Gamal recalls that Meroot destroyed his mother, a good-hearted doran, and claimed him as her own in hopes of stealing the throne from King Mark. He refuses to go with her, insisting he is no longer her son. Euny is proud of Juniper's success and assures her that Erlain has given birth to a healthy son. Juniper decides to travel so that she can search for the house from her flying dream, mentally promising to do the work of the dorans as best as she can.