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A review by michellewatson
A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross
4.0
I'm always interested when a YA author makes her adult debut. YA novels are so effortless to read, so bringing the same writing style to adult themes always sounds appealing to me (for when I want something quick and fun but not too teenaged).
This book was not quick, but it was fun. (I listened to the 16-hour audio version in all its Scotch-Irish glory.)
The story: We're in a fictional Scotland/UK where magic is a thing and people wear enchanted plaids and carry charmed daggers and worry about the "folk" (isle spirits) meddling in their affairs. There, in the ocean, sits the Isle of Cadence, which is populated by two clans that have been historically at odds. Jack was born on Cadence but sent away to school to learn to be a bard. But the king of the Tamerlaine clan has summoned him back for reasons unknown.
That's the setup, so I thought this story would be focused on Jack, but he's one of two protagonists. The other is Adaira (Ah-deer-ah, and roll the R a bit), the heiress to the Tamerlaine throne. Dual protagonists are a little tough for me as a reader, but Ross does a good job with it.
Honestly, this is a very clean, straightforward fantasy that appealed to me (but didn't completely capture me). I like that it follows good, honest people who are trying to do their best as they navigate the power they wield over others, and as they try to protect those they love. This is wholesome to me (versus stories that depict very dysfunctional people screwing things up for everyone around them). This book is about strong people being tested to their limits. Having said that, the characters were almost a little TOO good, ya know? They are more aspirational versus relatable, but that doesn't mean they aren't lovable or memorable.
This book felt very intimate, as we're following just a few very tightly woven plotlines, and there aren't a thousand characters to keep track of, which is usually the case in fantasy novels. In fact, there are really only four characters who we get super close to.
The worldbuilding was intriguing, but it felt a little distant. I think Ross wanted to keep the characters front and center and didn't go into a ton of backstory about the Isle and magic and the clans, although it's most definitely there and provides a beautiful backdrop.
This is very much the first book in a series and ends with an open loop. Will I read No. 2? Maybe! I'm actually considering it, and I'm a notorious series-abandoner, haha. So, that's saying something.
This book was not quick, but it was fun. (I listened to the 16-hour audio version in all its Scotch-Irish glory.)
The story: We're in a fictional Scotland/UK where magic is a thing and people wear enchanted plaids and carry charmed daggers and worry about the "folk" (isle spirits) meddling in their affairs. There, in the ocean, sits the Isle of Cadence, which is populated by two clans that have been historically at odds. Jack was born on Cadence but sent away to school to learn to be a bard. But the king of the Tamerlaine clan has summoned him back for reasons unknown.
That's the setup, so I thought this story would be focused on Jack, but he's one of two protagonists. The other is Adaira (Ah-deer-ah, and roll the R a bit), the heiress to the Tamerlaine throne. Dual protagonists are a little tough for me as a reader, but Ross does a good job with it.
Honestly, this is a very clean, straightforward fantasy that appealed to me (but didn't completely capture me). I like that it follows good, honest people who are trying to do their best as they navigate the power they wield over others, and as they try to protect those they love. This is wholesome to me (versus stories that depict very dysfunctional people screwing things up for everyone around them). This book is about strong people being tested to their limits. Having said that, the characters were almost a little TOO good, ya know? They are more aspirational versus relatable, but that doesn't mean they aren't lovable or memorable.
This book felt very intimate, as we're following just a few very tightly woven plotlines, and there aren't a thousand characters to keep track of, which is usually the case in fantasy novels. In fact, there are really only four characters who we get super close to.
The worldbuilding was intriguing, but it felt a little distant. I think Ross wanted to keep the characters front and center and didn't go into a ton of backstory about the Isle and magic and the clans, although it's most definitely there and provides a beautiful backdrop.
This is very much the first book in a series and ends with an open loop. Will I read No. 2? Maybe! I'm actually considering it, and I'm a notorious series-abandoner, haha. So, that's saying something.