A review by hannahbailey
A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross

adventurous hopeful lighthearted mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

This is a sweeping yet cosy tale that feels like reading by firelight under a warm blanket on a rainy day. Well-written with atmospheric scenes and a beautiful landscape, this book had a lot of promise. I was drawn in by the fact that it's inspired by Scottish folklore/mythology, however it didn't feel like I was reading something Scottish (although I'm not an expert so take that with a pinch of salt). I did enjoy the writing style and the descriptions of the magical isle so it's not all bad!

Sadly what lacked for me were the one-dimensional characters. Each chapter was very long, and reading the third-person narration of characters trying too hard to be good/perfect with no inner conflict was a slog. As it shifted between the perspectives of four main characters, I think it would have benefitted from first-person narration so we could get a deeper look into the characters' psyches. That said, my favourite character (and probably the most developed) was Sidra, who did have inner turmoil as well as difficult decisions to make. Petition for the sequel to be about her please (it won't be)!
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