Review: Chantress

Chantress ARC
(Chantress Trilogy #1)
by Amy Butler Greenfield
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Goodreads summary:
Sing and the darkness will find you.

Shipwrecked on an island seven years ago, Lucy has been warned she must never sing, or disaster will strike. But on Allhallows' Eve, Lucy hears tantalizing music in the air. When she sings it, she unlocks a terrible secret: She is a Chantress, a spell-singer, brought to the island not by shipwreck but by a desperate enchantment gone wrong.

Her song lands her back in England — and in mortal peril, for the kingdom lies in the cruel grasp of a powerful Lord Protector and his mind-reading hunters, the Shadowgrims. The Protector has killed all Chantresses, for they alone can destroy the Shadowgrims. Only Lucy has survived.

In terrible danger, Lucy takes shelter with Nat, a spy who turns her heart upside-down. Nat has been working with his fellow scholars of the Invisible College to overthrow the Lord Protector, and they have long hoped to find a living Chantress to help them. But Lucy is completely untrained, and Nat deeply distrusts her magic. If Lucy cannot master the songspells, how long can she even stay alive?

Beguiling and lyrical, dangerous and romantic, Chantress will capture readers in a spell they won’t want to break
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What I thought:
This is a little bit of a hard review for me to write. This was an enjoyable read, but I didn't love it and I really was hoping that I would. I think part of it is that I wanted more depth to Lucy's character - for her to feel more alive or real to me. For some reason she didn't. Maybe some of that was that I thought she adjusted too easily to Nat and the clockmaker (who is basically Nat's adoptive father). She is taken in by them and even though she never mentions a father and hasn't had contact with any other people except for Norie (an older woman) for seven years (from the time she was eight) she doesn't seem to have any issues living with two gentlemen. The other thing was that I thought she was a little too easily seen when she was invisible when no one should have been looking for her.

With that being said, there are several things I did like. I loved Nat's character! He did seem realistic and well developed. He has a past that he wants to forget. He also hates magic, so he has a tough time accepting Lucy. I loved the setting! The Tower of London, the filthy streets of London, the group of men trying to continue their studies and their web of spies unbeknown to the Lord Protector and the king. I also liked the concept of Chantresses who use songs to weave spells.

I would recommend picking this up if you like light historical witch stories.

Content: Clean
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication date: May 7th 2013 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
Source:  Edelweiss
Rating:





Disclosure: This review is of a book I was given for free by an author or publisher, or through NetGalley or Edelweiss. This in no way influences the opinions shared in my review. You may see my complete policy on the sidebar and on my policies page. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase of any type using these links, I receive a small kickback.

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