Author: Amy Butler Greenfield
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication Date: May 7th 2013
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Blurb:
Lucy’s Chantress magic will make her the most powerful—and most hunted—girl in England. “Sing, and the darkness will find you.” This warning has haunted fifteen-year-old Lucy ever since she was eight and shipwrecked on a lonely island. Lucy’s guardian, Norrie, has lots of rules, but the most important is that Lucy must never sing. Not ever. Now it is 1667, Lucy is fifteen, and on All Hallows’ Eve, Lucy hears a tantalizing melody on the wind. She can’t help but sing—and she is swept into darkness.
When she awakes in England, Lucy hears powerful men discussing Chantresses—women who can sing magic into the world. They are hunting her, but she escapes and finds sanctuary with the Invisible College, an organization plotting to overthrow the nefarious Lord Protector. The only person powerful enough to bring about his downfall is a Chantress. And Lucy is the last one in England.
Lucy struggles to master the song-spells and harness her power, but the Lord Protector is moving quickly. And her feelings for Nat, an Invisible College apprentice and scientist who deeply distrusts her magic, only add to her confusion...
Time is running out, and the fate of England hangs in the balance in this entrancing novel that is atmospheric and lyrical, dangerous and romantic.
My Review:
Lucy is a curious and brave fifteen year old who finds out that she is a Chantress; a type of witch who works magic by singing. She is swept away to England, where she was born, but has little memory of. Lucy is a girl whose bravery and kindness make her extremely likable. Nat and Lucy's relationship had an interesting dynamic. He is the type of character who I immediately felt I understood. He keeps himself at a distance from Lucy at first, but we soon find out why that is. The relationship between the two of them is slow-building, and that makes it that much more believable. I felt that all of the important characters in Chantress were very well written.
The world-building in this story was great. I could clearly picture each scene in my mind as if I were living it right alongside the characters. The bad guys were creepy, and there were times where I wasn't sure if certain characters may have had ulterior motives, which added an element of mystery to the story. The pacing was quick overall, though there were a couple parts that I felt dragged a bit.
All in all, Chantress met all of my expectations. I felt a connection with Lucy. She has a fierce loyalty to those she loves, and put everything she had into becoming the best Chantress she could be. There is a lot of real history in this book. There is a whole section at the end where Amy Butler Greenfield tells us which parts of the story are based on real situations, places, inventions, and people from that time period. I found this quite facinating, and it gave me a whole new appreciation for her as writer.
Chantress is a beautiful story of a young girl's journey to find herself and fulfill her destiny. This was a fabulous story written by a talented and informed author. I will gladly pick up any YA book that she writes in the future.
My Rating:
4 ½ STARS
Favorite Quotes:
"I had to be patient, letting the future unfold in its own time and its own way."
"My father used to say that if anyone is to be trusted, it is not the person who seizes power. It is the person who turns it
down. "
Amy Butler Greenfield was a grad student in history when she gave into temptation and became a writer. Since then, she has become an award-winning author.
Born in Philadelphia, Amy grew up in the Adirondack Mountains and later studied history at Williams College, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Oxford. She now lives with her family in England, where she writes, bakes double-dark-chocolate cake, and plots mischief.
Purchase Links:
Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
About The Author:
