Review: Chantress by Amy Butler Greenfield

Title: Chantress

Author: Amy Butler Greenfield 
Publisher: Margaret K McElderry

Publishing Date: May 7th, 2013

Pages: 324
Genre: YA Historical Fantasy 

Series:  Chantress Trilogy #1
Source: Audio

 

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.

This was another re-read for me. I found tons of books in my read books that I read the first book and never finished the series. So I had to reread a ton of first books in the series. I didn't remember anything in this book. I see that I rated it a four heart when I first read it years ago. I guess either my rating thoughts have changed or I just didn't get as excited about this book this time around. It was still a good read and I know I want to finish out the series, I just didn't love this book as expected.

Lucy is a 15-year girl stuck on an island with only her guardian. She has been here for years. One day she hums and things start to change. Next, she finds a letter from her mother. Then she sings herself into London. She finds that London is not the place for someone like her. A Chantress. The country is ruled by an evil man, some pretty dangerous birds, and a boy king that does nothing for the state the country is in. The only way this country can be saved is by a Chantress, like Lucy. The only problem is that Lucy has no training and no knowledge of what she can do. She gets some help from an old Chantress, an old man and his apprentice, and an entire secret society. Together they look for a way to take the tyrant of a ruler down and save England.

This book was good. I liked the main story and I enjoyed the world building. The story and the world were well explained and I enjoyed all the small details the writer put into this story. I normally don't like a lot of detail in the world building but this book needed it and it was very interesting. I really couldn't get enough. The story itself was a little slow at times. I really enjoyed what was going on but I felt it took forever to get to the part of actually doing something to start a war. It was a lot of training and a lot of planning not a lot of doing. So that part did hinder my enjoyment just a little.

The characters were great. I loved Lucy and I loved Nat (the boy apprentice) and I absolutely adored Pennyworth. (i think that is the old man's name.)

Lucy was a very headstrong and brave girl. She was thrown into a world where nothing made sense, everything was new, and she was supposed to save it from some pure evil. Nat is a sweet boy that doesn't trust magic easily and now he is living with a strange filled with magic. Pennyworth is just a sweet old man who is smart as the dickens and love for everyone.

The characters were great but I felt there wasn't enough building between the characters relationship wise. I loved them and wanted the best for them but I felt no love between them. I mean there was love between them. They cared deeply for each other. I just didn't have enough scenes with just getting to know each other and stuff. I live in these scenes. I could tell that there was a romance starting between Nat and Lucy but I couldn't feel it. I think there were too much planning and training, not enough living in this book.

Now even though there could have been some things worked out a bit better in this book I still really enjoyed and recommend it highly to those who love historical fantasy. I loved the setting and the world so very very much. It was quite a creative and lovely but dark world. Well built and well explained and so unique.

I did enjoy this story and will get the next book as soon as I can and hope to see some good romance in this next book. 

An amazing world to visit for just a little while. 

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.

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.