A river enchanted by Rebecca Ross

A Goodreads choice Award nominee for Best Fantasy 2022, A river enchanted in the first in a fantasy duology by Rebecca Ross (Queen's rising and Queen’s resistance). Set on the island of Cadence, where spirits of fire, water, earth and wind rule, live two warring clans, the Tamerlaines in the east and the Breccans in the west. Adaira is the heiress in the east and when three young girls disappear, she summons Jack Tamerlaine home from university where he has been studying and teaching music. She hopes that his music can reach the spirits and help find the missing girls. Jack has never known his father and has been brought up by his mother Mirin, always feeling isolated and unwanted. When he returns, he discovers he has a sister, Frea, and that Adaira wants him to become the Bard of the west, bringing music and song back to the people. Will Adaira and Jack manage to put aside old injuries and work together to solve the mystery of the disappearing children?

Ross has succeeded in building a rich fantasy world where the wind carries gossip across the hills, and where the people wear enchanted plaids and carry strange dirks. The two clans are kept apart by The Clan Line, the Breccans suffering terribly in the cold winters, but having the ability to weave magic plaids, while  those in the west have plenty to eat but magic is difficult to come by. Adaira believes that peace could come to the island and that each clan could help each other, but first the children must be found. Will Jack’s music lure the spirits to give the pair information?

The characters are well developed and easy to relate to. Jack’s music as the Bard of the west helps him to accept that he does have a place on Cadence and his growing feelings and trust for Adaira feel authentic. Torin, the captain of the Guard and his wife Sidra, a healer, also are strong people, who must overcome trials and begin to understand each other when Torin’s daughter Maisie is kidnapped.

Ross’ juggling of the two main themes of the story, that of the mystery of the missing children and the hope for peace between the warring clans, kept me rivetted and I immediately ordered the next in the duology, A Fire Endless, after a cliff-hanger ending. Readers who enjoyed the music in the story may like to move onto the Warrior Bards series by Juliet Marillier, beginning with Harp of kings and those who enjoyed the magical aspects may like Spells for forgetting by Adrienne Young. 

Themes: Fantasy, Magic, Music, Missing persons.

Pat Pledger