Chantress Fury

March 15, 2015
A final volume, accompanied by a romantic repackage for the whole series, closes out the modestly enjoyable Chantress trilogy. Lucy, Chantress and trusted adviser of King Henry, has spent months traveling nonstop, using her magic to support the kingdom (the quasi-historical novel opens with Lucy singing down an illegal enclosure, a nod to the actual historical conflicts of 17th-century England). She has avoided love interest Nat after his decision (in the previous volume) that he must make it on his own; she is weary and ready to rest when a new threat-embodied by mermaids and killer floods-appears. Soon Lucy finds herself defending the kingdom from an ancient threat closely tied to the Chantresses of the past and to Lucy's own family in particular. Her indecision and lack of self-confidence, particularly in relation to Nat, continue to grate, but generally this is more of the enjoyable same that Greenfield has delivered twice already, and finally the happy ending romantic readers will have longed for manifests. There's nothing new under the sun, but singing heroines, magic, and mermaids make for a formula that still appeals. (historical note) (Fantasy. 12-16)

August 1, 2015

Gr 8 Up-The final volume in a finely written and sweeping fantasy trilogy. Set in 17th-century England, the series centers on Lucy, the last Chantress who has the power to sing magic into the world. King Henry employs Lucy to investigate a supernatural murder-just as London begins to flood. Magic, history, and romance combine to great effect, buoyed by Greenfield's graceful writing. A strong series that will likely find both YA and adult readers.

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2015
Grades 8-12 Chantress Lucy's wild magic skills may not be enough to save late seventeenth-century London and its people from the monstrous Pressina, who seeks her revenge from the depths of the Thames. This concluding volume in the Chantress trilogy, a mix of historical romance and magic, reunites Lucy and Nat and neatly ties up plot threads from Chantress (2013) and Chantress Alchemy (2014). There's a faint feminist flavor to this watery romp. Fans unsure of what to read next should try Claudia Gray's Spellcaster series or Victoria Lamb's Tudor Witch trilogy.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)