lizcastner's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Blood, Death, Grief, Infertility, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Miscarriage
stormeno's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, and Death of parent
foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Chronic illness, Kidnapping, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Death and Violence
fn2902's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Medical content, Infertility, Death of parent, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Terminal illness, Self harm, Chronic illness, and Gore
Minor: Sexual content, War, Abandonment, Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
chrisljm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Blood
Moderate: Death, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Bullying, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Medical content, Miscarriage, War, Murder, Self harm, Terminal illness, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Child abuse
beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
With her first foray into adult fiction, Rebecca Ross has created a rich, atmospheric world, full of magic, mystery, and a whiff of political intrigue.
The plot hinges on the return of Jack Tamerlaine, a gifted musician from the Isle of Cadence, who is coming home after being away on the mainland for ten years, immersed in his studies at the university. Upon his arrival, he discovers that young girls are being kidnapped - and the spirits of the Isle are being blamed. At the same time, an old, ancient grudge continues to burn between the Tamerlaines of the Isle's East and the Breccans of the West. Jack must work with his childhood enemy, Adaira, heiress to the Laird of the East, to discover the truth of the kidnappings. But those they love carry deep, long-held secrets, and none will be left unchanged by the events to come.
A River Enchanted is beautifully and lyrically written. Although the main plot hinges on a traumatic event - the kidnapping of young children - Ross treats the subject with great delicacy. Care is taken to describe the effects the kidnappings have, not only on the children taken but on their loved ones left behind. There are scenes of violence, as well as scenes of a more sexual nature, but these too are tastefully handled and are not graphic in detail. The tension between the Tamerlaines and the Breccans was also well done - I love political intrigue in fantasy worlds, and this delivered.
Although, for the most part, I enjoyed A River Enchanted, I did have the occasional issue. Sometimes I felt that I wasn't as invested in the
Spoiler
romance between Jack and AdairaOverall, I really loved the richness of this novel, and look forward to seeing what happens in the sequel and final book in this duology, A Fire Endless.
Graphic: Death, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
Moderate: Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Violence, Blood, and Medical content
Minor: Pregnancy
Brief description of a traumatic birth where the child is stillborn. The plot hinges on the kidnapping of young girls, althoughSpoiler
they are told to keep silent about what has happened, they are not described as having suffered any physical, verbal, or mental abuseSpoiler
at a cost to their health and vitality.Spoiler
enchanted, not only injuring the bodies of their victims, but also have other supernatural side effects.clarabooksit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Bullying, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Grief, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, and Murder
Minor: Torture
jzthecatlady's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Chronic illness, Death, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Violence, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and War