A River Enchanted
by Rebecca Ross
Harper Voyager, 2022

A River Enchanted, the adult fantasy debut from author Rebecca Ross, is the first book in a new duology called The Elements of Cadence. It tells the story of Jack, a young man who left his home on the island of Cadence ten years prior to the start of the novel. In the intervening years Jack has made a good life for himself on the mainland as a musician and teacher. After receiving an unexpected summons from his laird, Jack returns to an island in crisis. Young girls are going missing, and Jack may have the skills necessary to find them. But he won’t have to do it alone. Jack is joined on this quest by his childhood nemesis—and the heir to the East—Adaira Tamerlaine. These two old enemies must put aside their differences and work together to bring the children back home safely. Along the way they uncover hidden truths about their people and discover that maybe they don’t dislike each other so much after all.

Inspired by Scottish folklore, the world of Cadence is one of spirits and enchantments. It’s a place where voices literally travel on the wind and magic is very real. Though Cadence is not as idyllic as it may sound, torn in half as it is by two feuding clans. In the East, the Tamerlaines rule over a land of plenty, never wanting for a good harvesting or plentiful livestock. In the West, the Breccans who are, “known for their bloodthirsty ways,” live a more spartan existence relying solely on magic and brute strength to survive. A generations-long feud keeps the two sides of the island locked in constant opposition to each other.

Throughout the novel, Rebecca Ross explores themes of family, loyalty, truth, and secrets both in the drama surrounding Jack’s reunion with his mother Mirin and in the setting itself. The feud between the Tamerlaines and the Breccans sets the stage for the main action of the novel, and it soon becomes clear that the two sides have a difference of opinion regarding the situation. And while readers of A River Enchanted are positioned to be sympathetic to the Tamerlaine side of the story, the truth, of course, is bound to be somewhere in the middle.

Cadence feels like a place that exists just over the horizon, if only you could get there. The land is lovingly and enchantingly described from the moment Jack first sets eyes on it as, “…darker than night, a shadow against the ocean and the starry sky. Long and rugged, it stretched before them like a sprawled dragon sleeping on the waves.” The spirits and fairies feel real, and not just in terms of their appearance, “…with barbed fins and tentacles, with hair like spilled ink, with gills and iridescent scales and endless rows of teeth.” Their existence has real narrative consequences. Whether you are hoping to save your people or just cut a few miles off your trip home at the end of a long day, you want the spirits and fairies of Cadence on your side. Best of all, the world feels busy and lived-in. There is a strong cast of supporting characters with enough backstory and presence to feel real.

If there is one thing the book struggles with, it’s Jack’s character development. At a few points in the story Jack changes his opinions and behaviors in a way that would make sense if only the inciting incident for the change hadn’t just happened a few paragraphs prior. These changes to his character, while necessary, feel as though they are happening because the story needs them to happen for the narrative to move forward and not because Jack would realistically have grown as a person in such a short amount of time. In other words, it’s narratively convenient for Jack to change, and so he does. And rather than grapple with the events that force Jack to reevaluate his beliefs and life, the narrative simply skips the pesky self-reflection stage in favor of moving forward with the plot. Which is a shame, especially when contrasted with the development seen in the characters Torin and Sidra.

Nevertheless, A River Enchanted is a charming adult debut full of magic, intrigue, and romance that is sure to appeal to readers who enjoy folkloric fantasy and myths. Rebecca Ross succeeds in weaving together themes of family, loyalty, and betrayal to create a believable world where fairies exist, ghosts occasionally offer parenting advice, and music has the power to reach the spirits.

— Amberlee Venters is a freelance editor and writer living in Northern California.