Chantress

Gr 9 Up—In renaissance-era London, Lucy Marlowe discovers that she is a Chantress and thus capable of creating powerful magic through singing. Greenfield effectively conjures a world in which England is controlled by the nefarious Lord Scargrave and his Shadowgrims, creatures who find and capture enemies of the crown, especially Chantresses. When Lucy's power unexpectedly manifests, she inadvertently transports herself from the protected island where she has grown up to the heart of London. She earns the trust and help of Cornelius Penebrygg and his apprentice, Nat. They tell her that she is the only person who can put an end to Scargrave's reign of terror, but she must first learn how to use her powers. Fortunately, Lucy's Godmother, Lady Helaine, takes control of the teen's magical training. Just before the heroine embarks on a dangerous mission to sneak into the Tower and steal a grimoire, a book of spells that controls the Shadowgrims, she learns that Lady Helaine has ulterior motives. Faced with conflicting goals and ideals, Lucy must decide for herself what kind of world she wants to live in and what kind of person she wants to be. Although the idea of magic conjured by singing is slightly silly, Greenfield's characters help suspend disbelief. While Chantress is likely to interest readers looking for historical fantasy, they will find it more skillfully done in Rachel Hartman's Seraphina (Random, 2012).—Joy Piedmont, LREI, New York City