A River Enchanted: A Magical Island Takes Center Stage in Rebecca Ross’s Adult Debut

Author Rebecca Ross is generally known for her young adult fiction, with popular titles such as The Queen’s Rising, Dreams Lie Beneath, and Sisters of the Winter Wood under her belt. And while the plot of those books may all be wildly different (an adventure to restore a rightful queen, a story of a magical dream warden, and a tale of two sisters inspired by ancient Greece), they nevertheless have one thing in common: Ross’s ability to take well-worn character types and narrative tropes and mix them together into something that feels brand new.
From slow-burn love stories to enemies that gradually turn into lovers, reluctant Chosen Ones, and family members willing to trade anything for one another, these stories are satisfying largely because their beats are so familiar. And yet, thanks to her delicately intricate writing, Ross makes these stories feel fresher than they have any right to be, full of likable heroines, swoon-worthy relationships, and thoughtful, complex stories that contain more layers and nuance than immediately meets the eye.
A River Enchanted marks Ross’s adult fantasy debut, but the same strengths of her YA writing can be found here, in a story that mixes fantasy staples with political intrigue and a dash of mystery on top. The story is set on a vividly imagined, clearly Scottish-inspired island known as Cadence whose people have existed under a curse for centuries, one which leaves their land literally torn in two.
The clans of the east and west sides of the island live in what is essentially two different worlds: The Western Breccans can wield magic, but as a result rule over a dead land that doesn’t produce enough food to feed their people and whose elemental spirits are hostile toward them. In the east, the Tamerlaine clan holds sway over a bountiful realm of plenty, where food grows abundantly and the spirits are, if not always kind, at least not often cruel.
Yet, the Tamerlaines’ ability to use magic is limited (they can weave or craft it into objects such as clothing or armor) and comes at great personal cost to those that cast it, since in many cases using magic for long enough shortens their lives. The two clans have been at odds for hundreds of years, as the Breccans raid across the magical clan boundary line to steal food, and the Tamerlaines spend both their magic and blood fighting to hold them off.