"Fabulous Fantasy Suspense"
In finishing Brynn Chapman's A CIRCLE OF CROWS, I find
myself finally able to lean back and catch my breath after
this amazingly creative and fast paced suspenseful fantasy. Since the early 1900's the sleepy town of Rhinebeck, NY has
had it's share of heartbreak with children gone missing,
never to be seen or heard from again. Similarly the MacBeth
twin sisters, Raena and Rachel along with their adopted
sister Bella have also had their share of heartbreak. When
Rachel lost her husband leaving her with small Morgana to
raise alone, her sisters rallied round coming together to
help run the family Inn and help Rachel raise their niece. Through the years the inn had been the site of surreal
happenings; of missing children and of rain that sounded
like the crying voices of children. The sisters all took
this in stride with their deep-rooted Scottish heritage
considering they'd been brought up with tales from their
eccentric, somewhat wacky grandmother about evil birds and
winged creatures that would steal children away from their
homes. They always thought these were myths told to keep
them in line until now when an unusual amount of crows
started appearing. Rae who had a bit of a fey intuition
sensed that something was not right. Later when Morgana was
swept into a swirling portal in the Autumn room of the inn,
they all realized that the myths they'd grown up with
belied a terrible reality. Most readers will be glued to the pages in this thrilling
non-stop adventure that you won't be able to put down. The
author treats you to numerous twists and turns, as she
keeps the action going back and forth between the two
worlds. You feel the family's desperation as they try to
find their way into an unknown realm that had swallowed
their beloved daughter and niece. Then as the author
reveals little by little, the horrid truths of what was
going on in that world, you'll feel Morgana's terror as
they all raced against time to rescue the children before
and stop an unbelievable evil sacrifice. In this amazing, highly imaginative, and fully robust tale
you meet an incredible cast of characters from both worlds
that are so carefully constructed the reader will quickly
become immersed in each of their lives. The author takes
several of the key characters and with succinct story
telling shows and breathes life into their motivations.
You'll get emotionally involved as they battled the evil,
revel in the self-sacrifice they make for one another, and
finally cheer their hopes and dreams of finding love. The
world Ms. Chapman created along with her unforgettable
characters will stay with you, as they did with me, long
after the last page is turned. A very creative and
intriguing read that I highly recommend.
Reviewed by Marilyn Rondeau
Posted January 6, 2007
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