Customer Reviews

The Enchantresses

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2 star:		(1)
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I loved this book because it is creative and different. It captured my interest from the first sentence. It is about three sisters growing up and how they are different from one another and how they go to great lengths to perform their "part in destiny". It is about three girls, yet it mostly focusses on only one, although it shows everyones point of view even Merlin, Arthur and Torion(Sir Ectors brother).

The book centers around the triplet daughters of the Dutchcess Ygraine the Duke of Cornwall. Morgause, Vivian and Morgan are all distinctly different in appearance and personality. Most of the book follows their evolution from babies until Morgan becomes the embodiment of evil, Morgause becomes Morgan's lackey, and Vivian becomes the Lady of the Lake. Most of the story focuses on Vivian who resists the lure of evil and although mystically empowered uses the powers only for good. Morgan is less developed and Morgause is really overshadowed and the story ends with little known of her other than her instrumental tampering with Ygraine and Uther and ultimately with Arthur. Truly, this is not an exceptional retelling of the story. It's a very short book and a fast read. If, like me, you simply devour anything and everything Arthurian, it is worth having under your reading belt. If you are not familiar with the Arthurian legends and the primary characters, this is not where I'd suggest you begin. I would strongly suggest the Mists of Avalon (for the mystic side of the story and a look at the women of the legend) or the Bernard Cornwell triology (for what is more historically founded) before this book.

I stumbled upon this book in a used book store. I'm glad I did. It is the story of the daughters of Igraine (Vivian, Morgause, and Morgan) who all have magical abilities (used with varying degrees of good and evil) and their relationships with Merlin and Arthur. A relatively quick read, Chapman favors broad strokes to convey her story. I found this book to be a poetic meditation on the cycle of life and death and to successfully convey the mystical nature of the Arthurian world.

I stumbled upon this book in a used book store never having heard of Vera Chapman. I'm very glad I did. It is a fairly short read but the novel, painted in broad strokes, is poetic and intriguing. It is the story of three sisters, the daughters of Igraine --Viviane, Morgause, and Morgan-- who all possess magical abilities (which are put to varying degrees of good or evil) and their varied relationships with Merlin and Arthur. I found this novel to be an interesting meditation on the cycle of life and death and to have captured in a beautifl way the mystical spirit of the Arthurian tales.