The Singing by Alison Croggon is the fourth and final book in the Books of Pelinor series. It begins were the last book in the series left off. Maerad and Hem are traveling to Edil-Amarandh in search of one another. Maerad and her companion first go to the boarding school of Innail, while Hem and his companion Saliman journey north, attempting to flee the Black Army. A prophecy has been spoken over them which says they will release the Treesong, which is the only way to conquer the Nameless One and defeat the forces of darkness.
The Singing is full of plot twists, battles, betrayals, and even visions, all with the underlying theme of brother and sisterhood, of a bond which can never be broken. While this novel contains the typical structure of the average fantasy story, it has much more depth than most books. The story is influenced by the power of music, and the author obviously has skills in both prose and poetry. The author's writing is graceful and flows in a way which makes its 454 pages speed by. It is, however, not overly flowery and is composed in a way that makes it an accessible read to most older teens. The author's characters are memorable and her writing is effortless. All of these things combined make The Singing an enjoyable novel.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Cary, NC USA
