Stolen Songbird by Danielle Jensen follows the story of Cecile, a promising young singer on the brink of greatness, destined to follow in her talented mother’s footsteps. Until suddenly, her life is turned upside down when she’s kidnapped and spirited away to the land of Trollus. Cecile soon discovers that she is meant to wed Prince Tristan in the hopes that their prophesied union will break the curse. A curse that keeps the trolls sequestered beneath the Forsaken Mountain. But the trolls underestimate Cecile and her strong-willed defiance. She will do whatever it takes to escape Trollus and be reunited with her family, no matter the cost.
I had high hopes for Stolen Songbird, but ultimately I found it disappointing and a little dull. There were glimmers of greatness scattered throughout, but overall I was not enchanted the way I anticipated. I think the biggest obstacle for me was the exasperating relationship between Tristan and Cecile. It was so toxic and unpredictable that I had major whiplash. The best character, and undoubtedly the bright spot in Stolen Songbird was the powerful and seductive Anais, who absolutely stole the show.
While I was not the right reader for this book, I would still suggest that fantasy lovers who appreciate a quirky and charming story give it a try. I seem to represent one of the few with an unpopular opinion. And I’ve got to hand it to Jensen, I’m invested enough in the plot that I just might read the sequel…
Rating: 3/5 Stars
You can buy Stolen Songbird and support your local bookstore, here.
