The Songweavers

This third and final book of THE NOTHERLAND JOURNEYS series picks up about a year after the ending of the second book in the trilogy, but it does a good job of explaining all that's happened in the interim. Seventeen-year-old Peggy is disappointed that the one person she meets on her journeys to the strange world called Notherland doesn't seem to recognize her in the real world once she returns. Her relationship with Gary, also known as Jackpine, has been developed in the previous two books, and her frustration with his inability to remember her is tangible. Now back at home and living with her mother, Peggy has decided that perhaps she's finally too grown up for the fantasy world she created as a young child trying to cope with an unhappy home life. In a final act of severing herself from that world, she decides to sell her silver flute, an instrument that designated her as the Flute Player, who could call things into existence via song. Peggy doesn't realize it, but her decision to abandon the flute and forget about Notherland, the make-believe world of her childhood, has drastic effects upon the world she created and those who live there. Notherland and its inhabitants are banished from existence, with the exception of the Nordling Mi, pirate doll Molly, and talking loon Gavi, who are spared the destruction because they have the ability to travel between worlds and can escape Notherland's fate. The story follows the separate journeys of Mi, Molly, and Gavi to return to or recreate Notherland, all of which parallel the final stages of Peggy's journey of self-discovery and coming to terms with her past. THE SONGWEAVERS provides a strong conclusion to the trilogy, weaving together on a grand scale the storylines of the major characters from previous books and giving the author an opportunity to expand upon her ideas about the significance of art in the world. If you enjoyed the previous books in this series, this is a must-read. Reviewed by: Candace Cunard