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asreadbykat's review against another edition
4.0
True Rating: 4/5 Stars
I can't lie: I have very quickly become a huge fan of Margaret Rogerson, in a way that hasn't happened in a very long time. I've enjoyed books, but I haven't found a recent author I would willingly auto-buy a book for...until now.
This is the third book I've read by Rogerson, and while it's probably #3 on my personal list of rating her works, that doesn't mean it was bad. That being said, it is obvious this was her debut novel, as it had some minor flaws that are absent from "Vespertine" and "Sorcery of Thorns."
While "Sorcery" did have a pretty fast romance, the romance in this book definitely beat it timing-wise. This felt very insta-love, and in any other novel I would have been annoyed. However, Rogerson as a writer seems aware of this, and does her best to make it as realistic and palatable as possible for all readers. So while I'm not a huge "insta-love" fan, I can put aside my dislike for it because of how much I enjoyed Rook and Isobel. Watching them interact and grow closer, respecting each other -it definitely made me appreciate the romance more. And Rook may or may not have made me swoon a bit in one particular scene.
Another thing that holds this back from a higher rating for me is the feeling of trying to squash a huge amount of lore and world-building into a small space. There are so many rules and laws regarding the fair folk, not to mention the worlds and their own intricacies. Again, Rogerson does her best to give us all the necessary information and detail, but it's difficult within the limited time of the novel. The resolution of the conflict also felt fairly rushed at the end.
But overall, I really did enjoy reading this just as much as her other works. The world is rich, the writing is absolutely fantastic, and the characters stole my heart and made me fall in love with them. It's a fun and fast read that isn't trying to do anything but give the reader a good time.
And it definitely succeeds.
TL;DR: Very obviously a debut novel, but still a great story with great writing.
I can't lie: I have very quickly become a huge fan of Margaret Rogerson, in a way that hasn't happened in a very long time. I've enjoyed books, but I haven't found a recent author I would willingly auto-buy a book for...until now.
This is the third book I've read by Rogerson, and while it's probably #3 on my personal list of rating her works, that doesn't mean it was bad. That being said, it is obvious this was her debut novel, as it had some minor flaws that are absent from "Vespertine" and "Sorcery of Thorns."
While "Sorcery" did have a pretty fast romance, the romance in this book definitely beat it timing-wise. This felt very insta-love, and in any other novel I would have been annoyed. However, Rogerson as a writer seems aware of this, and does her best to make it as realistic and palatable as possible for all readers. So while I'm not a huge "insta-love" fan, I can put aside my dislike for it because of how much I enjoyed Rook and Isobel. Watching them interact and grow closer, respecting each other -it definitely made me appreciate the romance more. And Rook may or may not have made me swoon a bit in one particular scene.
Another thing that holds this back from a higher rating for me is the feeling of trying to squash a huge amount of lore and world-building into a small space. There are so many rules and laws regarding the fair folk, not to mention the worlds and their own intricacies. Again, Rogerson does her best to give us all the necessary information and detail, but it's difficult within the limited time of the novel. The resolution of the conflict also felt fairly rushed at the end.
But overall, I really did enjoy reading this just as much as her other works. The world is rich, the writing is absolutely fantastic, and the characters stole my heart and made me fall in love with them. It's a fun and fast read that isn't trying to do anything but give the reader a good time.
And it definitely succeeds.
TL;DR: Very obviously a debut novel, but still a great story with great writing.
harleyrae's review against another edition
3.0
This wasn’t a bad book, but after the first 50ish pages, it had a really hard time holding my attention.
powderysweetgirly's review against another edition
DNF'ed. I just couldn't get into it! Didn't have as much expansion on the magic system and the world as I thought it would, which made it hard to enjoy. The romance was fine, but I just can't stand a supposedly 'strong female character' just going googly eyes over the love interest after knowing him for 3 seconds. And the most pressing question from this is, how tf do you draw sadness in someone's eyes? Like how!?
keyeung's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
whimsyfaerie's review against another edition
4.0
➛ 4⭑ !!
”the ability to feel is a strength, not a weakness.”
uhm?? this book was really good!! i didn’t expect to like it because i’ve always had an interesting relationship with this author’s books, but an enchantment of ravens really surprised me! just one quick note: because this book is a short stand-alone, the world building isn’t explained that much and the romance is pretty insta-lovey. however, i still really liked this book !!
“in that moment it seemed the trees were leaning together, whispering. waiting for me to walk past those rusty, crooked nails and walk beneath their boughs, so they could watch and listen.”
an enchantment of ravens is the perfect book to read during autumn. i mean the mmc is literally the autumn prince?? i also feel like it embodies the genre “cozy fantasy” flawlessly. this is the exact type of book i would want to read on a rainy autumn day while sipping tea !!
“frankly, i had no idea how anyone knew if they were in love in the first place. was there ever a single thread a person could pick out from the knot and say "yes- i am in love here's the proof!" or was it always caught up in a wretched tangle of its and buts and maybes?”
isobel was an intriguing fmc! i loved that her craft was painting, as i rarely read books that incorporate art, one of my favorite passions, besides reading! she was sweet and thought logically, which made her a much more likable character. rook, the autumn prince, was also an enjoyable character to read about. i loved his confusion with human objects and emotions; it was really amusing.
”yes. and- no. isobel, i love you wholly. i love you eter-nally. i love you so dearly it frightens me. i fear i could not live without you. i could see your face every morning upon waking for ten thousand years and still look forward to the next as though it were the first.”
the romance, while not my favorite, was still very sweet. i really liked seeing isobel and rook feeling confused by their emotions for each other and wondering what loving someone truly felt like. including those thoughts into the story made their romance feel more genuine and realistic. i definitely think if you’re someone that is unsure about love or what it entails, you’ll find comfort in rook and isobel’s romance. <3
i really enjoyed this book and i definitely recommend it if you love fair folk, autumn, and romance !!
”because suddenly it was quite clear to me that i was in love with rook, and it had happened as most quiet, perfect, utterly natural things do: without my even noticing.”
— 0/5 spice !
mwah, sumi ⭑
”the ability to feel is a strength, not a weakness.”
uhm?? this book was really good!! i didn’t expect to like it because i’ve always had an interesting relationship with this author’s books, but an enchantment of ravens really surprised me! just one quick note: because this book is a short stand-alone, the world building isn’t explained that much and the romance is pretty insta-lovey. however, i still really liked this book !!
“in that moment it seemed the trees were leaning together, whispering. waiting for me to walk past those rusty, crooked nails and walk beneath their boughs, so they could watch and listen.”
an enchantment of ravens is the perfect book to read during autumn. i mean the mmc is literally the autumn prince?? i also feel like it embodies the genre “cozy fantasy” flawlessly. this is the exact type of book i would want to read on a rainy autumn day while sipping tea !!
“frankly, i had no idea how anyone knew if they were in love in the first place. was there ever a single thread a person could pick out from the knot and say "yes- i am in love here's the proof!" or was it always caught up in a wretched tangle of its and buts and maybes?”
isobel was an intriguing fmc! i loved that her craft was painting, as i rarely read books that incorporate art, one of my favorite passions, besides reading! she was sweet and thought logically, which made her a much more likable character. rook, the autumn prince, was also an enjoyable character to read about. i loved his confusion with human objects and emotions; it was really amusing.
”yes. and- no. isobel, i love you wholly. i love you eter-nally. i love you so dearly it frightens me. i fear i could not live without you. i could see your face every morning upon waking for ten thousand years and still look forward to the next as though it were the first.”
the romance, while not my favorite, was still very sweet. i really liked seeing isobel and rook feeling confused by their emotions for each other and wondering what loving someone truly felt like. including those thoughts into the story made their romance feel more genuine and realistic. i definitely think if you’re someone that is unsure about love or what it entails, you’ll find comfort in rook and isobel’s romance. <3
i really enjoyed this book and i definitely recommend it if you love fair folk, autumn, and romance !!
”because suddenly it was quite clear to me that i was in love with rook, and it had happened as most quiet, perfect, utterly natural things do: without my even noticing.”
— 0/5 spice !
mwah, sumi ⭑
lenkaaaa's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
beesknees's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0