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mostlyshanti's review against another edition
4.0
The Crow is a really good addition to The Books of Pellinor. Like the other books, it doesn’t blow any of my *other* fantasy favourites out of the water, but it asks important questions, has an intriguing world, and I really like the characters.
I’d be lying if I didn’t say that the introductions and conclusions of these books didn’t help me to see some of the themes Croggon is dealing with. But I enjoyed them just the same. One of those themes is the impact of war. Both Hem and Maerad had pretty sucky childhoods. In Cadvan and Saliman, they have found some peace. But war is encroaching, and it’s ruining that and it’s so sad. As Hem journeys into Den Raven, you see another side of the war—the sadness of that deserted land. The conversations and thoughts that happen in the doomed Turbansk were very interesting—and still so important in our war-broken world. The importance of relationships—that they are a defense against the Darkness—is emphasised also. The way that Croggon examines how broken the natural world can get, and the importance of the relationship between humans and the environment is important also.
I really liked the culture and world that we see more of The Crow. Turbansk is an intricate city, and the culture is more Mediterranean—maybe even North African—esque, which is cool. The world unfolds very precisely and enjoyably. I never felt confused, even though I had to leave this book at home when I was one hundred pages in and only started reading again two weeks later. Den Raven is a broken land too, and it was sad but cool to explore. The history supporting these lands is so well plotted, as the appendices show.
And then there are the characters. I really liked Hem, Zelika and Irc, and the side characters are fabulous. Hem isn’t a Chosen One, like Maerad, so his stance on the greater happenings around him is more subtle, which I liked. Of course, the Chosen One is done very well in the first two books; but this, too was refreshing. Hem is struggling with his new life, which felt very realistic. His response to wanting to help is also cool—he doesn’t quite know how to help yet, but is doing the best he can. He is brave and scared. I really empathised with him. Zelika’s troubled heart—and her at the end—was so well written to. As she learns the nuances of war, and that she can’t always help in the way she wants to, she really grows up, and that made her a really strong character. I particularly remember the scene when she sees Har-Ytan going off to war as a turning point for her. Irc is delightful, and I wanted more of him. His point of view was also really well written.
It’s so easy for these big POV switches to feel interrupting in a series. And I did feel like that at first, but as the story continued I became invested for it’s own sake.
Do you love Pellinor, but want to see another story that isn’t so typically chosen one? Do you like fierce characters figuring out their place in the world? Do you like fantasy worlds that are both familiar and difference? Do you want to see more subtleties of war than *just* good and bad in fantasy? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then The Crow is probably a good book for you.
I’d be lying if I didn’t say that the introductions and conclusions of these books didn’t help me to see some of the themes Croggon is dealing with. But I enjoyed them just the same. One of those themes is the impact of war. Both Hem and Maerad had pretty sucky childhoods. In Cadvan and Saliman, they have found some peace. But war is encroaching, and it’s ruining that and it’s so sad. As Hem journeys into Den Raven, you see another side of the war—the sadness of that deserted land. The conversations and thoughts that happen in the doomed Turbansk were very interesting—and still so important in our war-broken world. The importance of relationships—that they are a defense against the Darkness—is emphasised also. The way that Croggon examines how broken the natural world can get, and the importance of the relationship between humans and the environment is important also.
I really liked the culture and world that we see more of The Crow. Turbansk is an intricate city, and the culture is more Mediterranean—maybe even North African—esque, which is cool. The world unfolds very precisely and enjoyably. I never felt confused, even though I had to leave this book at home when I was one hundred pages in and only started reading again two weeks later. Den Raven is a broken land too, and it was sad but cool to explore. The history supporting these lands is so well plotted, as the appendices show.
And then there are the characters. I really liked Hem, Zelika and Irc, and the side characters are fabulous. Hem isn’t a Chosen One, like Maerad, so his stance on the greater happenings around him is more subtle, which I liked. Of course, the Chosen One is done very well in the first two books; but this, too was refreshing. Hem is struggling with his new life, which felt very realistic. His response to wanting to help is also cool—he doesn’t quite know how to help yet, but is doing the best he can. He is brave and scared. I really empathised with him. Zelika’s troubled heart—and her at the end—was so well written to. As she learns the nuances of war, and that she can’t always help in the way she wants to, she really grows up, and that made her a really strong character. I particularly remember the scene when she sees Har-Ytan going off to war as a turning point for her. Irc is delightful, and I wanted more of him. His point of view was also really well written.
It’s so easy for these big POV switches to feel interrupting in a series. And I did feel like that at first, but as the story continued I became invested for it’s own sake.
Do you love Pellinor, but want to see another story that isn’t so typically chosen one? Do you like fierce characters figuring out their place in the world? Do you like fantasy worlds that are both familiar and difference? Do you want to see more subtleties of war than *just* good and bad in fantasy? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then The Crow is probably a good book for you.
kayjaybeereads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
foolishwit13's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
grandtheftautumn's review against another edition
4.0
It was really cool for part of this story to be told from Hem's eyes. I think I needed a break from Maerad after the last book at the very least. And I absolutely adored Irc, who was such a fun little character throughout the book. I hope they get to clean him up a bit so he can be a handsome crow again. I will say I was really disappointed with where Zelika's character was taken. I was so excited to have another prominent female character in the series (since most of our main cast are male besides Maerad) so her exit from the story was kind of upsetting. I'm not sure how many new characters the last book will introduce, so I don't think there's a lot of hope for new prominent female characters. However, it was nice to see Hem's character grow from the wary broken kid into a brave, sensitive bard with a special passion for healing.
radina's review against another edition
5.0
When I started this book, I wasn't so excited to change POVs from Maerad to her kid brother - but boy did I grow to love him over the course of this book! This is a super dark one, but with a lot of heart. I think the series really hits its stride here in the gorgeous worldbuilding and story. There's such a depth to the setting and characters that makes these books feel super real to me. I can't wait to read the next one, although I'm going to be very sad when the series is over, that's for sure!
blizzylith's review against another edition
4.0
My least favorite in the series (no Cadvan!), but still very good. This may be my new favorite series...
idogrocker's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
acfulton's review against another edition
4.0
At first, I was kind of bored with this book especially since it wasn't following Maerad and Cadvan. But I eventually got really into it and loved the entire story! It was so sweet when Hem was talking to Zelika's grave and told her he was planning on marrying her when they grew up. And so sad. I loved it a lot, but I just want to know what happened to Maerad and Cadvan still!