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laura_middlxton's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-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
4.25
readundancies's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
The writing is wonderful but all this read has solidified in me is that I don’t fuck with fae as the central focus in a fantasy novel.
Like, I just cannot get with the faerie courts or customs or inhumanity - I’m both bored and apathetic and that hasn’t changed since the last time I tried a fae read.
I wish I could articulate why I have such a strong disinclination towards this subgenre, but other than it just completely putting me off, I can’t explain it. Perhaps it’s the obsession with humanity? I dunno, all I know is that it rubs me the wrong way.
Outside of the fae themselves, the romance made this feel very YA instalove which is not my vibe. It was fast-paced and of a shorter length than I think was needed; a lot of the relationship dynamics were not as strong as they could’ve been had there been more page time to flesh them out.
I don’t regret taste-testing faeries again just because it confirmed that it’s not where my interest lies, but as someone who typically actively avoids faeries in my reads, it wasn’t doing much for me.
Like, I just cannot get with the faerie courts or customs or inhumanity - I’m both bored and apathetic and that hasn’t changed since the last time I tried a fae read.
I wish I could articulate why I have such a strong disinclination towards this subgenre, but other than it just completely putting me off, I can’t explain it. Perhaps it’s the obsession with humanity? I dunno, all I know is that it rubs me the wrong way.
Outside of the fae themselves, the romance made this feel very YA instalove which is not my vibe. It was fast-paced and of a shorter length than I think was needed; a lot of the relationship dynamics were not as strong as they could’ve been had there been more page time to flesh them out.
I don’t regret taste-testing faeries again just because it confirmed that it’s not where my interest lies, but as someone who typically actively avoids faeries in my reads, it wasn’t doing much for me.
andotherworlds's review against another edition
3.0
3.5-4 // i LUVVVV margaret rogerson; truly peak cozy fantasy that gives the ultimate studio ghibli vibes and atmosphere in a perfectly comforting and whimsical way!!
addieisreading's review against another edition
4.0
“Why do we desire, above all other things, that which has the greatest power to destroy us?”
This book is lovely, and you'll get the most out of the reading if you turn off your brain to embrace the absurdity of everything. I had the impression that An Enchantment of Ravens was inspired by old fairytales (such as the ones written by the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Andersen, for example). So the plot is as intriguing as it is also straightforward and easy to process (except for a HUGE PLOT-TWIST by the end that I guarantee many of you won't see coming).
For example, some villains are easy to defeat, animals turn into people and villagers get like “Well, is just another normal day”, blood can grow plants, and love at first sight is one of the tropes (but calm down, they discover is mostly a crush, but still—knowing they'll end up together anyway, it kind of doesn't matter). So, in case you're looking for really high IQ readings or want a bit of a challenge, maybe this one is not for you now. I'd suggest you save it for later because the ending truly makes it worth it and the protagonists have an intriguing journey until they get to the point they arrive at the end, it truly pays off if you enjoyed it until then.
I'm still waiting for her to write a spin-off standalone book with those protagonists as side characters, though, because I miss them so much...
fearthetoaster's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.25
This was May’s book club book! We wanted to do something that gave fae vibes so we can have this meeting tea party style, and this book hit the mark.
I really enjoyed how this books version of fae has differences that set themselves apart from other fae. In this book cooking, painting, sewing, ironwork, pretty much anything a human did for “work” was considered Craft. Fae can’t do Craft or they will wither away and die - literally. And thus is how Isobel and Rook meet.
Their love story was cute in a YA way, and I love how they overcame so many differences and struggles during their time together.
This books ending was beautiful, and perfect. I think it wrapped everything nicely and some of the characters had beautiful arcs in the end.
I really enjoyed how this books version of fae has differences that set themselves apart from other fae. In this book cooking, painting, sewing, ironwork, pretty much anything a human did for “work” was considered Craft. Fae can’t do Craft or they will wither away and die - literally. And thus is how Isobel and Rook meet.
Their love story was cute in a YA way, and I love how they overcame so many differences and struggles during their time together.
This books ending was beautiful, and perfect. I think it wrapped everything nicely and some of the characters had beautiful arcs in the end.
wtvtessa's review against another edition
2.0
Não gostei. A escrita foi boa mas tudo o resto não me agradou.
eesh25's review against another edition
2.0
An Enchantment of Ravens has a beautiful cover but a low rating average, so I went in with moderate expectation. I still came out of it disappointed but not for usual reasons.
Right off the bat, you have to suspend your disbelief to some extent because of the premise. Isobel is a painter. She lives in the town of Whimsy, one often visited by the Fair Folk because they love Craft (a.k.a. art) but are unable to create their own. Isobel's Craft is highly coveted and, one day, the prince of the Autumn Court comes to commission a painting. Isobel sees something in him that she never expected, human emotion. When she paints his sorrow into the portrait, his reputation is threatened and he takes Isobel to Faerie to stand trial.
There are a few things about this synopsis that I wanna discuss. First off, if you didn't understand all the things in it, maybe because you've never read stuff related to the Faeries, then I suggest avoiding this book for now because it doesn't take the time to explain how the fae work. Second, the fact that her act of painting emotion on his portrait starts the whole charade should tell you enough about plausibility.
Moving on to the reason I was disappointed by the novel, it's because of the potential. I so badly wanted to like it. Near the end, I just wanted to get it to three stars somehow but I failed. One thing I really liked were the fae. I mean, I always love Fair Folk but I'm talking about the ones in this book specifically. They have some features that matched the norm, like not being able to lie and the nature thing. But there were also differences. For one, they turn to dust on performing Craft. Like, they can't even write their own names. They're immortal but they lack the animation that would be needed for a fulfilling life. I liked the balance that was created between the fae and humans. One is not better off than the other, even if it might seem that way.
But except for this one thing, I'm having difficulty coming up with many redeeming qualities. The writing was fine, I guess, but the visual imagery and action were lost in the attempt to make things "magical". Fantasy writing 101 should be to not compromise the important stuff for pretty prose.
The character development was also minimal. Isobel... there's not much to her. She's not annoying, thank god but the author makes her too composed. Nothing seems to phase her and she's always wise. Her narrative sounds like it belongs to an old woman who's telling the tale of her youth (think Rose in Titanic). Rook, the Autumn prince and the love interest, is pretty much useless. He's supposed to be one of the most powerful creatures in the world and hundreds (if not thousands) of years old, but you would never be able to tell. He has no clue what he's doing, ever, and his so-called power is highly inconsistent through the novel. I didn't buy him as a powerful faerie for a second.
Another things I didn't buy for a second: the romance. This novel relies on the romance a lot. Supposedly, Isobel and Rook fall in love during the sessions in which she makes his painting. Afterwards, many complications arise because of their feelings for each other since it's against fae law for a faerie and a human to fall in love (no clue as to why). You could say that the romance was the main plot. But there was no chemistry. It never once felt like they had feelings for each other, much less strong feelings like love.
The believability factor was flimsy at best, because the characters motivations were very weak. Not just for Rook and Isobel's feelings or for why he wanted her to stand trial, but for the villains too. There were a few bad guys thrown in but why they were doing what they were... not very clear on that.
Finally, the plot is supposed to be the answer to the question "why am I reading this book?" and, in this case, the answer was "to finish it". I didn't care about the events or the characters enough to read for them. There were gaps in world-building, story and characterization and the few good things weren't able to balance them. I would've liked having a level-headed protagonist but Isobel was one-dimensional instead. Her and Rook were the biggest disappointments and because of them, alone, I don't recommend this book.
Right off the bat, you have to suspend your disbelief to some extent because of the premise. Isobel is a painter. She lives in the town of Whimsy, one often visited by the Fair Folk because they love Craft (a.k.a. art) but are unable to create their own. Isobel's Craft is highly coveted and, one day, the prince of the Autumn Court comes to commission a painting. Isobel sees something in him that she never expected, human emotion. When she paints his sorrow into the portrait, his reputation is threatened and he takes Isobel to Faerie to stand trial.
There are a few things about this synopsis that I wanna discuss. First off, if you didn't understand all the things in it, maybe because you've never read stuff related to the Faeries, then I suggest avoiding this book for now because it doesn't take the time to explain how the fae work. Second, the fact that her act of painting emotion on his portrait starts the whole charade should tell you enough about plausibility.
Moving on to the reason I was disappointed by the novel, it's because of the potential. I so badly wanted to like it. Near the end, I just wanted to get it to three stars somehow but I failed. One thing I really liked were the fae. I mean, I always love Fair Folk but I'm talking about the ones in this book specifically. They have some features that matched the norm, like not being able to lie and the nature thing. But there were also differences. For one, they turn to dust on performing Craft. Like, they can't even write their own names. They're immortal but they lack the animation that would be needed for a fulfilling life. I liked the balance that was created between the fae and humans. One is not better off than the other, even if it might seem that way.
But except for this one thing, I'm having difficulty coming up with many redeeming qualities. The writing was fine, I guess, but the visual imagery and action were lost in the attempt to make things "magical". Fantasy writing 101 should be to not compromise the important stuff for pretty prose.
The character development was also minimal. Isobel... there's not much to her. She's not annoying, thank god but the author makes her too composed. Nothing seems to phase her and she's always wise. Her narrative sounds like it belongs to an old woman who's telling the tale of her youth (think Rose in Titanic). Rook, the Autumn prince and the love interest, is pretty much useless. He's supposed to be one of the most powerful creatures in the world and hundreds (if not thousands) of years old, but you would never be able to tell. He has no clue what he's doing, ever, and his so-called power is highly inconsistent through the novel. I didn't buy him as a powerful faerie for a second.
Another things I didn't buy for a second: the romance. This novel relies on the romance a lot. Supposedly, Isobel and Rook fall in love during the sessions in which she makes his painting. Afterwards, many complications arise because of their feelings for each other since it's against fae law for a faerie and a human to fall in love (no clue as to why). You could say that the romance was the main plot. But there was no chemistry. It never once felt like they had feelings for each other, much less strong feelings like love.
The believability factor was flimsy at best, because the characters motivations were very weak. Not just for Rook and Isobel's feelings or for why he wanted her to stand trial, but for the villains too. There were a few bad guys thrown in but why they were doing what they were... not very clear on that.
Finally, the plot is supposed to be the answer to the question "why am I reading this book?" and, in this case, the answer was "to finish it". I didn't care about the events or the characters enough to read for them. There were gaps in world-building, story and characterization and the few good things weren't able to balance them. I would've liked having a level-headed protagonist but Isobel was one-dimensional instead. Her and Rook were the biggest disappointments and because of them, alone, I don't recommend this book.
ravenslanding's review against another edition
5.0
What a delightful book! I laughed, I was gripped with fear and suspense, and I will 100% read this again. Possibly immediately.
I love books with a hero and heroine whose regard for one another is easy to understand. And a good balance of plot, adventure, tenderness and humor.
I love books with a hero and heroine whose regard for one another is easy to understand. And a good balance of plot, adventure, tenderness and humor.
sierraxwriterland's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0