Scan barcode
egurgens's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
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
4.75
I love the world Kalyn Josephson wove for this story. There are different nations, all with their own gods, their own culture, and characteristics. Aris is a beautiful city, with different sectors that favor different industries and crows. There are different types of crow, all with their specific kind of magic; wind, shadow, battle, water, earth, storm, fire, and sun. However, 'everything changed when the fire nation attacked." Haha, jk, although Illucia DID use fire to destroy the crows. In an attempt to keep the peace, Thia's sister, the new queen, promises her to Illucia as a bride to marry the heir, Ericen.
Ericen is a masterpiece in my opinion; one part ice and loyalty, one part fire and rebellion, and the rest is a mess, since he doesn't know what he wants from this war. He's just a softie with a tough shell, and I adore him. I also adore Caylus, all PTSD and mismatched sweaters and science and baking.
There is so much political drama: a mad, blood hungry queen vs the trained Crow rider who has to face the wrath of the mad queen to save her country... or does she? Thia found a storm crow egg in the ruins of the roost, and decides to try and raise it to rally her country and fight back against the Illucian oppressors.
Ericen is a masterpiece in my opinion; one part ice and loyalty, one part fire and rebellion, and the rest is a mess, since he doesn't know what he wants from this war. He's just a softie with a tough shell, and I adore him. I also adore Caylus, all PTSD and mismatched sweaters and science and baking.
There is so much political drama: a mad, blood hungry queen vs the trained Crow rider who has to face the wrath of the mad queen to save her country... or does she? Thia found a storm crow egg in the ruins of the roost, and decides to try and raise it to rally her country and fight back against the Illucian oppressors.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Torture, Violence, War, and Mental illness
Moderate: Abandonment, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Kidnapping
ravensandlace's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Find this review and others like it at https://aravenclawlibraryx.wordpress.com
If you do read this book, make sure to go to the end as there is a chapter dedicated to explaining the different crows, what they do and how they came to be. It’s very helpful and informative.
Yes, are you looking for your next favorite book? Do you want accurate depictions of depression and PTSD? Do you want a cool concept of crows and a unique magic system relating to said crows? Then look no further than this book. I guarantee you that this will be your next favorite book and if it’s not, I give you permission to yell at me. But don’t yell too loud, I’m fragile.
I adored this book in case you couldn’t tell. The depression representation was spot on to the point where it hurt to read at times. It permeated the pages of the book. You could feel Thia’s depression all the time. Even during the happy moments, it never truly went away. Because that’s what depression does. It never truly goes away. You have to fight every single day just to function. And that’s what happened with Thia. Sure, she had some good days but she had to fight for those good days. And I know what that is like.
Anthia, or Thia, was a complex but enjoyable character. I appreciated the first person POV. It helped to really understand her and you really get immersed with her depression and her feelings. It’s a bit rough to read at some times, because her grief and depression is so strong at times. It takes so much out of her and you feel for her. She did frustrate me at times because she did act a little childish but I couldn’t blame her. She was grieving. And grief makes you act in ways you normally wouldn’t.
Some other positive aspects of this book are the positive female friendships. There is no jealousy between Thia and Kiva. They are always there for each other but respect boundaries. Because you can always be there for your friends but at the same time, you have to make sure that you are in a good state of mind too. There was also LGBTQIA+ representation. It was sprinkled throughout the book, which I appreciated.
Overall, this was a great book. I enjoyed the plot with the crows but I wish we had more time with them to fully see what they were capable of. Thia explained the different types of crows and what they did but it would have been fun to experience them. Overall, though, I’m happy and so in love with this book. I can’t wait to get my hands on the second book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Self harm, Murder, and Mental illness
The mental illness content warning is set at moderate but it is a very prevalent thing throughout the book. The MC has constant grief and depression from what she experienced but it comes in waves. There is also a content warning for burning flesh and self harm in the name of religion.
More...