A review by embersbookventures
Ravensong by TJ Klune

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

4.75

This book captured my, just like Wolfsong did.  Every spare moment I had was picking it up and not wanting to put it down. 

Reading from Gordo’s point of view was just so raw and real - I came love his character all the more, despite the hilarious curmudgeon front he puts up.

It was emotional watching him go from protecting himself from everything…having lost it all before, and being so afraid to lose it again…so angry he ever lost it in the first place…that he couldn’t allow himself to be happy. 
To finally letting the joy in…holding the sadness, the relief, the joy.
The blue and the green.

I love the way TJ Klune uses colors to describe emotional states.  It’s so vivid. 
I am diving right into Heartsong, and then will be impatiently waiting for the re-release of Brothersong in July. 

The world is a hard place right now - it always has been, but I think maybe those of us paying attention feel that now more than ever. 
Reading a book with characters who have experienced so much darkness, loss, trauma, and violence that overcome by the bonds of love, friendship, and family is exactly the kind of story I need right now. 
To remember that we are strong together, and that love is always stronger than hate. 

This series is a gift - I have a feeling I will return many a time to Green Creek.  Thank you for the family I’ve found within these pages, TJ Klune.
💚Packpackpack💚

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Murder, Violence, Death of parent, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Child death, Car accident, and Abandonment

I am a very sensitive person, who doesn’t enjoy pushing the boundaries of what I’m comfortable with. This book had some heavy, dark themes. I was able to move through it all…definitely with some tears, but I will say TJ Klune is excellent at mixing the heavy with the humor, so it never feels solely one way. Most of the really disturbing stuff, like mentions of child death, abandonment, death of parent, and murder are flashbacks. There are some

hunters and bad witches

killed by the protagonists. I would say it’s medianly graphic. The injuries and violence and grief are consistent themes, but they are not gratuitously graphic. One thing that did heavily trigger me, as a trans person with religious trauma reading this, was the deeply religious beliefs and justifications for murder that the hunters used. It reminded me of a lot of excuses and justifications for harm that I’ve heard over my lifetime and it was upsetting. I had to set the book down and ground myself before continuing. So around the middle of the book, so be prepared for that if you have religious trauma like I do.