Scan barcode
A review by nicolemhewitt
Highland Raven by Melanie Karsak
5.0
3.5/5 Stars
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I knew that it was about Lady Macbeth, but that was about all I knew. That was enough to intrigue me.
The story starts with Gruoch's birth. Her father is the Scottish king, and her mother dies in childbirth. She is raised by her aunt, her father's sister (who calls her Corbie). The early part of the book focuses on her life with her beloved aunt and her aunt's abusive husband. I found myself drawn into the story right away and wondering what would happen with these characters. But then, Corbie is sent off to learn magic and the ways of the old Gods. She discovers that the old Gods are still strong in Scotland and that they want their revenge for being cast aside. A good portion of the book focuses on Corbie learning the magic of the old Gods and finding that she is connected to the Weird Sisters in some way.
Corbie (who is eventually renamed to Cerridwin, but i'll keep calling her Corbie for ease of understanding) falls in love with Banquo. The relationship is definitely insta-love, but there are mystical reasons for this, so I was able to accept their instant connection. She is also drawn to one of her fellow female adepts. (There's a threesome involved--not my favorite part of the book, but that's just me. I prefer monogamous relationships in life and in my books.) But, considering who Corbie's father is, she can't simply choose who to love or, especially, who to marry. Plus Corbie discovers that the old Gods might have plans of their own for her. She has very little say over the direction her life will take.
I found it interesting to see Lady Macbeth as a protagonist and to imagine the path that could have eventually led to her becoming the villain in Shakespeare's play. I did find the book to be a bit slow, but that's probably just because I wasn't as engaged with the parts that focused on the magic as I was with the characters themselves (especially Corbie). Overall, I give the book 3.5/5 stars.
The narration:
Lesley Parkin is an excellent narrator, and her Scottish Brogue was a joy to listen to. This is one narrator I would actually seek out when I'm looking for audiobooks!
***Disclosure: I received this book from the author via Audiobook Blast in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I knew that it was about Lady Macbeth, but that was about all I knew. That was enough to intrigue me.
The story starts with Gruoch's birth. Her father is the Scottish king, and her mother dies in childbirth. She is raised by her aunt, her father's sister (who calls her Corbie). The early part of the book focuses on her life with her beloved aunt and her aunt's abusive husband. I found myself drawn into the story right away and wondering what would happen with these characters. But then, Corbie is sent off to learn magic and the ways of the old Gods. She discovers that the old Gods are still strong in Scotland and that they want their revenge for being cast aside. A good portion of the book focuses on Corbie learning the magic of the old Gods and finding that she is connected to the Weird Sisters in some way.
Corbie (who is eventually renamed to Cerridwin, but i'll keep calling her Corbie for ease of understanding) falls in love with Banquo. The relationship is definitely insta-love, but there are mystical reasons for this, so I was able to accept their instant connection. She is also drawn to one of her fellow female adepts. (There's a threesome involved--not my favorite part of the book, but that's just me. I prefer monogamous relationships in life and in my books.) But, considering who Corbie's father is, she can't simply choose who to love or, especially, who to marry. Plus Corbie discovers that the old Gods might have plans of their own for her. She has very little say over the direction her life will take.
I found it interesting to see Lady Macbeth as a protagonist and to imagine the path that could have eventually led to her becoming the villain in Shakespeare's play. I did find the book to be a bit slow, but that's probably just because I wasn't as engaged with the parts that focused on the magic as I was with the characters themselves (especially Corbie). Overall, I give the book 3.5/5 stars.
The narration:
Lesley Parkin is an excellent narrator, and her Scottish Brogue was a joy to listen to. This is one narrator I would actually seek out when I'm looking for audiobooks!
***Disclosure: I received this book from the author via Audiobook Blast in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***