An Enchantment of Ravens

4.5

I chose An Enchantment of Ravens because I had seen quite a few recommendations of it online. I wanted something to listen to while driving, as the other book I'm currently reading is not available in audiobook format and this one seemed like a perfect choice to get me through the work week, so I purchased it via Audible. Turns out, I loved it so much I may or may not have ordered it from Amazon and paid extra for one-day shipping so I could finish it that way. (The audiobook is fantastic though!)

I wasn't sure what to expect with this one, I'd seen it recommended to those that love Sarah J. Maas novels, but had also seen contradictions to those recommendations as well. But overall, those who read it said they loved it, even if it show more wasn't what they thought it would be. The best way I can describe this is that its a fairytale, but a twisted fairytale, rather than your traditional "and they lived happily-ever-after" type story.

I found myself engrossed with this story within just a few pages. The descriptions are rich, the writing almost lyrical. One thing was clear from the start, Margaret Rogerson knows how to write a beautiful story. When she introduces a new concept or word, she weaves the meaning of it right into the story, its explanation never felt out of place or for the benefit of the reader only. The only real fault I can give her writing is that I found myself a little lost a couple of times, feeling as though I missed something that had happened because the action of it was so subtle or implied through her writing that I had to go back and reread a sentence.

"Why do we desire, above all other things, that which has the greatest power to destroy us?"

In this story, fair folk and mortals trade with each other, enchantments for Craft. A fair folk's Craft is their enchantment, but they value the Craft of mortals over all else, as it is the one thing they cannot create themselves. Vice versa, mortals find themselves enthralled with the possibilities of a fair folk's enchantments and many find it hard to resist the opportunity to have one bestowed upon them, even if there is always a catch to it. Our main character, Isobel has learned to be clever when negotiating the terms of her enchantments, considering all possibilities and choosing those that benefit her family and their survival, rather than those that serve only vanity or greed.

Isobel's Craft is her painting and she has become sought out by the fair folk above all other mortals. This has created an advantage and disadvantage for her, for she knows the fair folk better than any other but it has also garnered her attention she isn't certain she is prepared for. When Isobel is informed that the autumn prince, Rook, plans to come calling, she worries of the implications if her Craft is found to be unsatisfactory.

However, Isobel finds that Rook isn't quite what she had in mind and finds herself drawn to his almost human emotions, even if his aloofness in how to interact with her almost confounds her. For who could be so rude and yet so charming in one sentence? Soon thereafter, a misunderstanding finds Isobel and Rook forced to trust one another for their own mutual survival and with it comes a greater awareness of the other and what comes with the trust they have given.

One aspect I loved is as the story progresses, Isobel finds, with her Craft, she can create her own catch, as the fair folk often do with their enchantments. Isobel learns how to use this knowledge to her advantage, for more than herself and her family may depend upon its implications.

The characters were fantastic, with depth and ulterior motives I did not expect or see coming. Their actions left me feeling sorrow, pride and betrayal. At first I thought this would be another insta-love romantic fairytale, but those feelings were soon quashed within the first few chapters. While Isobel and Rook have an undeniable attraction to each other, their world will not permit the growth of such feelings, for the consequences are dire.

Overall, I found this story fast-paced and an entertainingly quick read because of its ability to instantly draw me in. I enjoyed Rogerson's take on the fair folk, creating something more akin to traditional fairy characteristics, something to fear and be wary of, rather than pine over. As I stated previously, this story is a twisted fairytale through-and-through. I'd be lying if I said I don't hope for the chance to return to Isobel and Rook's world in the future!

Lastly, I'd like to comment on the stunning cover art by Charlie Bowater. I felt the artwork really captures the atmosphere of the story. I suggest you check out more of her art, she has some wonderful pieces portraying other favorite book characters! show less

*lies down*

Superb writing. PERFECTLY EXECUTED ROMANCE. Good work addressing power dynamics because fae/faerie/fair folk are pretty alien and f***ed up and not into personal space. Also so funny. Surprisingly so. And not forced at all. ALSO creepy as hell. The cover screams "SJM FANS WILL WET THEMSELVES OVER THIS" but the story is very "WITCHER 3 LEVEL MOIST FORESTY SCARES AND A CINNAMON ROLL FAE PRINCE". And to top it off I reallllllllyyyyyy loved Isobel.

Anyways, definitely my surprise for 2017 so far. I was expecting to read it and like it but not expecting to drag out reading it for 5 days because I didn't want to leave it.

More professional review later but literally *book jazz hands*

****Less screamy review: An absolutely perfect show more debut fantasy adventure that manages to present the YA ~fae romance narrative~ in a relatively fresh way. Rogerson also avoids the abusive relationship vibe that a lot of human-fae romances have and I really loved the shifting power dynamics at play between Isobel and Rook. Have no fear, Isobel can /actually/ take care of herself. Romance, humor (laugh-out-loud at points), and some real chills. Amazing. Great for fans of Maas and Kagawa, but better. Hand it to lovers of Holly Black. show less

《four stars》

⭒˚.⋆ ❝ The wild wind swept our voices all the way to the forest, where crickets sang a new song to the crescent moon.❞ ⋆.˚⭒

An Enchantment of Ravens is, in most respects, the type of book that I am almost sure to love. The writing style pulls all the magic and whimsicality of a fairytale into words, mingling it with the warm, yet cooling feel of late summer fading into autumn. It did an excellent job of letting me lose myself in the world of the book. The overall plot, too, is something I found myself enjoying, and I liked most of the characters well enough. But, unfortunately, between the small sprinkling of foul language and a few romantic scenes that, while not explicit, went a little too far for my show more personal comfort, there were just enough nitpicks that I felt the need to detract a few points from what otherwise could've very well been a five-star read. show less

I loved this and I normally don't love fantasy. Its a lot different from the fairy world of ACOTAR and that may be why I liked it, because I didn't care very much for ACOTAR. It has a very whimsical, enchanting, spellbinding vibe to it but is also a little dark at times (but not too much). They very much seem more like your Disney Tinkerbell fairies instead of the usual weird YA fae trope that is so popular. I really like the heroine, which I can rarely say with YA fantasy because the heroine is usually narcissistic and unbearable, but this one is strong and level-headed. She doesn't lash out at everyone just to make things more difficult on herself and she doesn't fall at the hero's feet as soon as she meets him. She crushes on him, show more yeah, but she keeps her head on straight. I like the hero too. He's a bit of a brat, but that's more of a cultural difference as you will see than it is a personality flaw. He's super cute when she corrects his behavior. I loved the story overall and thought the writing was beautiful. My only wish was that I feel like we needed more between Isobel and Rook. I feel like it definitely needs a sequel so we can expand on their relationship because this book was mostly about world-building and overcoming obstacles. Now that they are together, we need to be able to see how their relationship progresses and works out. I'm curious how a relationship between a mortal and a fairy would work. show less

3.25 Stars

“But isn’t absurdity part of being human? We aren’t ageless creatures who watch centuries pass from afar. Our worlds are small, our lives are short, and we can only bleed a little before we fall.”

This book combines everything you love about fae with the uniquely magical element of human Craft. An Enchantment of Ravens is a stunning debut about the indistinguishable beauty and horror of star-crossed love and the power you find in having a choice. Isobel is a master portrait artist, whose Craft is coveted by all of Fae kind. When Isobel paints mortal sorrow into the eyes of the elusive Autumnland prince Rook, she finds herself in a danger she could never have anticipated. Taken to stand trial for her misdeeds, Isobel show more and Rook grow closer as they begin to rely on each other to survive the threats lurking in the forest.

Things I Liked
LOOK AT THIS COVER!!! I mean it's gorgeous.

Godfly was easily my favorite character. He perfectly embodied the fair ones that existed in this world. I always liked him, but I never fully trusted him. He was super engaging and kept me on my toes! And I loved his relationship with the different characters we meet in the story. He just has a vibrant personality that created this presence in the story that was inescapable.

Fae are some of my favorite fantasy creatures. I don’t think I’ve ever met a fair one incarnation that I didn’t love, and An Enchantment of Ravens was no different. I loved how their magic and glamours operated, and their dark and vengeful nature. I liked the mythology: their aversion to iron, their compulsive manners, their desire for beauty in all thing. Just give me all the fae stories!

I really loved the whole concept of human’s Craft, and it’s use as a status symbol among the fair ones. The Craft is this great paradoxical element that is coveted by the Fae (because they are incapable of crafting the simplest things), and they imitate humans, but they are seen as far superior and eternal despite their glamoured lives filled with only illusions. It was just really interesting and wonderful. There are some great displays of Isobel’s Craft later in the story that I really loved as well.

Quotes:

“All at once my chest swelled with unnameable longing, an ache lodged at the base of my throat like an unvoiced cry. Lives to be lived awaited me out there, far from the safety of my familiar home and confining routine. The whole world waited for me. I felt pierced through with longing. Oh, if only I were the type to scream.”

“And I wondered whether the stories would have gone any differently if the princesses had been the ones telling them.”

“Frankly, I had no idea how anyone knew if they were in love in the first place. Was there ever a single thread a person could pick at from the knot and say “Yes-I am in love-here’s the proof!” or was it always caught up in a wretched tangle of ifs and butts and maybes?”

Things I Didn’t Like
I wasn’t the biggest fan of the worldbuilding in the story. I felt like it took too long to explain certain elements, and other’s weren’t explained at all. The world never really felt whole to me personally and it kept me a bit removed from the story. I never felt fully invested. I also would have selfishly liked more court politics in the story, because that’s always a favorite of mine.

I think that the Alder King was a bit of a let down. He felt much more like a bogeyman than an actual threat in the story, even though he was the ruler of all the Fae courts and power matched my none. He kinda just felt there. The thane fairy beasts were much more of a threat than Alder ever seemed to be.

For a lot of this book I just didn't care. I wasn't really invested or connected to the characters. Like I said above, Godfly was my favorite character and I felt like Isobel and Rook were just nothing special. Not bad, or even underdeveloped characters, just forgettable. This led to your standard fantasy romance, that underwhelmed me. Even with the high stakes and life-threatening nature of their romance, it never felt epic to me. I knew exactly how their relationship would play out.

This was kind of a weird reading experience for me, because I felt like I couldn’t read more than a a chapter or two at a time (they were a tad bit long for my tastes). My mind would just start drifting. I didn’t feel the compulsive desire to consume the book like I expected. While it took me longer than I would have liked to get into the story, it really started to pick up around the halfway point for me. I loved so many of the elements of the story, and they came together beautifully. It created a vibrant world of determination, love, and magic. An Enchantment of Ravens is the perfect book for all your Fae and #fallaesthetic needs.

I received a copy of the book from Margaret K. McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. All quotes are taken from an unfinished copy and subject to change. show less

Isobel is one of the most sought after portrait artists in Whimsy, a city between the human and fae lands. She lives there with her aunt Emma and her sister March and May, twin girls who used to be goats before the fair folk changed their lives. Isobel supports her family with her Craft and is paid in enchantments. Her patron Gadfly, a delightful and frivolous fae, warns her of the arrival of Rook, the prince of the Autumn Court. She becomes infatuated with him during the course of painting his infuriating portrait that always has something off around the eyes. Finally figuring out the detail, she sends along the painting only to find later that she depicted a deep, human sorrow in his eyes. He abducts her from her house and plans to show more take her to his realm to stand trial for the transgression, only to be taken way off course by fairy beasts, creeping rot, the Wild Hunt, and other assorted chaos. Will Isobel ever make it back home to her family? Will Rook ever gain back his people's respect?

An Enchantment of Ravens is my favorite read of this year. The writing is poetic, the worldbuilding dazzles, plus the characters and romance are well developed. Right from the beginning of the novel. I was sucked into the story right from the beginning because of Margaret Rogerson's unique world. Her take on the fair folk and the rules of her world are like nothing I've ever seen. Humans create Crafts like cooking, art, and music that the fair folk covet above all things. Fairies will die if they attempt to create anything of the sort, but surround themselves with these things anyway. The age of the Craft doesn't matter as fairies can glamour it to look as it did when it was new. The fae pay humans in enchantments that need to be carefully worded or they could ruin lives with their trickster ways. On the other hand, enchantments can provide food, protection, and other necessities for human life. Humans need to be cautious living in Whimsy because of fairy whims and all carry iron somewhere on them for protection.

The fair folk live for centuries and have no concept of time, but feel very little emotion. Human emotion is frowned upon and seen as weakness, opening up opportunites for other fae to take what they have. Despite this, the veneer of manners and composure are paramount to their kind. They have to respond to niceties like bowing, responding in kind to thank yous, and so on. The fair folk are beautiful, but alien, selfish, and cruel underneath their glamour. Each fae has one flaw in their glamour that sets them apart from humans whether it's fingers that are too long, emaciation, or height. The Spring Court is the only fairy court we see and it seems beautiful and fantastic at first until the horrific, cruel elements are revealed over time. The power of true names works both ways in this world where knowing it gives the person absolute power over another no matter if they are human or fey. Rogerson takes well known rules of fairies, gives them a twist, and adds her own unique ones to create a singular, detailed fantastical world.

The characters and their relationships are incredibly well drawn. Isobel is a practical, serious person forced to grow up early in life. She has been making portraits for the fair folk most of her life, so she has a healthy caution about them. Every time one comes in for a portrait, she's careful to be polite and as inoffensive as possible. The enchantments she earns are carefully worded because she knows their mischief could be disastrous to her and her family. Although her sisters are magicked goats, she loves them all the same and cares for them unconditionally. Over the course of the story, she demonstrates cleverness, ingenuity, and compassion. I love a heroine with a strong will, realistic familial connections, and good sense. All of her decisions are not always the best, but she has a good head on her shoulders that serves her well throughout the novel.

Her romance with Rook starts as a sudden infatuation based on his carefully crafted facade. When he shows who he truly is, Isobel understandably hates him because he's petty, vain, and inhuman. Over the course of their journey, they both reveal what's under their respective protective shells while fighting to protect each other and navigating fae lands infected with rot, fae society, and numerous enemies. Love kind of sneaks up on them when they weren't looking. Their declarations aren't poetic or idealistic and they disagree and see things they don't like in each other, but they grow to love by getting to know each other. I haven't read such a good romance in a while. The Good Law condemns fae and human lovers to death and one solution to this problem is the Green Well, which has the power to turn a human into a fairy. Isobel soundly rejects this because of all she would lose, namely her art. It's not just a interesting detail to flesh her out or be forgotten; it's an intrinsic part of her character that she isn't willing to compromise on, even in the face of the death. Her art is also used

I could write so much more about An Enchantment of Ravens because I loved every bit of it. I wanted to read it super fast to see what happened, but also wanted to savor the world slowly. I've been reading a lot lately and this one amazed me. I had to be left alone to read the last 100 pages so I could find out what happened with tears streaming down my face. I'm disappointed to see it's a stand alone novel, but I hope other stories will take place in that world. Margaret Rogerson has made me a lifelong fan with this one book and I can't recommend it highly enough. show less

It's been a while since I've read a book set in the faerie realm and all my love of this folklore returned. Rogerson's faeries are unsettling, eerie, and disturbing with plenty of laws and tricks--just as I like. In this story the fair folk are unchanging and are thus unable to create change in anything, and they are enamored with human "craft." Isobel is a portrait artist and is patronized by the fair folk who crave her art. This premise was interesting and played out in great ways. I was not a fan of the romance, but the last portion of the book is an intense quest to try and out-wit the fae and I couldn't stop listening to the audiobook. I will say that I had questions that were not answered by the ending, but I honestly don't care. show more I'm okay with it being a little fuzzy. My rating is 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars. show less