“Every enchantment has a price… Isobel is a portrait artist with a dangerous set of clients: the immortal fair folk. Yet when she receives her first royal patron – Rook, the autumn prince – she makes a horrific mistake. She paints the mortal sorrow in his eyes – a weakness that could cost him his life. Furious, Rook escorts Isobel to his kingdom to stand trial for her crime, but their journey is full of danger. Forced to depend on each other for survival, will their alliance blossom into something more? After all, their love would violate the fair folks’ ruthless laws…but are some matters worth the risk?”
What is the book about?
Isobel creates Craft - stunning portraits for the fair folk, beautiful and immortal clients that would do anything to get their hands on any new human Craft. They crave human Craft as they themselves would turn to dust if they were to pick up a paintbrush and stroke a sheet of paper or hold a saucepan over a stove, so they trade enchantments for Isobel’s paintings. But Isobel and all other humans must be careful for, though these creatures cannot lie, they are able to twist words with a talent and a simple enchantment may mean be your death. When Isobel receives a mysterious, royal new client – Rook, the autumn prince – she makes a deadly mistake and highlights a (so called) weakness in her painting that could cost him his throne, and his life. In an attempt to fix his reputation Rook whisks Isobel away to his kingdom to stand trial for her crime. But the path is long and dangerous and no matter where they run they are attacked by monsters from Rook’s world. Thy have no one to rely on but each other and gradually an alliance forms and an emotion that would end with them both killed begins to blossom. They must find a way to crush that feeling or risk everything for it…
What were your initial thoughts on the book?
At the start of the month I went over to my friend’s house and she is as much as a book lover as me so whenever I go round her house or she comes round mine we always seem to be going back home with at least a couple books in our arms. So, when I came home after spending the afternoon with her, I happened to have An Enchantment of Ravens in my arms and I was so excited to read it. I had been warned by my friend that the book had a relatively slow start, but I had decided to ignore it as it looked so interesting and I ended up with very high hopes for it. Therefore, when I started reading I ended up completely and utterly shocked at the fact that I was so bored. I knew in the end I would most likely love it, because when I had read the blurb I had been so captivated by it, but when I started reading my hopes quickly went downhill and I wasn’t sure I had made the right decision in reading it. I spent ages on chapter 8, not wanting to read on but knowing I had to. Finally, I sat down one evening and read as far as I could and got so engrossed that I had soon finished the book and was completely shocked at how I could have possibly thought I wasn’t going to like it only a few days ago.
Who was your favourite character and why?
This was a very difficult decision, strangely much harder than picking my favourite part, which you all know I tend to struggle most on. However, I finally decided on a favourite character…Rook. Although to begin with I thought he was a rather odd character, he continued to intrigue me throughout the book and I grew rather fond of him. At the start I had already begun to see how he was different to all the other fair people – kind to Isobel and not at all self-righteous or selfish. However, when he appeared in the dead of night and practically dragged Isobel into the woods over a painting I began to doubt his whole personality. Finally I started to see him soften around Isobel and let his true self shine through. Although he was self-confident and brave, he was also soft and had feelings that he himself hated but I loved because he wasn’t an unfeeling monster like the rest of them. When he finally declared his love for Isobel it was clear to me that he was the best character because he was willing to do anything for Isobel, even die, and he wasn’t afraid to make his feelings known to everyone around him, even if it would cost him his crown and his life.
What was your favourite part of the book and why?
My favourite part is very clear to me but a bit hard to explain without sort of ruining the plot so I will try my best, as usual to explain why I liked it without saying what it was. So, I will begin by saying that the reason this part of the book definitely stood out to me was because it was the part where I was no longer bored by the predictable story and was actually interested in what was going to happen. At this part, everything seemed to click into place and both characters seemed to realise, even though neither of them actually wanted to admit it, what they wanted and that they would never actually be able to get it unless something dramatically and drastically changed. This is also the first time where the ‘Good Law’ was mentioned with no context or any explanation whatsoever so I was even more intrigued by the fact that I had no idea what was wrong and just how terrible it would be to break such a law. This scene is where I started really rooting for the characters and hoping that they would be able to succeed in more than what they believed they would.
What was your overall impression of the book?
Overall, I really loved An Enchantment of Ravens and thought it was incredibly well written and had many twists that I wouldn’t have been able to spot. One thing that I really loved about the book was the (though very obvious) forbidden romance. Although it had been evident from the start that the 2 main characters would fall in love and there would be some issue, I couldn’t have known what was coming and I was shocked to realise how forbidden their love really was. I also really enjoyed how the romance took many twists and turns along the way and, at one point, even seemed lost (but I had always known that it was still there). Another thing that I really liked about the book was that this was one of the books where, although I really hoped and believed that both characters would survive and be able to be together, I seriously doubted it, especially at the end, and didn’t know if they were going to make it (to be honest I still don’t know if they will live to see a happy ending). I really liked this because in most books I know that the author would never kill off anyone important, however, An Enchantment of Ravens was different and really made me worry for the characters whenever they were in trouble. One last thing I really liked was the fact that the book was beautifully written and had the most detailed and amazing descriptions that, although at the beginning I was concerned I would find a little boring, really helped me imagine myself there with the characters. Although the book was off to a rocky (slow) start, I really ended up loving the book and my parting message to you all is to keep reading because it will be worth it in the end.
Would you recommend this book?
I would absolutely recommend this book to any reader over the age of 14 who enjoys a fantasy adventure filled with magic, mayhem and mystery. An Enchantment of Ravens was a marvellous book and I really enjoyed it and I believe that anyone who picks it up – and perseveres through the first few chapters – will absolutely love it like I did.
Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)
A beautifully written fantasy adventure.
Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego
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