Blog Tour, Review, Playlist & Giveaway: The Merciful Crow (The Merciful Crow #1) by Margaret Owen

Monday, August 5, 2019

Blog Tour, Review, Playlist & Giveaway: The Merciful Crow (The Merciful Crow #1) by Margaret Owen

Title: The Merciful Crow

Series: The Merciful Crow #1

Author: Margaret Owen

Publisher: Henry Holt (BYR)

Published: July 30, 2019

Pages: 384

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy

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A future chieftain

Fie abides by one rule: look after your own. Her Crow caste of undertakers and mercy-killers takes more abuse than coin, but when they’re called to collect royal dead, she’s hoping they’ll find the payout of a lifetime.

A fugitive prince

When Crown Prince Jasimir turns out to have faked his death, Fie’s ready to cut her losses—and perhaps his throat. But he offers a wager that she can’t refuse: protect him from a ruthless queen, and he’ll protect the Crows when he reigns.

A too-cunning bodyguard

Hawk warrior Tavin has always put Jas’s life before his, magically assuming the prince’s appearance and shadowing his every step. But what happens when Tavin begins to want something to call his own?

Disclaimer: This review MAY contain spoilers. I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author. All opinions in my review are my own.

First of all, let's all gaze adoringly at the jaw-dropping cover for this book. (Go ahead, I'll wait!) Isn't that gorgeous? This is one of those covers that you display facing out on your bookshelf. Just saying.

The world-building in this book will drop your jaw because it is so vividly described. There are so many fine details lingering in the pages to make this feel so very real. The magic, the castes, the society, and the religion are all so fantastically woven into the pages. This world is very unique and it shows in the writing. It will truly fascinate you. I admit that I would have liked more clarification or detail when it came to the religion and how it fits into their society.

The plot of this book is exciting. This is just the type of fantasy that really lights my fire. There is adventure and intrigue. The pacing of this story is just perfect and the series of events in the book really keeps you glued to the pages. This is a dark fantasy story that is very character-driven at times.

Most of the characters in this book had plenty of depth. I love nothing more than well-developed characters and most of these characters fit the bill. Fie is such a fierce and utterly brave character. I loved how loyal she was and how she stood up for what was right. I immediately connected with her. Tavin was so charming and immediately likable. I liked uncovering what was under his armor. He was a character that was so easy to sympathize with since his life was essentially not his own. Jasimir is a character that doesn't really shine as bright as the rest in the book. I honestly didn't like him much but I am hoping for more development for him in the next book. I liked some of the secondary characters but if I am being honest they weren't very memorable. I really couldn't tell the difference between the different Crows in Fie's band.

The romance in this was okay but I wanted to like it more than I did. This had the perfect slow-burn romance that felt so natural. It had excellent build-up and banter. The romance didn't overwhelm the story either. Liked it, yes. I just didn't feel invested in it.

I loved all the representation in this book! I also loved the topic of consent that was in the book.

The storytelling is what I had the most trouble with in the book. It is immersive but all of the clunky words and narrative really brought down my reading experience. There are times that I had to go back and reread passages. The writing just wasn't smooth at all.

Overall, this is a beautiful story about prejudice and equality. There were so many underlying themes in this book that I really loved. While I didn't love everything about this book, I still very much enjoyed it. I am looking forward to continuing the story in the next book in this series!

PLAYLIST

Born and raised at the end of the Oregon Trail, Margaret Owen spent her childhood haunting the halls of Powell’s Books. After earning her degree in Japanese, her love of espresso called her north to Seattle, where she worked in everything from thrift stores to presidential campaigns. The common thread between every job can be summed up as: lessons were learned.

She now spends her days wrestling disgruntled characters onto the page, and negotiating a long-term hostage situation with her two monstrous cats. (There is surprisingly little difference between the two.)