An Enchantment of Ravens Hardcover – September 26, 2017

I love this novel so much that I let my sister borrow it, she forgot she had it for a full year so I bought her a copy of her own for Christmas, two more years later we can't remember if the original copy was ever found and returned to me at some point so I ordered a third copy 😂. It's that good.I am a professional artist who constantly has her head in the clouds and since the main character of this story is an artist with a similar personality as me it was SUPER meaningful and fun to basically live this fantastical life and romance.

FIRST THOUGHTSWhen I first saw the cover art on this novel, I fell in love. It reminded me of this old, Egyptian Cinderella story I read as a child and upon picking up the book, I was caught by the description. The art, itself, was brilliant in that it looks like a painting the likes of which our main character, Isobel, may have herself created. The idea of a truly dangerous, perhaps unlikeable male hero (Rook) also held a certain appeal, as well as the idea of "craft" and this writer's take on the fair folk being disturbing, woodsy, thoroughly inhuman creatures. Thankfully, I was not at all disappointed.REVIEWOne of my favorite components of this novel is the fact that Rogerson stays thoroughly true to each of her characters in every situation, and that their personalities, virtues, and faults don't magically disappear because they fall in love or enter into a new environment. Isobel continues to be practical in her dealings with all the fair folk no matter how charming they may be, and she guards her humanity with a vengeance. She is sharp-tongued at times and even has a small capacity for cruelty, but this is tempered with a deep thread of compassion and understanding of human emotion and the inhuman mind. My very favorite element of her character is her devotion to her craft (art) and the fact that, even when faced with certain death and losing her newfound love, she digs her heels in and refuses to let it go. She is not a reactionary character; she keeps iron on her as a weapon against the fair ones' power, and she's learned to word her requests carefully lest they trick her.Rook, on the other hand, is the proverbial very-old, very-powerful non-human male that appears so often in various popular young adult stories...or at least he is on the surface. In her first dealings with him, she is charmed by his good looks and elegant demeanor, but this takes a sharp turnaround the moment he kidnaps her and I couldn't be happier about that fact. Though Rook is physically and magically more than capable, he is severely crippled by his complete and total lack of understanding of human needs and behaviors. The first time this properly comes into evidence is when Isobel needs to stop for a bathroom break, and he just stands there watching her, completely baffled. This occurs again when she gets hungry and he becomes convinced she'll die within seconds if he doesn't find her food. Rook is arrogant and terribly vain (we learn later that his good looks are a glamour, the likes of which all fair folk wear around humans to appear more like them), somewhat naive, far more reactionary than disciplined Isobel, and yet he also has a fair sense of humor she often lacks. His character is wild as fits a Prince of the forest, and I love the unpredictability of his character.The central conflict around fair folk and humans is the most compelling, and one that Rogerson maintains throughout the book in a subtle fashion from beginning to end. The relationship between humanity and the fair folk is one that on the outset looks much like that of the little fish who cling to a shark's skin and clean its teeth out, but the reality is vastly more level. The fair folk are powerful, unpredictable, dangerous, tricky. They love to take advantage of the humans and adore their "craft," but there is a certain jealousy inherit in that; they themselves are incapable of creating or of experiencing true emotions, something that comes naturally to humanity. They posture and preen and set themselves up as the supreme being, yet even cooking paralyzes and weakens them as it goes against their nature. Humanity, in this story, is a collection of resilient beings equally charmed and repulsed by the fair folk and their ways. They are creators—creators of clothing, food, artwork, writing, science, everything that involves taking more than one natural element and turning it into something new. Many of them desire to become fair folk (a possibility thanks to a mystical well which the fair folk occasionally allow one or two to drink from), but just as many wish they'd leave them well enough alone. It is a fascinating contradiction at work between the races, and it underlies everything between Isobel and Rook, between Isobel and the faerie courts and this world she reluctantly steps into, and it is this reluctancy that makes it truly stand apart from other fantasy novels of similar premises.The only places I think Rogerson could improve would be in that a few of her more action-oriented scenes are so fast and sensory, one must read over them a few times to comprehend and I think she would have been better to slow down somewhat and make it clear what was happening when rather than a jumble of action and description. That said, the action and description did serve the purpose of making a reader feel incredibly present and even in danger themselves.All things considered, this is a book I absolutely loved, and one I will definitely be revisiting and lending to my friends in hopes they'll read along and experience the same wonder and curiosity the novel has to offer.

Spoiler-free review!I was gladdened by the sight of those vicious thorns more than I could say, and wondered whether the stories would have gone any differently if the princesses had been the ones telling them.A book about star-crossed lovers, art, and a fae prince who shape shifts into a raven? YES, please!✘ plotIn Whimsy, humans practice Craft: cooking, artistry, writing stories, even designing clothing - all of which the fair folk are drawn to, despite their own lack of capabilities to create. Isobel is a brilliant portrait artist, so it's no surprise when the prince of the autumnlands, Rook, visits her for a painting. Isobel makes a fatal mistake, however, when she chooses to depict the haunting sorrow she sees in his eyes.As fae folk must never be shown with mortal emotions, Isobel is forced to visit the lands of the fair folk, to stand trial for her crimes against the prince. Everything shifts, though, when their relationship shifts into a beautiful love - for love between mortals and fair folk has been banned as long as time has stood, and the punishment is death.✘ isobelIsobel is such an enjoyable narrator, right from the very first page. Her thoughts are full of quips and snide remarks, and there's a down-to-earth sense about her that I feel like gets lost easily in the high fantasy genre. She feels wise beyond her years, yet at the same time, it's believable to think of her as a seventeen-year-old girl who's just had to grow up a little too fast.I was especially fond of her no-nonsense attitude and outlook on life, particularly when the story progressed and her character developed into a young woman who had to learn that not every dilemma in life can be faced with pure logic; sometimes, you have to just go with your heart.He tried to turn away, but I touched his shoulder. Marvelously, he stilled. He was a head and a half taller than I, and the forest leapt to obey his power, but with that one touch I might as well have clapped him in irons.✘ rookRook. ROOK. What can I even say? He's so adorable and haughty and self-obsessed and childlike and fun. Despite being a prince (which he reminds Isobel of often in his own self-satisfaction), he is so bewildered by human lives, and some of his assumptions and questions are so freaking cute.As the book progresses, there's such a tender and kindhearted aspect of his personality. His kindness is seen as a weakness among the fair folk, and it makes him a target, but he's just trying to get by in life, doing what is right and living with the fearful knowledge that everyone wants to dismantle his throne. If you like those "precious cinnamon roll" types like I do, Rook's your guy."Is that so terrible? You say it as though it's the most awful thing you can imagine. It isn't as though I've done it on purpose. Somehow I've even grown fond of your - your irritating questions, and your short legs, and your accidental attempts to kill me."✘ side characters & fair folk- Gadfly, who is Isobel's oldest and most prominent patron. There is so much I want to say about him, but I can't, because it would be a huge spoiler. All I will say is that I loved Gadfly from the moment we met him, and he made me cry like the big baby I am by the time it was all said and done. What a delightfully written character.- March and May, Isobel's younger "sisters". They're actually goats in human form , and they're freaking ADORABLE. They butt heads, and eat everything, and destroy things, and bounce around on tops of cabinets, and basically act like... well, goats. I loved them so much.- I also want to touch on the lore in this story and how it affects the fair folk. They can't touch iron, they're held to a standard of politeness that reaches compulsive levels, and they cannot lie. They pay for favors through enchantments rather than money, but are mischievous, wicked things who tend to trick the other parties into enchantments that go sour. All of these things are so prominent in the story and it showed that Margaret Rogerson actually did her homework. As someone who was obsessed with fairy lore as a kid, I'm so here for this.✘ final thoughtsThis book was a delight from start to finish, and I could barely stand to put it down for anything. I already am desperately hoping for more stories set in this world, because I could not get enough of the precious romance, or the world and magic system, or the fun characters. My only complaint was that it came dangerously close to insta-love, but even as someone who hates that trope, it didn't really bother me due to the way the relationship progresses.I loved this story so much, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good high fantasy/fae romance. This was easily one of my top reads of 2017 so far and I can't wait to see what Margaret comes up with next!

I made the fatal mistake known to all readers as “the cover buy”. I can admit the cover is so good that it’s very nearly worth having bought it just so that it can sit pretty next to Sorcery of Thorns on my YA fantasy shelf. But no amount of pretty makes up for that amount of boredom.I really enjoyed Margaret Rogerson’s Sorcery of Thorns and so it seemed like her debut novel would be a smart move for me. In truth, had a known a novel about dangerous fey, sinister tricks and a prodigal artist dancing with death on a regular basis existed beforehand that would have been enough to convince me regardless. But that isn’t what happens in this book at all, contrary to the misleading blurb. This book in actuality is a standard trope-ridden fey romance.Isobel paints portraits of the fair folk in exchange for enchantments in the form of protection for her family, hens who lay extra eggs and ravens who alert you of imminent death or danger. This method of getting by largely without trouble from the fair folk has worked for a time, until Isobel paints mortal sorrow in the eyes of her newest patron Rook, a fairy prince. Rook is so outraged by Isobel’s insolence that he drags her to the autumn lands to face a trial for her crimes.It’s just lame. What a rubbish excuse to force the two central love interests into a cross-country adventure where they inevitably develop feelings for each other. It’s uncomfortably deliberate, not to mention the tragically over-told case of girl falling in love with her foul tempered kidnapper. If that’s not enough to put you off, no amount of bad juju will.I’d like to say that there were redeeming characters which made up for a heroine who loses her wits the moment she gets starry-eyed over a boy, but there are not. I’d like to say that the plot is compelling to forgive that, but it is boring and suffers from particularly slow pacing. I can say that the world building begins well, that Isobel is initially an intriguing character until she meets Rook and that, after that, it all goes horribly wrong and swiftly takes a nose dive to a two star.

I have so much to say about this book. There was a lot I loved about this, so much so I could’ve seen it as a 5 star read with some tweaking. I liked that it was a short standalone, and though that length was refreshing in some ways, it was hindering in others, mostly emotional leaps to get the story where it needed to go in a shorter period of time. I adored the world, and Margaret Rogerson’s depiction of the fair folk. The writing was lush and characters well expressed. As a debut, I was so impressed, and could see unbound potential for future books.CharactersA few characters weren't as strong on the page as others. Emma and the twins never felt quite right, but they possibly could've with more time on the page. Aster and the Hemlock could've been interesting characters, but they fell flat for me- even if they could've been explored more if the book had been longer.Negatives aside- I loved the main duo. I normally feel neutral about female main characters in fantasy- especially when it's in first person- but I actually liked Isobel. She wasn't whiny or naive- nor was she miss perfect. I loved Rook too, there was something sweet about him. I liked the way he and Isobel interacted, and how their vastly different lives intertwined and clashed throughout the story. However, he never quite felt like a "prince" in the way as another character does. I loved the vibe of him, and his character, and I could've read a much longer book exploring him alone and the ins and outs of his life even separate from Isobel.I enjoyed Gadfly, I thought his own manner came off very clear, and the image of him was crisp in my head. I liked Lark too, and found her a joy to read despite her eccentricities.These group of characters in particular jumped out at me and were what helped make this book compelling and engaging. (especially Rook).RomanceI'm the type that struggles with romance that blooms too quickly. This is short- and half the book revolves around the consequences of a mortal and a fair folk falling for each other- and the book's only 300 pages, so yes, it felt rushed to me. I could believe that they would fall for each other- it just happened too quick. There were grand declarations of love that read as so cheesy I was afraid my eyes wouldn't return from rolling up into my brain. They'd not known each other, truly, for long at all. I would've liked a slower burn- and this is the only place the length of this book truly hindered this novel for me. This romance had potential, and if it went there for me this really could've been a 5 star book for me. However- there were two things I did like about their portrayal of their relationship- but I'll hide them in spoiler tags- but I'll let you all know it didn't feel wholly unhinged.WorldOkay, I am crazy for this depiction of the fair folk, or “faeries”- even more so than the world of Maas- like way more. I loved the darkness to it, that immortality isn't glorified or perfect. That there's consequence. I loved that the fair folk had attributes we're familiar with- but that was there an overall feel to it that felt original to this story. I loved that their beauty was only a glamour- how their whole world festered and rotted. It's the embodiment of its what's on the inside that matters. I was happy fair folks weren't these perfect, flawless, beautiful things- that they were so inhuman. I loved the set up, I loved that we had a full sense of the world without a 600 paged novel. I want more fair folks like this, beautiful and ugly, and inhuman without that making them wholly monstrous. It was interesting how Rogerson showed the fair folk’s world view and emotion without making each faerie cookie-cutters of one another. It's hard to articulate my love for it- but I have to say this side of it was my favourite part of this novel.PlotThe plot, for me, wasn't the strongest thing about this book. I personally loved the character, set-up and world. The first half of the book was my favourite- but I could understand that if you didn't take to those elements why this book would fall flat for some people. I loved the exploration of Isobel's Craft- and how it shows the vital importance of the arts- and what our world would be reduced to without it- how we wear and use it every day- and how, a lot of the time, it's looked down upon when compared to the sciences- which are just a different kind of important.A large part of the plot later revolved around love, and though interesting, it feel short as I couldn't wholly believe their love was true considering for how little time they knew each other. After the halfway point, Rook and Isobel are around each other less, and there wasn't a lot of time of them together to actually be together in requited love.WritingThe writing was sharp and crisp and gorgeous. It really brought the world and people to life without being over-descriptive. It was full of precise word choice. It's funny at times, the dialogue well written and consistent. I loved how you could tell the difference between humans and the fair folk just through the word choice of what they said and how their words were phrased.EndingProceed this this paragraph with care if you haven’t read the book (or skip it). It doesn’t have outright spoilers, but hints to how it all ends up until the spoiler tags.I can't say I hated the ending, but I didn't love it either. Some of it felt a bit too easy, or a bit like a fairy-tale ending- but I can't lie and say I wouldn't have been pissed if it had had a depressing end.ConclusionThis was a beautiful read that had undertones of some of my favourite books while remaining original in its own right. This reminded me why I had such a fascination and love for faeries when I was younger- it’s this type of faerie, or fair folk, the kind with a dark side- that’s not just plain and boring and beautiful- the kind that are disturbing and different from us with a different view of the world that I adore reading about. I had my issues, but remember this is a debut- and I will undoubtedly be looking out for whatever Rogerson puts out next as I’m sure she will only improve, and could, maybe someday, write a favourite.

“Why do we desire, above all other things, that which has the greatest power to destroy us?”⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫It’s safe to say I absolutely loved this twisted fairytale, with such rich and whimsical descriptions, it really was beautifulRogerson has created a world where the Fair Folk idolise and crave Mortals craft, above absolutely anything else. Their descriptions are beautifully terrifying and yet incredibly sad at the same time. They live a rather empty endless life, and it is fascinating to see how each side, be that Fair Folk or mortal, are enthralled and envious of the other.I absolutely loved the love story between Rook and Isobel, forbidden to fall in love with the other but impossible to resist. Who doesn’t love a good Forbidden Love trope?“It isn’t as though I’ve done it on purpose. Somehow I’ve even grown fond of your—your irritating questions, and your short legs, and your accidental attempts to kill me.” I recoiled. “That’s the worst declaration of love I’ve ever heard!”I can’t wait to read more from Margaret Rogerson, her writing really is absolutely enchanting. You can get so lost within her stories, I can’t wait to read more from her

I'd heard so many wonderful things about this book that I couldn't not buy it when a fae mood struck. The cover is cool, the title is awesome and - as I said - people seemed to love it so I was excited... But then, it didn't take me long to realise that my favourite part of this book is likely to forever be the title: An Enchantment of Ravens.Now, I realise that sounds quite negative and I don't mean to be! An Enchantment of Ravens isn't a bad book, it's just a very specific kind of book that I think will leave people enchanted or completely underwhelmed and I was in the underwhelmed category.It had so much potential but I felt like it just never reached it.I felt like I was being teased all the way through. Teased by a story that could sweep me away into another place but never did. Teased by a romance that could have been everything but wasn't. Teased by an opportunity that just never manifests.The world-building is pretty cool, with an interesting take on the fae, but it leaves more unexplained than shared. The characters... Well, you barely scrape the surface of them. The pacing is weird, sometimes it's super slow and other times super fast. The romance has so much potential but left me feeling unsatisfied just like the ending which leaves too much hanging!Rogerson is clearly a gifted writer able to evoke beautiful images and feelings with her words but the whole book felt like an unfulfilled promise and so it frustrated me more than it delighted me... but, just to be an awkward contraction, I enjoyed it just the same and read it cover to cover over a 24hr period.I just don't know what to tell you... Except that I'd definitely read a sequel if there was to ever be one. Especially if that sequel tied off all the loose ends and fulfilled the promise that this book made but never quite delivered.

The beginning was full of promise. The concept of falling in love with a fae Prince is as old as the hills but playing with the old truths of the fae loving human art and building that into the plot was great. Unfortunately, it wasn't taken far enough and the obstacles to the love of our heroine and her fae partner are not as well crafted as the heroine's paintings. After Isobel, our heroine, paints our fae Prince, they end up on a journey through the different fae realms for various messy reasons that change through the first half of the story. Then the Prince falls in love with Isobel, which is expected. However, from here the story reads like a teenage fantasy romance. There is no substance to their love except for physical attraction (even though under the glamour, Rook is not that great looking). Much is made of how cruel fae are and how they have no emotions, yet he falls in love. There are other potholes too. The prose has some wonderful moments but doesn't know when to stop and then ends up full of purple contradictions. The most disappointing for me was the author's concept, that painting emotions on the emotionless fae could affect them, barely took flight before it was dropped. There is great potential here that had me speed reading, however not because it was good but because of what could have been brilliant just left me cringing. Still, I finished the book, hence 4 stars rather than 3.