Enjoyed the romance of the journey. Fie's coming of age and coming of courage was skillfully, believably handled by the author. Fie's snarky critique of the injustice suffered by Crows stayed consistent; her family relationships delivered some heart-filling moments as her devotion rang true and her faithfulness was rewarded. Ms. Owen developed the heroic tension during the chases with verve and grit. Her world-building deserves another go-round; I would happily read another saga set in the bird-caste universe.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC!

Yeah. New favorite. I needed the next one yesterday and now I have to wait. But what an amazing, interesting world. Brutal, heartbreaking, and a bittersweet ending that had me both happy, angry, uneasy, and desperate for more. I can’t wait to see more of everything.

And here we are, eight days after finishing The Merciful Crow, by Margaret Owen. It may not be a fancy starred review, but it’s my review and that means somethin’!

That’s a long time for me to read a book. Eight days is a long time for ONE BOOK. Of course, I did read a couple graphic novels in there to kill my brain. These graphic novels were super good for killing my brain.

Because The Merciful Crow was full of emotion and feeling and things I needed to remember. Things that called me to remember them. Like little things.

But, this is a Rambling Review, so I’m gonna skip around a lot. As I do. All the time.

The Merciful Crow is all about Fie and her band of Crows. Her Pa, Wretch, Swain, Hangdog, and all the others. It’s about a prince and his Hawk. An evil queen and a narcissistic king. It’s about master-generals and Vultures. Plagues and viatiks. Teeth and bones. Castes and cuts. Nails and silk.

There’s a lot of great things stuffed into this story. It’s mainly a story about Fie and her lordlings traveling down a terrible road. A road full of strife and stray cats and plants you can’t eat. She loses and gains and loses so much more. She learns and yearns to forget. Her heart breaks and stitches back together, only to bear scars that won’t quite heal. There are fingers and eyes and flashburn scars in this story. There are relationships that flower and some that explode. Some that simmer quietly like a long-cooking stew, while others ignite in an explosion of hate and rage. Like a Phoenix tooth gone to seed.

There’s a caste system in this book. It’s based on birds. You’ve got your Phoenixes at the top, the ruling class, and they’re immune to fire. Can’t get hurt by it. You’ve got your guard class, the Hawks. Foppish Peacocks and gossiping Swans. Steadfast Sparrows and gusty Gulls. Vicious Vultures and I’d like to think there are maybe some Jays doing something somewhere. Also scholarly Owls. Those are in there, too.

We’ve also got the Crows. While other castes have Birthrights (like the Phoenixes’ immunity to fire, the Swans and their stuff), the Crows are immune to this sinner’s Plague. They don’t have Birthrights. They’re almost forsaken. But the other castes need the Crows to clean up their offal. Their messes. They need the Crows to dole out Mercy where they’re called. They do get paid, sometimes. Livestock, food, sometimes money, sometimes teeth. That’s called viatik.

The Crow chiefs are also witches. There aren’t too many caste witches because there are only 1000, I believe, of the witches at at time. One for each of the 1000 dead gods. Crow chiefs can use teeth for what I call spells. Like magic. They wake up the teeth, can see the lives of those who had these teeth in their mouths, and things happen. Phoenix teeth cause fire. Sparrow teeth can hide a body. Vulture teeth track. That sort of thing. They come in real handy.

Castes save teeth. From babyhood to sometimes even pulling teeth from their dead. They save them.

And the Crows are called. With beacons of smoke that smear the sky, all greasy and oily, a deadened flag in a deadened wind. But the Crows always answer. Or the whole town could die of plague. Then the whole town is burnt up. And the Crows pay.

Then you have the White Oleanders. They’re a group of mixed-caste refuse who run about at night killing Crows. No one stops them. Oh, the castes all know. They just don’t care. Because Crows are lesser. They’re less than Barf the Cat. The Crows are a necessary evil that the castes exploit usually, but then beg for mercy when it’s their time. When it’s convenient for them.

The other castes only care for the Crows when it helps them to do so.

There’s a lot of that in here. And it’s infuriating. But it’s also a way. It’s recognizable even today. I don’t make it a point to go political in my blog because I love books and that’s what I want to write about. But this book. It gets you thinking and stewing.

So we have Fie, a chief-in-training. Her Pa, the chief, and their band of Crows. Things happen, as they do, and Fie is stuck with Jasimir (a prince) and Tavin (his Hawk guard). They do stuff, travel around the continent, revealing secrets and keeping more secrets and revealing other secrets that aren’t theirs to reveal.

It’s a book that everyone needs to read. It doesn’t come out for a fair bit yet, but it’s something everyone needs to read. The language is languid, but also commanding. At first, I was reading much of it as if I were living back in Georgia. Deep, deep southern Georgia. The lazy drawl. Sometimes a sharp twang (that went to Hangdog and only Hangdog because that twang always grated on my Northeastern-born ears, and so did Hangdog). Eventually, that lazy drawl morphed into a punctuated drawl. It was still there, but it wasn’t drawn out and lowing. It was more like a coyote’s howl across that red-clay road.

There’s a love story, but it’s more slow-burning than other YA I’ve read. It progressed well. It wasn’t, “OMG I love you so so so so much!” It was more “we’ve been through all this garbage and I fell in love with you at some point I didn’t notice.” And I like that. Granted, I fell insta-love with my husband way back in 1996 when he beat me at a game of chess. So I don’t mind insta-love as much as most. But this wasn’t insta-love.

I’m gonna say the ending was satisfying. Like you just ate the last bite of your dessert after a good dinner. You’re satisfied, but part of you wants more. But you can wait. For now.

Also Chapter Two. Chapter Two is my favorite chapter. That’s why it’s in the title of this blog post. Because it’s my favorite. The movement and imagery. The righteous, deserved anger. The screeching and scratching and scraping that send shivers down my crooked spine. I shrieked with them. I wiggled my toes. I cringed at the idea of nails on marble, sandpaper rubbing along my spine. But it’s my favorite chapter. Wait until you read it.

Because you will read it. So when you read it, let me know.

When, not if.

This is one of those books that you need a special edition, regular edition, and tons of artwork. The words reach into your brain and stick with you.
Fie is a girl who just wants to be a good Chief to her group of Crows. She does not want to be mixed up in the affairs of people who don't care about her or the suffering of her caste. So when she is thrown in with a prince and his double things can only go downhill.
From enemies to lovers, to strong female leads, strange usage of teeth, and a disease that could kill everyone this book has something for everyone.
If you haven't placed this on your TBR you will miss out on one of summers biggest fantasy titles.

*Spoiler free, I'm not sure how many stars*

Another crow book! They are popping up all over the place these days, but I can't complain since they are such interesting creatures. I haven't heard too much about this one, but the cover really drew me in. Plus, the synopsis sounded really fierce and blood thirsty, so I wanted to give it a try!

I honestly don't know what I think about this book. I loved it. I truly did, but my feelings toward it are tangled up. I loved the overall plot and the book as a whole, but there were aspects that weren't my favorite and I can't seem to figure out if they hurt my overall enjoyment or not.

The writing style is very, very different than what I am used to. It reads like an adult book (which I will talk about more later) and the dialect that the characters use takes a lot of getting used too. But, once I settled into the writing style, I really enjoyed it. I thought it was unique and something different. It fit the world really well and once I got a handle on it, it was really cool to read.

The hierarchy in this book is so confusing. Honestly, I've finished the book and I still don't fully understand it. There are different castes of people, all named after birds. I thought that was really clever and I really liked that part. They all have different magical talents. Which caste has which talent, I couldn't tell you. I couldn't even tell you which one caste was higher than another, besides a few. The book sort of throws you into this world and expects you'll keep up with everything that's going on. I got a general handle on everything around the middle of the book, but it's definitely confusing. It's so complicated, that I just couldn't figure out some details. I didn't know if certain scenes made sense because I didn't have a handle on the magic system.

I wish this would have been an adult book. I really wish it could have been a NA book, but that's wishful thinking since that is in the very beginning stages of blooming. It's dark and very mature. It does have some YA vibes toward it, but I do wish the characters could have been aged up to make it adult or it was just marketed as adult.

Despite my problems with it, I loved it a whole lot. Once I got used to the world and met characters, it got really awesome. I thought Fie, Jas, and Tavin would have POVs because of the synopsis, but it's just Fie telling the story. I'm not sure if I would have liked for Jas and Tavin to have POVs, but Fie was awesome and I didn't mind not having other narrators! Fie is tough. She wants to do right by herself and by her people. She also wants other things, but she knows those probably aren't in the cards for her. She clawed her way through her journey and made herself someone to admire. She's going to make, and is, a great leader.

This world is brutal. It's bloody and plague ridden and a disaster. I liked seeing it all come together and I loved how Fie and everybody traveled through a whole lot of it throughout the book. You're able to get a good look at a lot of aspects and put together a good picture of what this world is really like.

The romance was also really good. It was definitely a slow burn and a enemies-to-lovers! It should be interesting to see how it plays out in the next book!

This book had so much in it, and it seems like the second book is going to have so much more. It sounds like it's going to flesh everything out even more and turn everything upside down. I can't wait to see these characters again with their humor, their flaws, and their strengths. I can't wait to see them grow even more and how this world changes.

Oh my gosh, this book was brilliant. I had so many questions while reading the book that got answers eventually. After being let down by other books that leave those questions unanswered this was such a nice change. Fie was a character I came to love. The boys quickly grew on me though it still feels like the Prince never got fully fleshed out. Heck, I can't even remember his name now after finishing the book yesterday. Out of everything that is the only criticism I can give this book is the fact that he needed just a bit more growth. Other than that one fact this was a gorgeous ride with a world that was built up so well I easily gave a description of it to my father from memory because it stuck with me so well.

I honestly did struggle through this book... the first half nothing was going on.... they where just in the middle of the journey so much description.... this book is very story driven I do tend to prefer character driven books i don’t think this characters had much of a growth besides Tav. Jas was a very whinney prince till towards the end when he came to except fie. And Fie has very minor growth she knows what she wants and then her father telling her that it’s fine but you still have to be chief... ummm okay..... I did enjoy this story but honestly will it stick in my mind for years to come? No, I might be able to pick this book up next year and it’ll be like new too me... I hope book 2 is a little stronger. This I did like was the romance bits we where tossed, how different this world was from many I’ve seen/ read of before.... gotta say my favorite character was the cat barf lol if you like stories with a thick story base this is for you

Fie is a member of the Crow caste. Hated and reviled they bring mercy to those bearing the plague. When her troop is called into the Phoenix caste castle to deal with plague victims they get more than they bargained for and a promise that they can not break. When her troop is taken and friends are killed, it will be up to her to save not just the Crows, but her kingdom. This book was fun. I really enjoyed the intrigue and danger that followed Fie and her band. I've always thought the old plague masks were creepily cool and loved their incorporation into the mythology of this world. 5 stars!

*ARC received from NetGalley in return for an honest review*

Oh my gosh, this book was brilliant. I had so many questions while reading the book that got answers eventually. After being let down by other books that leave those questions unanswered this was such a nice change. Fie was a character I came to love. The boys quickly grew on me though it still feels like the Prince never got fully fleshed out. Heck, I can't even remember his name now after finishing the book yesterday. Out of everything that is the only criticism I can give this book is the fact that he needed just a bit more growth. Other than that one fact this was a gorgeous ride with a world that was built up so well I easily gave a description of it to my father from memory because it stuck with me so well.

I finished this one a few weeks ago, but I liked it so much I had trouble coming to write a review. I was sad from it being over! And there was so much I liked that I was afraid I wouldn't do it justice with a review.

There's YA that skews young, and YA that is more accessible for YA readers that are adults. While this novel can appeal to both audiences, it definitely leans towards the latter; it deals with topics of racism, violence, and sex/sexuality (but none in an excessive way, all done in ways that give meat to the plot or characters).

Is YA intended for a younger audience? Maybe originally, yes, but it's clear that that's no longer its primary readers, and I'm thrilled when I can tear into a YA fantasy with some teeth to it, when the author does not hold back. Because it does feel like YA authors do hold back sometimes, whether out of fear of offending someone, or being unmarketable, or not feeling like teens can 'handle' it. But I think we forget what we were like as teens. And like I said before, teens are not always the market audience for YA anymore, anyways. But I think it's a tough thing to grapple, toeing that line between the two worlds, creating a story that can appeal to both.

But Owen doesn't toe the line here, but rather steps above it, writing the story she wants to tell, regardless of audience, regardless of offense, subject only to the story she felt needed to be told. You can sense the passion and creativity that went into it. There's parts where another author might have said, 'shoot, can I really say that? Can my characters do that?' But Owen slashed through those doubts and barreled forward, creating a rich, alive world and a fascinating society, with solid characters to boot.

And maybe it's just because I'm struggling with some of these fears in my own writing, especially with the recent YA-callout culture-twitter-toxicity issues that have been brewing. But it's more than that, too. I've encountered so many YA fantasies that while enjoyable, feel packaged and neatly wrapped in foiled paper, clean-cut and presentable for the masses. Ones that even when they have an edge, hold back a little, making sure not to tiptoe out too far. And I didn't even realize how stifling it had started to feel, until this book swooped in and it was like settling into something old and familiar and alive.

It's a YA fantasy that took me back to 6th grade, reading under a tree and forgetting the world around me. I actually started reading slower to make it last longer. I don't even know the last time I did that, if ever. Bold, imaginative, and moving, I'm rooting for this book. Right now it feels like a precious baby bird ARC that I'm cradling in my hands, but I'm rooting for it to take flight like...well, like a badass crow, I suppose.

The Merciful Crow was such an amazing read and the characters pull you into their story like no others. I couldn't rip myself from those pages, I loved it so much. The Merciful Crow is hands down one of the best books I've read this year.

Sooooo the fact that I preordered this book right away after finishing it should probably give you a good idea of how I felt.

I. LOVED. This. Major 5/5 stars!

There is a clear heirarchy in this book, with the Phoenix reigning at the top, with the Crows hanging around the bottom. Crows go to beacon where they are called when a sinner has been brought down with the plague. Crows are the only ones said to be immune, so they must show mercy to the sinners and make a pyre for them. All the other castes call to them when they require services, but the Crows are still treated as lesser people and are hunted by some. When after 500 years Crows are called to the palace to do their duty, they end up leaving not with 2 dead bodies, but instead the crown prince and his bodyguard. Feigning their deaths, they are set to overthrow the Queen's plans of taking over the kingdom for her own evil gain, entrusting the Crows to help them on their journey. However, things take a turn for the worse, putting all of their lives at stake and a kingdom hanging between 2 forces of power.

I loved Fie! She is so fiesty, knowing she must do her best to fulfill her oath but wanting to protect her kin. I loved her fro the first pages, and she just grows so much over the course of the book. From controlling the magic of the teeth of the other castes, to forming alliances with the prince and Hawks, she is wrongly underestimated by many. Her character arc is so powerful, with her figuring out who she is and what she wants.

I would be lying if Jas didn't get on my nerves for a solid chunk of this, but it was an on-and-off relationship. There'd be times I would love him, then he'd go and say something so shitty that I'd hate him again. Went that way until about 65% of the way through, After that, I really started to like him! I'm interested to see how he goes about his plans in the next book.

MY BOY TAVIN! He's definitely book boyfriend material and I love him so much! His smugness from the first words he speaks all the way to the sentimental scenes at the end just make my heart melt. I loved being able to read about his past, his plans, and just seeing him break out of his hard shell and be comedic relief. I honestly just adored him and I want to read more about him again!

So yeah... I loved this book. You should probably go out and get it. This was one of my most anticipated reads, and it definitely lived up to my hype! I have to get my hands on a signed copy somehow, but yeah. This was amazing. Highly recommend!

ARC provided to be by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own

I feel like this book had a ton of potential, but it just ended up not being the book for me.

The pacing of the story was very slow and I don’t think some of the characters were developed fully. I felt like Jasimir was really one dimensional and I didn’t really care about him at all. Tavin was far more developed and probably the most interesting character in the book.

There were really good social discussions about the treatment of the lower caste Crows by all of the other castes. I also enjoyed the references to the plague and the historical elements like the plague masks that the Crows wore.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a digital copy of this book. I’m sorry to say from the very first sentence I did not like this book. This book is trying to be dark and deep but only gets the dark part. Other than that the book doesn’t get to a deeper level of story telling or humanity.

I was rather impressed by this book! I thought that the magical world was extremely well-developed and I felt connected to the characters.

At times, the world was a little too complicated for me to follow, there were a lot of moving parts that didn’t seem necessary at times. Also, some of the language and diction used seemed stilted and forced.

One other critique I have was that the plot was very much a journey plot and I found it to be repetitive.

However, overall, I really enjoyed the characters, especially the LGBTQ representation in the book. It was so well done and shown as a part of characters without any questions or explanations, they were simply themselves, which was so lovely.

​Boy howdy does Fie want to slap this Hawk boy and I'm living for it. She's so perfectly angry at the injustice of this world and the Caste system and I loved cheering her on. She doesn't want to burn the world down after all, she just wants them to know she can.

The Merciful Crow is one of those books that I think has a really fantastic opening. From page one, I was already so interesting in these characters, the world and how it worked. The writing was really well done too. I don't know if it was just me, but I kept getting a western vibe somehow? It could probably be just me.

One thing that I have to say about this book though is how quickly it brought my emotions out, especially concerning these characters. While there is a large group of them that are together during this book, some of the main focuses are on Fie, Tavin, and Jasimir. Right off the bat I didn't like Tavin and Jasimir, but that could be because this book is through Fie's point of view and I was seeing everything through her eyes, but the pair did grow on me.

One thing that did catch me off guard was Hangdog and how he treated Fie. Mostly because I didn't see the reaction coming at all and didn't think him capable of it? It through me completely and I think I complained very loudly about it.

Overall, I think this is a book that will enthrall young adult and fantasy lovers both far and wide. Spectacular magic system, amazing writing, and characters that you can help but connect to, The Merciful Crow should definitely be on peoples list.

I was incredibly excited for this book, and it was one of my most anticipated reads for 2019, so I was ecstatic when I received an e-arc of this book allowing me to read it early. Unfortunately, it was not quite what I expected.

Overall, this is a great book. The world building is fantastic, and the characters are complex and multi-layered. The book is told from a single POV, that of Fie, and I absolutely loved watching Fie struggle with her own identity, her role, and her duty vs her heart's desire. I was a fan of Tavin form the start. And Jasimir eventually grew on me. Somewhat.

So my issue with the book is neither setting nor character related. Rather, I do not believe this to be a YA book and I am still confused as to why it is being marketed as such. The pacing is slow, the writing is heavy, the language and dialect are difficult, the violence is pervasive. As a developmental researcher who specifically studies YA lit and adolescent development, I do not believe that categorizing this book as YA was the best choice.

My recommendation would be to market this book as an adult fantasy. I think the book would do a lot better and would reach a more appropriate audience. This is not to say that teens can't or shouldn't read this book (or other adult fantasy books for that matter). I believe that labeling this book as adult fantasy would reach a wider audience while still calling to the teens who are interested in a more adult read such as this.

The Merciful Crow stands out among the influx of new YA fantasy releases. I can't say too much without spoiling the plot, but it's refreshing to see a protagonist who does something not because it's for the greater good, but because it serves her and her own people. The world-building is thorough -- Margaret Owen's attention to detail is remarkable, because though the descriptions would be enough to help me understand the world of The Merciful Crow, the way the characters speak and act had me fully immersed.

This book is dark and diverse, and it had me sucked in from the first sentence to the last. What more could I want?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the E-Arc copy of this novel.
Young adults will devour up this novel just based on the magic and fantasy alone. The author does a solid job of keeping you entertained just has slow spots within the novel. I think young adults will enjoy the diversity of the characters. A definite recommend for fantasy and magic lovers.

NetGalley provided me with an ARC. I don't know if I am grateful or distressed, because I need a print copy of this book and book two NOW! I have no clue how I will have to wait for others to read this book and create the fandom that this world and the Crows inspire.