Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC!

You find very few books with a perfect, even pacing. There are no slow moments, no dragging descriptions, no fillers. Every sentence is there for a reason, every description is important, colorful, and absorbs you into the world. Very rich world, full of details, lore, and scenery. So gently woven into the story. Full of character backgrounds, inner thoughts, machinations, and simply moving in between actions. Perfect balance of description, action, first-person opinions, flashbacks, and tension. One of the most talented writers. Couldn’t stop reading, and didn’t put the book down until I finished. First time ever finished a book in one sitting.

It starts with an exile order and then continues with the story of Neema. A Raven High Scholar who wrote that order and now becomes responsible for the investigation into a murder case. Seven god-blessed contenders are about to fight for the position of the Emperor. When the Raven representative gets murdered, suddenly Neema is forced to replace her. Her own contingent doesn’t support her, and some even suspect her of being the murderer.

No one is truly good. A just emperor lets a teenager sentence his sister to death and then orders a murder. A heartless mother never showing affection to her children, grieves and suffers after the loss. A brother always falling behind his sibling, fighting for his parents’ affection, betrays his sister in a desperate bid for power. A mother sacrifices one child to bear the other. And the husband jumps off the tower heartbroken from the cruelty of the woman he loved.

Yasila’s parent’s story lands the perfect hit. The origin of all the disasters. A perfect miscommunication trope! Not only does the unspoken reason, the painful explanation that never gets uttered, break a man, a child, a family. But it also leads to decades of consequences, of heartless destruction, suffering, misguided vengeance driven by fear, and a need to protect one’s children.

The reveal of the murderer only halfway through is a very cleverly designed device. We get the answer to what we think is the main question, only to realize there is another question we haven’t come up with yet.

In the end, we get the character development, the reveal of the true motivations behind their all actions. Their reason for desiring the throne. Their true intent behind their murderous pursuits, their remorse, and their heartbreak when it’s too late. Their devotion and love, and where their loyalty lies.

Finally a fantasy with adult characters. 22, 24, 30, 34 year olds. Mature and sensible, but still idealistic, emotional, passion-driven.

The narrator’s choice was a cool twist. The first paragraph threw me off a bit, but afterward became a very smart artistic choice. Allowing for smooth transitions between different POVs and places of action.

If you like the Between Earth and Sky trilogy: Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse, you will love Raven Scholar. Feels like a similar premise but a much better execution.

As a recent convert to fantasy, my interest was piqued with the email sent out to request this high tension, action packed story. There was a lot of world building which it took me a while to get into and work out the different groupings. It was well worth persevering with as it does get gripping further in. Looking forward to book two.

I am a huge fan of the author’s historical crime fiction, so was keen to see how she handled fantasy (another favourite genre). And I loved it. Unique world building, unexpected characters, constantly evolving twisty plot. Lost star because I found the final quarter - with a strange shift in narrative - less compelling and more repetitive. But I will be back for the second installment.

Neema Kraa is the High Scholar of Orrun, she is happy with her life although some despise her for not being high born.
The Emperor is about to abdicate and seven contestants will compete to be crowned the new Emperor.

Neema has designed the festival in which they will compete. When one of the contestants is killed,the Emperor tasks Neema to solve the crime.

This is a well written tale with strong characters and I enjoyed it. I am looking forward to the next installment.

One criticism would be the unnecessary (in my opinion) bad language as it didn't add to the tale.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Hidder & Stoughton Publishing for the chance to read and review this book

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Neema holds the prestigious post of High Scholar in Orran. On the surface she’s got everything she’s worked so hard for, but beneath the veneer she is haunted by her past actions and her part in the tragic execution of a young girl eight years ago. When the Festival comes around, a competition held every 24 years to select the next Emperor, Neema has a leading role in planning the Festival Eve festivities. As the evening unfolds, betrayal, magic, curses, and a brutal murder, triggers the start of a series of events which will ultimately determine the fate of not just Neema’s life, but the future of the whole Empire...

Is this an easy read? No, probably not. Is it a worthwhile read? Absolutely! It was one of my most enjoyable reads of the year.

It was challenging to get into at the start as the timeline jumps around a bit. There’s a lot of tangents, background information and anecdotes, which is really helpful in terms of world-building, but I found it broke my reading flow and I struggled to follow the main plot. But I would say stick with it because by chapter 4 it gets damn good!

Antonia Hodgson’s writing style is captivating from the start, it completely sweeps you along and felt different to anything else I’ve read recently. I particularly enjoyed the dry humour, it honestly had me chuckling throughout! The characters are all so brilliant and vividly brought to life, many of them immediately felt like old friends (or in many cases, old enemies) which I think is what makes the book so enjoyable to read.

I really like Neema, she admittedly makes one terrible decision after another, but I thought her character has real depth and I like her all the more for her flaws. I also like that she is a bit older than you often see FMCs.

The Raven Scholar is not a romantasy, more a fantasy with a romantic undercurrent running through it. That being said, I’m so invested in Neema and Cain’s relationship, I *need* them to have a happy ending!

There are so many mysteries, and twists and turns it keeps you guessing right until the end. The plot and pacing felt a bit chaotic in places, but I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to see where the trilogy goes from here. I’ll be counting down until book two!

Antonia Hodgson's The Raven Scholar is an intricate epic fantasy set in the empire of Orrun, where seven contenders compete for the throne under the watchful eyes of sacred animal proxies. The story gains complexity when a murder disrupts the trials, leaving Neema Kraa to uncover the truth while navigating deadly court politics. Praised for its fiendish twists, elaborate world-building, and morally complex characters, the book captivates readers with its mix of political intrigue, mystery, and drama. A must-read for fans of immersive fantasy