This immersive story is definitely one you’ll want to add to your TBR pile! Cunningly invasive, it’s a story that doesn’t get out of your head even after you’ve turned the last page. There’s death, family bonds, and lots of soul shattering rage to be found throughout this story, along with a smattering of romance that rounds out this amazing story. I honestly cannot say enough about it!
Fie lives in a world that is broken down into castes, and she belongs to the Crows. Their castes’ only rule is to look after their own, while also serving as undertakers and offering mercy killers to members of other castes affected by the plague. Called out to collect a dead royal, she’s expecting a big payday, until it turns out that Prince Jasimir and his bodyguard have faked their deaths in an effort to prevent his kingdom from take over from a vicious queen. Faced with an incredible opportunity, Fie offers the prince protection in his mission to save his kingdom, as long as he’ll provide protection for the Crow caste when he ascends the throne. Meanwhile, his bodyguard Tavin is starting to question whether he truly wants to shadow Prince Jasimir forever, especially when he starts to want a life of his own. This trio will need to work together to save the kingdom, if they don’t wind up betraying each other first.
With a killer first line hook, The Merciful Crow sets a fast pace within an unyieldingly cruel world that has been masterfully created by Margaret Owen. The castes and social/political structures are well-developed and are easily followed along; a careful attention to detail has been painstakingly maintained throughout the story to achieve the immersive quality it has. I was absolutely captivated by the way the Crows used their magic, because it was so grotesquely beautiful. It’s an interesting use of teeth to be sure. The imagery was compelling, and I couldn’t get enough.
In terms of characters, Fie was such an amazingly written and well-developed character. Her sorrow and rage toward what her Crows have faced is second to none. She’s no damsel and puts her loyalty to her family first. Though much about her was harsh, there was a softness in this. Not that this made her weak in any sense, but it was refreshing to see how this was used as a strength time and time again. Tavin was another interesting character, charmingly enigmatic, but also vulnerable. He was easy to like but his motivations were what you wanted to uncover. Unlike Fie and Tavin, Jasimir was a little harder to love…not because he’s a bit (very) pompous, but because of his disconnection with his people, specifically the Crow caste. His progression was also really wonderful to read through, because in the end, you’ll like him just a little more than before.
A slow burn romance is sprinkled throughout the book, in manageable doses for those that don’t want a lot of romance with their fantasy novel. It’s not something that takes center stage either, I felt that it was developed naturally and in a very good way. There’s a respect between the characters that doesn’t feel forced, and is also affected by the social systems in play.
Owen tackles a lot of things in her book, and one of the most poignant themes that stuck with me was that of prejudice. Though the caste system makes this more pronounced in terms of the hierarchy, it’s the way that it’s touched upon that makes an impression. The Crows are hated because of who they are, but are necessary within the kingdom. Outcasts and nomads, the Crows have long ago given up on changing anyone’s mind, or trying to fit in. Because they deal with death further alienates them from everyone else. Fie takes that rhetoric and throws it in the garbage, determined to dismantle the systematic oppression her people face simply for existing. There is no better narrative than that, in my honest opinion.
Something I need from this book is a sequel. I want more from Fie, I want to see where her, Tavin, and Jasmir’s roads end. The story ends on a very strong note, no cliffhangers to be had, and can potentially be read as a standalone if series aren’t your thing. The Merciful Crow is planned out to be a duology, so if you wind up loving it as much as I did, you’ll definitely have more to look forward to.
I’m rating this story a 10/10. It’s immersive, it’s fast-paced, and a wild ride. I really had no idea what was going to happen from one page to the next. There was lots of betrayal, death, backstabbing, and that little bit of romance that will keep the reader engaged, and give them lots to think about by the end. I cannot wait to see more from Ms. Owen.
The Merciful Crow is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers as of July 30th 2019.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
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?
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