Article contributed by Yakira Goldsberry
Never before have ever I read a modern book written only in verse. I think the only stories I’ve read in poem format were The Epic of Gilgamesh and Beowulf, but unlike The Epic of Gilgamesh, David Elliott’s The Seventh Raven was an interesting and engaging experience! At first, it was a little hard for me to get used to, but after that, I was fully engaged in this wild and wonderful tale of a boy who wants only to fly.
There are a lot of things that I liked about The Seventh Raven, and I can’t really think of anything that I disliked. Firstly, I loved how the rhyming patterns were different for each character, to give them their own unique voice as the book wasn’t written as a regular narrative. I don’t really know too terribly much about poetry, but Elliott explained in the back of the book what rhyming schemes he used and the patterns for each character and why he used them. It was really interesting and clever.
Everything about the plot was so different and so unique. I loved how the brothers were turned into ravens and how their younger sister, even though she had never met them, was determined to save her brothers. I didn’t even know it was a fairytale retelling until the end, when Elliott explained that it was a retelling of The Seven Ravens by the Brothers Grimm. Now it makes me want to find the original story and read it!
I loved the lyrical beauty, and nostalgia that the story invoked. It was like being back in my childhood reading fairytales and dreaming of castles magic animals all over again. Only, there’s a sort of controversy throughout the story. I don’t know how much I can say without spoiling the plot, but let’s just say that of the seven brothers, the seventh is the only one who doesn’t bemoan his fate, and feels he’s finally free to be what he was always meant to be. It was interesting seeing that contrast between the characters, and seeing how the younger sister is portrayed, in her own mind, as the hero, when in fact, the youngest brother sees her as a villain. I just found it to be a fascinating spin on the typical fairytale story.
The only issue would be the fact that because it’s in verse, we can’t really connect as well with the characters as we would if the book were in narrative writing. However, at the same time, I feel that it’s perfect, as original fairytales are written with an omniscient narrator, and therefor we’re never inside Cinderella or Ariel’s head. So, while it would have been nice to be able to dive into the characters’ minds and see more of this world, at the same time I also found it somewhat fitting for The Seventh Raven to be written this way.
Another issue is that the story was too short! It’s not really a negative complaint, but I would love to see more of this world and have explanations for some things that didn’t make a whole lot of sense. I don’t know if this is a spoiler, but I also would love to know where in the world the glass castle came from, and its history. If Elliott could write a sequel, or at least another book set in that world in whichever prose he chooses, that would be amazing! I would be all there for that!
Overall, I loved the poetic format and the fact that it’s a retelling of a fairytale I’ve never heard of! If you enjoy poetry, original Grimm’s fairytales, and thought-provoking tales, then you’ll love The Seventh Raven by David Elliott!
The Seventh Raven is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
Will you be picking up The Seventh Raven? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
Best-selling author David Elliott examines the timeless themes of balance, transformation, and restoration in this evocative tale about a girl who will stop at nothing to reverse a curse that turned her seven brothers into ravens.
And these are the sons
Of good Jack and good Jane
The eldest is Jack
And the next one is Jack
And the third one’s called Jack
And the fourth’s known as Jack
And the fifth says he’s Jack
And they call the sixth Jack
But the seventh’s not Jack
The seventh is Robyn
And this is his story
When Robyn and his brothers are turned into ravens through the work of an unlucky curse, a sister is their only hope to become human again. Though she’s never met her brothers, April will stop at nothing to restore their humanity. But what about Robyn, who always felt a greater affinity to the air than to the earth-bound lives of his family?
David Elliott’s latest novel in verse explores the unintended consequences of our actions, no matter our intentions, and is filled with powerful messages teased from a Grimms’ fairy tale. Stunning black-and-white illustrations throughout by Rovina Cai.
