An Enchantment Of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson Review

Hey ForeverBookers, 

How are you doing today? I hope you’re all well and that you had a great Christmas! I’m sorry you haven’t heard from me since November. I had a really busy December! Anyway, I’ll post my favourite books of 2023 next, probably in a few days! 

I have just finished reading my first book of 2024, though. It was…“An Enchantment Of Ravens” by Margaret Rogerson. I enjoyed it, although I do think it would have been better as a solely adult book. I thought making it YA made the story lacking in a few ways that I’ll get onto later.

3 Stars! 

We follow the perspective of Isobel throughout “An Enchantment Of Ravens.” She’s an artist who paints the fae because they’re forbidden from painting themselves or ANY sort of art/creative work (singing songs/writing poetry/stories etc). Why? You’ll have to read to find out for yourself! She is asked to paint the prince of the autumn court, Rook. He’s our other main character. When it seems something has happened to the artwork that she creates of Rook, she’s pulled into fairy court politics and has to go back to the autumn court with him to seek vengeance for herself. Does she get to do this? Or are there things in her way?

I did think the overall plot was good although the world building was a little heavy in my eyes. The author kept describing everything in a multitude of sentences, when the same thing COULD have been said in a lot less words. I don’t know if this was to up the word count.

I read “An Enchantment Of Ravens” for a few Readathons/Reading Challenges: 

Reading Rivalry - Athena/Minerva - Wisdom, Craft, Strategy - I chose this option because Craft is a major part of the plot to An Enchantment of Ravens, as the fae can’t do anything creative. Otherwise they destroy themselves!

Always Fully Booked Reading Challenge - A debut book - “An Enchantment Of Ravens” was Margaret Rogerson’s first published book, I believe.

Always Fully Booked “On the Cover” Reading Challenge - Birds - there is a bird on the front and another on the back of “An Enchantment Of Ravens.”

Always Fully Booked - Colour challenge - BROWN - A lot of the cover is brown and gives off Autumn vibes! 

Spoilers Below…

“My parlor smelled of linseed oil and spike lavender, and a dab of lead tin yellow glistened on my canvas. I had nearly perfected the color of Gadfly’s silk jacket.

The trick with Gadfly was persuading him to wear the same clothes for every season. Oil paints needed days to dry between layers and he had trouble understanding that I couldn’t just swap his entire outfit for another he liked better. He was astonishingly vain by fair folk standards, which is like saying a pond is unusually wet, or a bear is surprisingly hairy. All in all, it was a disarming quality for a creature who could murder me without rescheduling his tea.

“I might have some silver embroidery done about the wrists,” he said. “What do you think? You could add that couldn’t you?”

“Of course.”

As I said above, Isobel is at first a normal girl who just has a job creating paintings of the fae because they can’t do it themselves. Here, she is drawing her fae client, Gadfly. Gadfly is a significant secondary character in the story. He thinks he’s the most important person but he’s nice, or is he? He’s particular about what he likes as the above shows.

The fair folk, as they’re called in “An Enchantment Of Ravens,” gift their human creators enchantments as payment. Isobel doesn’t want an enchantment from Gadfly, though. All she wants is to keep her and her aunt and sisters safe. Her sisters were once goats, but were changed into humans. 

“My twin sisters weren’t precisely human. They’d begun life as a pair of goat kids before a fair one had had too much wine and enchanted them on a lark. It was slow going, but I reminded myself that at least it was going. This time last year they hadn’t been house-trained…I’d seen March survive eating a broken pot, poison oak, deadly nightshade, and several unfortunate salamanders without any ill effects. For all my concern, March jumping off cabinets posed more danger than the kitchen furniture.” I found this cute and funny. May and March aren’t too present in the story. They’re just there for a little light relief, which was nice to see.

The male main character is a fae called Rook. He’s a tall, fae as is often brought into the story. He knows how to fight and defend his kingdom of autumn. We never actually see the autumn court, though. This surprised me, because the main male character is the prince of autumn, I would have thought the main part of the plot would have taken part there, but it didn’t. It mainly took part in spring, Gadfly’s court. Gadfly is a very arrogant fae. It’s revealed Gadfly is the prince of the spring court half way through the novel. 

“Whatever he said next, and whatever Rook said in reply, was lost to me as I finished digesting the phrase—a welcome to my domain.

I cleared my throat. Gadfly looked around. “Sir, are you the spring prince?” I asked.

He smiled. “Why, yes. None other! Surely I’ve mentioned that to you before?”

“No, I can’t say you have.”

“How remiss of me. I’m so forgetful with mortals—I simply assume everyone already knows.” While Gadfly spoke, Rook studied him with an unreadable expression. “Well, fear not, Isobel. Your manners are beyond reproach. I always felt welcomed as a princely figure in your home. Now, before I forget another detail, would you care to tell me why you’re roaming about in the forest, and in such distinguished company?”

There are some rather aggressive villains in “An Enchantment Of Ravens.” A barrow mound, Hemlock, Foxglove and finally the Alder King. The barrow mound is a natural thing but it’s not of beauty. No, it’s a scary thing that almost destroys both Isobel and Rook. I expected Rook to be able to conquer the barrow mound easily, but no. He struggled. As for the other villains I mentioned, Hemlock was a pity party. Yes, she was bitter but she wasn’t evil, per se. She was more jealous of Isobel I thought, as she was free, and Hemlock wasn’t. Foxglove, again is jealous of Isobel. The Alder King is the main villain of the story. What happens to these villains or horrible characters? Does Isobel defeat the Alder King? Do Isobel and Rook get a happily ever after? You’ll have to read to find out! 

Overall, then I really enjoyed “An Enchantment Of Ravens!” There were some twists that I didn’t see coming. The only thing I wish is that the age was upped, and that it was made an adult book. That would have made sense because then we could have had some more emotional scenes between Isobel and Rook. They’re the scenes that I really love to read. We do get some emotional bits but not enough in my eyes. I think we could have had some sex scenes too. These would have been fun! 

Stand by for my next read coming soon…