Thank you to the publisher for granting my wish!

THE MERCILESS CROW is one of the more intriguing YA fantasies on the market today. This features a unique magic system and good character development. The plot does slow down a little bit but the details make up for it.

The Merciful Crow, the first in a new fantasy series by Margaret Owen, is set in a world defined by castes, all named after birds. The Crows, at the bottom, are the ones chosen to show mercy when death comes. They are the only caste immune to the plague, and are thus responsible for bearing away the dead, acting as priest and pallbearer.

I read a lot of fantasy, both YA and adult, and this one just fell a little flat for me. It’s ok. The world-building was good. The female protagonist was strong and capable, with a vulnerability that kept her human. I liked the magical system Owen created in the book, but it wasn’t enough to make up for the generally lackluster cast of characters. I feel like the story had a lot of potential; the bones of the story were good, but there’s a rather significant plot hole that could unravel her entire premise--unless it’s addressed in later books. This bugged me no end, and detracted from my overall reading experience.

Refreshing and although it follows a standard genre plot trope
Took me only 3 days to read.
Read it now.
For those who want a good fantasy story without the annoying cliches.

The premise intrigued me, and the writing was decent, but somehow I didn't feel tied enough to the characters to engage my heart. It's almost as if the author was too focused on creating the world to give the necessary complexity of life to the characters. It is an interesting world to journey through, however, so worth a read. Hoping this is a series that gets better with each book.

Such conflicting emotions about this book. I was so excited to read it, however, the first half just fell flat for me. The whole first 50% I was just confused. I could never really follow what was going on or why. The second half really picked up and I found myself not wanting to put the book down. I liked the love interests and I was rooting for them from the get-go!

Unfortunately, I just could never find myself fully immersed in the book. I was always looking for something else to do or read. I feel like I will probably read the sequel, though, since the last half was much better.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After seeing a lot of hit and miss reviews on this book I naturally added it to my TBR list. I can see why others have decided that the theme of the caste system has been done before, but a retelling of a fairy tale does the same thing. I don't see an issue with this, especially as the protagonist is fierce and female. This book is worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book!

This was a middle-of-the-road read for me. While I liked a lot of aspects, there were some things I disliked, and overall, I just didn't feel strongly enough about the book to really warrant adding an in-depth review to the blog.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book!

I hate it took me so long to get to this book. I kept pushing it off because I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy it due to mixed reviews but this book was everything I wanted it to be. I loved the plot and storyline in the book. I loved the characters in this story. I highly recommend this author. I loved the writing. I will be looking for other works in the future from this author.

I enjoyed this book overall. The pacing has parts that are a bit slow, but I enjoyed it enough to read the next in the series.

Really enjoyed this book as part of the reread prepping for the sequel! Can’t wait to see what happens next!

I found ares ran a bit slow and hard to follow. The story.could use some improvement. The world building wasn’t as clear for.me. I didn’t come invest in a lot of the characters. Hoping for more in the second book.

The Merciful Crow

4 stars

A masterpiece. Honestly one of the more intriguing YA fantasies I’ve read in a while. If I were to say what it reminded me of, I’d pick Wicked Saints and Ink in the Blood (two of my favorite YAs of all time).

Although the book started off with a slow pace, there wasn’t a single moment where I wanted to put it down. The lush and deep fantasy world building had me intrigued beyond belief and wanting more. And although the world building is very heavy and deep, it was done in a way that was very organized and explained thoroughly without being confusing. And gosh did I love it. The bird inspired caste system, the teeth magic, the sinner’s plague, and most of all the diversity is one that will stick with me for a long time, definitely made it onto my list of all time favorites.

I especially loved many of the conversations that were had in the book. I feel like the prejudice against Crows is one that is seen in our own reality against many minorities and loved that there was this aspect portrayed in a fantastical element. It added so much depth to the world and for that I will forever recommend ‘The Merciful Crow’.

I adored Fie and her band of merciful crows, Tavin, Jasimir, and even Draga. They’re characters that I found really interesting and well rounded with amazing development and can’t wait to see more of in the sequel.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher and then bought my own copy. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Merciful Crow

Author: Margaret Owen

Book Series: The Merciful Crow Book 1

Rating: 3.5/5

Recommended For...: fantasy lovers, bird theme, plagues, secret smuggling

Publication Date: July 30, 2019

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, near animal death/torture TW, gore, slight romance, lots of death and sickness)

Publisher: Henry Holt

Pages: 384

Synopsis: 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?

Review: For the most part I enjoyed the book. It had really good character development and I thought the idea of the world was really cool. I especially liked how most of the positions were based on birds and the plot was very intriguing and kept me hooked for the majority of the book.

However, I thought the world building was confusing as was the magic system. I honestly didn’t know that Fie had magic until she used it during the raid and I was like “where did that come from??”. And there was a part where Fie mentioned that the prince’s long hair will give him lice, which is why they cut theirs close to their head, but then at the same time was described with longer hair? The book also didn’t explain a lot about what was going on and it was really hard to get into at first.

Verdict: Could have been fleshed out more but it was a good book.

I really enjoyed the crazy tooth magic and the characters of this book, however some parts were slow and confusing. The caste system puts the Crow caste at the bottom of the whole system where they have become the "scum of the Earth' they are needed and feared as they are the only people that cannot die from the sinners plague. An oath is made by the Crows and the prince of the country who has faked his plague death so the adventure begins to rid the country of an evil queen and save the prince who would help the Crows become fairly.treated by all the other castes.

This is an impressive piece of alternative history/YA fantasy; it drives home the fact that generalizations are dangerous, and a person is a person, no matter their talents, abilities, class, skin color, or parentage.

I finished this book over a month ago, and I'm still thinking about it. It hits hard, and makes discourse about current issues possible, even for those who don't grasp the nuances of real-life political machinations or who can't face the ugly realities of our world. Merciful Crow is a thinly veiled reimagining of two historical periods combined -- the Bubonic Plague, and post-Civil War Southern United States. The injustices, prejudices, and brutal occurrences of those times are adapted and written into a world, brimming with magic and superstition, that's divided into a caste system based on inborn powers. At first, the story seemed to be casting a definitive tint on things, almost seeming to say that you can judge a book by its cover, and people groups always think as a unit, which was off-putting to say the least. Kept reading, kept waiting, because surely not? and was not disappointed -- the hero isn't who you think, and the villain is worse because you expected better. I really liked that Owen didn't go with a "stick to your own kind" mantra -- because honestly, that's part of the problem, no? Any one person can be bad. Any one person can be good. And all persons have both good and bad inside them (which wolf are you going to feed, you know?); the decisions we make dictate who we become.

The protagonist and antagonist are different in their personalities, but alike in their anger and preconceived notions about other people groups. They both have pasts rife with tragedy and hurt, but deal with their brokenness in vastly different ways from one another. They have to learn not only to get along, but also to trust, and their initial inability to do so nearly ruins their chances to change the world. Well. More Fie's inability -- Tavin get his head in the game pretty quick.
As a reader, I really had to give Fie an extra-patient chance, because her anger was radiating off the page (glowing I tell you, positively luminescent), and I have a hard time with characters who carry every scrap of anger and every hurt from their whole existence around behind their eyes, because it typically leaves no room for thought. No action is considered, everything is instinctual and rash and driven by that all-consuming rage, and it's just not fun to read (cf. Inej [not to bring Six into this, because, despite having the word Crow(s) in the title, they are NOT the same kind of story]: a character who deserves to be angry about everything life has ever done to her, but who looks at the world through a cool lens, and calculates every move she makes. Chills, man. That's the kind of simmer that makes a story interesting.). Fie does think, though, and she makes conscious decisions to rein in that tempest of hurt while still maintaining her coal-bed of anger, which is justifiable, and acts based on need and strategy rather than full-throttle revenge.

The book is a little tropey in some respects-- special snowflake heroine, roguishly good-looking hero with a heart of gold, forbidden/star-crossed lovers, plot twist (one AND two), passing of the baton from mentor figure to heroine. It's a typical quest story, in many ways -- with which I have no problem; who doesn't love a quest -- and there are things that could be done less predictably in terms of dialogue and character development.
The world-building is fabulous, though; the setting is creative and whimsical, but also realistically harsh and forbidding. The mechanics of the cultures and the magic system are so, SO fun to read about, and the greater conflict takes center stage over interpersonal relationships (except for the couple scenes where it definitely doesn't and everyone is okay with it), which is refreshing in a YA fantasy.

Also, cats are not my thing, but the well-being of Barf had me near wheezing with panic in a few places. Rude.

This is a must-buy for high school libraries, and if I were a lit teacher/professor I would look for ways to incorporate it in a course.
I am eagerly awaiting my chance to read book two.

**I received an eGalley of this book in exchange for my honest opinion; all views are my own. Thanks, NetGalley!

Let’s start with the things I liked about this book... it is SO unique. I really must commend the author for such an original idea. Just brilliant.
I did struggle with areas of this book because I felt like there were some plot holes... At points I kind of felt like I was reading a sequel and had skipped the first book.
I wouldn’t say it was bad by any means, those things just distracted me personally.
I have actually seen so many great reviews from people who loved this book so I would say maybe see for yourself how you feel about it.

The Merciful Crow tells the story of Fie, who is training to become chief for her group of Crows, the lowest of all the Castes. Her people are seen as a necessary evil - hated by society, but also needed for society to thrive. Whenever a plague beacon is lit, Fie and her fellow Crows answer the summons. As the Crows are immune to the plague, they are the only ones who can interact with the “sinners,” individuals who have contracted the disease, and as such, the Crows are often asked by those who are ill to deliver mercy. It is only after the Crows answer the palace’s plague beacon that Fie starts to want more for her and her fellow Crows.

This book has officially become my most surprising read of 2020! Owen’s debut is a stunning, thought-provoking read that explores what it means to be marginalized by society. The Crows have not had an easy life. Many, like Fie, have been traumatized by their experiences and that trauma affects all of their future interactions with members of the other Castes. Crows are survivalists, but that does not prevent the mistreatment. Throughout the novel, readers are exposed to several instances in which Crows are abused by the other Castes.

That being said, my favorite part of the novel had to be Prince Jasimir’s character growth. At the beginning of the novel, Jasimir’s ignorance of the Crows’ mistreatment is fully apparent as he continuously fails to obey even the Chief’s simplest commands. It only takes walking the road as a Crow, and experiencing much of the abuse firsthand, for Jasimir to realize the scope of his country’s hatred. It will be interesting to see how Jasimir uses this knowledge in The Faithless Hawk. Will the prince fulfill his oath, or was the oath just empty words?

3/5 stars

This was a middle of the road book for me. While I didn't mind the story, I just didn't connect to the characters, and I felt very confused. I feel like the hype let me down a little with this book. I think there are people that would absolutely love the book. If the synopsys calls do you I say give it a try.

Fie is a teenager set to become the next Chief of her clan, following the footsteps of her mentor and father figure. The Merciful Crow entails a world where population groups and occupations are based off of bird species, and her clan’s job as Crows is to deliver mercy to anyone touched by a contagious plague (e.g. slicing their throats and disposing the bodies) to which they are immune. But when the Prince and his body double fake their own deaths to overthrow his stepmother the Queen, Fie and her clan have no choice but to escort them to safety for them to achieve that goal. However, Fie doesn’t agree without securing something of value for her people that will last generations.

Fans of The Hunger Games will find many similarities in The Merciful Crow - an angsty teenage heroine who finds herself in the middle of a plot to overthrow the current system, various populations where some groups are more privileged than others, and an evil ruler with terrifying groups of powerful people in her corner. While there certainly is a “slow burning” romance, there is no love triangle, and the main character does not end up with the Prince (this is not a spoiler; an early reveal tips readers off to this fact).

In any case, people have magical abilities or “Birthright” based on their caste (i.e. Phoenixes can control fire), but while Crows were born with no Birthright, Fie is unique in that as a “witch” she can summon powers of any caste as long as she has a tooth from a person belonging to that caste. Now how does she acquire teeth, you may wonder? Remember how she is responsible for delivering mercy to the sick? Well she might just snag a tooth or two while doing the deed. When it comes to dealing with the bodies of royalty, she demands payment in Phoenix teeth - which obviously become immensely useful during her mission, seeing as her caste is constantly hunted and killed by a group that just happens to have permission from the Queen to do so.

Margaret Owen is talented in her storytelling; she grabs the readers’ attention with betrayal, suspense, and a bit of disturbing imagery, but she doesn’t stray from humor throughout The Merciful Crow. Some readers might find Fie annoying, but personally I thought her ferocity was necessary to achieve her mission and look out for her people. Besides, Prince Jasimir wasn’t completely bearable either - but we do see some significant character development from him as well. Tavin, Jasimir’s body double/guard, acts as a nice buffer between the two, and serves as the main character’s love interest. Plus, extra points for LGBTQ+ representation.

The stakes are high for Fie to complete her mission of escorting the (assumed dead) Prince to his supporters (i.e. they do not want to see the Queen in power); if she succeeds, her caste will receive protection from here on out. If she fails, she will be forced to fulfill the oath in her next life, and the next, and the next, until she is successful. But even if she does accomplish this task, she knows it is up to Jasimir to hold his end of the bargain - which includes basically dismantling a system in which Crows have been forced nomads, hunted and abused for generations. That being said, it's either keep the Prince alive, or repeatedly die until she does.

Initial Thoughts

I was super excited to read this book. I started it the day I got it. I was really bummed that I couldn’t get an ARC at Book Con 2019 but I was glad to get a copy on release day. I actually read this book almost a year ago but never reviewed it.

Some Things I Liked

World building. I liked the set up and the caste system described in the beginning of the book. I thought it was a super cool concept.
The romance. I liked the way the romance plot was set up and I also liked that Fie was not described as unbelievably beautiful as female main characters often are.

Some Things I Wasn’t Crazy About

The start. I thought it was incredibly confusing. I wanted more background on the world before the actual story began. I found that I was incredibly confused and am actually still a bit confused.
The language. There is a lot of slang and different language used and I’m not really loving it.
Writing style. I am not loving the third person narration. I think this would be easier to follow as first person POV.

Series Value

I will read the next book in the series when it comes out. I’m not dying to read it as this wasn’t my favorite book but I am curious to see where the plot goes.

Final Thoughts

I didn’t love this book. It was just ok for me. I think it had some really good bones but I found the language and world building bogged it down a bit as neither was fully explained.

Recommendations for Further Reading

The Faithless Hawk by Margaret Owen – if you liked this book, give the sequel a try in August 2020.
The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson – if you liked the bird, and especially crow, themes found here, try this duology by Kalyn Josephson.