The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson 🐦‍⬛🖋️📚

Every 24 years the land of Orrun anticipates a new Emperor or Empress. A competition is held where 8 selected contenders from Guardian monasteries fight to secure the throne. The night before the competition begins, a beloved contender is murdered. Neema Kraa, High Scholar and devotee to the Raven guardian, is allocated the investigation. As with all Raven’s, she is far too clever and asks far too many questions for her own good.

Competition trope ✅
Murder mystery ✅
Political intrigue ✅
Diverse characters ✅

4.5⭐️

What an absolute joyride this book was. The very first chapter had me captivated with the rich world building and plot. There is so much of that I loved. From the history of the world to the politics that catapulted me into the vicious dynamics of Orrun court life. Hodgson does an amazing job with the murder mystery and as we unravel the secrets of this world it is so hard to put down. Not to mention the romance subplot! Impressively the romance aspect did not hinder or overshadow the true themes of power, classism, loyalty and friendship. Being part of Neema’s journey was filled with humour, betrayal and book nerdiness. The in-text referencing was a great treat to come across as well - I wouldn’t have expected anything less from a scholar. Honestly I am in desperate need of the rest of the series as we are left on a cliff hanger 😭

Thank you to @hatchetteaus and @netgalley for granting me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Pub date: 29th April 2025