Review of ‘The Broken Raven’

In the heart-pounding second book in the Shadow Skye trilogy, unlikely heroes Agatha and Jaime must fight for their clan’s home when a new danger comes to the Isle of Skye.

After their escape from Norveg, Agatha and Jaime return with their clan to the Isle of Skye to find that their enclave is now in the hands of the treacherous people of Raasay. They find tenuous shelter with another clan, but disaster soon strikes when the terrifying shadow creatures known as sgàilean escape their magical prison and wreak havoc across the island. Now Agatha and Jaime must call on old and new allies to fight this threat. In the meantime, a ship from Norveg sails for the court of King Edmund of Ingland, where a dangerous alliance is forming, and Sigrid, a girl with an extraordinary memory, works to free herself from the clutches of a cruel king. All three protagonists must summon their particular powers to save the island from the horde of dark creatures and foil the plans of two vengeful monarchs.

Kirkus Reviews called The Good Hawk “a page-turning adventure” and Agatha an “original protagonist.” This second book in the Shadow Skye trilogy continues to expand the definition of hero as its neurodiverse heroine tackles ever greater challenges in a thrilling middle act to the battle over the fate of Scotia.

Review

The Broken Raven continues the journey of Agatha and Jamie as they return to their homeland. Unfortunately, their land is still taken over by those who betrayed them, forcing them to live in an enclave with the clave they saved from the hands of the cruel king of Norveg.

Interesting Writing

What was most interesting is the way Elliot decided to write the novel. Now, I am not a reader familiar with old English, Gaelic, or Celtic, but what I can say is it was a unique way that Elliot decided to tell the story. The language and style of writing caught me off guard only because I was not expecting it. It does not hinder the reading. Instead, it makes the story more accessible to the reader.

Elliot made a great decision with the writing, especially when you consider that the main character is autistic. The story is a breeze to read because it is engaging. However, the words and language are phonetically structured, the way it sounds, which is excellent because it will help people who have difficulty reading, and those just learning to read. Honestly, it made the style, while unpredictable, making reading more enjoyable.

Character Development

Now, what The Broken Raven did that The Good Hawk did not was give Jamie a chance to shine. Agatha still shines in this novel as much as the previous novel, which is remarkable for diversity and representation. Once again, it is great to see an autistic individual given a chance to shine in literature; it gives any readers out there an opportunity to see that society should not limit them and they can do whatever they set their minds to. It is empowering to see her respected for change.

However, for Jamie, he did not get a chance to shine so much in The Good Hawk, whereas now Elliot delved more into his growth as a hero and a character. Jamie and Agatha witnessed much death in the previous novel. With everything happening now, the rising tension with the Clan they saved, Jamie is trying to recover from the previous novel’s pain; he is learning to overcome his issues and the traumatic experiences while also learning to accept his sexuality. Elliot gives more time and devotion to growing out his characterization.

Final Thoughts

The Broken Raven is a captivating novel with an engaging plot and characterization while also being accessible for everyone.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Like this review?

Don’t forget to follow Cyn’s Workshop on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads | LinkedIn to stay tuned for future reviews.

About the Author

Cynthia Bujnicki graduated from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature and Publishing. She has always loved to read since she was a child. A contributing writer for YA Fantasy Addicts, she is also the Editor-in-Chief for Cyn's Workshop. She lives in sunny South Florida with her husband and son and their two cats, Mr. J the Kitten and Nyx.