An Enchantment of Ravens
4/5
()
About this ebook
An Indie Next Top 10 Pick
A Parents’ Choice Silver Honor Winner
“A funny, action-packed, and sweet romance.” —School Library Journal (starred review)
“A phenomenal read.” —RT Book Reviews
A skilled painter must stand up to the ancient power of the faerie courts—even as she falls in love with a faerie prince—in this gorgeous bestseller that’s “an ideal pick for fans of Holly Black, Maggie Stiefvater, and Laini Taylor” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).
Isobel is an artistic prodigy with a dangerous set of clients: the sinister fair folk, immortal creatures who cannot bake bread or put a pen to paper without crumbling to dust. They crave human Craft with a terrible thirst, and Isobel’s paintings are highly prized. But when she receives her first royal patron—Rook, the autumn prince—she makes a terrible mistake. She paints mortal sorrow in his eyes—a weakness that could cost him his life.
Furious, Rook spirits her away to his kingdom to stand trial for her crime. But something is seriously wrong in his world, and they are attacked from every side. With Isobel and Rook depending on each other for survival, their alliance blossoms into trust, then love—and that love violates the fair folks’ ruthless laws. Now both of their lives are forfeit, unless Isobel can use her skill as an artist to fight the fairy courts. Because secretly, her Craft represents a threat the fair folk have never faced in all the millennia of their unchanging lives: for the first time, her portraits have the power to make them feel.
Margaret Rogerson
Margaret Rogerson is the author of the New York Times bestsellers An Enchantment of Ravens, Sorcery of Thorns, and Vespertine. She has a bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology from Miami University. When not reading or writing she enjoys sketching, gaming, making pudding, and watching more documentaries than is socially acceptable (according to some). She lives near Cincinnati, Ohio, beside a garden full of hummingbirds and roses. Visit her at MargaretRogerson.com.
Read more from Margaret Rogerson
Sorcery of Thorns Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mysteries of Thorn Manor Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to An Enchantment of Ravens
Related ebooks
Vespertine Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5To Kill a Kingdom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bone Crier's Moon Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Wicked Deep Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Shadows Between Us Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sky in the Deep Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Daughter of the Pirate King Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Furyborn Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Winterwood Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Last Magician Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ever Cursed Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5We Hunt the Flame Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Legendborn Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5These Violent Delights Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5All the Stars and Teeth Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Witch Haven Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dance of Thieves Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Lady Rogue Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Onyx & Ivory Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Crown of Feathers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Gilded Wolves: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Hazel Wood: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Dark and Hollow Star Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Our Violent Ends Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Cruel Beauty Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Daughter of the Siren Queen Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bone Crier's Dawn Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ever the Hunted Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Bone Witch Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
YA Art For You
Underground Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Unbuilding Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Drawing Fantastic Dragons: Create Amazing Full-Color Dragon Art, including Eastern, Western and Classic Beasts Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFashion 101: A Crash Course in Clothing Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pyramid Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Only a Monster Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Felix Ever After Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Love, Life, and the List Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sorry for Your Loss Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Life in Color: A Coloring Book for Bold, Bright, Messy Works-In-Progress Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsIndestructible Object Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Almost American Girl: An Illustrated Memoir Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Leonardo's Shadow: Or, My Astonishing Life as Leonardo da Vinci's Servant Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Loveboat Reunion Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5City: A Story of Roman Planning and Construction Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Girl at Sea Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Last of August Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5XOXO Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Jade Fire Gold Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Better Than Running at Night Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Gallery of Unfinished Girls Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Draw Cars in Six Simple Steps: Drawing Race Cars, Sports Cars and Vintage Cars for Beginners Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHow to Ink Comics: The Traditional Way Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPiper Perish Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Contemporary Art 101 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsColor Me Creative: Unlock Your Imagination Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Caravaggio: Painter on the Run Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5How to Draw for Kids : Carpenter Tools: Drawing Lessons with Easy Step by Step Instructions Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRun, Boy, Run Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sneaker Century: A History of Athletic Shoes Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for An Enchantment of Ravens
888 ratings40 reviews
What our readers think
Readers find this title to be a super imaginative and lovely book with great worldbuilding. It is a sweet and quick read, perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince trilogy. The only criticism is that the age difference between the characters is weird and inappropriate. Overall, the book is a joyful and magical story about an autumn prince and a human girl falling in love. The writing style is excellent and the world-building is beautiful. It is a delightful and satisfying read, highly recommended for lovers of high fantasy and magical stories.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I really enjoyed this book. It had a different feel to it, compared to other faerie inspired books. If you liked "A Court of Thorns and Roses" or "The Cruel Prince" , you'll probably also enjoy this book.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5So so so so so good! I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I listened to this novel because I so enjoyed Rogerson's other novel.Isobel knows the fair folk well, knowing how to negotiate in order to actually get what she wants. She maintains total control. Well, until Rook arrives. Rook, the Autumn King, wants his portrait made, which is what Isobel does for the fairy folk. They end up enjoying each other's company. Isobel changes the portrait slightly when she sees an emotion in his eyes. Having already approved the painting, he leaves with the portrait only to return later absconding Isobel to stand trial for the painting. On their way to the fairy lands, Isobel and Rook discover unexpected danger. Rook also determines that he overreacted, so he now needs to make sure Isobel stays safe.I enjoyed this fantasy novel with Isobel and Rook attracted to each other as they try to save each other from the various dangers.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Loved this world, the characters and the relationships between them. Towards the end I thought it was a bit too predictable but all in all I really enjoyed reading it!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/53.5
It was an interesting concept. I think autumn is always the favortite season. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I loved how the author did not make a "fairytale handsome fairy prince" and did not make the heroine immortal so that they could live happily ever after. The story is very real in a fantastical unrealistic way.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Great job author, I really like your writing style. I suggest you join Novel Star’s writing competition on April.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Great job author, I really like your writing style. I suggest you join Novel Star’s writing competition on April.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5you wish there was no ending. Great read! If you have some great stories like this one, you can publish it on Novel Star, just submit your story to [email protected] or
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5An interesting read with a mix of magic, adventure, a tinge of humour and, of course, romance.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Couldn’t stop reading it. Very engaging. The romance was a bit unearned and needed to be fleshed out a little more, but it was convincing nonetheless.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Isobel has spent years painting portraits of the fair folk. She knows to speak courteously, make bargains carefully, and avoid jeopardising her family’s safety. And then she meets the prince of the autumn court.I have some mixed feelings about this book, which I think is due to my personal tastes rather than an objective assessment of quality. I really liked Isobel, with her practical streak and her passion for painting, and liked the way she describes her experiences. The people she’s closest to were quickly established as interesting, complex and individual. Rook can turn into a raven, always a quality I find intriguing in fictional characters, and I enjoyed the dynamic between him and Isobel. They develop a deeper understanding in spite, or perhaps because, of the way they sometimes baffle and annoy each other.However, a lot of time is spent in the fair folk’s realm and this story leans heavily into a portrayal of the fair folk which I don’t find very appealing. I wanted to see more of Whimsey, the human town of perpetual summer on the edges of the fair folk’s world -- and I don’t know if I wanted that because of the way this story introduced but didn’t really explore this setting, or just because it would have interested more.So, this book wasn’t everything I wanted it to be, but I would definitely recommend it if you want standalone romantic fantasy involving fair folk/faeries/fae.And because I like Rogerson's prose, characterisation and tone, I'm going to check out whatever else she writes.“What are you smiling about?” I asked, bending over in another futile attempt to wipe the stickiness from the apples we’d found for lunch off my fingers, and watching him suspiciously.“I just recalled the spring court holds a ball this time of year. If we haven’t missed it, we might be able to attend.”“Yes, that seems like the perfect thing to do while fleeing for our lives,” I said.“Then we shall go,” he concluded, pleased.I snorted, completely unsurprised. “Fair folk are impossible.”“That’s irregular, coming from a human who can’t even eat a raw hare.”
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/53.50
This is the Fey I wish SJM had written- dark and conceited. This book was superbly written and I was very much drawn into the world and the amazing characters in it. It should have been, it COULD have been a four star read. But, it suffered from one fatal flaw...there just wasn’t enough of it. The world was very interesting, but it needed a bit more world building. The relationship between Rook and Isobel was lackluster because that was not properly built either. Normally I love a stand-alone (I am so tired of weak drawn out series), and I love a book that isn’t too meandering or long-winded. In this case, however, the fact that this wrapped up under 300 pages was to the detriment of the book. The plot was rushed, some areas quickly glossed over, and the most important part, the relationship between Rook and Isobel, just wasn’t as developed as it needed to be. I would have loved at least a duo-logy set in Roberson’s world, or maybe at least another 150 pages to draw some marrow from the bones of this story. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5My god, this was so delightful and I will definitely read more of the author's works.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It was a joyful reading. Magical story about autumn prince and human girl — how they fell in love and survived through it. I liked the characters and the world-building; the style of writing was wow, the kind that drags your deep and does not let out until the end.
Excellent for the lovers of high fantasy, magical stories and those, who knows what a faerie is. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is such a good book to read in one go. It's very romance heavy but there's a big underlying plot as well. There's a lot of new concepts and fresher takes on the whole elf/fairies storytelling. I really loved the world and found it immensely interesting. Fans of The Cruel Prince trilogy will probably love this.
The only thing that bugged me was that the heroine was 17 years old. It didn't serve the storytelling well. Why would a person that's hundreds of years old, even if he appears to be 18 years old physically, be interested in a teenager? It's weird and inappropriate. The book would have benefited from having the leads being older, in their thirties physically (and mentally of course). It didn't have any coming of age elements or any themes of growing up. It was a straight up epic love story set in a beautiful world. It could easily with absolutely no issue have older leads and change like 3 sentences in the entire book and remove the weird-inappropriate factor.1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book was unbelievably enthralling. I felt like I was right there the whole time feeling exactly what Isobel was feeling. I finished this in about two days? And I guarantee I’ll come back to this book again. Such an inspiration, well written and deeply moving. After reading this I am even more grateful for the human experience.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I really enjoyed reading this book. I really like Margaret Rogerson's writing style and I really liked how she devoloped the characters in this story. I really liked seeing how tough both Rook and Isobel could be, but also how utterly vulnerable they could be at times. I liked how Rook's personality was made more human like, but he was still of the fae. What kills me about her stories though is that they end with such possibility to keep going, even though the story itself was full of adventure it wouldn't need to continue. Anyway this was a nice short read and I hope to read more of her work in the future!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Isobel is one of the most sought after portrait artists in Whimsy, a city between the human and fae lands. She lives there with her aunt Emma and her sister March and May, twin girls who used to be goats before the fair folk changed their lives. Isobel supports her family with her Craft and is paid in enchantments. Her patron Gadfly, a delightful and frivolous fae, warns her of the arrival of Rook, the prince of the Autumn Court. She becomes infatuated with him during the course of painting his infuriating portrait that always has something off around the eyes. Finally figuring out the detail, she sends along the painting only to find later that she depicted a deep, human sorrow in his eyes. He abducts her from her house and plans to take her to his realm to stand trial for the transgression, only to be taken way off course by fairy beasts, creeping rot, the Wild Hunt, and other assorted chaos. Will Isobel ever make it back home to her family? Will Rook ever gain back his people's respect?An Enchantment of Ravens is my favorite read of this year. The writing is poetic, the worldbuilding dazzles, plus the characters and romance are well developed. Right from the beginning of the novel. I was sucked into the story right from the beginning because of Margaret Rogerson's unique world. Her take on the fair folk and the rules of her world are like nothing I've ever seen. Humans create Crafts like cooking, art, and music that the fair folk covet above all things. Fairies will die if they attempt to create anything of the sort, but surround themselves with these things anyway. The age of the Craft doesn't matter as fairies can glamour it to look as it did when it was new. The fae pay humans in enchantments that need to be carefully worded or they could ruin lives with their trickster ways. On the other hand, enchantments can provide food, protection, and other necessities for human life. Humans need to be cautious living in Whimsy because of fairy whims and all carry iron somewhere on them for protection.The fair folk live for centuries and have no concept of time, but feel very little emotion. Human emotion is frowned upon and seen as weakness, opening up opportunites for other fae to take what they have. Despite this, the veneer of manners and composure are paramount to their kind. They have to respond to niceties like bowing, responding in kind to thank yous, and so on. The fair folk are beautiful, but alien, selfish, and cruel underneath their glamour. Each fae has one flaw in their glamour that sets them apart from humans whether it's fingers that are too long, emaciation, or height. The Spring Court is the only fairy court we see and it seems beautiful and fantastic at first until the horrific, cruel elements are revealed over time. The power of true names works both ways in this world where knowing it gives the person absolute power over another no matter if they are human or fey. Rogerson takes well known rules of fairies, gives them a twist, and adds her own unique ones to create a singular, detailed fantastical world.The characters and their relationships are incredibly well drawn. Isobel is a practical, serious person forced to grow up early in life. She has been making portraits for the fair folk most of her life, so she has a healthy caution about them. Every time one comes in for a portrait, she's careful to be polite and as inoffensive as possible. The enchantments she earns are carefully worded because she knows their mischief could be disastrous to her and her family. Although her sisters are magicked goats, she loves them all the same and cares for them unconditionally. Over the course of the story, she demonstrates cleverness, ingenuity, and compassion. I love a heroine with a strong will, realistic familial connections, and good sense. All of her decisions are not always the best, but she has a good head on her shoulders that serves her well throughout the novel.Her romance with Rook starts as a sudden infatuation based on his carefully crafted facade. When he shows who he truly is, Isobel understandably hates him because he's petty, vain, and inhuman. Over the course of their journey, they both reveal what's under their respective protective shells while fighting to protect each other and navigating fae lands infected with rot, fae society, and numerous enemies. Love kind of sneaks up on them when they weren't looking. Their declarations aren't poetic or idealistic and they disagree and see things they don't like in each other, but they grow to love by getting to know each other. I haven't read such a good romance in a while. The Good Law condemns fae and human lovers to death and one solution to this problem is the Green Well, which has the power to turn a human into a fairy. Isobel soundly rejects this because of all she would lose, namely her art. It's not just a interesting detail to flesh her out or be forgotten; it's an intrinsic part of her character that she isn't willing to compromise on, even in the face of the death. Her art is also usedI could write so much more about An Enchantment of Ravens because I loved every bit of it. I wanted to read it super fast to see what happened, but also wanted to savor the world slowly. I've been reading a lot lately and this one amazed me. I had to be left alone to read the last 100 pages so I could find out what happened with tears streaming down my face. I'm disappointed to see it's a stand alone novel, but I hope other stories will take place in that world. Margaret Rogerson has made me a lifelong fan with this one book and I can't recommend it highly enough.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson is a well written YA fantasy debut, even if it does follow some familiar patterns. Additionally, I predict that this story will appeal to fans of Holly Black.The fae cannot create themselves, so they love mortals’ crafts. The rising star of mortal craftspeople is Isobel, a wonderfully skilled portrait artist. Working for the fae is a dangerous (if potentially rewarding) game, and Isobel has always been careful. But then she gets a commission from Rook, the Autumn Prince, and makes the mistake of painting human sorrow in his eyes. He believes that Isobel did this deliberately in order to expose his weakness, and he forces Isobel to accompany him through fae lands to stand trial.So, when I first started this one I could tell based on the synopsis that it might fall into the “magical guy/mundane girl” pattern that you see a lot with YA literature (or adult SFF really). I was right. It’s not my favorite trope, and I feel like Isobel was sort of being carried along by the plot instead of driving it for a lot of the book. However, she does ultimately demonstrate agency and importance at the very end. Hooray for agency!Unfortunately, I was still “eh” on the romance. It’s not just that it falls into a pattern that I’m tired of, but I’m also just not invested in the relationship at all. Look, I don’t usually get invested in reading about romantic relationships, so this could be mostly on me. But I also did feel like the relationship ended up moving really fast and was being more told than shown. Also, the romance plot is super relevant to the main plot of the book, if not THE main plot. I’m generally not into romance centered story lines, so An Enchantment of Ravens wasn’t working for me for numerous reasons.I also can’t help wondering what was so special about Rook. Why is he different from the other fae? How is he able to feel human emotion and even fall in love? These questions are never answered or even considered, and the book always presents him as unique, with no other specific examples of romances involving fae.On the bright side, I did think An Enchantment of Ravens had good prose. The descriptions of nature and the realm of the fae were so pretty, and the setting was really atmospheric. I also liked that the heroine was an artist, and I got the feeling that the author had really done her research. The way the character thinks about the world and the mechanics of how she creates her colors and composes her work often touch on things familiar from my own life. Like references to paint made with eggs (egg tempera) and how pigment from blackberries changes color as it dries.Ultimately, my main problem with An Enchantment of Ravens is something very vague and hard to define: the book needed something to make me care and to get me invested in the story. There were glimmers of possibilities with Isobel’s characters or the humorous moments with her younger sisters (who were previously goats!), but An Enchantment of Ravens never quite ended up whisking me away. I suspect this has a lot to do with my personal preferences as a reader, so others may enjoy this story a lot more than I did.On a final note, An Enchantment of Ravens is a stand alone story, but the end leaves room for more books about these characters and world.Originally posted on The Illustrated Page. I received an ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Strangely, I loved everything but Isobel's actual declaration of love.
I wasn't paying attention to the prose until the climactic battle and then realized how lovely it was.
It met all my requirements for fairy-tale romance! - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5An Enchantment Of RavensByMargaret RogersonWhat it's all about...Isobel paints portraits of faeries. They come to her house...in the town of Whimsy...where she lives with her Aunt Emma and these adopted twins. Have I mentioned that the twins used to be goats until they were turned into real kids/children by these faeries? Whimsy is an enchanted town...it doesn’t really have seasons and everything seems to stay the same there. So...Isobel just happens to paint the eyes of a very handsome fae prince...Rook...in a way that makes all of the other faeries want to kill him and Isobel. Thus the adventure begins! Why I wanted to read it...I loved the cover and the idea of this story. What made me truly enjoy this book...Rook and Isobel fall in love and this causes their great adventure to begin...they are on the run from tons of really evil faeries. Rook can transform into different creatures...Ravens and a magnificent huge horse being just a few of them. There is humor in this book...which I loved. I loved the adventure. Faeries in their true form can be really scary and ugly looking. That part was a bit unnerving. Why you should read it, too...Readers who love fantasy and adventure should love this book. Isobel was a unique and charming character. My copy of this book came from Amazon Vine.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I got this book through the Amazon Vine program to review. This book starts out a bit slow but ended up being a very engaging and enchanting read involving fae and a young adult heroine who can paint (perform a Craft). This book is heavy on romance but it is a sweet romance that I enjoyed reading about. It also involves our heroine using her Craft to make these emotionless fae actually feel something, which was thought-provoking.There is a lot of mythology in here as well as some beautiful imagery. I would recommend to those who enjoy fae themed books with some sweet romance.Overall this was a fantastic read that I really found to be magical and enjoyable. I would recommend to those who enjoy fantasy that involves fae and who don’t mind some romance in the story as well. This was a beautiful and creative story.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A fascinating and intense love story that I enjoyed very much. The protagonist doesn’t read like her age; she shows the maturity and wisdom of someone older than seventeen, and she is relatable and easy to root for. The banter between her and the other characters is well written, especially the bickering between her and Rook.
The reason I rate it four stars is because it was a little fast paced, (which wouldn’t be a problem for some people, but I’d like more moments with the characters), and I predicted the ending a little early on. Still, the characters and setting easily drew me in and kept me enthralled till the end. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Though I'm usually not one for romance, this one was lovely, and Rook was a pleasant break from broody and abusive bad boys usually found in YA relationships. The worldbuilding was great, and though I felt the end could have been longer and some threads could have been better tied up, it was still a wonderful read.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I really enjoyed this! Very good story with a sweet romance. I would definitely recommend this book to people who like faerie stories where they are a bit more devious but still want a romance. I really liked the main two characters of Rook and Isobel. I did want a bit more of Isobel’s family because they seemed very interesting but I understand why that wasn’t a major part and it certainly didn’t take away from the overall story. I almost wanted a few more romantic scenes because those scenes were so well written and I absolutely adored the dynamic of their relationship. Room was sort of petulant at first but I really liked the way he treated Isobel and the trust she was able to put in him because of that. I frequently dislike the romantic subplot of fantasy stories and wish for them to take a smaller role but I loved the way the relationship was really incorporated into the larger plot. I also loved the way crafting and the different talents of the human characters actually served a larger purpose in this world and because of that were seen as increasingly valuable. Instead of painting just being Isobels career, it can actually be a tool and defense for her. I loved that crafts were things that faeries valued because it was something they could not do. A lot of fantasy stories present the mythical creatures as all powerful so it was nice to see a story that presents clear and creepy negative characters in the all powerful faeries, even though one is involved in the romance. The author does not shy away from creating true flaws and drawbacks in being a faerie to show that becoming one will not give you new amazing powers but can actually take things away from you.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5"I'd always scoffed at stories in which maidens pine for their absent suitors, boys they've hardly known a week and have no business falling for. Didn't they realize their lives were worth more than the dubious affection of one silly young man? That there were things to do in a world that didn't revolve solely around their heartbreak?Then it happens to you, and you understand you aren't any different from those girls after all."This book was cute. The idea that Fae rely on humans for and made goods (clothing, paintings, books etc.) added an interest twist to the typical fairy books I've been reading. Rook and Isobel are nice (and they make a cute couple), but my favorite characters were March and May I want half-feral goat-child (kid) siblings (I'm not even sorry).
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Beautiful through and through. I would read it just for the world the author builds, but I enjoyed every aspect.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I think I would give this a 3.5. It was good. I enjoyed it. It didn't blow me away though. Having fairly recently finished reading the A Court of Thorns and Roses series and loving that, I didn't feel that this ranked as high as that.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A super imaginative and lovely book, I absolutely recommend! I don't want to take the time to write more because I'm lazy, so just trust me and read this book!
1 person found this helpful
Book preview
An Enchantment of Ravens - Margaret Rogerson
One
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 session. Oil paint needs days to dry between layers, and he had trouble understanding I couldn’t just swap his entire outfit for another he liked better. He was astonishingly vain even by fair folk standards, which is like saying a pond is unusually wet, or a bear 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.
And if I chose a different cravat…
Inwardly, I rolled my eyes. Outwardly, my face ached with the polite smile I’d maintained for the past two and a half hours. Rudeness was not an affordable mistake. I could alter your cravat, as long as it’s more or less the same size, but I’d need another session to finish it.
You truly are a wonder. Much better than the previous portrait artist—that fellow we had the other day. What was his name? Sebastian Manywarts? Oh, I didn’t like him, he always smelled a bit strange.
It took me a moment to realize Gadfly was referring to Silas Merryweather, a master of the Craft who died over three hundred years ago. Thank you,
I said. What a thoughtful compliment.
How engaging it is to see the Craft change over time.
Barely listening, he selected one of the cakes from the tray beside the settee. He didn’t eat it immediately, but rather sat staring at it, as an entomologist might having discovered a beetle with its head on backward. One thinks one has seen the best humans have to offer, and suddenly there’s a new method of glazing china, or these fantastic little cakes with lemon curd inside.
By now I was used to fair folk mannerisms. I didn’t look away from his left sleeve, and kept dabbing on the silk’s glossy yellow shine. However, I remembered a time in which the fair folk’s behavior had unsettled me. They moved differently than humans: smoothly, precisely, with a peculiar stiffness to their posture, and never put so much as a finger out of place. They could remain still for hours without blinking, or they could move with such fearsome swiftness as to be upon you before you could even gasp in surprise.
I sat back, brush in hand, and took in the portrait in its entirety. It was nearly finished. There lay Gadfly’s petrified likeness, as unchanging as he was. Why the fair folk so desired portraits was beyond me. I supposed it had something to do with vanity, and their insatiable thirst to surround themselves with human Craft. They would never reflect on their youth, because they knew nothing else, and by the time they died, if they even did, their portraits would be long rotted away to nothing.
Gadfly appeared to be a man in his middle thirties. Like every example of his kind he was tall, slim, and beautiful. His eyes were the clear crystal blue of the sky after rain has washed away the summer heat, his complexion as pale and flawless as porcelain, and his hair the radiant silver-gold of dew illuminated by a sunrise. I know it sounds ridiculous, but fair folk require such comparisons. There’s simply no other way to describe them. Once, a Whimsical poet died of despair after finding himself unequal to the task of capturing a fair one’s beauty in simile. I think it more likely he died of arsenic poisoning, but so the story goes.
You must keep in mind, of course, that all of this is only a glamour, not what they really look like underneath.
Fair folk are talented dissemblers, but they can’t lie outright. Their glamour always has a flaw. Gadfly’s flaw was his fingers; they were far too long to be human and sometimes appeared oddly jointed. If someone looked at his hands too long he would lace them together or scurry them under a napkin like a pair of spiders to put them out of sight. He was the most personable fair one I knew, far more relaxed about manners than the rest of them, but staring was never a good idea—unless, like me, you had a good reason to.
Finally, Gadfly ate the cake. I didn’t see him chew before he swallowed.
We’re just about finished for the day,
I told him. I wiped my brush on a rag, then dropped it into the jar of linseed oil beside my easel. Would you like to take a look?
Need you even ask? Isobel, you know I’d never pass up the opportunity to admire your Craft.
Before I knew it Gadfly stood leaning over my shoulder. He kept a courteous space between us, but his inhuman scent enveloped me: a ferny green fragrance of spring leaves, the sweet perfume of wildflowers. Beneath that, something wild—something that had roamed the forest for millennia, and had long spidery fingers that could crush a human’s throat while its owner wore a cordial smile.
My heart skipped a beat. I am safe in this house, I reminded myself.
I believe I do like this cravat best after all,
he said. Exquisite work, as always. Now, what am I paying you, again?
I stole a glance at his elegant profile. A strand of hair had slipped from the blue ribbon at the nape of his neck as if by accident. I wondered why he’d arranged it that way. We agreed on an enchantment for our hens,
I reminded him. Each of them will lay six good eggs per week for the rest of their lives, and they must not die early for any reason.
So practical.
He sighed at the tragedy. You are the most admired Crafter of this age. Imagine all the things I could give you! I could make pearls drop from your eyes in place of tears. I could lend you a smile that enslaves men’s hearts, or a dress that once beheld is never forgotten. And yet you request eggs.
I quite like eggs,
I replied firmly, well aware that the enchantments he described would all turn strange and sour, even deadly, in the end. Besides, what on earth would I do with men’s hearts? I couldn’t make an omelette out of them.
Oh, very well, if you insist. You’ll find the enchantment in effect beginning tomorrow. With that I’m afraid I must be off—I’ve the embroidery to ask after.
I stood with a creak of my chair and dropped him a curtsy as he paused at the door. He gave an elegant bow in response. Like most fair folk he was adept at pretending he returned the courtesy by choice, not a strict compulsion that was, to him, as necessary as breathing.
Aha,
he added, straightening, I’d nearly forgotten. We’ve had gossip in the spring court that the autumn prince is going to pay you a visit. Imagine that! I look forward to hearing whether he manages to sit through an entire session, or hares off after the Wild Hunt as soon as he’s arrived.
I wasn’t able to school my expression at the news. I stood gaping at Gadfly until a puzzled smile crossed his lips and he extended his pale hand in my direction, perhaps trying to determine whether I’d died standing up, not an unreasonable concern, as to him humans no doubt seemed to expire at the slightest provocation.
The autumn—
My voice came out rough. I closed my mouth and cleared my throat. Are you quite certain? I was under the impression the autumn prince did not visit Whimsy. No one has seen him in hundreds…
Words failed me.
I assure you, he is alive and well. Why, I saw him at a ball just yesterday. Or was it last month? In any event, he shall be here tomorrow. Do pass on my regards.
It—it will be an honor,
I stammered, mentally cringing at my uncharacteristic loss of composure. Suddenly in need of fresh air, I crossed the room to open the door. I showed Gadfly out and stood gazing across the field of summer wheat as his figure receded up the path.
A cloud passed beneath the sun, and a shadow fell across my house. The season never changed in Whimsy, but as first one leaf dropped from the tree in the lane, and then another, I couldn’t help but feel some transformation was afoot. Whether or not I approved of it remained to be seen.
Two
TOMORROW! GADFLY said tomorrow. You know how they are about mortal time. What if he shows up at half past midnight, demanding I work in my nightgown? And my best dress has a tear, I can’t get it mended by then—the blue one will have to do. While I spoke, I massaged linseed oil into my hands and set at them with a washing cloth, scrubbing my fingers raw. Usually I didn’t bother cleaning the paint off myself, but usually I didn’t work for fair folk royalty, either, and I had little idea what trivial nonsense might offend him.
I’m low on lead tin yellow, too, so I’ll have to go into town this evening—shit. Shit! Sorry, Emma."
I lifted my skirts away from the water spreading across the floor and dove for the fallen bucket’s handle.
Heavens, Isobel, it’ll be all right. March
—my aunt lowered her spectacles and squinted—no, May, would you clean that up for your sister, please? She’s having a hard day.
"What does shit mean?" May asked slyly, flouncing down at my feet with a rag.
It’s the word for when you spill a bucket of water by accident,
I said, aware she would find the truth perilously inspiring. Where’s March?
May gave me a gap-toothed grin. On top of the cabinets.
March! Get off the cabinets!
"She’s having fun up there, Isobel," May said, slopping water over my shoes.
She won’t be having fun when she’s dead,
I replied.
With a bleat of delight March hopped down from the cabinets, kicked a chair over, and went bounding across the room. She came toward us, and I lifted my hands to ward her off. But she was heading not for me but for May, who stood up in time to crack heads with her, which gave me a momentary respite while they tottered about in a concussed daze. I sighed. Emma and I were trying to break the habit.
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. And it worked in their favor that their transformative enchantment had rendered them more or less indestructible: 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 to the kitchen furniture.
Isobel, come here a moment.
My aunt’s voice interrupted my thoughts. She watched me over her spectacles until I obeyed, and took my hand to scrub off a smudge I hadn’t noticed.
You’re going to do well tomorrow,
she said firmly. I’m sure the autumn prince is the same as any other fair one, and even if he isn’t, remember you’re safe inside this house.
She wrapped both her hands around mine and squeezed. Remember what you earned for us.
I squeezed her hands back. Perhaps at that moment I deserved being spoken to like a little girl. I tried to keep the whine out of my voice as I replied, I just don’t like not knowing what to expect.
That may be so, but you’re more prepared for something like this than anyone else in Whimsy. We know it, and the fair folk do too. At market yesterday I heard people saying that at this rate you might be headed for the Green Well—
I snatched my hand back in shock.
"Of course you aren’t. I know you wouldn’t make that choice. The point I’m trying to make is that if the fair folk see any human as indispensable, it’s you, and that’s worth a great deal. Tomorrow will be fine."
I released a long breath and smoothed out my skirts. I suppose you’re right,
I said, privately unconvinced. I should go now if I want to get back before dark. March, May, don’t drive Emma mad while I’m gone. I expect this kitchen to look perfect when I come home.
I gave the overturned chair a significant look as I left the room.
At least we didn’t shit all over the floor!
May shouted after me.
When I was a little girl, a trip into town had been nothing short of an adventure. Now I couldn’t leave fast enough. My stomach wound a notch tighter every time someone passed by the window outside.
Just lead tin yellow?
asked the boy behind the counter, neatly wrapping the chalk stick in a twist of butcher’s paper. Phineas had only been working here for a few weeks, but he already possessed a shrewd understanding of my habits.
On second thought, a stick of green earth and two more of vermilion. Oh! And all your charcoal, please.
Watching him retrieve my order, I despaired at how much work awaited me tonight. I needed to grind and mix the pigments, select my palette, and stretch my new canvas. In all likelihood tomorrow’s session would only involve completing the prince’s sketch, but I couldn’t stand not being prepared for every possibility.
I glanced out the window while Phineas ducked out of sight. A patina of dust coated the glass, and the shop’s location in a corner between two larger buildings gave it a dark, shabby, out-of-the-way air. Not even a single, simple enchantment brightened its lamps, sang out when the door opened, or kept the corners free of dust. Anyone could see that the fair folk never gave this place a second glance. They had no use for the materials used to make Craft, only the finished product itself.
The establishments across the street were a different story entirely. A woman’s skirts vanished into Firth & Maester’s, and I knew from that brief sighting alone that she was a fair one. No mortal could afford the lace gowns sold there. And no humans shopped at the Confectionary next door, whose sign advertised marzipan flowers, sweets made from almonds imported at great cost and danger from the World Beyond. Enchantments, and enchantments alone, were worthy payment for Craft of such caliber.
When Phineas straightened, his eyes shone in a way I recognized all too well. No—recognized
wasn’t the right word. I dreaded it. He shyly brushed a lock of hair away from his forehead as my heart sank, and sank, and sank. Please, I thought, not again.
Miss Isobel, would you mind taking a look at my Craft? I know I’m not like you,
he added in a rush, scrambling to keep his nerve, but Master Hartford’s been encouraging me—it’s why he took me on—and I’ve practiced all these years.
He held a painting to his chest, self-consciously concealing the front side as though it weren’t a canvas but his very soul he feared exposing. I knew the feeling intimately, which didn’t make what came next any easier.
I’d be more than happy to,
I replied. At least I had a great deal of experience in faking a smile.
He handed it to me, and I turned the frame over, exposing a landscape to the shop’s dim light. Relief flooded me. Thank god, it wasn’t a portrait. I must sound horribly arrogant saying so, but my Craft was held in such high esteem that the fair folk wouldn’t commission anyone else until I was dead and gone—and until they actually realized I was dead and gone, which might take several additional decades. I despaired for every new portrait artist cropping up in the wake of my fame. Perhaps Phineas stood a chance.
This is very good,
I told him honestly, passing his painting back. You have an excellent grasp of color and composition. Keep practicing, but even in the meantime
—I hesitated—you might be able to sell your Craft.
His cheeks flushed, and he grew an inch taller right in front of me. My relief went cold. Often, the part that followed was worse. I braced myself as he asked the exact question I feared. Could you… do you think you could refer one of your patrons to me, miss?
My gaze wandered back to the window, where Mrs. Firth herself was arranging a new dress for Firth & Maester’s shopfront display. When I was young, I had thought her a fair one for certain. She possessed flawless skin, a voice sweeter than a songbird’s call, and a tumble of chestnut curls too lustrous to be natural. She had to be verging on fifty but barely looked a day over twenty. Only later, when I learned to read glamours, did I realize my mistake. And as the years passed I grew disenchanted with enchantments, which were just as much a lie. No matter how cleverly they were worded, all but the most mundane, practical spells soured with age. Those that weren’t cleverly worded ruined lives. In exchange for her twenty-two-inch waist, Mrs. Firth couldn’t speak any word beginning with a vowel. Last October the Confectionary’s head baker had accidentally bargained away three decades of his life for bluer eyes, and left his wife a widow. Yet still the allure of wealth and beauty swept Whimsy along, with a vision of the Green Well hovering at the very end like the promise of heaven itself.
Sensing my reluctance, Phineas hastened to add, Not anyone important, mind. That Swallowtail looks like he might be the right sort of fair one. I see him in town sometimes, buying Craft on the street. And they always say fair folk of the spring court are kinder in their dealings.
The truth of the matter was that no fair one was kind, whatever house they came from. They only pretended to be. The thought of Swallowtail coming within ten yards of Phineas made me taste bile. He wasn’t the worst fair one I’d met by any stretch of the imagination, but he’d twist words until he convinced the poor boy to bargain away his firstborn child for fewer pimples.
Phineas… you’re probably aware my Craft means I spent more time with fair folk than anyone else in Whimsy.
I met his eyes across the counter. His face fell; he was doubtless thinking I was about to turn him down, but I forged onward through his unhappiness. "So believe me when I say that if you want to deal with them, you must be careful. Not being able to lie doesn’t make them honest. They’ll try to deceive you at every turn. If something they offer sounds too good to be true, it is. The enchantment’s wording must leave no room for mischief. None."
He brightened so much I feared all my efforts were in vain. Does that mean you’re going to recommend me?
Maybe, but not Swallowtail. Don’t trade with him until you’ve learned their habits.
Chewing on the inside of my cheek, I glimpsed out of the corner of my eye a man emerging from Firth & Maester’s. Gadfly. Of course that was where he would have gone for his embroidery. Though I must have been nearly invisible standing inside the dark shop across the way, he looked unerringly toward me, beamed, and raised a hand in greeting. Everyone on the street—including the gaggle of young women who’d been waiting for him outside—eagerly craned their necks to find out who was important enough to merit his attention.
He will do,
I declared. I placed my coins on the counter and shouldered my satchel, avoiding the new heights of elation dawning on Phineas’s face. Gadfly is my most esteemed patron, and he enjoys being the first to discover new Craft. Your odds are best with him.
I meant that in more ways than one. Phineas would be safest with Gadfly. Had I not dealt with him first at the tender age of twelve, even with Emma’s help, I likely wouldn’t have lived to see my seventeenth birthday. Even then, I still couldn’t shake the feeling I was doing Phineas a double-edged favor, granting him a dearest wish that was bound to either destroy or disappoint him in the end. Guilt chased me toward the door without a word of good-bye. But with my hand on the knob, I froze.
A painting hung on the wall beside the entry. Faded with age, it depicted a man standing on a knoll surrounded by oddly colored trees. His face was obscured, but he held a sword that glinted brightly even in the gray light. Pale hounds swarmed up the knoll toward him, suspended in midleap. The hair stood up on my arms. I knew this figure. He was a popular subject of paintings done over three hundred years ago, when he stopped visiting Whimsy without explanation. In every remaining work he was always standing in the distance, always battling the Wild Hunt.
Tomorrow, he’d be sitting in my parlor.
I shoved the door open, curtsied to Gadfly, and hurried through the throng of curious bystanders with my head down. Exclamations followed in my wake. Someone called my name, perhaps hoping for the same favor as Phineas. Now that Emma had said it, I saw the truth written all over everyone. They were watching, waiting for me to accept an invitation I would rather die than spend half a second considering. I could never explain to any of them that to me, the Green Well’s reward wasn’t heaven. It was hell.
The sun hung low in the sky as I made my way home. My shoes tapped along the path through a wheat field to the rhythmic buzzing of grasshoppers, and the light’s steep angle intensified the summer heat until the back of my neck grew sticky with sweat, cool every time the breeze blew my hair aside. The town’s crooked, brightly painted rooftops descended out of sight behind me, concealed by rolling hills my narrow path split like the part in a woman’s hair. If I walked quickly, I could make it back in precisely thirty-two minutes.
It was always summer in Whimsy. Here the seasons didn’t change according to the passage of time as they did in the World Beyond, an idea I could barely fathom. While I walked my walk that never changed, the painting’s oddly colored trees haunted me like a recent dream. Autumn was to all accounts a dreary time, a withering of the world when birds vanished and the leaves discolored and fell from their branches as though dying. Surely what we had was better. Safer. Endlessly blue skies and eternally golden wheat might be boring, but I told myself, not for the first time, that it was foolish to long for anything else. A person could suffer worse things than being bored—and in the World Beyond, they did.
A whiff of decay jogged me from my frustrated thoughts. This part of the path wove near the forest’s edge, and I cast a wary glance into its shadows. Dense honeysuckles and briars flourished like a barrier beneath the branches. In days long past, during the less friendly time before iron was outlawed, farmers had risked their lives driving iron nails into the outermost trees to ward off fairy wickedness. The sight of the old, bent nails, rusted and twisted almost beyond recognition, always gave me a prickle of unease.
Sweeping my gaze across the undergrowth again, I saw nothing amiss. No doubt I was being paranoid about a dead squirrel rotting somewhere nearby. Reluctantly reassured, I checked my satchel for the fourth or fifth time just to make sure I hadn’t left anything behind at the store—an odd habit of mine, as I never made such mistakes. When I looked up, something was wrong. A creature stood on the rise of the next hill, beside the lone oak that marked the halfway point home.
My first thought was that it was a stag. A tremendously big