Review by Epomplun -- Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner
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Epomplun
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Review by Epomplun -- Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner
[Following is a volunteer review of "Apollo's Raven" by Linnea Tanner.]
Catrin is the youngest daughter of the Cantiaci kingdom. She is trying to navigate developing as a young woman as well as learning of the conflict from the Romans. During these negotiations she finds herself captivated by a young man on the enemy’s side and is put in charge of his life since she can speak his language. She struggles between her intense feelings and her duty to her kingdom and her father.
What I like the most about this story was the period it was set in. I liked the amount of detail that went into setting the scene and making you visualize the unfamiliar territory. I also like the amount of strong female characters, including the main protagonist, Catrin. I liked that magic was also incorporated without making it seem like the usual stereotype of: women want to be powerful, and this is unfamiliar so it must be bad. It coincided with talk of the Roman gods, so it seemed like a plausible part of their lives.
Even though I liked the time it was set sometimes it was too historical and could be hard to follow. I felt like I missed vital information while switching between characters constantly, especially when there was dialogue. There were not any quotation marks to distinguish who was talking. Catrin also had lots of internal monologue and dialogue and it could be hard to decipher the difference. There was minimal added historical context at the end of the book, but I would want to stay immersed in the story rather than feel like I am doing research.
I give Apollo’s Raven by Linnea Tanner a rating of 3 out of 4. I chose this rating since it seems professionally edited. The plot moves forward well, lots of suspense to pull you from chapter to chapter. Since it was hard to follow at times, there were moments I had to drag myself through. It is an investment to sit down and read this book (and the rest of the series). Like I previously stated I appreciated that there are strong female characters and that this is a historical drama, but I felt like some of the ideas went against this. For example, how much emphasis was put on Catrin’s virtue and value regarding her arranged marriage. I also felt like some of the male views do not seem as carefully constructed as the Queen and Catrin, they just seem to perpetuate stereotypes of what toxic men would think.
Readers would not like this if they cannot handle very vivid descriptions of sex, mating and the grim side of animals hunting. I know the author has artistic license but it was unpleasant to read some passages due to the imagery. Readers that would like this are interested in historical dramas, have an interest in Irish and Celtic history and like to explore the idea of magic and mythology and how they affect our daily lives.
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Apollo's Raven
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Catrin is the youngest daughter of the Cantiaci kingdom. She is trying to navigate developing as a young woman as well as learning of the conflict from the Romans. During these negotiations she finds herself captivated by a young man on the enemy’s side and is put in charge of his life since she can speak his language. She struggles between her intense feelings and her duty to her kingdom and her father.
What I like the most about this story was the period it was set in. I liked the amount of detail that went into setting the scene and making you visualize the unfamiliar territory. I also like the amount of strong female characters, including the main protagonist, Catrin. I liked that magic was also incorporated without making it seem like the usual stereotype of: women want to be powerful, and this is unfamiliar so it must be bad. It coincided with talk of the Roman gods, so it seemed like a plausible part of their lives.
Even though I liked the time it was set sometimes it was too historical and could be hard to follow. I felt like I missed vital information while switching between characters constantly, especially when there was dialogue. There were not any quotation marks to distinguish who was talking. Catrin also had lots of internal monologue and dialogue and it could be hard to decipher the difference. There was minimal added historical context at the end of the book, but I would want to stay immersed in the story rather than feel like I am doing research.
I give Apollo’s Raven by Linnea Tanner a rating of 3 out of 4. I chose this rating since it seems professionally edited. The plot moves forward well, lots of suspense to pull you from chapter to chapter. Since it was hard to follow at times, there were moments I had to drag myself through. It is an investment to sit down and read this book (and the rest of the series). Like I previously stated I appreciated that there are strong female characters and that this is a historical drama, but I felt like some of the ideas went against this. For example, how much emphasis was put on Catrin’s virtue and value regarding her arranged marriage. I also felt like some of the male views do not seem as carefully constructed as the Queen and Catrin, they just seem to perpetuate stereotypes of what toxic men would think.
Readers would not like this if they cannot handle very vivid descriptions of sex, mating and the grim side of animals hunting. I know the author has artistic license but it was unpleasant to read some passages due to the imagery. Readers that would like this are interested in historical dramas, have an interest in Irish and Celtic history and like to explore the idea of magic and mythology and how they affect our daily lives.
******
Apollo's Raven
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: Nightlord: Sunset by Garon Whited
