Review by Brianna_MC_griffin97 -- Apollo's Raven
-
Brianna_MC_griffin97
- Posts: 66
- Joined: 13 Dec 2019, 16:27
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 38
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-brianna-mc-griffin97.html
- Latest Review: Finding James by Nancy Blaha
Review by Brianna_MC_griffin97 -- Apollo's Raven
[Following is a volunteer review of "Apollo's Raven" by Linnea Tanner.]
Catrin is a Celtic princess and a fierce warrior that has an incredible, yet dangerous, secret — she was born with a raven spirit which gives her mystical powers. With these powers, Catrin can possess her raven and enter its mind, giving her the ability to see the past and the present. Although she has an extraordinary gift, Catrin must be careful because her capability is seen as a bad omen to her people. At a meeting held to discuss peace terms with the Romans, Catrin is instantly drawn to a captivating young man, Marcellus — the son of her father’s enemy. To avoid conflict between the Romans and the Celtics, Marcellus volunteers to be the king’s hostage. During his stay, Marcellus and the princess fall in love with each other — a forbidden love. Will Catrin’s love for the enemy jeopardize her life, or is it the very thing that she needs in order to survive?
Apollo’s Raven by Linnea Tanner is an historical fantasy that is set in Ancient Rome and Britannia. This Celtic tale is surrounded by forbidden love, magic, betrayal, mystical powers, and curses. It is obvious that the author did plenty of research on ancient and medieval history, mythology, and archeology to write this magnificent book. Although this piece of literature is a fictional read, there are facts incorporated into the work, such as the rivalry between the Celtics and the Romans. Although many of the Celtic characters are fictional, the author added real historical figures to the writing, such as King Cunobelin of Britannia. Tanner’s picturesque details allow her readers to observe the alluring scenery, to eavesdrop on the characters’ thoughts, and to visualize a life during the medieval era. The author’s unique imagery usage allowed me to get a sneak peek at royalty, shape-shifting, rivalry, sorcery, forbidden love, Celtic customs, and unfortunate ways of living.
The element that I liked the most was the fondness that Catrin and Marcellus showed for each other. Although Catrin and Marcellus were told to betray each other to gather information, they ended up falling in love instead. In the beginning, it seemed as though Marcellus was going to manipulate Catrin like he was told to do. However, he goes against his father’s wishes. It was love at first sight. Despite their family’s rivalry, they fought to be together. They were truly made for each other.
The element that I disliked the most was the unfamiliar words. The characters spoke different languages, such as Latin. Therefore, some words were difficult to comprehend, such as the words ‘plume’ and ‘precipice’. I had to use a dictionary for many words to understand what was happening. However, that increased my vocabulary, so it was not necessarily a bad thing.
Since my mind could easily enter the story, Apollo’s Raven deserves a score of 4 out of 4 stars. There were only a few minor errors, such as unnecessary commas, so the novel does not deserve a score of 2 or 3 stars. The text contains inappropriate scenes, such as gruesome sacrifices of animals and children, inhumane imprisonment, and graphic torture. There are a few borderline and non-borderline profane words and inexplicit sex scenes. Readers that enjoy historical fiction, forbidden love, and the medieval era should like this book. Individuals that are sensitive to gory details, such as the gutting of animals, may want to avoid the book. If readers can get past the incongruous events, they will really love this book.
******
Apollo's Raven
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Catrin is a Celtic princess and a fierce warrior that has an incredible, yet dangerous, secret — she was born with a raven spirit which gives her mystical powers. With these powers, Catrin can possess her raven and enter its mind, giving her the ability to see the past and the present. Although she has an extraordinary gift, Catrin must be careful because her capability is seen as a bad omen to her people. At a meeting held to discuss peace terms with the Romans, Catrin is instantly drawn to a captivating young man, Marcellus — the son of her father’s enemy. To avoid conflict between the Romans and the Celtics, Marcellus volunteers to be the king’s hostage. During his stay, Marcellus and the princess fall in love with each other — a forbidden love. Will Catrin’s love for the enemy jeopardize her life, or is it the very thing that she needs in order to survive?
Apollo’s Raven by Linnea Tanner is an historical fantasy that is set in Ancient Rome and Britannia. This Celtic tale is surrounded by forbidden love, magic, betrayal, mystical powers, and curses. It is obvious that the author did plenty of research on ancient and medieval history, mythology, and archeology to write this magnificent book. Although this piece of literature is a fictional read, there are facts incorporated into the work, such as the rivalry between the Celtics and the Romans. Although many of the Celtic characters are fictional, the author added real historical figures to the writing, such as King Cunobelin of Britannia. Tanner’s picturesque details allow her readers to observe the alluring scenery, to eavesdrop on the characters’ thoughts, and to visualize a life during the medieval era. The author’s unique imagery usage allowed me to get a sneak peek at royalty, shape-shifting, rivalry, sorcery, forbidden love, Celtic customs, and unfortunate ways of living.
The element that I liked the most was the fondness that Catrin and Marcellus showed for each other. Although Catrin and Marcellus were told to betray each other to gather information, they ended up falling in love instead. In the beginning, it seemed as though Marcellus was going to manipulate Catrin like he was told to do. However, he goes against his father’s wishes. It was love at first sight. Despite their family’s rivalry, they fought to be together. They were truly made for each other.
The element that I disliked the most was the unfamiliar words. The characters spoke different languages, such as Latin. Therefore, some words were difficult to comprehend, such as the words ‘plume’ and ‘precipice’. I had to use a dictionary for many words to understand what was happening. However, that increased my vocabulary, so it was not necessarily a bad thing.
Since my mind could easily enter the story, Apollo’s Raven deserves a score of 4 out of 4 stars. There were only a few minor errors, such as unnecessary commas, so the novel does not deserve a score of 2 or 3 stars. The text contains inappropriate scenes, such as gruesome sacrifices of animals and children, inhumane imprisonment, and graphic torture. There are a few borderline and non-borderline profane words and inexplicit sex scenes. Readers that enjoy historical fiction, forbidden love, and the medieval era should like this book. Individuals that are sensitive to gory details, such as the gutting of animals, may want to avoid the book. If readers can get past the incongruous events, they will really love this book.
******
Apollo's Raven
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: Finding James by Nancy Blaha
