Review of Apollo's Raven
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RADifer
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Review of Apollo's Raven
[Following is a volunteer review of "Apollo's Raven" by Linnea Tanner.]
Apollo’s Raven is cuter than I imagined it’d be. Historical fiction has always been towards the bottom of my interests, simply because I am a forever child and prefer a fantastical escape. History is often more realistic and, frequently, painful. When reading the description, the promise of myth and magic piqued my interest, and I decided to give the ancient Celtic Druids a fighting chance. Now, I remember the few historical romances I read back in high school, and I barely remember a thing about them except for the coveted, dog-eared spicy bits all teenagers read those particular novels for. Apollo’s Raven gave me so much more.
In Apollo’s Raven, we follow the stories of Catrin, warrior-princess of the Cantiaci tribe of ancient Britannia, and her lover Marcellus Antonius, great-grandson and namesake of the infamous romantic, Mark Antony. The story of their love mirrors that of Mark Antony and Cleopatra in numerous ways, forbidden being chief among them. Catrin struggles with her rapidly growing feelings for the Roman boy all the while facing the traumas of her past reviving with the return of her vicious half-brother, Marrock, who seeks revenge on her family for his banishment and his mother’s death.
It's a coming-of-age teen romance drama, and much of the book reads as such. I got Little Mermaid Disney vibes from Catrin, specifically the rebellious "But Daddy I love him!" attitude. She is strong, independent, and ready to do whatever it takes to be an adult, despite not knowing what that means. Pair her with the slightly older, more experienced Marcellus who tries to be a suave bad boy but ends up just being an entire goof when she's around-- one of the best dynamics, in my opinion. The story is quite lively during the rosy sections, but the dark and heavy undertones keep the reader on their toes. It's a beautifully written juxtaposition, expertly describing the experience of teenhood and taking on the responsibilities of an adult.
One qualm I've always had with historical fiction is how certain abuses were excused and normalized due to the period, especially abuses towards women. Linnea Tanner surprises us by not following that trend. Instead of making her society stereotypically misogynist, she takes a more realistic and accurate approach. We get a quick lesson on women's role in Iron Age Britannia. I find it stressful engaging in a story that doesn't address triggering issues such as rape and sexual abuse as criminal as they truly are, but we learn that history wasn't as neglectful as we may have been taught. They cared about these issues, and we see how women fight them and navigate a world so against them. We also learn that women have had wonderful allies that truly believed they should be treated with respect. As Catrin's mother, Queen Rhiannon, says, in their tribe, women can be trained as warriors. They have options in life. Freedom that many stories don't show.
Speaking of triggers and abuses, that is the one warning I would give. Apollo's Raven has depictions of animal and human sacrifice, abuse against women and children, rape, torture, and consensual sex. Heavy stuff, many of which are disturbing in nature. I am an anxious person. If I hadn't had the trigger warning in the book description presented when I signed up to review it, I might not have made it through. But I assure you, it is worth it. The story is amazing, and I applaud Tanner for how diligently and thoughtfully she wrote out these scenes. There was a level of detachment that gave me peace of mind. The descriptions are not overburdening and there are even times you read through the scene and only after realize how dark the situation was. I felt safe. It sounds ridiculous, but with content like this, how you communicate it can make or break it for the reader, especially those with similar trauma. Tanner wasn't afraid to discuss these topics, and she was confident and careful in how she wrote it. It suits the theme. Catrin faces so much adversity and pain, but she remains strong even at her weakest points. You feel this when reading, trust me. The climax and the shift to the final act are intense. You may need breaks depending on your personality. I did. But I never wanted to abandon the story, and that's important.
I highly recommend Apollo's Raven, and as soon as I post this, I'll be signing up for the next book. You'll be seeing me again with a review. I could see no grammatical errors, so I am proud to give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.
See you soon after Dagger's Destiny!
******
Apollo's Raven
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Apollo’s Raven is cuter than I imagined it’d be. Historical fiction has always been towards the bottom of my interests, simply because I am a forever child and prefer a fantastical escape. History is often more realistic and, frequently, painful. When reading the description, the promise of myth and magic piqued my interest, and I decided to give the ancient Celtic Druids a fighting chance. Now, I remember the few historical romances I read back in high school, and I barely remember a thing about them except for the coveted, dog-eared spicy bits all teenagers read those particular novels for. Apollo’s Raven gave me so much more.
In Apollo’s Raven, we follow the stories of Catrin, warrior-princess of the Cantiaci tribe of ancient Britannia, and her lover Marcellus Antonius, great-grandson and namesake of the infamous romantic, Mark Antony. The story of their love mirrors that of Mark Antony and Cleopatra in numerous ways, forbidden being chief among them. Catrin struggles with her rapidly growing feelings for the Roman boy all the while facing the traumas of her past reviving with the return of her vicious half-brother, Marrock, who seeks revenge on her family for his banishment and his mother’s death.
It's a coming-of-age teen romance drama, and much of the book reads as such. I got Little Mermaid Disney vibes from Catrin, specifically the rebellious "But Daddy I love him!" attitude. She is strong, independent, and ready to do whatever it takes to be an adult, despite not knowing what that means. Pair her with the slightly older, more experienced Marcellus who tries to be a suave bad boy but ends up just being an entire goof when she's around-- one of the best dynamics, in my opinion. The story is quite lively during the rosy sections, but the dark and heavy undertones keep the reader on their toes. It's a beautifully written juxtaposition, expertly describing the experience of teenhood and taking on the responsibilities of an adult.
One qualm I've always had with historical fiction is how certain abuses were excused and normalized due to the period, especially abuses towards women. Linnea Tanner surprises us by not following that trend. Instead of making her society stereotypically misogynist, she takes a more realistic and accurate approach. We get a quick lesson on women's role in Iron Age Britannia. I find it stressful engaging in a story that doesn't address triggering issues such as rape and sexual abuse as criminal as they truly are, but we learn that history wasn't as neglectful as we may have been taught. They cared about these issues, and we see how women fight them and navigate a world so against them. We also learn that women have had wonderful allies that truly believed they should be treated with respect. As Catrin's mother, Queen Rhiannon, says, in their tribe, women can be trained as warriors. They have options in life. Freedom that many stories don't show.
Speaking of triggers and abuses, that is the one warning I would give. Apollo's Raven has depictions of animal and human sacrifice, abuse against women and children, rape, torture, and consensual sex. Heavy stuff, many of which are disturbing in nature. I am an anxious person. If I hadn't had the trigger warning in the book description presented when I signed up to review it, I might not have made it through. But I assure you, it is worth it. The story is amazing, and I applaud Tanner for how diligently and thoughtfully she wrote out these scenes. There was a level of detachment that gave me peace of mind. The descriptions are not overburdening and there are even times you read through the scene and only after realize how dark the situation was. I felt safe. It sounds ridiculous, but with content like this, how you communicate it can make or break it for the reader, especially those with similar trauma. Tanner wasn't afraid to discuss these topics, and she was confident and careful in how she wrote it. It suits the theme. Catrin faces so much adversity and pain, but she remains strong even at her weakest points. You feel this when reading, trust me. The climax and the shift to the final act are intense. You may need breaks depending on your personality. I did. But I never wanted to abandon the story, and that's important.
I highly recommend Apollo's Raven, and as soon as I post this, I'll be signing up for the next book. You'll be seeing me again with a review. I could see no grammatical errors, so I am proud to give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.
See you soon after Dagger's Destiny!
******
Apollo's Raven
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: Dagger's Destiny by Linnea Tanner
