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Watch the Birdie

My love for birds and a two-buck price tag prompted me to pick up a remaindered copy of An Enchantment of Ravens, author Margaret Rogerson's debut YA novel. I wasn't expecting much; I'm not a fan of fairy stories or YA, and it is the writer's first book, which for me usually means earnestly over-written and almost always badly plotted. Honestly, I left it in the bathroom to have something to read when I had to spend time in there.

This is when the Universe muttered, "Time to teach her a lesson."

The story is deceptively simple: in a Tolkienesque world where immortal Fae and humans exist together, a mortal portrait artist makes the mistake of painting a Fae prince with human emotion on his face. The results get her dragged off by him to the Fae world to stand trial (evidently making a fairy appear mortal is an unforgiveable sin.) Along the way the Fae prince falls in love with the artist, and both become targets of a hidden foe.

Every writer who reads this novel will notice a few things: brilliant writing tops the list. The author has a naturally gorgeous storytelling voice, and uses words like DaVinci used paint on canvas. Given the protagonist's occupation, this is just lovely. I think the descriptive writing alone is the best thing I've seen on paper since China Miéville's Perdido Street Station, and maybe better, since this book didn't make me want to give up writing.

There isn't a lot of plot to the story, but what there is also seriously impressed me. In first books I expect to be pummelled by too much plot (or bored by not nearly enough); this book has the perfect amount for the story the author wanted to tell. It's well thought out and restrained, and super elegant.

My one criticism is that the romance between the main characters was tepid. Still, it's YA, and I'd be comfortable letting a tween read this book, so we'll call that appropriate to the genre. Despite not being entirely convinced that these two folks would fall in love, the writing made me happy to go along for the ride.

The author has written only two more books in the four years since this book was published, but on the strength of this novel I'll be investing in them both. Highly recommended.

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nightsmusic said…
Sometimes, I'll buy a book because of the cover, sometimes because of the paper (that's how I found Preston/Child and their fabulous Pendergast) and sometimes because it's in a genre I like and it's a new author to me. But I'm like you. I'm pretty critical of a first book. Happily, there aren't many books that have ended up being set aside because I found them overwritten or under-plotted or just plain bad. But it happens. So I'm glad this one worked out so well for you and the overall experience will carry you into her other books. I'm not much for YA. I might have to look into this though since you liked it. :)
May 27, 2021 at 3:08 PM
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