Book Review for Prophecy of Gods and Crows by CD Britt
This review is a part of the book tour for Bewitching Tours. This did not impact my review in any shape or form.
Prophecy of Gods and Crows, by CD Britt, is a young adult dystopian about a girl who, in spite of the brutality around her, finds her place amongst the gods. The story introduces Bryndis Keanneally, a girl who could see people dying. Because she was unable to fulfill her duties as a healer, the duty is passed onto her cousin, Jace. Seen as a horrific anomaly by the rest of the villagers, Bryndis takes solace in a select group of friends who, by fate or misfortunate, are fiercely protective of her. One day, Bryndis and her friends discover two people outside the gate of home. One of the guests, revealed to be the creator Danu, reveals that they are gods and goddesses who must fight to protect their beloved home. Suddenly thrust into a battle for the earth, Bryndis and her friends must face the corruption of the Church and those who ally for the false god in order to restore the beauty that once belonged to the world.
I love how Britt weaves Celtic mythology into the story. It reminds me of a darker, more twisted version of Meg Cabot’s Avalon High; there’s more at stake than just high school romances and the occasional broken heart. I like how chaotic Bryndis is, especially when it comes to her own revelations; then again, witches have always been revered for their rebelliousness and their casual flirtation with death, so this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Even so, the characters aren’t removed from humanity. At first glance, there really is nothing special about them, save their humanity. I love seeing how protective Bryndis is of Jace, even if she does hide the truth from him. I love Justin’s relentless pursuit of fairness and justice, as well as Sage’s bookworm tendencies and her pride in her lineage (can you guess she’s my favorite yet?). I do feel that Mr. Raffety’s character is a bit of a let down, especially with how grand the other characters are. Moreover, the romance between Declan and Bryndis was a bit out of place, but again, due to the numerous plot lines in the story. I do hope that Britt expands this in the next novels.
I also like how the author shows the relationships across different lifetimes. For instance, I liked how Kian was introduced, as well as Niamh. In all honesty, I found these characters more intriguing than Bryndis herself. Ironically, these two represent the Morrigan than the actual character herself. I would love to see more of Niamh in the later novels. I’m also intrigued as to how Bryndis plans to utilize the Morrigan; after all, she is more than just the goddess of witchcraft and war, and death is her domain. In a delightfully demented way, Bryndis didn’t belong to the village; she’s too powerful to keep chained.
I do look forward to seeing more of Britt’s works. This book is lays a solid foundation for the series. I would love to see more of Bryndis’s destructive nature, and her struggles with balancing her humanity with her goddess-nature. Then again, I could say the same for all the characters. As such, I would give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
