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The Merciful Crow

(The Merciful Crow #1)

Margaret Owen (Goodreads Author)

3.95 · Rating details · 4,249 ratings · 1,159 reviews

A future chieftain.

Fie abides by one rule: look after your own. Her Crow caste of undertakers and mercy-killers takes more abuse than coin, but when they’re called to collect royal dead, she’s hoping they’ll find the payout of a lifetime.

A fugitive prince.

When Crown Prince Jasimir turns out to have faked his death, Fie’s ready to cut her losses—and perhaps his throat. But ...more

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Hardcover, 384 pages

Published July 30th 2019 by Henry Holt (BYR)

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· 4,249 ratings · 1,159 reviews

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Start your review of The Merciful Crow (The Merciful Crow, #1)

Nov 09, 2018 Chaima ✨ شيماء marked it as to-read

Shelves: 2019-releases, fiction, fantasy, young-adult

Crows have long suffered under the reputation of being *bad* but I’m so glad they’re finally getting the representation they deserve. Somewhere, in Ketterdam, Kaz Brekker is nodding approvingly ~~although it might be because he just plucked out someone’s eyeballs~~

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Feb 02, 2019 Nick marked it as to-read

ever since i read six of crows, everything with crows intrigues me

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Aug 23, 2019 jessica rated it liked it

you know that moment when youre reading and you lose focus, but your eyes still keep ‘reading,’ so you end up having to backtrack and reread everything you just missed when you zoned out? yeah, that happened to me soooo many times whilst reading this that i lost count. at the halfway point, i started skimming because i just did not have the attention span to fully commit to this.

i mean, i really wanted to love this, but other than a slightly unique magic system, theres not much going for this ...more

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Oct 21, 2018 Margaret Owen rated it it was amazing · (Review from the author)

Shelves: i-did-that

Wait, I seriously get to rate and review my own book? Rad. So my completely unbiased review is that it made me laugh, cry, and single-handedly put Ben & Jerry's grandchildren through med school. And that was just from writing the dang thing.

Anyway, I hope y'all like it! I made it myself!

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Jan 08, 2019 Tucker marked it as not-released-tbr

Shelves: reviewed

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Jul 18, 2019 Angelica rated it it was ok

Shelves: fantasy, meh, release-2019, read-2019, cover-love, arc, first-in-series, cool-tittle

I came for the crows. I stayed because I had already given up a couple of hours of my life and I might as well finish..

That said, I wasn’t too invested in the story or the characters and especially not in the romance.

It wasn’t at all memorable. It’s now August and I promise you that by the time the year ends I won’t remember a single thing. I probably won’t even remember the main character’s names.

This book starts interestingly enough. Fie’s group of Crows are sent to burn the plague-infected ...more

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Jul 20, 2019 Nenia ⚡ Aspiring Evil Overlord ⚡ Campbell rated it did not like it

Shelves: ya-ya-land, les-arcs-de-triomphes, harder-to-get-thru-than-labyrinth, fantasy

Instagram || Twitter || Facebook || Amazon || Pinterest

DNF @ 66%

So, I guess the new YA trend isn't just to write books that are derivative, but also to title them in derivative ways, as well? If so, good plan, because THE MERCIFUL CROW is a book that feels like dozens of books I've read before. Caste-based fantasy with an assassination plot gone wrong, and a plot to overthrow an evil ruler with a band of crude-talking underdogs. Yep.

I'm extra salty because my luck with books has been amazing ...more

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Sep 07, 2019 Sara rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

this is an amazing story full of action and an unique magic system with dark atmosphere , an amazing female lead who is complex , rude and stands up for what she believe for , she is trown in this adventure with an spoiled prince who I hated in the beginning and loved in the end , tavin who is snarky , brave and fun , this is an amazing world and the magic is so intresting , just pick this up if you love quests, high stakes, adventure with a lot of danger and loves crow's , gave this book of ...more

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Sep 13, 2019 Lucy Langford rated it liked it

3.5***

While this book was a bit slow in places, the details of the caste system and the tooth magic interested me enough to keep reading.

Fie was a great character. She is a member of the Crow Caste- the lowest caste there is- tasked with travelling the roads to mercifully kill those who are infected with the plague. Interestingly, this plague never effects the Crows and rarely effects the highest class- the Phoenix’s.

One day, her and her group- with her Pa as chief- are summoned to the palace 3.5***

While this book was a bit slow in places, the details of the caste system and the tooth magic interested me enough to keep reading.

Fie was a great character. She is a member of the Crow Caste- the lowest caste there is- tasked with travelling the roads to mercifully kill those who are infected with the plague. Interestingly, this plague never effects the Crows and rarely effects the highest class- the Phoenix’s.

One day, her and her group- with her Pa as chief- are summoned to the palace and tasked with mercifully killing and taking the bodies of Prince Jasimir and Tavin (Prince Jasimir’s body double) who have been supposedly infected by the plague. Fie discovers that they have faked their deaths and now the Crow’s are more involved with the politics of court than they ever thought they would be, with awful consequences. Tasked with protecting these 2 men, Fie must travel with them and face and fight many obstacles that stand in the groups way from getting to a safe place.

This book piqued my interest as the caste system in this book (all based on birds) was wonderfully detailed. The author focused on how Crows, being the lowest caste, were treated so unfairly by those “higher” than them. The author also detailed all of the threats that exist to a Crow’s life- sudden disappearances, brutal killings, not receiving education or proper jobs, threats to their lives and livelihood. Having Fie as a main character, who is part of the Crow caste, solidified the tough and unfair life of being a Crow, and having no freedom due to who you are born to.

However we learn that Fie is a rare type of Crow- she is a Crow witch- which allows her to use the teeth from other castes and this gives her a variety of powers. The detail and explanations of what this tooth magic could do and what it was used for captivated my attention. The use of tooth magic reminded me of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series by Laini Taylor (which I enjoyed) so I was highly intrigued by this book.

This book was overall enjoyable, it piqued my interest with the caste system and tooth magic, Fie was headstrong and a realist, and there was some humour throughout the book. ...more

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Aug 08, 2019 Lily ☁️ marked it as did-not-finish · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, diverse, book-series, arc-and-arr, young-adult, first-in-series

DNF. I give up. I’m not one to light-heartedly leave a book unfinished, but about sixty pages into this, all I am is a) annoyed by the writing, and b) wondering why in the world I should care about a single thing that is happening.

(Ironic, how only a few hours ago I was tweeting about not having it in me to dnf books.)

Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr |Bloglovin’ ...more

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Dec 27, 2018 FL added it

This book felt so different - the way it read, the characters, the world. It was so unique and whilst there was so much to the world building I loved how more and more was revealed as I went along. Fie is a firecracker, I love her.

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Oct 18, 2019 Tricia Levenseller rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fantasy

This is—hands down—the best book I’ve read this year! Fie is an amazing protagonist—the kind you don’t want to mess with. The love interest is extra swoony. The magic is deliciously unique, making me wish I’d come up with it myself.

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May 20, 2019 Hollis rated it really liked it

Shelves: all-the-feels, fantasy, hello-diversity, seriously-kick-ass-lady-protag, lgbtqia, 2019-reads, arc, finished-in-may-2019, heroines-i-love, ya

I’m super glad I’ve just bemoaned all the disappointing YA fantasy so far this year because the universe sat up, said, ‘oh yeah?’, and tugged the rug right out from under me.

Bookies, I present to you : THE MERCIFUL CROW. I knew nothing about this before beginning (#TeamNoBlurbs) and was delighted at every turn the story took.

This world is made up of Castes centered around various birds : Crows at the bottom, Pheonixes at the top. We see the world through the Crows’ eyes; they are mercy ...more

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Jul 19, 2018 Emily A. Duncan rated it it was amazing

[SCREAMS INTO HANDS]

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Nov 09, 2018 Sabrina marked it as to-read

“Pa was taking too long to cut the boys’ throats.”

That’s one way to start a book!

2019 is coming for my wallet.

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Jun 27, 2019 Umairah | Sereadipity rated it really liked it

The Merciful Crow was an intriguing read about a world plagued by prejudice and hierarchy and the people fighting for justice.

Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing: 5/5
Review originally published on Sereadipity

The world building was excellent because it was very original and I was gradually fed more information as I read as opposed to a boring info dump at the start of the book. I also loved the magic system and the way it functioned in the novel.

The people were split into twelve castes and each one ...more

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Apr 04, 2019 Vicky Who Reads marked it as to-read

I was told by the author that I would probably enjoy this book after I showed her a jar of human teeth*.

Interpret that as you will. I, however, am excited

*they're my baby teeth okay!!! i'm not a creeper!!! ...more

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Aug 19, 2019 Nasom rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

Full Review

I was drawn to this book by it's cover but I'm glad it was an enjoyable book too!

What i liked

- The plot/magic system: I found some aspects of the storyline to be unique. For instance, the MC belongs to a group of people called 'Crows'. When someone dies of a plague, they are the only ones that can get rid of the body, but the people in the town that the person dies in has to pay the Crows to prevent the plague from spreading and killing everyone. Also, the MC doesn't have powers ...more

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Sep 16, 2019 Hayley ☾ (TheVillainousReader) rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2019, reread-worthy, young-adult, badass-females, dark-fantasy, fantasy, romance

4.5 S T A R S

It wasn't that she wanted to burn the world down, no. She just wanted the world to know that she could.

Well, well, well, well...

That's the only way I can think of starting this review because my brain cannot get over how good this was. I went into this pretty high expectations and somehow I am still shookth about how good it was?

Where to start, where to start.

First and foremost the world. OMG the world is one of my favorites. A world that is gothic, and eerie, and revolves ...more

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Jun 25, 2019 Amanda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: edelweiss, review-copy, kindle, own

You can also read my review here: https://devouringbooks2017.wordpress....

For some reason I didn't really expect this book to be that good, but I wound up absolutely loving this dark fantasy tale. I picked this up on a whim because I thought the cover was pretty and I am so glad that I did. The Merciful Crow was filled with fascinating characters that I loved so much, really great world building and an interesting plot. This book caught my attention from the very first sentence and pulled me The Merciful Crow Bookstagram Photo

This was the dance. This was the game. The one she wasn't meant to win.

I loved the characters in this story. Fie was a great protagonist to read about and I found myself relating to her a lot. She was outspoken, fiercely loyal to her own and tremendously brave. I loved the band of Crows and the dark aspect to their caste as they gave plague victims mercy deaths. I also found myself rather attached to minor characters like Wretch, and of course the prince Jas and his bodyguard Tavin. I loved the slow-burn romance between Tavin and Fie and how they grew closer over time and going through hard times together. I loved how loyal Fie was to those she cared about, but I also understood her when she pushed people away when she felt like they were getting too close. The character development was done so well, which makes me SO grateful that this is a series.

Look after your own. Crows had one rule. And she had to be a Crow chief.

I was reminded a bit of The Boneless Mercies, as in both books they gave out mercy deaths, but this book was quite different and so much better in my opinion. (Check out my review of The Boneless Mercies here.) I also found the politics of the caste system and birthright powers given to different castes to be really interesting. Fie's bone witch powers and the ability to use someone's teeth to use their birthright power was so cool. The entire world built in this novel was so fascinating and a bit dark. It was intricate, yet easily understandable and a light read.

"You make me believe I can do something better with my life than die."

Margaret Owen came out of the gate with an absolute stunning debut fantasy. The pacing could be a bit slow at times, but honestly it didn't matter because I loved every bit of the story. I loved how dark this fantasy was and the characters had me hooked. The plot was full of quite a lot of action, but the ending could have used a bit more build up. It didn't feel like the tension rose high enough at the end and it felt a bit rushed. Despite my issue with the ending I am really impressed with the book and I have found myself thinking about it a lot since I finished it. For a book that I didn't think would be a good read I was absolutely blown away. I am anxiously awaiting the sequel to come out because I can't wait to revisit this world and its characters. If you like dark fantasy do yourself a favor and don't pass this book by. ...more

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Aug 25, 2019 Roobie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: book-boyfriend, fantasy, magic, 2019-challenge, part-of-series, cover-porn, first-in-series, romance

4 stars

"Are you done?" the arbiter demanded.

"Aye cousin, this'll do." Pa whistled the marching order. "We'll be back when you call."

When, not if.

I actually really enjoyed this. Maybe I was in the right mood for it because most of my friends either dnf or didn't really like it and I went in with low expectations. I also get how the writing might be annoying for some but, thankfully, I wasn't bothered by it at all.

One star is gone because of some issues with the characters at times but overall ...more

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Jun 28, 2019 Candace Robinson added it

I was confused with this one a lot. I love crows but not sure what I was expecting? The cool thing was that there were a lot of unique things.

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Jan 17, 2019 Gaby (lookingatbooks) added it

DNF @ 59%

boy was this insufferable to read

Full review to come... ...more

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Dec 09, 2019 Laura ☾ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy

4.5 stars - rounded up

The ‘Merciful crows’ are the only ones untouched by a plague sweeping their land of Sabor . Fie, is a crow, trained by her father to deal with those who are infected and are to die and be disposed of. They are summoned to the palace for first time in 500 years to dispose of some infected lordlings ( one of which turns out to be crown prince), and end up aiding his escape from the queen (who is his stepmother and now has her own heir).

Owen has created a unique magic ...more

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Apr 30, 2019 ✨Brithanie Faith✨ rated it really liked it

4.5/5 stars .5

ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review!

Ladies and gentleman- I present to you- one of (if not my most) anticipated reads of 2019! All it took was a quick read through of the synopsis for me to know that I needed to get my hands on this book as soon as possible! A future cheiftain, a fugitive prince, and a too-cunning bodyguard? Yes please! SOLD! Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Kendare Blake? Abso-freaking-lutely! This book DID NOT disappoint!

I picked ...more

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Jul 03, 2019 Dani ❤️ Perspective of a Writer rated it it was amazing

Shelves: best-of-2019, reviewed, fiction-young-adult, g-a-paranormal-powers, g-t-another-world, genre-romance-deliberately, g-a-strong-family, g-c-morally-grey, genre-coming-of-age, imo-neat-premise

Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...

The Buzz

There have been a couple of books with crow in the title this year and I was excited for both of them different though they may be. The first didn't turn out the way I thought it would but I am so pleased to be able to say that I was blown away by The Merciful Crow!

And The Merciful Crow has such a gorgeous cover that I will admit that at first I wanted to read it just because of its beauty. Feasting my eyes on such great design is ...more

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Dec 11, 2019 mina rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2019

3.5
buddy read with Laura

Interesting. That’s the word that followed me through the whole book. I found The Merciful Crow interesting, but it never passed into me really enjoying it.

The writing was good and the world was phenomenal. I really liked the different castes and the magic system, that’s the only thing that really stood out for me.

The characters were well developed. Fie was a memorable character and a badass, even though I didn’t connect to any of the characters I was really impressed ...more

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May 27, 2019 The Nerd Daily rated it it was amazing

Originally posted on The Nerd Daily | Review by Nathalie DeFelice

This immersive story is definitely one you’ll want to add to your TBR pile! Cunningly invasive, it’s a story that doesn’t get out of your head even after you’ve turned the last page. There’s death, family bonds, and lots of soul shattering rage to be found throughout this story, along with a smattering of romance that rounds out this amazing story. I honestly cannot say enough about it!

Fie lives in a world that is broken down into Originally posted on The Nerd Daily | Review by Nathalie DeFelice

This immersive story is definitely one you’ll want to add to your TBR pile! Cunningly invasive, it’s a story that doesn’t get out of your head even after you’ve turned the last page. There’s death, family bonds, and lots of soul shattering rage to be found throughout this story, along with a smattering of romance that rounds out this amazing story. I honestly cannot say enough about it!

Fie lives in a world that is broken down into castes, and she belongs to the Crows. Their castes’ only rule is to look after their own, while also serving as undertakers and offering mercy killers to members of other castes affected by the plague. Called out to collect a dead royal, she’s expecting a big payday, until it turns out that Prince Jasimir and his bodyguard have faked their deaths in an effort to prevent his kingdom from take over from a vicious queen. Faced with an incredible opportunity, Fie offers the prince protection in his mission to save his kingdom, as long as he’ll provide protection for the Crow caste when he ascends the throne. Meanwhile, his bodyguard Tavin is starting to question whether he truly wants to shadow Prince Jasimir forever, especially when he starts to want a life of his own. This trio will need to work together to save the kingdom, if they don’t wind up betraying each other first.

With a killer first line hook, The Merciful Crow sets a fast pace within an unyieldingly cruel world that has been masterfully created by Margaret Owen. The castes and social/political structures are well-developed and are easily followed along; a careful attention to detail has been painstakingly maintained throughout the story to achieve the immersive quality it has. I was absolutely captivated by the way the Crows used their magic, because it was so grotesquely beautiful. It’s an interesting use of teeth to be sure. The imagery was compelling, and I couldn’t get enough.

In terms of characters, Fie was such an amazingly written and well-developed character. Her sorrow and rage toward what her Crows have faced is second to none. She’s no damsel and puts her loyalty to her family first. Though much about her was harsh, there was a softness in this. Not that this made her weak in any sense, but it was refreshing to see how this was used as a strength time and time again. Tavin was another interesting character, charmingly enigmatic, but also vulnerable. He was easy to like but his motivations were what you wanted to uncover. Unlike Fie and Tavin, Jasimir was a little harder to love…not because he’s a bit (very) pompous, but because of his disconnection with his people, specifically the Crow caste. His progression was also really wonderful to read through, because in the end, you’ll like him just a little more than before.

A slow burn romance is sprinkled throughout the book, in manageable doses for those that don’t want a lot of romance with their fantasy novel. It’s not something that takes center stage either, I felt that it was developed naturally and in a very good way. There’s a respect between the characters that doesn’t feel forced, and is also affected by the social systems in play.

Owen tackles a lot of things in her book, and one of the most poignant themes that stuck with me was that of prejudice. Though the caste system makes this more pronounced in terms of the hierarchy, it’s the way that it’s touched upon that makes an impression. The Crows are hated because of who they are, but are necessary within the kingdom. Outcasts and nomads, the Crows have long ago given up on changing anyone’s mind, or trying to fit in. Because they deal with death further alienates them from everyone else. Fie takes that rhetoric and throws it in the garbage, determined to dismantle the systematic oppression her people face simply for existing. There is no better narrative than that, in my honest opinion.

Something I need from this book is a sequel. I want more from Fie, I want to see where her, Tavin, and Jasmir’s roads end. The story ends on a very strong note, no cliffhangers to be had, and can potentially be read as a standalone if series aren’t your thing. The Merciful Crow is planned out to be a duology, so if you wind up loving it as much as I did, you’ll definitely have more to look forward to.

I’m rating this story a 10/10. It’s immersive, it’s fast-paced, and a wild ride. I really had no idea what was going to happen from one page to the next. There was lots of betrayal, death, backstabbing, and that little bit of romance that will keep the reader engaged, and give them lots to think about by the end. I cannot wait to see more from Ms. Owen. ...more

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Jul 30, 2019 julianna ➹ rated it liked it

Shelves: diverse-read, blog-review, on-my-shelf, physical-arc, damn-that-cover

hmmmmmmmmmmmmm idk fellas but I think the fact that this was four stars and then dropped down to three stars really speaks to the fact that I'm a pessimist

also go read my blog tour review

>> trigger warnings for death by plague, mention of death by fire, assassination, loss of eyes, being shot by arrows, and burning hands (if there's anything you want to ask, don't hesitate!! this isn't as thorough as I could've made it)

>>specificrepresentationincludes a black main character (Fie); a ...more

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Aug 29, 2019 Rebecca Roanhorse rated it it was amazing

4.5 stars, rounding up. This is a YA dark fantasy, and dark it is, from the first line (a great line, btw). A world of castes and brutality (including a certain white-robed vigilante group that reigns down terror on our protagonist, the first time I've seen the KKK allegorized in fantasy is such an effective way) that is thoughtfully written and frankly, wonderfully vivid, particularly in the minutiae. I loved the details that went into the worldbuilding, including names, language, cultural ...more

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You Are Never Too...: The Merciful Crow - TBD 2020	14	4	Jan 01, 2020 04:20PM
The Procrastinato...: The Merciful Crow (December 2019) Buddy Read Discussion - Bopeep, Laura, HeatherH, Mina	14	13	Dec 11, 2019 02:58PM
YA Buddy Readers'...: The Merciful Crow (The Merciful Crow #1) by Margaret Owen - Restarting December 1st 2019	33	47	Dec 08, 2019 05:49PM

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About Margaret Owen

Margaret Owen

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Born and raised at the end of the Oregon Trail, Margaret Owen spent her childhood haunting the halls of Powell’s Books. After earning her degree in Japanese, her love of espresso called her north to Seattle, where she worked in everything from thrift stores to presidential campaigns. The common thread between every job can be summed up as: lessons were learned.

She now spends her days wrestling ...more