The Merciful Crow (The Merciful Crow #1) by Margaret Owen - Restarting August 26th 2023

[Lily]

Irl stuff has come up, so I'll finish this but won't be posting. Glad to see you enjoyed it!

[Alina]

i apologize for forgetting to post my updates earlier, i thought i did but apparently i didn't :/
End of Chapter 14
(view spoiler)[ Im honestly not too surprised about the fact that Hangdog betrayed them, he seemed kinda sketchy to me and I didn't really love him either. The world, characters, and different species(?) took a while to get used to, but I think I'm finally being able to keep up with the story. I'm curious and confused as to what these "ghasts" are though. (hide spoiler)]

[Alina]

End of Chapter 16
(view spoiler)[ Well.. that was somewhat random..
I doubt Tavin is dead though, so I'm curious to see how things play out. I'm also really not liking the prince. He seems better than the king but I feel like he kinda puts himself on a pedestal, atleast for the most part. (hide spoiler)]

[Alina]

End
(view spoiler)[ I'm kinda disappointed if I'm being honest.. It took me a while to get into the book in the beginning, and the pacing kinda just felt like it was all over the place. This book almost just feels like a prequel of the actual book, if that makes sense(?) This story seems like it has some potential so I'm curious to see what happens, in the next book. 3.25/5 (hide spoiler)]

[Alina]

Johanna wrote: "Finished
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I agree, I also felt like it was kinda dragging on, but I do think this book has some potential so I'm curious to see what happens next. (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

Alina wrote: "Johanna wrote: "Finished
[spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

Yeah I have exactly the same feelings!! (view spoiler)[So much potential, I liked the ending and I think the next one would be better (hide spoiler)]

[Jenn]

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Date changed. Restarting August 26th 2023. Happy Reading ☺

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[Sibil]

Hi! Can I join in this one?

[Helen 2.0]

Of course!!

[Sibil]

Thank you! :) I am so excited to read it, but I keep procrastining... there are always so many books and so little time, argh!

[Helen 2.0]

Sibil wrote: "Thank you! :) I am so excited to read it, but I keep procrastining... there are always so many books and so little time, argh!"

The eternal problem LOL

I'm really trying to finish series or authors I've previously started, Margaret Owen being one of them... I loved her Little Thieves book.

[Sibil]

I want to read that one too, but I own this book so I'd like to start with it (and hopefully love it!)

[Sibil]

chapters 1-4
(view spoiler)[the worldbuilding is fascinating, I love that the different social classes are named after birds. And their religious/magical system seems pretty interesting too, even if the author keeps telling us that the Crows are the only one without a gift, I have a hard time following this line of thoughts: I mean, they have clearly some power, because the plague does not touch them (and obviously there is the religion views that say that it's because they made something horrible in their previous life, but still... Okay, none of this "but still" here, I can't believe that they don't realize that they have one of the most powerful powers, so I don't understand why the oppression but maybe we will learn more going on with the reading) and they can steal the magic from the bones/teeth, and this seems pretty powerful!
And I think I like Fie and Pa but I am not liking Hangdog particularly. (hide spoiler)]

[Helen 2.0]

I’m finishing up another buddy read today so hopefully I can start either today or tomorrow.

[Helen 2.0]

Sibil wrote: "chapters 1-4
the worldbuilding is fascinating, I love that the different social classes are named after birds. And their religious/magical system seems pretty interesting too, even if the author ke..."

(view spoiler)[I also think the worldbuilding is cool, it's super creative. But it's also really complicated. I'm listening to the audiobook and having trouble following all the details.

The writing is great so far too.

Agreed on the point about Crow magic. They seem to have plenty. The whole bone and teeth magic is powerful, so why would they say they don't have magic? (hide spoiler)]

[Sibil]

There is no hurry!

(view spoiler)[And this thing really confused me, but then there are a lot of things that are not so clear to me. I am sadly not having a great time with this one. I thin that if you just suspend your disbelief and read through it, it could be enjoyable, but if you think about what the author says about the functioning of the world... things don't make a lot of sense. It may be the right book if you want to just take a break and let your brain reset! (hide spoiler)]

[Sibil]

chapters 5-11
(view spoiler)[I am not impressed anymore. The plot is quite predictable, and I really don't understand why the Crows suffer through all these mistreatments. When the prince asks Fie why they don't go away and Fie answers like this was the stupidest question ever, because that's their home too, well... I think that the question is legit, is the answer is pretty stupid. I mean, I am not saying that the Crows should abandon their home, but since they are needed and necessary because they have to burn the bodies in two days or the plague spread (and this does not make sense, because it implies that there are Crows everywhere, and I mean everywhere if they have to be less than two days distance from any given place. I don't think it really makes sense but... whatever. They could go away for a week or two, like a strike or something and pretend better treatment before returning. I mean, it is a good thing to do? Maybe not, but since everyone and their grandma are treating them like trash, and they aren't doing a thing to deserve it, I think it would not be a bad choice. (hide spoiler)]

[Helen 2.0]

Okay I keep trying to make progress and I just can't get into it. I think it's me, not the book. I'm not in the mood for YA fantasy. (I've actually been on more of an alien romance kick currently 😅)

I might have to dip on this buddy read, I'm sorry! The book is just not working for me. (view spoiler)[But it seems like you're not having the best time with it either? (hide spoiler)]

[Sibil]

Helen 2.0 wrote: "Okay I keep trying to make progress and I just can't get into it. I think it's me, not the book. I'm not in the mood for YA fantasy. (I've actually been on more of an alien romance kick currently 😅..."

(view spoiler)[I finished it, and I have to confess that the last part was somehow better than the rest but... I feel you, and I was tempted to drop it, too. It is not the best book!!
I hope you'll read some amazing books to make up for this one!! (hide spoiler)]

[Sibil]

chapters 12-17
(view spoiler)[the more I read, the less I like. This part has more plot to it, and the hole in the logic behind the world-building are less bothering, sure, but I am not really invested in the characters. Tavis is easy to like, sure, and I think he is my favorite, and Fie is not bad, I like her strong will and determination but... But I don't care so much. And I don't particularly like the prince, even if I have to admit, the author did a good job with him. (hide spoiler)]

[Sibil]

Finished
(view spoiler)[ The last chapters were the best of the whole book, and I started enjoying myself but... they were not enough to make this book good. Sure, it is not bad bad, but it is not good either.
I liked that they managed to save some of Fie's family, and the General is cool, and I hope she'll get more space in the sequel, but I won't read it. For me, the story ends here (hide spoiler)]

[Helen 2.0]

For what it's worth, I thought her other series, Little Thieves, was really good!