In the heart-pounding second book in the Shadow Skye trilogy, unlikely heroes Agatha and Jaime must fight for their clan’s home when a new danger comes to the Isle of Skye. After their escape from Norveg, Agatha and Jaime return with their clan to the Isle of Skye to find that their enclave is now in the hands of the treacherous people of Raasay. They find tenuous shelter with another clan, but disaster soon strikes when the terrifying shadow creatures known as sgàilean escape their magical prison and wreak havoc across the island. Now Agatha and Jaime must call on old and new allies to fight this threat. In the meantime, a ship from Norveg sails for the court of King Edmund of Ingland, where a dangerous alliance is forming, and Sigrid, a girl with an extraordinary memory, works to free herself from the clutches of a cruel king. All three protagonists must summon their particular powers to save the island from the horde of dark creatures and foil the plans of two vengeful monarchs. Kirkus Reviews called The Good Hawk “a page-turning adventure” and Agatha an “original protagonist.” This second book in the Shadow Skye trilogy continues to expand the definition of hero as its neurodiverse heroine tackles ever greater challenges in a thrilling middle act to the battle over the fate of Scotia.
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- The Broken Raven (Shadow Skye, #2)
The Broken Raven (Shadow Skye, #2)
Author(s)
Publisher
Genre(s)
Age Range
12+
Release Date
January 12, 2021
ISBN
978-1536207484
Buy This Book
Editor reviews
3 reviews
Overall rating
4.3
Plot
4.0(2)
Characters
5.0(2)
Writing Style
4.0(2)
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A(0)
The Broken Raven by Joseph Elliot - Book and Audio Review
Overall rating
4.7
Plot
4.0
Characters
5.0
Writing Style
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
I will admit I did not enjoy this one as much as the first but I still really, really liked it. I think I didn’t enjoy it as much because Jamie and Agatha went separate ways? But the story was still engaging and I ate it all up. While each journey was their own, I just felt like it wasn’t as urgent as the first. Even though they are back on the Isle of Skye, tensions are running high and everything is not good. The shadows are released and it’s up to Agatha and Jamie to fix everything.
I absolutely love Jamie and am so happy with his progression. He definitely took the forefront in this book but it was well deserved. His character arc is just so phenomenal and I’m really enjoying his character growth. I think anyone who has read this book will agree that Agatha is just still purely amazing. Honestly, I am so taken with her character and I just don’t think she could have been better written. She does take a little bit of a back burner in this story but I still loved every moment with her. There was a new introduction of Sigrid. I really enjoyed learning about her and can’t wait to see more of their intertwining story.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, The Broken Raven by Joseph Elliott was an amazing second installment. While it didn’t impact me the same as the first book, I still enjoyed every minute of it. The separate paths definitely helped develop the characters more. Jamie’s growth is undeniable and he is turning into such an amazing character. No one could ever replace Agatha and she is definitely something special… a good hawk. I really enjoyed the introduction of the new character, Sigrid, and can’t wait for the conclusion of this trilogy.
AUDIO REIVEW
NOTE: The narration does not affect my rating of the book
I’ve been thinking about just picking up the third book, since I physically have it, but thinking back to listening to these narrators… I don’t think I can do it. The narrators are beyond amazing with this series and I just love listening to them tell this story. Honestly, Fiona Hardingham is by far one of my favorite narrators and I didn’t think there could be any way I’d enjoy her more… but listening her bring Agatha to life. Man, it just hits you and it’s beautiful. Please, listen to these on audio. The way they bring this amazing story to life is just really impactful.
I absolutely love Jamie and am so happy with his progression. He definitely took the forefront in this book but it was well deserved. His character arc is just so phenomenal and I’m really enjoying his character growth. I think anyone who has read this book will agree that Agatha is just still purely amazing. Honestly, I am so taken with her character and I just don’t think she could have been better written. She does take a little bit of a back burner in this story but I still loved every moment with her. There was a new introduction of Sigrid. I really enjoyed learning about her and can’t wait to see more of their intertwining story.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, The Broken Raven by Joseph Elliott was an amazing second installment. While it didn’t impact me the same as the first book, I still enjoyed every minute of it. The separate paths definitely helped develop the characters more. Jamie’s growth is undeniable and he is turning into such an amazing character. No one could ever replace Agatha and she is definitely something special… a good hawk. I really enjoyed the introduction of the new character, Sigrid, and can’t wait for the conclusion of this trilogy.
AUDIO REIVEW
NOTE: The narration does not affect my rating of the book
I’ve been thinking about just picking up the third book, since I physically have it, but thinking back to listening to these narrators… I don’t think I can do it. The narrators are beyond amazing with this series and I just love listening to them tell this story. Honestly, Fiona Hardingham is by far one of my favorite narrators and I didn’t think there could be any way I’d enjoy her more… but listening her bring Agatha to life. Man, it just hits you and it’s beautiful. Please, listen to these on audio. The way they bring this amazing story to life is just really impactful.
compelling YA fantasy
Overall rating
4.0
Plot
4.0
Characters
5.0
Writing Style
3.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
THE BROKEN RAVEN is an intriguing YA fantasy that sweeps the reader away to a land of magic, plotting, and danger. The second book in a series, this steps right into the action, following three characters, Agatha, Sigrid, and Jaime. Shadow creatures known as sgàilean have been unleashed, and in the battle for control of the island, knowledge of how to escape them decides who wins and who loses.
While Agatha and Jaime fight the sgàilean and try to stand for what they believe in, Sigrid is in the clutches of a cruel king who has lost his eyesight. She was chosen to help him see, sold by her mother into his service. Her paths will collide with theirs, though they each play their own role in what is coming.
What I loved: This book sweeps the reader away quickly and is filled with action. Although switching between the three perspectives can be challenging at first, the writing really pulls the reader into this dangerous world. The sgàilean are a chilling foe, and the descriptions add a dark background to the story. Each of the characters grows throughout the story, and it was interesting to see their paths and choices made along the way. Additionally, Agatha has Down syndrome, and I appreciated her inclusion and the fullness of her characterization.
What left me wanting more: As small points, there are some things that take the reader out of this immersive plot. For instance, there are a lot of characters to keep track of, so I needed to go back in the story at places to remember who was who. There are also some created languages and alternate writing that take some time to get the hang of, particularly Sigrid's sections which is written in an alternate spelling of text.
Final verdict: Overall, THE BROKEN RAVEN is an engaging YA fantasy that transports the reader to another world with intriguing characters and cleverly-crafted dangers.
While Agatha and Jaime fight the sgàilean and try to stand for what they believe in, Sigrid is in the clutches of a cruel king who has lost his eyesight. She was chosen to help him see, sold by her mother into his service. Her paths will collide with theirs, though they each play their own role in what is coming.
What I loved: This book sweeps the reader away quickly and is filled with action. Although switching between the three perspectives can be challenging at first, the writing really pulls the reader into this dangerous world. The sgàilean are a chilling foe, and the descriptions add a dark background to the story. Each of the characters grows throughout the story, and it was interesting to see their paths and choices made along the way. Additionally, Agatha has Down syndrome, and I appreciated her inclusion and the fullness of her characterization.
What left me wanting more: As small points, there are some things that take the reader out of this immersive plot. For instance, there are a lot of characters to keep track of, so I needed to go back in the story at places to remember who was who. There are also some created languages and alternate writing that take some time to get the hang of, particularly Sigrid's sections which is written in an alternate spelling of text.
Final verdict: Overall, THE BROKEN RAVEN is an engaging YA fantasy that transports the reader to another world with intriguing characters and cleverly-crafted dangers.
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