A Year of Ravens

I got this book on clearance for $5 from Winners. Actually, it was the most expensive book I had picked up that day, but I was oddly compelled by the back summary.

Published in 2014.

Rating: 5/5

If SA as a major driving force is a problem for you, you would not enjoy this book. But it would be strange if a book centered on Boudica’s rebellion didn’t have it.

If I had to criticize something:

The character list was inconsistent. The animal-as-omen was overused, especially near the end. The cat, the squirrel, the owl, the snake, the hare, the raven, the eagle, the raven, the raven, the raven! I get that the book’s literally called A Year of Ravens. But come on!

I haven’t read much historical fiction, and I haven’t read many books with this particular format: seven authors, seven short and interconnected stories in roughly chronological order. The switching third-person limited POVs and descriptive, plentiful violence were reminiscent of ASOIAF, except better because it’s actually finished. Imagine writing TWOW instead of a 12th spinoff…

I did not know much about Boudica. Her name was vaguely familiar. I could not tell you when or where she lived; or that she led a rebellion; or the outcome of said rebellion. Sadly I spoiled myself midway, but it was a nice feeling going in blind. I need to do that more often.

There’s a certain feeling of dread you get when you know it ends in a tragedy but things are going so well. And there’s just a few pages left! I’d compare it to Sunrise on the Reaping, but infinitely better-written. Now that was a disappointing $30.

The final slaughter, when it comes, is quick and brutal. But the most heartbreaking moment comes after. The POV character and his son (a previous POV character) lay down their lives buying time for the queen and her daughters to escape. He sees his son killed before him. Then he too falls, at the hands of another previous POV character.

My mind was looking for inconsistencies between authors and I didn’t find many. There were, however, differences in writing style. I enjoyed this but you might not. One story in particular had many military terms that were unfamiliar but not unwelcome. What’s a palaestra, segmentata, spatha, turma, lorica? That story starred the young tribune Agricola, and I did not even know what a tribune was for most of it, having stubbornly refused to look it up. Thus I was confused when this twenty-year-old suddenly gains command of a 80 man unit after partaking in a single battle.

Surprisingly, the queen Boudica was not among my favorite characters. She’s not included among the ten POVs, and I sympathized much more with the narrators.

They were mostly written to be relatable. They’re from different walks of life, different sides of the conflict, but I found most of them lovable and worth rooting for.

One notable exception is Felix the soldier. I liked him in Agricola’s story as a young legionary trying to make the most of his low birth. But in his POV, he’s a one-dimensional horny and glory-seeking Roman supremacist.

There was Ria, a slave girl whose story I felt ended well. I was disappointed when she was brought back to be a damsel-in-distress for another character.

But my two favorite POVs were women: Valeria and Cartimandua. I loved Valeria’s dynamic with her captor- they hate each other on a societal level, but not on a personal level. Her POV comes near the end. She plays a minor role in two earlier characters’ stories, both of whom have very different views of her. Insert obligatory commentary about the expectations of a patrician woman in Ancient Rome.

Cartimandua opens the narrative. It’s somewhat disconnected from the other stories, but I loved that choice. We can empathize with her even though later characters view her as a sellout. She makes a difficult choice, one that she knows will make her hated amongst her people. And I liked her role in the ending too. You’ll have to read the book yourself to find out what that is.

If the other books in the series are anywhere near as good as this one, I would unfortunately be willing to pay the $24.99 list price for each.

Anyway, I’m running late for my next blog.