The Broken Raven (Shadow Skye, #2)

by Joseph Elliott

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.

• ISBN10: 1536207489
• ISBN13: 9781536207484
• Publish Date: 12 January 2021 (first published 7 January 2021)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Candlewick Press
• Imprint: Walker Books US
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 336
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9781536207484

Reviews

[Inkslinger]

'The Broken Raven,' book two in the Shadow Skye trilogy by Joseph Elliott, mainly follows the journeys of three characters.. Agatha and Jamie of the Clann-a-Tuath and Sigrid a girl hailing from a far away group they refer to as 'deamhan.'

 

After having barely escaped Norveg after a vicious war, Agatha and Jamie return with their clan to the Isle of Skye to find their enclave lost to the people of Raasay. Temporarily taking up with another clan they freed in the process, their welcome is unstable at best. The leader and other elders openly debating whether or not they should be allowed to continue staying, aided in a bid to recapture their home, or just pushed out to fend for themselves.

 

Deception leads to the escape of dangerous shadow creatures called sgàilean from their magical prison, leaving everyone in Skye at risk of death. As Agatha and Jamie take different paths in hopes of saving lives, the stakes are rising elsewhere.

 

Sigrid, a girl with a wildly independent streak and a seemingly eidetic memory who's sold off by her mother to the cruel king of their lands, finds herself in the neighboring court of King Edmund of Ingland. Witness to the intricacies of a deadly alliance as it's birthed, she agrees to try to stop what's coming.. the genocide of those residing in Skye.

 

Admittedly, I felt like this story started out really awkwardly. After reading for awhile, I understood it was the author's way of infusing the characters not only with their distinguishable personalities, but also defining the people they came from. He was establishing a complete culture from their traditions to their social structures to their languages.

 

Truth be told, I even adjusted to them all bit by bit, but some were more difficult than others. Created languages sometimes just mess with my immersion, but that's a personal thing and I can't take away from the author for using them where they work well to indicate education levels, ages, and in this case even a wonderfully neuro-diverse heroine.  

 

As for the story itself, I'm a bit conflicted. I think there were things the author did really well, such as the management of multiple narrators and the visual construction of the region of the world where the people lived. I could see it all mapped out so clearly, even with the travel across the seas connecting their villages.. and mad dash across vast lands to the Isle of Skye.

 

The main characters are all likeable enough. I was kind of fond of Jamie and definitely had a grudging respect for Sigrid and Agatha. I even rather liked one of the villains, the king of Norveg.. though I know I shouldn't have, still.. I enjoyed the fact he was multi-dimensional in nature.

 

Overall, though a lot of little things occurred, it just didn't feel like the scope of the tale was that broad. I would have liked to see more development with Jamie and the Bo Riders.. one in particular. And I think resolutions were sometimes had with a proverbial flick of a wrist, despite the length of time they might be spread over.

 

Certainly worth a read just for the more unusual elements alone.

(More reviews like this at Betwixt The Sheets.)

(I received this title as an ARC. All opinions are mine and freely given.)