Title: The Merciful Crow
Author: Margaret Owen
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Rating: 5 out of 5
Fie is a Crow—a caste of undertakers and mercy-killers immune to the plague and despised and persecuted by society. When her band is tasked with disposing of two royal bodies, they encounter the conniving queen who plans to cheat them of their pay and cost them even more respect. But Fie thwarts the queen—and discovers the two royal bodies aren’t exactly dead.
Instead, the crown prince and his clever body double have faked their own deaths to escape before the murderous queen can kill them. If they can make it to their allies, they have a chance at overthrowing the queen. They strike a deal with Fie: if she sees them safely to their allies, the prince will protect the Crows when he’s king.
But the queen’s ruthless assassins are on their trail, and Fie might lose everything she cares about to fulfill the promise she made.
From the very first page, I was enthralled. I couldn’t put this book down, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I’ve never read anything like this and found the worldbuilding both vivid and unique. The magic system was odd—teeth?—but compelling, and I adored Fie as a character. She’s tough and prickly and fierce, but she can, eventually, see reason. I fell into this world headlong and did not want to leave.
Margaret Owen is an author and illustrator. The Merciful Crow is her debut novel.
(Galley courtesy of Henry Holt and Co via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
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