When I got The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson, I actually didn’t realize that it was a brand new release. The cover is stunning, and I adore when crows or ravens are large part of a story. Not only that, but the title The Storm Crow instantly implied elemental magic. This is my favorite type of magic, and since it seemed that the crows were the ones with the magic made the book that much more interesting to me. So it is no surprise that I grabbed it based just on the cover without reading the synopsis.
Plot
Princess Anthia lives in the tropical kingdom of Rhodaire alongside Crows with elemental magic. The Crows are an integral part of everyday life, until everything is destroyed in the Illucian invasion. After this night, Thia is thrown into a deep depression thinking of everything she lost. Meanwhile, her sister Caliza is tasked with running their kingdom after their mother is killed.
However, when Thia starts making progress, Caliza has no choice but to an arranged marriage between Thia and Illucia’s crown prince. Before Thia is set to leave, she discovers a Crow egg in the rubble of the rookery. With the Crow egg, Thia and Caliza concoct a plan to hatch it in order to take back what was theirs.
Review
I love the characters in The Storm Crow. There are so many different characters, and it isn’t shoved in your face. The diversity of the characters is effortless. Another aspect of the characters that’s refreshing is how their roles and relationships aren’t typical.
Princess Anthia is the main character, but isn’t destined to become queen of Rhodaire. Now that already takes Thia off the typical main character path. Another aspect of Thia that I enjoy is her relationships. Thia trusts easliy, sees the best in others, and values her friendships above everything. Her best friend and personal guard, Kiva, happens to be Thia’s opposite in every way: personality, sexuality, appearance, and nationality. Even though the two girls are night and day, Thia and Kiva stick together and protect each other. Lastly, The Storm Crow doesn’t focus on romance, but the small amount in the story is not what you’d expect.
In The Storm Crow there are topics that aren’t always discussed in fantasy books. Right away we see depression, discrimination, and oppression. We see depression in Thia after she has lost everything. The way that depression is displayed and talked about in The Storm Crow is amazing. I have never had depression, but I believe this to be a pretty good example of what depression could be like for someone. Now for discrimination, there are a few examples. With Thia being described as a POC and from Rhodaire, she receives poor treatment once in Illucia. Kiva also receives poor treatment in Illucia for being from Korovi and who her father was. Oppression is very evident in the Illucian invasion of Rhodaire, conquering of other kingdoms, and their treatment of those that they’ve conquered. These are very important topics that need to appear more in fantasy books and discussed.
Favorite Quotes
“Books are very underrated weapons.”
““Strength comes in many forms,” she said. “The lion fears only the fox.””
“Don’t let her silence the storm inside you.”
“I won’t let my scars define me. Not anymore. From now on, they’re a symbol of what I have left to fight for.”
“I am more than my emotions, more than my depression and fear.”
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Add it to Your List: Add to your Goodreads
Snag a Copy: I will always suggest getting the hard cover, but buy in any format on Amazon
Interested in other books that I’ve read? Check out my other book reviews here!
