My Book Review: "Shadow of the Raven", by Millie Thom

The « Shadow of the Raven », book one of the “Sons of Kings” series, is a fascinating and very well written story based on a remarkable knowledge of Medieval Societies (ninth century) in Anglo Saxon kingdoms and Norse lands. Very well documented, the book tells the story of two boys, sons of kings, and their (sometimes) tumultuous and unpredictable existences: one who will be given a chance to travel Europe and visit Francia and Rome, while the other one, less fortunate, will be captured by the Vikings.

Hence, we soon become familiar with them (especially with Eadwulf, son of Morwenna and Beorthwulf, king of Mercia); we share in their emotions, fears, hopes and frustrations… This story definitely goes above and far beyond the trivial description of Vikings’ cruelties and war atrocities. It subtly describes the lives of people during those dark ages, lives which on the one hand were made of fear, suffering, humiliation and frustration, but which were also tainted of love and beauty. Because even in the dark ages, humans are/were human beings. Love, fear, sadness, hope, despair, desire of revenge… kindness and brutality were part of their daily lives. To me, this book is a fabulous study of human behavior.

But I shouldn’t forget to say something about the role and position of women, who were deprived of their rights and sometimes forced to marry elder men they never met before (when they were only 13…). Beautiful women whose lives depended on the will and the fortune of their father, husband, or master.

The world was cruel, indeed! However, Millie Thom didn’t forget that the then societies were made of/by human beings. Thanks to this, she wrote a remarkable story which, without any doubt, deserves a FIVE STAR!