The Raven Tower

This book really had a magical effect on me, commanding my attention in a way that I don't expect from a novel without a prominent romance or friendship plot. There are actually a couple of good friendship plots here, as well as a (very) light romance, but overall, I'd say this is a plot-driven book, although the characters have quite a lot of depth as well. I loved it and I'm so excited to continue reading this author.

I am a cis woman, so be sure to look for reviews from trans readers. One of the main characters, Eolo, is a trans man and I felt that aspect of the story was handled very well. It isn't quite incidental representation, but the book is definitely not about his identity. In general, I feel this is more the point-of-view character's story than it is Eolo's.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Adjoa Andoh. I have mixed feelings about her narration. I really liked some of her choices, such as the voice and accent she chose for Tikaz. I thought that was perfect, as were most of the other characters. The accent she chose for Eolo worked really well for a farm boy whom others might underestimate, but I really disliked the voice she chose for him. He sounded like a terrified child at several key moments (e.g., when he refuses to go with Mawat into the women's temple, and when he's flirting with Tikaz) and I just don't think that performance fit with the character's words and actions. It is a major flaw of this audiobook. If you are a reader who does either audio or text, I recommend going with the text for this book.

I'm sure there are long essays to be written about this book as a version of Hamlet, but I'm not qualified to do that. Still, as a lifelong consumer of fanfic & transformative works, I want to say that I loved Tikaz on her own, but even more in comparison with the character she's based on. What a wonderful interpretation. I want to draw hearts all around her.

So, I loved this, and I recommend it enthusiastically. It's cleverly constructed, and it touches on some deeper truths, especially about power and loyalty. But mainly, it was just very enjoyable to read.

I loved the Ancillary Series, and I thought Provenance was fun but not quite up to the tightly wound social commentary that Ancillary was. The Raven Tower is Leckie back to her roots, weaving a complex mystery around a diverse cast. It was recommended to me as middle ages Hamlet, and while the parallels are quite clear, it's much richer than just a Shakespearean retelling. I'm an absolute devotee of the gods among us trope, and the gods Leckie imagines are so unique, so perfectly Other. Also, I read this in Ireland where I stayed in a medieval tower while hunting neolithic standing stones, so perfect mood book.