I loved this book. The world building was richly detailed but never felt too much or overwhelming. The characters were engaging and relatable and well realised. I cannot wait for book two

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the E-ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review!

This book had me shocked, confused, sad, happy, squealing like a donkey—you name it. I am SO SO SO excited for the official release because I will have all the editions. I am the consumer and I want to consume more. The second book in the series needs to come faster because I don’t think I can wait at all. This book scores a full five stars.

First: The writing. It’s so unique, and it really sticks with you! The different fonts to show the different speakers is such a unique twist that most often doesn’t work in books. Yet still, the fonts chosen here don’t feel like they break up the flow at all. I really love the extra touch of the personalities you get to see, too!

Besides the writing, I really grew to love the characters. The start is somewhat rough and misleading, but it only takes a chapter or two to really get hooked. I had an issue where I was thinking that most of the side characters around the mc were written like caricatures—though in hindsight, it was a brilliant literary device to show Neema’s growth—it just had me a little put off.

I love the representation in this book! Most of the characters are poc, and throughout the book I felt as though being queer was the normal. Cain—the resident chaotic bisexual—is so fun to read and I think he might be one of my favorites, besides Benna and Ruko. They develop really well throughout the book, and characters that I initially was thinking poorly of, became some of the characters I cried for.

The plot is what had me hooked for the most part—I genuinely felt like I was clever for figuring out some of the plot twists, only to get hit with a twist I didn’t expect at all. My jaw dropped and stayed dropped from about 60% and all the way to the final page. I was so in shock, I couldn’t stop reading and ended staying up past my bedtime. I don’t regret sacrificing sleep over it.

I’m surprised I also don’t have any complaints about the pacing. So much happens in the span of only a week, but it feels much longer than that. None of the events feel squashed together or too spaced apart, it flows extremely well.

I can’t recommend this book enough. Albeit it had a slow start, this book sticks with you and stays interesting all the way to the end.

The Raven Scholar is a fantasy whodunnit that plays a brilliant game of switcheroo with the reader. Just when you think you’ve figured out a character’s path or role in the story, it flips your assumptions on their head—and that’s a huge part of the fun. It subverted my expectations several times in such a satisfying way.

The world is rich with magic and intrigue, and characters are aligned with animal guardians—a touch that adds both depth and danger to the story. There are trials, secrets, and genuine moments where characters feel truly at risk. While the tone is generally light and very readable, it’s not afraid to go dark in places, adding an edge that I really appreciated.

After reading the initial 10%, I immediately bought a physical copy—which says a lot. This is clearly the beginning of something bigger, and I get the sense we’ve only just scratched the surface of the world and its possibilities. A series I’m definitely excited to continue.

This book was the adult fantasy read that I did not know I needed. It was AMAZING! I enjoyed following Neema as she took on challenges and tried to solve the mystery at the centre of the story. I enjoyed all the characters in this book, especially Sol. This book had amazing world building and politics, as well as being laugh out loud funny at times. I enjoyed how the author provided us with some back stories around characters, so that we got a deeper understanding of them and the world. This is an exceptional first book in a new adult fantasy trilogy and I cannot wait to read the next book. If you love fantasy, I highly recommend this one, as it is the best fantasy book I have read in a while. This book is released on the 29th April and I have already pre-ordered my physical copy.
Thank you to @hachetteaus and @netgalley for my copy of this book to read and review.

The Raven Scholar was EPIC. No exaggeration, no hyperbole, just the truth. At no point was I bored. Not even a flicker of a yawn, unless it was way past midnight and my eyelids were rebelling against me, because I did NOT want to put this book down.

Antonia Hodgson took us on a ride, scratch that, it was a full blown, high speed chase through a gorgeously crafted trial in a world brimming with secrets, shadows, and searing moments of brilliance. The world-building? Lush. The characters? So vivid and real they might as well have walked out of the pages and joined me in mace training.

From page one, I was gobsmacked. The opening pulled me in like a riptide, and suddenly I was side-by-side with Neema, investigating mysteries, dodging danger, and trying to piece together the truth in a world where nothing is quite what it seems.

I am so happy that this is a trilogy because I cannot wait to get more.

Happy birthday to my dad who is dyslexic and will luckily never want to read this.

This book was a whole load of nothing. Yes I hate prologues and this book makes me feel all the more justified, what do you mean the first 70 odd pages is background on a character WE AREN'T EVEN FOLLOWING.

I do like the Raven Scholar (Neema), she was a little introvert who didn't want anything that happened to her. Unfortunately I didn't want any of this either. Especially the random POV switches or PAGES of history that ultimately the story could have done without.

I keep wanting a fantasy murder mystery and while this was certainly that, too much else was happening. The trials, I had no idea what was happening half the time. The characters, only a handful were decent and I didn't care for the rest.

I think the sheer volume of this book dragged it down. If half was cut it would be infinitely better, because the world was cool, but at 50% I was waiting for it to end. To be fair if I skipped the first 100 pages I would have enjoyed it more so perhaps my perception of prologues is dragging this down but this story was not it.

The raven scholar is such a cool book! I was enthralled from page one, i love fantasy books with complex worldbuilding and I didn’t mind one bit is the beginning was slow and I couldn’t really grasp in which direction the story was heading.

The narrative style was amazing, informative and funny but without overdoing it, I honestly can’t believe this is a debut, it’s amazing how the author interwove everything together, it’s mind blowing actually. I think this book will stay with me for a while, it’s not easy to find an original and well written piece of literature such as this nowadays, i hope it’ll get its much deserved recognition.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for a free arc!

I cannot explain how much I loved this book. It had everything I want in a fantasy. High stakes, a unique magic system, complex characters, brilliant world building and such witty dialogue. Neema is such a unique FMC. She's a loser in the eyes of the other characters, but easily lovable and relatable as a reader. You can see why people dislike her, and why the ones that know her best resent her. A horrible act she took part in at the beginning of the book sets the story up but despite her involvement, you can't help but root for her. She is one of my new favourite FMCs. There was so many twists and turns, I never wanted to put it down.

I think this is about to become one of my favourite new series!

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the arc.

Thank you so much to Hodderscape and NetGalley for sending me an eARC of The Raven Scholar to review!

After 24 years of rule, Emperor Bersun of Orrun is ready to step down and give his throne to another. Seven contenders from the rival monasteries around Orrun are set to compete for the throne. When one contender is murdered, it’s up to Neema Kraa to investigate the murder and uncover secrets that could change Orrun forever.

This book, while having the typical trope of deadly trials, is so unique and interesting; it very much grabbed me almost immediately and took me along for the ride. The writing style is so original as it switches between tenses and POVs so smoothly; I adored a certain POV in this story that you don’t see very often (I won’t spoil it because it took me by surprise while reading.)

The character work in this book was stunning. We mainly follow Neema, an incredibly talented scholar who isn’t the most personable, shall we say, and I really found myself connecting with and loving her character. She’s flawed but so engaging to read about. The side characters were also done really well, and I’m looking forward to a hopeful redemption arc for one of our characters in the sequels. I loved Sol, the snarky raven companion who knows all about loss and abandonment, he was great.

The world and magic system was also quite unique as well; the Eight are very mysterious figures. It’ll be interesting to see where their arcs go in the sequels also; I’d love to see more of the Dragon specifically, as they were more mysterious than the rest of the pantheon.

Overall this was such a stunning beginning to the series! There was a lot of set up and lore in this first book but I was never bored of the intricacies, even if some of it went over my head! And the connections between everything, while somewhat linked in this one, have so much more room to grow in the later books.

If you love epic fantasy, older characters (mid-thirties), a romantic side plot that doesn’t take over the main plot, murder mysteries in fantasy, and snarky animal companions (kinda), definitely grab this one! I cannot recommend it enough!

I listened to the audio version and love that the author is one of the voices.
Such an interesting and vibrant story, I loved the world building and the story from the start.
The twists and turns were unexpected and am excited to see what happend even if the end was slower than the rest of the book.

[ARC provided by NetGalley and Hodderscape. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review The Raven Scholar.]

Rating: 2.75/5

There’s a lot of hype surrounding this book, and many fantastic reviews, so before starting this I’ll mention that I’m likely in the minority of readers who didn’t enjoy The Raven Scholar. I went in with very high hopes and had this as one of my most anticipated reads of the year, but unfortunately my expectations were not met. Personally, I felt there were too many issues to overlook that contributed to this being an unenjoyable read.

When the current emperor of Orrun must bring his reign to an end, seven contenders from rival monasteries must compete to replace him. These candidates are the best of the best, but then one of them is murdered and the mystery is left to raven scholar Neema Kraa to investigate. As Neema falls deeper into the case, a chain of events are set in motion that could bring an end to the empire.

First of all, this book is long, perhaps too long, and that’s coming from someone who enjoys and regularly reads similarly sized books. I think that one of the main issues that contributes to how long the story feels is that the book tries to be too many things at once, and I never felt that we got a chance to focus on the most interesting parts of the plot. Considering how the book is set up, I thought we would get much more time spent with the trials, but a lot of them are glossed over and some even happen off the page. In and around that, there’s a lot of worldbuilding and information dumping which felt like too much all at once. There were many points where I said to myself, ‘this could have gone into book 2’, or ‘this would be a good point to end book 1’.

Next up are the characters, almost all of which frustrated me. I found it very hard to believe that the candidates for the trials were the best of the best that the empire had to offer, but in fairness to them, I also felt that the trials were poor tests of leadership when it comes to running an empire. Most of the time these people felt like young adult personalities in adult bodies and I struggled when imagining any of them as the new emperor or empress. That being said, I did like Neema, and I’m thankful that we had her as the main POV.

Finally, the worldbuilding and plot developments completely lacked impact for me. Some of the reveals felt like they were going for gasps more than anything, and the constant information dumping regarding the lore of this world got tiring very quickly. Again, I think that if a lot of this information was saved for a later book, and book 1 was spent really getting to know characters and experiencing the trials, I would have had a much better time.

Of course, this is just my opinion, and as I said at the start, it looks like I’m very much in the minority. It’s sad that I couldn’t enjoy this but I’m genuinely happy to see that so many others are having a great time with it.

A richly layered epic full of political intrigue, mystery, and deadly competition, brought to life through immersive worldbuilding and sharp, witty narration. The characters are complex and compelling, with plot twists that keep the pages turning and leave you craving the next chapter.

First I wanna thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this incredible book in advance.
What a read! The synopsis really intrigued me but I wasn't expecting for it to grab me right from the start. The incredible world building with the super unique magic system (the Eight and them being their Gods, the way some of them could be a part of someone or even possess them), the politics, the very interesting competition and trials they were in. Everything was so well done and our girl Neema, our FMC, she is a badass and she's so damn intelligent. I loved how smart she is from the start, how she evolved with the trials and how she solved one of the twists I didn't see coming AT ALL (the emperor one). I also really like Cain. He's funny as heck and so sweet, even if he tries to hide it.
The last few chapters with its twists and turns: with the emperor, with Ruko, with the Eight, with Nishtala (which I gotta say I really don't like, what an entitled brat).
I'm so looking forward for the next book 🙌🏻

Antonia Hodgson’s The Raven Scholar is an immersive and intelligent fantasy debut that weaves together political intrigue, mystery, and emotional depth. Set in the richly imagined world of Orrun, the story follows High Scholar Neema Kraa, a brilliant yet socially isolated protagonist thrust into a deadly competition to determine the empire’s next ruler. 

The novel excels in its intricate world-building, drawing readers into a society divided by sacred animal factions and steeped in history and lore. Hodgson’s attention to detail creates a vivid backdrop for the unfolding drama, from the grandeur of imperial politics to the subtle nuances of personal relationships. 

Neema’s character is a standout—her methodical nature and dry wit make her both relatable and compelling. The supporting cast, including the enigmatic Cain and the charming Sol, add depth and diversity to the narrative, each with their own complex motivations and backstories.  

While the novel’s length and the sheer number of characters can be overwhelming at times, the payoff is a story that is both emotionally resonant and intellectually satisfying. The pacing is deliberate, allowing for a gradual buildup of tension and a deeper exploration of themes such as grief, power, and identity. 

Overall, The Raven Scholar is a compelling start to what promises to be an exceptional series. Fans of epic fantasy with a penchant for political intrigue and richly drawn characters will find much to enjoy in Hodgson’s latest offering.

Thank you NetGalley, Hodderscape for an advanced readers copy in exchange of an honest review, all opinions are my own.

Now, this was a compelling, unique, magnificent read.

The way Antonia Hudgson wrote this book? We can't believe it how well she did it, how complicated it must have been, for her to weave everything together till the very end. The various trials all depending on the different animals, the fights we read about, the contenders battling to sit on the throne, the setting we were thrown in - everything felt magical, everything felt unreal. We loved how even the Chinese animals were thrown inside the book in terms of Eight, that was another keen yet subtle touch.

Neema doesn't want the throne, but we made her want it, we prepared her to want it, Cain wants the throne, but like all others, he's an obstacle, someone who just needs to go away. Just like all others, especially the Valit boy, that wrenched, heartless boy. Everyone was there for a reason, everyone expect Neema, who was thrown inside the competition. Oh how pleasant it was for us to watch her soar high in understanding and in denial.

We liked each contender, even if we have to admit the Cain Ballari has regretfully caught our eyes with great interest. Our magnificent sight has set in him, and we are eager to see what he and our darling high scholar, along with the others will do now after all that has happened.

What we regret to tell you now may sadden you. Why not 5 stars? Why a still magnificent 4.5 stars? Well, let us break it down for you.

The start of the book was too slow, we couldn't understand how long the prologue not prologue/first part of the book was. It simply was/and felt never-ending. Our interest peaked around 40% of the book, even the promised murder which sets things in motion arrived later than expected. Now, I see that a good book needs a good buildup, but we thought it was abused in terms of longness.
Even the many characters, while extremely diverse did n0t partially make our still goo hearts flutter with interest or/and excitement.

In terms of plot and especially of ending there's nothing to pick at with our beak, it simply was just as we are: magnificent, filled with jaw-dropping high stakes, secrets and revelations what will make you question your sanity and at times you abilities of investigators.

Can't you hear our wings flutter in excitement? Out screeches as we pick Hudgson for more? because we need more. This, our deepest friends, is only the start, and we can't await to read more of it.

This fragment of raven can't wait for more, you see?

Because we are magnificent.

4.5⭐️ 0.25🌶️ (all fade to black, very few scenes)

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the advance reader copy.

I think I may be in the minority of readers who didn’t enjoy this book.
The concept felt very promising and I was hooked by the beginning but then didn’t enjoy the character pov switch. After reading I understand why the author may have included this but due to the length of the book I wasn’t thinking about that character or their pov towards the end.

I got around 50-60% through and found that that’s when the pace got into some sort of swing. I unfortunately finished this to make sure I felt I gave it a chance.

As this is the beginning of a trilogy I wonder how much longer the other two books will be and if there will be similar pacing issues and a rushed ending.

1.5⭐️ rounded up to 2

Epic fantasy will always have my heart and Antonia Hodgson has given me a delectable meal of it with The Raven Scholar.

The world is beautifully rich in lore and politics that are unique and refreshing on the trope of gods vs humans. I was intrigued by the culture born from the different monasteries and how they influenced each contender in the battle for the throne. I enjoyed seeing each day dedicated to each of the Eight and how it demonstrated the different personalities of each of the characters as they underwent the trials, making them unique and three dimensional.

It was also really satisfying for how the dynamics between the monasteries were influenced by the natures of the Eight they represented.

Favourite characters: Neema, Cain Benna and Shal. Honourary mention for Ruko (he’s just a boy!)

Side note: Neema being black is very pleasing to me.

Very much looking forward to book 2!

I enjoyed the book and it has a nice build up but it just wasn’t for me!!! Releases on 17 April £9.99 on kindle version!

After twenty-four years on the throne, it is time for Bersun the Brusque, emperor of Orrun, to bring his reign to an end. In the dizzying heat of mid-summer, seven contenders will compete to replace him.

Trained at rival monasteries, each contender is inspired by a sacred animal - Fox, Raven, Tiger, Ox, Bear, Monkey, and Hound. An eighth - the Dragon proxy - will be revealed only once the trials have begun. Eight exceptional warriors, thinkers, strategists - the best of the best.

Then one of them is murdered.

It falls to the brilliant but idiosyncratic Neema Kraa to investigate. But as she hunts for a killer, darker forces are gathering.

If Neema succeeds, she could win the throne - whether she wants it or not. But if she fails, she will sentence herself to death - and set in motion a sequence of events that could doom the empire

If I only had one word to describe this book, it would be magnificent!

This book was so fun to read, I enjoyed every page of it. The book immediately grabbed my attention by starting the first few chapters with the tragic backstory of the Valit twins, Ruko and Yana.
After that, the story continues. It takes place in an empire called Orrun. Its costum is that every 24 years, a new emperor will be chosen with a dangerous tournament. In this tournament, one contender of the eight monasteries will compete to become the next ruler. Each of the eight monasteries is named after an animal, representing their Guardian. Each of these factions are known for their typical characteristics. If we look at a Raven, they are known for their knowledge and thus are known to be scholars, lawyers, and clerks.
The FMC Neema Kraa is actually High Scholar of the Ravens.
The reign of the current emporer is nearing its end, so it's time for the tournament. However, right before the tournament, the Raven contender (who also happens to be Neema's arch nemesis) is found murdered in her chamber. Not only does Neema have the task to find out who the killer is, but she also has to compete in the tournament as the new Raven contender...

I love how Neema's flaws are very realistic and recognisable. Each character in the book has their own characteristics that match their Guardian. This also made the world building quite easy to follow. This is why I think this book is very suitable to use as a gateway to high fantasy.
I've come to adore a lot of the different in the book. I do have to say that at certain points, the certain POV switches can be a bit confusing. Still, the book read away so easily for me. I love how I had a wide range of emotions during this book. Some scenes were very tense, and others were really funny. There's a lot of enjoyable banter during the conversations. Next to the adventurous tournament, there's even a murder mystery, politics, and a very little romantic subplot in this book. Even though this book tackles all these topics, they fit the plot perfectly. Also, I need to mention there are a lot of very good plot twists in the story! Even though the book is a little chunky, it definitely didn't feel like that. To me, this book has everything that I want; good world building,good plot, good vibes, and lovable characters. So, five stars from me, and I NEED the next book now!

This is a long book - it was around 200 pages before the story really got going. There is a lot of complex world-building, and it took a while to learn all the various orders and how society functions. I was intrigued enough to persevere and did enjoy it once the story was moving, but it was a slow start.

Once the murder mystery aspect picks up, it’s interesting to follow the story and speculate about the assassin. I found Neema a compelling main character, although the long prologue threw me, because I was ready to follow someone else entirely, and then suddenly the focus shifted to Neema out of nowhere. I suspect most readers will identify with the Raven monastery, but it was interesting seeing the primary traits of the other groups, and I look forward to seeing where the trilogy goes! I also found the narrative to vary - sometimes it was clearly the voice of an observer (no spoiler who!) but then it flipped back to normal third-person narration with no warning. This could have been a quirk of the eARC and the formatting may be different in print.
This is a book best suited to fans of long reads, high fantasy, and complex worlds.