I'm going to be honest, and this seems to be an unpopular opinion, the first half of this book was so boring for me.
I understand it was setting the scene and world building but the paragraphs are too long and too descriptive, it felt clunky to me.

BUT the second half, once the trials began: the scheming, the betrayals, the carnage, the plot twists: I loved it!
The complicated relationships between all the characters was well done!
Lovers to strangers to friends to lovers! Absolute whiplash, amazing!
The detective part was great too, I didn't come anywhere close to guessing who did the murder.

Overall, I do recommend The Raven Scholar, it was enjoyable, and I think the next books in the trilogy are going to be even better!

First half - 3 stars
Last half - 4 stars

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Wow, The Raven Scholar is nothing short of brilliant. I devoured it.The storytelling is sharp, gripping, and full of twists that kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. The characters are complex, layered, and so real that they stay with you long after the final page. The world-building is rich and vivid, making every setting feel alive. With its perfect blend of mystery, suspense, and emotional depth, this book completely captivated me. It's a masterful work, and I’m still thinking about it days later.

Wow, ok this was really good. Before I start, I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for the free ARC of this book! Rating- 5 stars

This was the perfect book after a couple of disappointing reads. The premise sounded engaging, but often I find books fall flat and fail to deliver the rich world-building promised in their descriptions- this was not the case here. Antonia Hodgson has created a super original and engaging world, with an intricate magical background that I absolutely adored. Even the POV perspectives felt creative and fresh, and made this book such a fascinating read. I've read quite a lot of fantasy novels by this point, so to find one that surprises me and feels novel is a rarity, yet the Raven Scholar did exactly that. Plenty of plot twists and deep characters are only some of the things I found so enticing about this book. For me, the only other book that felt similar in writing format and the feeling whilst reading it was Gideon the Ninth, which was also a book that subverted my expectations in a wonderful way.

I'm already eagerly awaiting the next book (I think there should be one!) and thanks again to the publisher and Netgalley (and Antonia Hodgson of course for having produced such a great novel)!

Wow! This is a book full of details and world building. I definitely will be reading it again. Even though I read it slowly over three weeks, I still couldn't take everything in. It's so packed of action and information.

It's like three different books in one. A murder mystery, a story of mythology and the last story involves me spoiling it so you need to read it yourself.

Such a captivating story from page one. It was hard going from the first few chapters and being emotionally involved to Neema's story.

There were so many characters and I hope the physical copy had a character glossary. I was getting confused at some points.

I loved this book and will be buying a copy.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I was intrigued by The Raven Scholar when I first read a preview chapter in a sampler months ago. That small glimpse had me interested, so I was excited to receive an early copy.
Unfortunately, while the premise was promising, the execution didn’t quite hold my interest the way I hoped.

At around 600 pages, this is a long book, and unfortunately, I struggled to get through it. The pacing felt slow, and while I kept hoping for something exciting to hook me, that moment never really came. There were so many different elements introduced that I was constantly unsure whether they were relevant or not.
And then, after chapters and chapters of waiting for a big moment, the book just… ended.
The story moved, but I never felt that strong push of motivation or excitement behind the events. It didn’t make me feel anything, which made it hard to stay engaged.

Structurally, the first 50 pages follow a different character before shifting to the actual main character. That switch was confusing, and I had to check the synopsis again to make sure I understood who the protagonist really was.

The romance subplot also didn’t appeal to me much. It was a second-chance romance, but one that didn’t spark any strong emotions for me. It felt like it was just there rather than something I was invested in.

That said, there were things I did enjoy!

The worldbuilding and the idea of eight mythical factions were intriguing, and I loved seeing how each group functioned. The murder mystery and competition for the throne had great potential.
The FMC’s personality was a highlight, as she was intelligent and determined, which I appreciated.
And, of course, Sol, the animal companion, was easily one of my favorite parts. I’m always a sucker for a good companion animal in a story.

While The Raven Scholar wasn’t for me, I know it will find the right readers.
Despite my personal opinion, I think it’s best for everyone to try it out anyway! If you enjoy slow paced storytelling, political intrigue, murder investigation, competition for the throne, second-chance romance, and magical creatures, you will likely enjoy this book more than I did. Give it a try!

Wow. I loved The Raven Scholar! This is a fantastic story full of politics, intrigue, and magic. Absolutely loved it and can't wait for more!

I was misled as to the length of this book, if I had known it was over 650 pages, I wouldn't have read it. As it is, I am so glad that I did. The world building was excellent and drew me in straight away. The plot was complex and very exciting. I really didn't see some of the twists coming. It is the characters that really make this book such a good read. Neema and Cain are wonderful and their up and down relationship was amusing. The minor characters were diverse and interesting. I particularly liked, Benna, Fenn and Sol. Whilst there is plenty of action and thrills in the story, there is also a light and humorous tone running through the book that gives the story a well rounded feel to it.
Despite its length, this was a relatively quick read and is highly recommended. Can't wait for the sequel.

This was one chunky book and I always dread starting one because sometimes spending too much time with one story makes me spiral into a reading slump and I hate that.

In the beginning, I was a bit confused by the time and location jumps, and it took some time to get used to the writing style (it kind of reminded me a bit of the style in A Series of Unfortunate Events - nothing wrong with that, I was just really not expecting that).
Even though I was a bit put off by the writing style at first I came to really enjoy it and it suited the story perfectly.

I got hooked to the story right from the start and I felt so comfortable there I didn’t even want to leave. The narration kept a steady and comfortable pace and there were so many twists and turns so it was impossible to get bored, despite the length of the book. Whenever I tried to predict something or thought that I knew where something was going, it turned out I was completely wrong? and I really loved that. Although the foreshadowing (or occasional lack thereof) didn’t always land perfectly, it never let the story stagnate.

The story weaves together a variety of familiar ideas into a fresh and enjoyable experience.
Although most of the story takes place on the same island we do get glimpses of other parts of the world and I found the world building to be well-developed. It wasn’t unnecessarily confusing or complex but rather very engaging and interesting.

Funny enough, I really hated some (or most?) of the characters in the beginning, especially Neema, though I came to appreciate her as the story progressed and I could identify with her thought processes. I loved Cain and enjoyed every scene with him in it, also I loved Fenn, Benna and PinkPink. Especially Benna earned a special place in my heart. Other than that, I didn’t really warm up to any of the other characters or should I say I outright wanted to punch them? - but that isn’t to say I didn’t appreciate their role in and understood their importance to the story. Their unpredictable motivations added a layer of realism to the story.
All in all the characters each were as different and diverse as they could be, some adorable and lovable, some morally grey and some outright heinous and unredeemable and I loved the mix. It does get a bit boring when everyone is a sweetheart and no-one makes your blood boil, right?
<spoiler> Also I’d like to add that I’ll probably forever be haunted by Yanara's fate - I kept hoping that maybe she somehow got away and survived but apparently not? I really wanted her to make a badass comeback and give everyone what they deserve and take the throne for herself. Like, I really REALLY wanted that. I wish she would have gotten a happy ending and tbh I will not be giving up hope, after all we still got a second installment in the series so I’ll keep wishing. Am I being delusional? Maybe. </spoiler>

This story and the characters now live rent free in my head and I literally can’t wait for part 2. I wish I at least knew the release date, but alas this first part isn’t even really published yet and I was just blessed with an e-ARC. So impatiently waiting it is.

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 stars rounded up.

Review posted on:
Goodreads; https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7242440859
TheStoryGraph; https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/dd2eccbe-a598-461c-ba47-7f43764cf69f

📚 review 📚
the raven scholar - antonia hodgson

she might win the throne. she might destroy an empire. either way it begins with a murder…. that was all it took for me to dive in head first. this is the epic fantasy i have been looking for - it’s political intrigue and different factions reminded me a little of priory of the orange tree and yet at the same time, it’s like nothing i’ve read before.
it’s funny, it’s well crafted and even better it’s the start of a new series!
considering this is almost 700 pages long, i flew through this, it was so engaging and fun i didn’t want to put it down.

i am so excited for where the next books in the series go - i am just begging you to keep my faves safe!
thank you to the people at yalc who introduced me to this and to @netgalley for the early copy.

the raven scholar is out in april and i’ve added it to my wish list already!

It took a while to get into this book, but once I did, I really enjoyed it, especially the twists. Thank you to the writer, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to review it.

A 4 star that is actually a 3.75 if I'm being pedantic.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hodderscape for the early review copy.

I'm conflicted. So damn conflicted. On one hand, this was an absolutely enticing read, on the other hand, it did a lot of things I simply don't like.

This book has just over 700 pages, and it doesn't feel like that at all. The plot never dragged, and I found myself content just being on this ride that was the story. The concept is extremely interesting and broad. This world definitely has a lot of lore going for it, and you can tell. It's definitely unique.

The first three chapters are tonally very different from the rest, so please don't be discouraged by those when picking the book up. The writing gets a lot more snappy and quick-paced after chapter three. There were even some sarcastic remarks that made it really refreshing.

This is definitely a book for the seasoned fantasy reader among us. The story has depth, it has a few reveals, and you definitely have to keep your mind focused. To go along with that, there are a lot of characters to keep track of, there are at least 20 (but I think more) that you have to remember. I would not recommend reading this over a long period of time, because I'd worry about losing track of what I'd previously read.

Now comes my biggest dislike, and it’s something The Raven Scholar shares with Dark Water Daughter by H.M. Long, which I read very recently. These books have a lot in common, even though their stories are totally different. My dislikes for both are exactly the same. I'll remain vague because spoilers, but both books let characters interact with certain entities/beings (not gonna say more than that, but it builds to so much more), and I absolutely hate it when that happens. It's my least favourite trope in fantasy. Also, why did both villains have to have this dramatic monologue about their plans?

Don't get me wrong, I highly enjoyed my time reading this. Think of it as Wicked (for a protagonist who isn’t liked by anyone but is really eager and likes intellectual topics) meeting The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo (for the trials, mysteries, and darker tones).

I won't continue the series because of my dislikes, but I can definitely see this becoming a favourite for certain people.

No sé qué me hizo empezar The Raven Scholar, el nombre de Antonia Hodgson me era desconocido y aunque la sinopsis era atractiva, hace ya tiempo que aprendí a desconfiar del marketing encapsulado en cuatro frases. Pero tendré que darle las gracias a ese instinto, porque me he encontrado un libro que merece las cinco estrellas con las que lo he valorado.


The Raven Scholar mezcla la investigación de un asesinato con un mundo de fantasía apasionante, como The Tainted Cup de Robert Jackson Bennett. Y he de decir que esta mezcla de géneros, que no sé si hay un término que describa adecuadamente, al menos a mí me tiene encandilada.

La construcción de mundo sobre la que se sustenta The Raven Scholar es excelsa. Tanto el sistema de elección del emperador basado en pruebas que enfrentan a los mejores representantes de las ocho casas de saber, como el hecho de que los dioses sean más temidos que venerados le da muchísimo juego a Hodgson. El torneo que se desarrolla durante las 700 páginas del libro recuerda un poco al de los tres magos en Hogwarts pero vitaminado y supermineralizado. Y aún con todas las bondades que muestra, no tiene por qué ser lo más destacado del volumen, porque el elenco de personajes, su profundidad, su historia pasada y sus relaciones también son un pilar en el que basar el éxito del libro. No me extrañaría verlo enmarcado como dark academy, aunque creo que el volumen ofrece mucho más. También he visto que lo llamaban fantasía épica y tampoco es desacertado, pero sigo pensando que hace falta una definición distinta para algunos libros.

Hodgson también aprovecha para meter ciertas dosis de humor que alivian la tensión in crescendo a lo largo de la lectura. El humor en la fantasía es un tema delicado, no es fácil que salga fluido pero la británica sale bastante airosa de este envite, de mí al menos ha conseguido alguna carcajada y, por lo general, la lectura ha sido con una sonrisa en los labios. Es un recurso muy bueno para contrarrestar los momentos más duros del libro, que también los tiene. Y es que, como la vida misma, The Raven Scholar puede provocar sonrisas y lágrimas al más pintado. La trama es aparentemente enrevesada y algo exigente con el lector, en parte por la gran cantidad de personajes que tienen un papel más o menos relevante en la historia y sobre todo por los vericuetos que los conspiradores y los investigadores deberán recorrer para revelar la verdad, pero, sinceramente, creo que el esfuerzo merece la pena.

Lo más frustrante para mí es ver que se trata solo de la primera entrega de una trilogía y que queda mucho por descubrir, a pesar de la gran longitud de la obra. Pero no me cabe duda de que en cuanto que esté disponible la siguiente entrega me haré con ella, para seguir disfrutando de lo que escribe Antonia Hodgson.

First of all thank you to Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This, frankly huge book, really cracked along once it found its footing. A heady mixture of mystery, courtly intrigue and epic fantasy challenges made for an enchanting experience. Cannot wait to see more of our motley group of protagonists in such an expensive and complex world.

I loved this so much! It’s a brilliantly twisty story that mixes gods, politics, and magic as well as building a rich and diverse world that seems to breathe outside of the page. I was especially fond of Neema, and spending almost the whole book in her head was a delight. I was guessing until almost the very end and not since Saint Death’s Daughter have I been so excited to discover there’s going to be a sequel.

I loved this.

The Raven Scholar is a political fantasy with lots of intrigue, a side of murder mystery, and a smattering of romance. The characters are interesting, even the side characters, and the main character is lovable but still flawed. The Raven is magnificent, naturally.

This isn't the author’s first book, and you can tell. The cast is large, and the plot is complex with lots of moving parts, but I was never confused. Every twist was well set up without being predictable, and every element was introduced ahead of time, so the story progresses naturally. Some people might find it slow as it takes a while to get to the premise outlined in the blurb, but I was never bored and, in fact, enjoyed every second.

The world-building is good, though I would have liked to see more of the world since we are mostly confined to a single island, except for a few flashbacks. I think this will be rectified in the sequel though. Speaking of which, I can’t wait for the next book!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

If I could give this book more stars, I would!

When I tell you that this book put me in a slump like Throne of Glass did, it’s no joke. I’m actually so amazed by how fast I flew through this book!

Neema (how beautiful is the name), is just a scholar who does research for the current ruler. Although she did some things in the past that she regrets, she’s pretty happy with her life.

King Bersun’s rule is coming to an end and the trials to find the next king or queen begins. These trials come with heartbreak and amazing character development!

This book will make you feel all the emotions. But I’m not mad about that. This is truly a book I can recommend you read if you enjoyed Throne of Glass.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodderscape for granting me access to this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Long read, but worth it. Loved it and I'm hoping there will be more to come. Enjoyed how it was written.

What an incredible way to start the reading year! This might just be one of my favorite books of all time. From the very first pages, I was hooked and couldn’t put it down—I found myself eager to race to the end just to see how it all unfolded.

The characters are so well-crafted that they feel real and relatable, each one adding depth and intrigue to the story. The world-building is nothing short of phenomenal, immersing you in a setting so vivid it feels like you’re right there. And the writing style? Absolutely brilliant—effortlessly captivating and engaging from start to finish.

This is my first five-star read of 2025, and I can already tell it will be a tough one to beat. A must-read for anyone looking for a truly unforgettable book!

In a world with eight kingdoms ruled by a monarch who steps down after their term, a representative of each kingdom must compete in trials to determine the next ruler - yet there's magic and foul play at work, and our titular scholar may just have to get her hands dirty..
The plot of this was fast-paced and made it a great read overall. The characters were well-written and fit well together and within the world as a whole. If you enjoy epic fantasy with trials and magic and familiars, you might enjoy this.

I was not expecting to start 2025 with a 700 page tome of epic fantasy, especially not one that brought something fresh and vibrant to the genre but here we are. What a great start to my reading year.
I really enjoyed Hodgson's historical mystery series so I'm not surprised I immediately gelled with her writing style. This was packed with engaging characters, action, wit and twists against the backdrop of excellent world building. My only stumble was that the prologue was so engaging that it led me to believe the MC would be a completely different character to the Neema, so it took me a while to warm up to her. If you like fantasy competition tropes and political fantasy, then you'll really enjoy this.