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alreadyemily's review against another edition
3.0
I found the raven and Tower of London bits to be quite interesting, along with some of the biographical information. I suppose it was my bad for not expecting quite so much imperialism, ha!
cwalsh's review against another edition
5.0
I cannot BEGIN to tell you how much I ADORED this book!
First of all, Skaife is an incredible storyteller and if I ever get to the Tower of London, I'll wait as long as I have to for him to be my guide. I was completely taken by his wit, humor, and charm; so much so that when I finished the book, I wished I had not. Second, I had no idea that the title "Ravenmaster" even existed. That being said, I am completely ready to quit my job to be an apprentice... holla @ me, bro.
As the legend goes,"if the Tower of London ravens are lost or fly away, the Crown will fall and Britain with it". It is therefore the responsibility of the Ravenmaster (and in this case Yeomen Warder, Christopher Skaife) and his team to ensure this never happens. Skaife describes his daily routines with the ravens, from the very specific way he has to release the ravens in the morning to their rather grotesque feeding time, where readers learn about the... interesting... eating habits of these omnivorous birds. In addition to his own personal experiences with the ravens, he touches upon their behavior (he claims he is no ornithologist, but his firsthand accounts are definitely something to take into consideration), and offers further information on the Tower of London's history, the fascination with ravens in literature, and more.
If you're looking for a delightful book with a whole lot of charm and quirkiness, look no further, the Ravenmaster has got you covered!
First of all, Skaife is an incredible storyteller and if I ever get to the Tower of London, I'll wait as long as I have to for him to be my guide. I was completely taken by his wit, humor, and charm; so much so that when I finished the book, I wished I had not. Second, I had no idea that the title "Ravenmaster" even existed. That being said, I am completely ready to quit my job to be an apprentice... holla @ me, bro.
As the legend goes,"if the Tower of London ravens are lost or fly away, the Crown will fall and Britain with it". It is therefore the responsibility of the Ravenmaster (and in this case Yeomen Warder, Christopher Skaife) and his team to ensure this never happens. Skaife describes his daily routines with the ravens, from the very specific way he has to release the ravens in the morning to their rather grotesque feeding time, where readers learn about the... interesting... eating habits of these omnivorous birds. In addition to his own personal experiences with the ravens, he touches upon their behavior (he claims he is no ornithologist, but his firsthand accounts are definitely something to take into consideration), and offers further information on the Tower of London's history, the fascination with ravens in literature, and more.
If you're looking for a delightful book with a whole lot of charm and quirkiness, look no further, the Ravenmaster has got you covered!
jkhsquonk's review against another edition
3.0
If you like history and/or wildlife, you'll enjoy this book. Get to know the ravens as individuals and see what it's like to live in the Tower of London. Nice job of combining all f the elements with humor, insight and a sense of place.
katieconrad's review against another edition
funny
informative
fast-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Gun violence and War
danaisreading's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
4.0
I don't typically give stars to autobiographies and memoirs, but this book is more about Christopher Skaife's job of caring of the ravens and the history of the ravens at the Tower of London. It is laid out as a "day in the life" - starting with waking at 5:30am to check on the ravens and ending when he puts the ravens to bed.
The book also happens to seamlessly interweave stories about his life. At one point, Skaife mentioned how Yeoman Warders should be storytellers so that the tours they lead around the Tower are entertaining for their visitors. If this book is a demonstration of his ability, I believe I would thoroughly appreciate his guided tour of the Tower of London.
The book also happens to seamlessly interweave stories about his life. At one point, Skaife mentioned how Yeoman Warders should be storytellers so that the tours they lead around the Tower are entertaining for their visitors. If this book is a demonstration of his ability, I believe I would thoroughly appreciate his guided tour of the Tower of London.
brighroosh's review against another edition
5.0
I had been wanting to read this for a long time. I must have seen a news clip about the Ravenmaster that peaked my interest. Then in advance of reading the book I watched one of the many YouTube clips about Christopher Skaife and his unusual job.
Skaife doesn't just recite facts and observations about the Ravens he takes care of. He inserts his background story of being in the British military and how it prepared him for this job whether dealing with things going awry, death and injuries, and uncomfortable weather conditions. He is self-deprecating in a very charming way, but always positive about his and the birds foibles.
I loved learning about the various birds personalities and their habits. I loved Skaife's list of the top five questions he and the other Yeoman Warders are asked by tourists, and their slightly sarcastic answers to the public.
Skaife recites the entire history and legends by heart as a storyteller to the many visitors at the Tower of London. He is averse to teaching the Ravens tricks or learning to speak, letting them be just the Ravens that they are.
I am now following his Twitter feed, where he has little video clips of the Ravens, and is even on TikTok now!
Skaife doesn't just recite facts and observations about the Ravens he takes care of. He inserts his background story of being in the British military and how it prepared him for this job whether dealing with things going awry, death and injuries, and uncomfortable weather conditions. He is self-deprecating in a very charming way, but always positive about his and the birds foibles.
I loved learning about the various birds personalities and their habits. I loved Skaife's list of the top five questions he and the other Yeoman Warders are asked by tourists, and their slightly sarcastic answers to the public.
Skaife recites the entire history and legends by heart as a storyteller to the many visitors at the Tower of London. He is averse to teaching the Ravens tricks or learning to speak, letting them be just the Ravens that they are.
I am now following his Twitter feed, where he has little video clips of the Ravens, and is even on TikTok now!
maryc79's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed Christopher Skaife's account of the Tower of London and the ravens that live with him in the tower
lambsears's review against another edition
3.0
Not great literature, but a brightly told memoir of Skaife's life with the ravens in the Tower of London and how he got there.
Ravens are in my life currently, and I learned quite a lot about them, thanks to the Ravenmaster.
A nice, quick read.
Ravens are in my life currently, and I learned quite a lot about them, thanks to the Ravenmaster.
A nice, quick read.