Reviews

The White Raven by Diana L. Paxson, Thomas Canty

cassidyryan's review

adventurous emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

lsneal's review

1.0

A fairly dry retelling of the Tristan & Isolde story, from the point of view of Isolde's cousin/servant Branwen. The scenery descriptions were lovely, and the details of the festivals complete and scholarly, but the characters were pretty wooden. Isolde/Esseilte is just a selfish shrew the entire time. Tristan/Drustan was mildly more interesting, but we don't spend as much time with him. Branwen is supposed to be our heroine here, but she's pretty dull, for someone in constant contact with the spirit world. Still, it might have been 2 stars, were it not for the utterly gratuitous and pointless section of the book where Branwen is repeatedly raped by a side character but...likes it? Because she's just a weak woman ruled by her body? Despite this being utterly against her character throughout the rest of the book? But then the dude does something cowardly and THEN she decides she doesn't like it anymore and decides to blow up everything to bring about the denouement of the story? It's utterly gross and ridiculous. Not recommended.

vita_s_west's review

3.0

While this was mostly a good book, it dragged on a bit after the dreaded Keihirdyn chapter (which other reviewers have critiqued and mentioned). Considering the fact that this book is from the 1980s, and thus a product of its time. I skimmed the chapter. It did finally bring the conflict between Esseilte and Branwen to a head. I just think the author could have found a better way of doing that.

tresdem's review

3.0

This was a very 80's book and there was a lot of melodrama involved. It doesn't make it necessarily bad and the characters behaved more or less realistically. I do like the integration of the magic because it felt wild and dangerous but absolutely part of the story and time period.

Spoiler

The only one that was annoying was the love potion because plot device! I just didn't like it or what they did with it

For me it's a well made story and an interesting story and great if you like torrid romances and oh we can't be together sort of thing. It wasn't exactly my thing. But there are some more triggering aspects to this book that are approached in a very 80s way.

Spoiler

cw for rape, but man I am tired of seeing rape being part of a woman's narrative. There was no reason for Branwen to go through that unless there was some 'erotic quota' to be met and it's never really addressed. Do I expect it to be addressed in a novel written in the 80s? No. That doesn't mean it's good or necessary. And the fact that she uses it at the end to be like Oh look I learned things. How ironic. Isn't exactly as uplifting as the author seems to think it might be

Will I read this again? Eh, maybe. And then again...maybe not.