Published by: Quercus, March 5th 2015
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Witches
Pages: 384
Format: Ebook
Source: Quercus
Danny is a fun-loving 16-year-old looking for a father figure and falling in love with a different girl every day. He certainly doesn't want to follow in his mum's witchy footsteps.
Just as his community is being threatened by gangs intent on finding a lucrative power source to sell to the world, Danny discovers he is stunningly powerful. And when he falls for Saba, a gorgeous but capricious girl sorceress, he thinks maybe the witch thing might not be such a bad idea...
But what cost will Danny pay as, with his community on the brink of war, he finds that love and sorcery are more dangerous than he ever imagined?
Wickedness and passion combine in this coming-of-age adventure.
Crow Moon brings to life the witchcraft and enchantment of Cornwall, and tells the story of Danny, the son of a witch, as he struggles to balance romance and responsibility.
I liked Crow Moon. It has a serious atmosphere about it, a tense, temperamental tone that I loved. I've not read anything set in Cornwall and Devon before, but it gave this book a definite gothic undertone that made everything darker, more enticing.
Sadly, the characters didn't do much for me. Danny was selfish, thoughtless, and impulsive. He has no idea what he wants, which is evident in him having a friend with benefits, as well as being 'in love' with a different girl called Saba, and then because he can't be with Saba - because she has a boyfriend - sleeping with an entirely different girl just because she's there and because he can. I didn't much like Saba either. There's not much about her and because of that she felt more like a love interest than an actual character. The love between her and Danny seemed plausible but empty, and the romance wasn't romantic at all, not for me. Not to mention Danny's motivations for most of what he did was wanting to get laid, which seeeeriously put me off him.
But aside from the characters, this book is great. The setting is so vivid, the imagery of Cornwall and Devon so strong. I could basically see the moors and the cliffs by the sea. I loved that it was partly set in Tintagel, a moody, alluring place I'd love to visit. I enjoyed all the magic, witchy stuff. I liked how it was so traditional, and drew on classic witchcraft, with herbs and rituals and energy. The witchcraft was my favourite thing about this, and how the group of witches that protected Tintagel were called the Five Hands - it sounds mysterious and cool.
I enjoyed the magic and setting of this book, but the characters really brought it down for me. Maybe a younger reader would identify more with the reckless love of the characters.
Characters ★★★☆☆
Setting/world building ★★★☆☆
Writing ★★★☆☆
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