The number of pages is what enticed me into reading this, along with a few people from BookTwitter who swear I have to at least lend more than half an hour of my reading time to this novella. I am glad I did. While I was immersed in it, drowning as I tried to make sense of what was happening, my mind had nothing on it other than the perpetual hope that the novella would magically add more pages so I could indulge in its brilliance for at least a hundred times, for as long as I am able. It is a once in a lifetime read with magnificent prose, immersive characters, and brilliant wordplay—a feast for my eyes and my mind. So much exercise for my heart and gut. What amazed me is that despite how compact it is, it does not limit any element of the story. The characters are fully realized, the world is well established in a way that allows the reader to understand what is happening even without additional details beyond the battles, and the element of time as a centerpiece is expressed through looped narrations. It feels complete because it is, fitting, and extremely well thought out—we could say this is because there is no way it could have ended differently than it did. A brilliant masterpiece. I could have said I have no words, but in fact I had so many. LOL

The reason this story hooked me from the very beginning is its refreshing approach to epic fantasy, one that does not announce its own grandeur the moment you step inside its world. We have countless books about gods or guardians and the chosen one, and many of them follow a familiar path where the weak but wise unexpected hero rises to the center of everything. I will always devour that kind of premise, and it is part of why this book became THAT book for me.

What truly made me stay, however, is the murder mystery at its core. I have been reading mysteries for as long as I can remember, and this one exceeded every expectation. The narration is incredibly clean despite the presence of many points of view. It becomes even more intriguing once you realize we have been reading from the perspective of the Flock the entire time, which explains the shifting voices because they are everywhere at once. This structure made it easier for me to follow everyone’s motivations and offer my own guesses about Gaida’s murderer and the events that unfolded before her death.

There are several points of focus throughout the story, yet the world building never feels compromised. Nothing is dumped on the reader. Instead, everything is presented as a lived reality through slow and immersive scenes, dialogues, and reflections by the Flock and by Neema. Perhaps this is because they are Ravens, and Ravens are drawn to making everything, even language, feel magnificent.

I also found it fascinating how the quirks, skills, and wisdom of every contender mirror those of their Guardian. Their motivations and decisions become both predictable and frustrating in a way that feels deliberate. Yet I remain unsure whether this comes from their nature or from the influence of the Guardians themselves. A little more clarity on that would have helped.

Still, I enjoyed this book so much. I would love to read a second one if it ever arrives. For now, I am not entirely ready to move on.