Review of The Raven Scholar (Eternal Path #1) by Antonia Hodgson

The Bossy Bookworm
Sep 9
2 min read

The first book in Hodgson's trilogy is smart, mysterious, charming, and layered. I loved the dark academia setting; the brilliant, socially awkward, unlikely heroine Neema; and the strange elements, such as talking, opinionated, sensitive ravens that are not only linked to Neema but a part of her.

It is one thing to admit to being feared, or hated. Quite another to admit that you are unloved, and lonely, and that it is taking all your strength to hide it.

Neema Kraa has been keeping busy as High Scholar in the land of Orrun, and her focus hasn't been on making friends. The imperious genius is eager to preserve the peace that has reigned for twenty-four years--but forces that she doesn't yet understand are tearing apart the kingdom.

A representative from each of the seven regions must compete to replace their ruler, who is about to step down. The ruthless young competitors are warriors and strategists who have been cultivating the skills and cunning for this their whole lives. And after a series of unlikely, unfortunate events, bookworm Neema becomes one of them--the least threatening, as she is clearly doomed to fail the dangerous challenges and battles and probably won't survive the ordeal.

Neema can never resist pointing out when others are wrong; she is a social outcast with an active, petty, powerful nemesis, and she only has an estranged childhood friend to lean on. Yet her dogged determination and brilliant insights eventually earn her other competitors' grudging respect. As nefarious plotting and crimes are uncovered and the stakes of the competition become ever heightened, characters must forge previously unthinkable loyalties and use every bit of knowledge and craftiness at their disposal in order to survive.

“We are here, exactly where we should be, at exactly the right moment, because we are the Raven, and we are magnificent.”

The Raven Scholar is smart, charming, and wonderfully weird. I love the headstrong, unyielding, unlikely-heroine Neema and the dark-academia elements.

There are magical, talking ravens with deep ties (!) to Neema and to the plot, and they become a mysterious, mischievous, sometimes sulking, often confusing, element that she must figure out. How is she linked to them? Is their insight trustworthy? Should she listen to their cutthroat instincts?

There is a romantic element, but this is, happily for me, a richly built fantasy and not a romantasy. The romance is lovely, poignant, and just enough.

Not everything is as it seems, and only clever Neema seems capable of unraveling the layers that make up the complex wrongdoings and destructive facades that are fooling everyone else.

I listened to this novel as an audiobook.