In Case You Missed It - Eyes of Crow by Jeri Smith-Ready

 

Published: November 1st, 2006

Publisher: Luna

Pages 480

Copy: My own

Summary: Goodreads

 

 

For Rhia was bound to the Spirit of Crow, gifted with the foresight of Death's approach and doomed to the isolation of one feared and set apart.

There must always be one whose magic can ease the passage of the people of Asermos to the Other Side. But to be the guide her people require, to truly know the depth of her gift--her curse--Rhia must surrender herself to the wisdom of the Great Forest…and drink deeply of Death itself. And though two powerful men stand ready to aid her, even to love her, the Aspect of Crow demands unthinkable sacrifices from one who walks its path.

I was browsing the 'for sale' truck at work the other day and found this one.  I am a huge fan of her Shade series (YA) and WVMP radio series  so I thought to myself 'Self, you can surely afford the $1.50 for these three books!'  Two days later, I have the first one read and I'm ready to start on #2.

The blurb above is a little dramatic for the actual story I think, which was really a coming of age story.  The main character, Rhia, has to come to terms with her 'gift' - which is a little macabre to say the least- and she keeps putting off her apprenticeship.  Rhia keeps trying to escape her future, but she knows she can't and acts like many teens by thinking about it later.  Add in two good looking guys - Arcas and Marek - who are more than willing to offer Rhia a shoulder to cry on and the steam starts rising.  I kept imagining Marek as a younger Gerard Butler because that was his name in the movie 'Timeline'.

A really interesting factor in this story is that all inhabitants of Asermos and Kalindon have magic that is in some way related to animals.  But there are phases, or aspects to this magic.  The first is the 'Bestowing' when each person fasts for three days and meets their animal.  The second more involved aspect arrives when that person becomes a parent, and the third when they become a grand parent.  Cool eh!  Complications can arise with the magic if the 2nd Aspect is  reached before the person is 'ready'  (a lovely nod to having safe sex) and we see that with Marek  The way he overcomes those complications is interesting.

Eyes of Crow is a fantasy with a well explored mythos, relatable characters and good sex.  Yep, this one is not for teens, but it falls squarely into what is now being called New Adult - or it would if NA had fantasy, which it might but I haven't seen anything yet- and in 2006 when this was published, an NA designation was still just a spark in some unknown persons mind.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to following Rhia as she finds out more about what she is capable of.  Great story.