Review: The Seventh Raven by David Elliott

The Seventh Raven by David Elliott

Published by HMH Books for Young Readers on March 2021
Genres: Young Adult, Verse
Pages: 192
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
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Best-selling author David Elliott examines the timeless themes of balance, transformation, and restoration in this evocative tale about a girl who will stop at nothing to reverse a curse that turned her seven brothers into ravens.

And these are the sons
Of good Jack and good Jane
The eldest is Jack
And the next one is Jack
And the third one’s called Jack
And the fourth’s known as Jack
And the fifth says he’s Jack
And they call the sixth Jack
But the seventh’s not Jack
The seventh is Robyn

And this is his story

When Robyn and his brothers are turned into ravens through the work of an unlucky curse, a sister is their only hope to become human again. Though she’s never met her brothers, April will stop at nothing to restore their humanity. But what about Robyn, who always felt a greater affinity to the air than to the earth-bound lives of his family?

David Elliott’s latest novel in verse explores the unintended consequences of our actions, no matter our intentions, and is filled with powerful messages teased from a Grimms’ fairy tale. Stunning black-and-white illustrations throughout by Rovina Cai.

This unique story about a girl who is born and must save her seventh brothers from a curse is intriguing, dark and reminiscent of older and more troubling fairy tales. April was born dying and her parents, in their despair, wished her to breathe. Their wish was granted, but the cost was her seven brothers becoming ravens for many many years. Until one day April figures out the curse and how to cure them. And what if one of her brothers doesn’t want to be saved?

The tone of the story is lovely and mesmerizing, the verse flowing through each short poem from the character’s point of view. I love the Ravens as a collection, their frustrations and desperation really come through in their one bird mind, with only Robyn breaking out to speak about how comfortable he is in his new form and how he doesn’t wish to change back. The metaphors are heavy but not in a bad way. Robyn’s rode to self discovery and his own comfortableness in his skin play nicely against his brothers who wish to turn back to men.

There are some very beautiful lines in this book, mostly from the narrator’s pages. Elliott’s rhythm and repetition really shine through as layer after layer is exposed of April’s quest. The brothers, as I mentioned before, have this Greek chorus quality of dread and hope and overall sight that really brings the reader outside of the normal viewpoints and over the overall arching story. I had to read some lines again because they were so much fun.

The plot moved a little slowly for me. April finding out and then her adventure trying to free her brothers felt a little slow at the beginning. The ending was satisfying but not very exciting and while I felt like it was good closure, the right tone, I felt a little let down that I didn’t feel any emotional attachment to the characters.

Overall, it’s a well written story with beautiful passages that I would recommend to many readers who love dark fairy tales and verse. It is beautifully poetic and has a dream like quality that all good magical stories should have.