2 out of 4 stars
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The Raven and the Keepers of Time by Shane Vlcek takes place on the Beau River near a mountain range, where high schooler Marcus and his family live. Nearly everyone in his family has some connection with the mystical spirit of the raven, which allows them to wield magical powers, from blasts of energy to shapeshifting. Marcus himself takes after his father, a Keeper of Time, and he has a special connection with the rocks surrounding his home. The book juxtaposes these fantasy elements with a grounded, real-world setting.
This setting is, by far, the book's greatest strength. It's extremely vivid, with its own distinct environments, from the Beau River to Raven's Peak, although the book can be a little bit heavy-handed with its symbolism when it comes to Maple Grove, which is full of trees that turn blood-red in the fall. As far as I can tell, these places were fictional, but they were presented so realistically that I actually had a hard time convincing myself of this fact. There are some grammatical errors, mostly pertaining to apostrophe usage, but I don't feel like they impact the book's immersion.
I wasn't particularly happy with the character development, though. There are no fewer than five romantic pairings, and literally every main character has a heterosexual partner. Romantic tension is, by far, the most predominant form of character interaction, and it becomes repetitive very quickly. By the time Eve, the last romantic interest, was introduced, I found myself internally groaning. Marcus's fears about his girlfriend going off to college make for an interesting coming-of-age side plot, but since they both realize from the start that their destinies are linked, even this isn't nearly as compelling as it could be.
This book's conflicts are also rather lackluster. The Oldbloods are the sworn enemies of Marcus's family, with the exception of Shar, Phillip's girlfriend. They're evil in an almost comical sense, with motives that are somewhat unclear beyond a mindless lust for power, and they show up to cause trouble seemingly at random. Not only that, but Marcus's family has so much power that the Oldbloods rarely seem like a threat. Since there isn't any conflict within the group, either, the book doesn't have much tension to speak of.
Ultimately, I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. Its vivid environments will hold the interest of those who, like the author, are captivated by the mountains, and I can see younger readers finding it entertaining, though there is some minor cursing. Unfortunately, I just don't think it's a very well-executed story, so more seasoned readers are better off looking elsewhere.
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The Raven and the Keepers of Time
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