So. Much. Tea drinking. Honestly, the constant making of tea, drinking of tea, talking about tea threatened to disrupt my enjoyment of the story. I appreciated that the book had a strong-willed, knowledgeable female lead character and put most of its narrative focus on other women. But it felt to me that the book started stronger than it finished. I am on the fence about reading the sequel. ( )

Yet another fantasy story for me, who is unashamedly not a fantasy fan. But, nothing soothes like a Nathan Lowell story, and Ravenwood fits that bill. A very enjoyable tale, definitely different than the Solar Clipper series. ( )

A story about a brave, mid-fifties, unassuming women who wandered the roads of an agrarian society for twenty years dressed as a slight man and carrying an oak staff. She had left an abusive husband after a particularly severe beating. On her journey, she spent time with other enlightened women and learned the ways of herbs and folk medicine absorbing the ways of the natural world including prayers and incantations. She was heading towards a renown wise, old women in the north who had accumulated a life of wisdom in the uses of natural remedies and potions, hoping to study with her and learn of her knowledge before it was lost with her death. She passes through a small village and ends up showing the villagers how to use a tea made of willow bark to treat a women that had a high fever. The villagers begged her to spend some time with them and teach them some of the herbal remedies she knew as their village medicine women had died the previous winter without training any replacement. She settles for the first time in twenty years and befriends the villagers another first in many years. Her struggles to fit in and become a member of a society that held her in high esteem while anxious to complete her self assigned mission. The story features her development into a seer and benefactor for the village and also showcases her strength of character and physical ability when confronted by bullies and would be extortionists. A story of love, bravery, strength and growth in the world. Well developed characters and appropriate dialogue in a realistic environment not far removed from our current life. ( )

After reading other reviews of "Ravenwood" I decided to download it and give it a try as my preferred listening option on the commute to and from work. The author, Nathan Lowell was a far superior narrator of his material than others to whom I had listened and, though the plot developed slowly, I was happy to listen further to the pleasant reading.

I have to admit I was at a loss as to the time and place that Tanyth, the main character, inhabited. At once, it seemed to be the past but I could not figure the exact time or even a location and this niggled me - just a little. After a while, however, I settled into her story and as new characters were slowly introduced I felt more and more comfortable.

The story centres around Tanyth, a woman who travels (on foot) from place to place learning from the wiser of her sex about herbs - growing, eating and medicinal applications. To keep herself safe she travels dressed as a man and it is clear, almost from the start, there is something in Tanyth's past which has led to this path; her history is glimpsed occasionally as the story develops.

On her way to meet another wise woman, Tanyth finds herself in a hamlet of young people who seem a little out-of-place. As one of their number falls ill, Tanyth skills are called for. Eventually the residents convince Tanyth to stay over the winter before resuming her travels and teach two of the community's number to do for themselves, their own healer having passed away. Tanyth finds herself undergoing personal changes in the hamlet, as the residents and their activities come under scrutiny from undesirables.

"Ravenwood" is peppered throughout with rituals which have their basis in wicca and paganism; some of this feels a little forced, whereas the herbal lore easily slips into the storyline. It also contains a fair bit of violence, and I found it difficult to listen to one section near the end of the story in which the author describes some wounds rather graphically. Nathan Lowell is very descriptive, but not overly so, to the point where a picture is easily built within the mind. He manages to create the environment and atmosphere of Ravenswood, slowly but surely, and eventually you fall into Tanyth's world only to be disappointed when you finally leave, all the while hoping that you will one day be able to return. Nathan Lowell has indicated this is part one of further adventures of Tanyth Fairport and I, for one, will be listening again. ( )