In the Land of Tea and Ravens by R.K. Ryals
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A beautiful story about love, family, relationships and the mysterious art of tea making and drinking. A rather short story with respect to being called a full fleshed novel, but containing more depth and substance than many other, longer novels I have read recently.
The characters were superbly constructed from the protagonist to the secondary characters, each one serving their role without giving the reader the feeling they are present only for the purpose of moving the plot along. The relationship between the two main characters was well paced, satisfyingly tragic without coming across as sappy and always containing a hint of mystique.
To be quite honest, during the first few pages the writing seemed slightly awkward, which actually adds to the experience of this beautiful story by enhancing the mysterious attributes of the unfolding plot. Also, not often does a reader come across a story in which the author was successfully able to infuse intriguing storytelling with poetic contemplation without wasting the reader’s time with useless rambling. Personally, this was the first story I found myself inclined multiple times to highlight great quotes.
The plot was intricate and wonderful to follow until the end.
Overall, this story was delightful to read. With its paranormal elements, mysterious circumstances, great writing and equally great characters I would recommend it to anyone in search for a quality story.
