Mort the Meek and the Ravens’ Revenge

4 reviews for Mort the Meek and the Ravens’ Revenge

1. 

   Inge – January 17, 2021

   A laughter-inducing read!

   Brutalia is a brutal place rubbing off on its inhabitants, but there is one person who does not enjoy the brutality all the others seem to love: Mort is dubbed ’the Meek’ by his family. When Mort’s uncle the executioner dies he is given the most brutal task of all. His first execution is that of his best friend and he only has a week to figure out how to stop it, he is a pacifist after all…

   This book dealt with some great themes in a funny lighthearted way. I sped through the book, loved the illustrations and the funny narrative style. I can imagine it not being everyone’s cup of tea, but would definitely recommend giving this a try!

   Thanks Little Tiger and Netgalley for the e-ARC

2. 

   Jenny Moore – January 18, 2021

   I so enjoyed Mort the Meek and the Ravens’ Revenge. The zany narratorial humour reminded me of Andy Stanton’s Mr Gum series, which was a big favourite in our house. I loved the fantasy setting, too – Brutalia is brilliantly awful – and Mort makes for a great relatable hero. Who can resist a pacifist executioner?! I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

3. 

   Schizanthus Nerd – February 11, 2021

   Here we are in Brutalia, where there are two towers, both of which look like they could come crashing down into the Salty Sea at any moment.

   “The Queen and King were horrible.
   The people were violent.
   And the ravens were ravenous.”

   You are not welcome here. Not that it’s a place you’d want to go on vacation; the people are perpetually hungry, rule breakers suffer unimaginable punishments (like wasp baths) and then there’s Brutalia’s motto:

   “LIVE OR DIE”

   Trust me when I say you’re more likely to die than live if you’re foolish enough to visit. There’s so much death here that there’s an official Body Carrier. And a Body Lugger. I doubt you would want either job.

   So why do we want to hear any more about this horrific place? Well, because it’s where Mort lives. He’s got a lot on his mind this week. Mort is a pacifist, which is sort of inconvenient, especially considering he’s Brutalia’s new Royal Executioner. His first job is to execute his “most delicious-smelling friend”, Weed.

   “And so the plot thickens.”

   This was a delightful story. Well, as delightful as it could be with everyone hungry and fearing for their lives, and the ravens hoping that someone will give them some eyeballs for dinner.

   This is a place where a misunderstood homonym can kill you, where there’s battle cutlery and you need to be extremely careful if you encounter a Grot Bear. It’s also a place where a pacifist will try to save his best friend (and himself) from a death most brutal. Mort is an underdog I believe in and want to spend more time with.

   The ravens stoles the best lines, although I’m sure they would have much preferred to have stolen some food. Their chats at the beginning of each chapter were something I quickly looked forward to.

   “I’ve got an idea.”
   “Can I have some of your eye, dear?”
   “What? No! I said an IDEA.”
   “What is it?”
   “I’ve forgotten it now.”

   Sometimes I find it annoying when the narrator randomly addresses the reader throughout the story but it wasn’t overdone here and it even managed to elicit some smiles from me.

   “Doesn’t time go fast when you’re watching other people struggle with a difficult plot!”

   I loved George Ermos’ illustrations. They were dark when they needed to be (they wouldn’t have scared me if I’d read this book as a kid). They also incorporated some humour, particularly when the ravens, who were my favourite characters, were featured. I thought using feathers as page breaks was a really nice touch.

   There’s going to be a sequel, The Monstrous Quest.

   “Well, thank the gallows for that!”

   It has tentacles and it looks as though Ono, Mort’s new friend who I haven’t had anywhere near enough page time with yet, is going to be involved in the quest. I can’t wait!

   Thank you so much to NetGalley and Stripes Publishing, an imprint of Little Tiger Group, for the opportunity to read this book.

4. 

   Rebecca Rouillard – February 19, 2021

   In Brutalia everyone is brutally violent—everyone is always getting into fights with each other and the bloodthirsty Queen is always threating to execute everyone. Mort, however, is a pacifist. But when Mort’s best friend is sentenced to death and Mort is appointed the new Royal Executioner, he has to find a way to save his friend—in a non-violent manner. But what if he’s not really a pacifist? What if he’s just gutless?

   This is a series that kids will love—a laugh-out-loud hilarious and disgustingly gruesome story, with a relatable protagonist. My favourite part was the Greek Chorus of ravens making silly puns about the various human body parts they want to eat.