(Beyond the Faerie Rath Book 1)
By Hanna Park
Publisher: Baisong Press
Print Length: 260 Pages
Genre: Fantasy / Romance
Calla left her life behind, haunted by a curse she cannot control. She seeks refuge in the land of a thousand hellos, Ireland, for a fresh start—a place where no one knows who or what she is.
Colm fled from Clonmara seven long years ago, but now it’s his father’s birthday, and the clan has gathered to celebrate the ould one. Each day brings back the memories that ruined him.
Saoirse dwells in the shadows of a lost love, unwilling to move on and unable to forget. The crystals say one thing, but the cold, hard truth tells another.
Ciarán walked away from the woman he loved for the fun, for the craic. He didn’t realize that one rash decision would impact the lives of so many, least of all his own.
Four broken hearts, brought together by the thread of love.
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Book Review
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The Scald Crow begins in a place that feels familiar—grief, family, and the pull of returning home—but it doesn’t stay contained for long. What unfolds is a story that gradually widens in scope, moving from something grounded and recognisable into a world shaped by folklore, instinct, and forces that are never fully explained but always felt.
At the centre of the novel is Calla, whose arrival in Ireland is driven as much by escape as it is by circumstance. Inheriting a property gives her a reason to leave behind a life that has never quite worked for her. Her abilities—visions of the past, glimpses of the future, and moments she cannot fully control—have made it impossible for her to settle anywhere or form lasting connections. Rather than being presented as a gift, these abilities feel isolating, placing her slightly out of step with the world around her. This sense of disconnection shapes much of her character, making her both observant and guarded.
Colm’s story runs alongside hers, rooted more firmly in place and memory. His return home brings with it the weight of family expectations, loss, and the unresolved disappearance of his brother, Ciarán. Where Calla arrives as an outsider, Colm is tied to the land and its history, even when he would rather distance himself from it. His perspective adds a different kind of tension to the story, one grounded in what has been left behind rather than what lies ahead.
The relationship between Calla and Colm develops within this shared space, but it does not follow a predictable path. It is shaped as much by instinct as by interaction, unfolding through moments that exist both in waking life and in something less easily defined. Their connection feels immediate, but not simple. It carries a sense of inevitability, as though it belongs to a pattern that has already begun to take shape.
Running beneath their story is the lingering presence of the fae, which the novel handles with restraint. Rather than presenting them directly, the narrative allows their influence to emerge gradually through atmosphere, language, and suggestion. Conversations hint at a structure that exists beyond human understanding, where certain names are not spoken lightly and certain events are accepted rather than questioned. This approach gives the world a sense of depth without fully revealing its boundaries.
Ciarán’s storyline adds another dimension to the narrative. His disappearance is not treated as a single event, but as something that continues to affect those around him. When his situation is explored more closely, it becomes clear that his survival is neither simple nor entirely explained. What stands out is the way his experience is grounded through familiar customs and traditions, suggesting that even in unfamiliar circumstances, there are ways of holding onto identity.
The plot itself unfolds steadily, focusing less on dramatic turns and more on gradual discovery. Information is revealed in fragments—through conversation, memory, and small shifts in understanding—rather than through direct exposition. This allows the story to build tension over time, encouraging the reader to piece together what is happening rather than being told outright.
The setting plays a significant role in shaping this experience. Rural Ireland is not simply a backdrop, but an active presence within the story. The land feels lived-in and layered, carrying both history and suggestion. It provides a sense of continuity, even as the narrative begins to move into less certain territory.
What emerges from all of this is a story that feels both grounded and expansive. It begins with personal circumstances—loss, escape, return—but gradually opens into something wider, where individual experiences are connected to a larger, more complex world. By the end, the narrative feels less like a complete arc and more like the beginning of something still unfolding, leaving space for what is to come next.
Hanna Park
`I began my writing career in the pre-dawn of a winter morning while my husband snored like a train. We could call my husband the catalyst. If it weren’t for him, I would never have gone to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee, feed the cat, and sit on the loveseat in front of the fire. It was there, in those moments of wondrous quiet, that I did something I had never thought possible. I opened my laptop, and while the coffee went cold, I wrote a story. My husband had no idea that these sojourns to the loveseat in front of the fire would become a daily occurrence, that writing would become an obsession, but the cat knew. She knows everything.
I write stories that make you laugh, make you cry, and make you love. Thank you, friends, for reading!
In the beginning, there was an empty page.
I am a writer who lives in Muskoka, Canada, with a husband who snores, a hungry cat, and an almost perfect canine––he’s an adorable little shit.
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I’m so grateful you spent time with this story. Ireland has a way of blurring the line between longing and danger… and I love that you stepped into both. ✨
ReplyDeleteReally appreciate your lovely review and for hosting today’s stop.
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