The Judgment

Dave Jenkinson is a professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba and the author of the “Portraits” section of Emergency Librarian.

This concluding volume in the Feather and Bone: The Crow Chronicles
trilogy continues the story of Kyp and his flock following their rescue
of Kym and other birds from captivity in a medical research facility,
the plot focus of Book 2, The Plague (2005). The goal of the now
slightly enlarged Kyp-led flock is to return to its traditional
Gathering Tree, a place featured in Book 1, The Mob (2004). However,
standing in their way is the Collection, led by Kuper, who, in addition
to holding a personal grudge against Kyp stemming from events in The
Mob, is driven to unify all crows under his dictatorial leadership.
Consequently, instead of Kyp’s flying directly west to the Gathering
Tree, he initially directs his flock southward in an attempt to escape
their forceful absorption into the Collection.

The story, which is initially narrated by Kata, the flock’s
storyteller, is divided into three parts. It introduces a new character,
Kuru, a crow elder, while expanding the role of Kryk, one of the
released captives. Kuper’s increasing hostility toward humans,
initially rooted in happenings in The Mob, propels him to lead the
Collective into a desperate, ultimately fatal, confrontation with
humans. The Judgment, which includes yet more crow lore as well as
several unexpected twists, brings the trilogy to a satisfying
conclusion.

Though the book can be treated as a stand-alone read, middle schoolers
who have encountered Martini’s two earlier books will find their
reading of The Judgment to be much enriched. Recommended.