The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle, #1)

by Maggie Stiefvater

Will Patton (Narrator)

"There are only two reasons a nonseer would see a spirit on St. Mark's Eve," Neeve said. "Either you're his true love... or you killed him."

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive. Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them – not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her. His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can't entirely explain. He has it all - family money, good looks, devoted friends – but he's looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.

From Maggie Stiefvater, the best-selling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we've never been before.

• ASIN: B009CLMMZY
• Publish Date: 18 September 2012 (first published 1 September 2012)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Scholastic Audio
• Edition: Audible
• Format: Audiobook
• Duration: 11 hours and 8 minutes
• Language: English

Reviews

Why did I like this book? I shouldn’t have liked this book. But I did. Oh boy, did I.

I’ve heard tons of wonderful things about Maggie Steifvater for a long time now, but I admit, I never wanted to read her books. Her first series, the Shiver series, came to my attention right around the same time as the obsession with all things Twilight was gaining hurricane level forces. I didn’t really care to read about any more werewolves — not really my cup of tea anyways. She came to the forefront again with The Scorpio Races, but I heard some “meh” things about it and never picked it up. Additionally, I like urban fantasy, but it’s not my favorite genre. I just assumed she wasn’t for me. But oh my, after reading this, I take it back.

I picked The Raven Boys up on a whim. I didn’t have anything to read and of all of her series, this is the one that seemed most up my alley (hot boys + magicalness = for me), sooooo ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ .

The writing.

The Writing….

If there is nothing else I can say about this book, I can say with 100% certainty that the writing was marvelous. The writing was just so lyrical and beautiful. She could describe the most inane things in the most beautiful of ways. Honestly, if anything kept me glued to the pages, it was the gorgeousness that is the written word. The writing was a perfect match to the whimsical and odd plot that is The Raven Boys. They just flowed together so seamlessly that I was left in wonder and amazement the entire time.

However, the writing was not the only aspect that surprised me. Another reason I was so hesitant to read this book was because I felt like it was going to be a weird love pentagon. Fear not! Romance, though there, takes more of a backseat. What is left is the most odd and endearing friendship between individuals. I loved all of the boys who, though very, very different, went together so seamlessly. They had their issues and may not have always gotten along, but still went so well together. I could go on and on about them because they are all so precious (though I’m not sure “precious” applied necessarily to the thorn that is Ronan but I loved him anyways) and unique and I adored every. single. one. Gansey was just so intelligent and passionate and goodhearted. Ronan, the boy with a troubled past and harsh tongue, but who cared deeply. Quiet, determined, and incredibly hardworking (and hardheaded) Adam. And the sweet, adorable awkwardness that is Noah. And Blue. Oh, how I absolutely adore her with her whimsicalness. She had a quiet strength about her and loved fiercely. She was an odd little duckling for sure, but I cherished the relationship she had with her different little family and the boys. It all went together so, well, seamlessly. Like they’d actually been friends forever but just now admitted it. I just wanted to hug them all!

But really, it was all just so magical. Odd, for sure, but magical nonetheless. While I enjoy urban fantasy, I usually prefer my fantasy being pure fantasy, so I was completely taken aback with just how fantastical this story felt. And, I’m beyond intrigued with the quest. I can’t say much else plot wise without spoilers, but it was just amazing how dedicated they all were to the quest and, most importantly, to each other *jumps for joy for the awesome friendships going on in this book*.

If you like whimsy and fantasy and amazing friendships and adorableness and magic and beautiful, wonderful storytelling, read this.

Original review can be found on my blog Oh, For the Love of Books!

[Berls]

This review appeared first at Fantasy is More Fun.

When I put The Raven Boys down as a choice for My TBR List, it was the book I least expected to win, because it was the one I had heard the least about. I guess that means it was also the book I had the least interest in reading. And then the votes started coming in and y'all shocked the hell out of me. Apparently I'd been living under a rock, because The Raven Boys and Maggie Stiefvater seem to be very well known and loved by quite a few. I didn't get it, but my voters had chosen. So I checked the audio out of the library (after a break panic because I thought I owned The Raven Boys) and listened to it. Turns out, I have some pretty smart voters. I so get why everyone voted for The Raven Boys now. Thanks guys!

It took me a little bit to really get into The Raven Boys, but I think that had a lot to do with the narrator. I almost checked The Raven Boys out as an eBook instead of an Audiobook, because the sample didn't thrill me. But I knew if I was going to get in read on time, I'd better go audio. I'm glad I did, since I barely finished on time and Will Patton really grew on me. It just took me a bit, I think mainly because (1) I gravitate towards female narrators and (2)The Raven Boys starts off in the female perspective (the MC Blue's POV), so a male's narration is a little jarring to start with. But as it turns out a majority of The Raven Boys is in the male POV so I adjusted and ended enjoying the narration for the most part. Will Patton does an okay job with his voice, though the female voices took some getting used to as well.

Blue's world did grab me pretty early on, seeing as I'm a lover of all things supernatural. The Raven Boys takes place in our world with a few people who are in the know about the supernatural - and Blue's family are among those in the know. Everyone but Blue is a psychic with particular talents. Blue isn't a psychic, but she's like a human power amplifier and makes everyone's abilities stronger. And poor Blue has known since she was a child that she would kiss her true love and her true love would die. I have to say, this prophecy is my only real disappointment with The Raven Boys, for two reasons:

1. It could apply to anyone! In your typically psychic way of giving prophecies this one doesn't reveal much. Blue will kiss her true love and he will die. It's not specific how he will die or when he will die. Anyone else reading between the lines and thinking "Um, everyone will die someday... so couldn't it just be that she'll kiss him many times over their life together and then at a ripe old age of 90 he'll die?" Apparently in this house full of psychics no one else sees it this way and poor Blue is TERRIFIED of kissing! I guess it's likely that her mom and the rest know more details and it really is closely linked, but I found it really annoying that this huge glaring vagueness is controlling so much of Blue's life.


2. It's not even slightly resolved!See it's this BIG thing throughout The Raven Boys and yet, in hindsight, I realize that it's really not even close to the point. Now that I've reached the end, I think it might be the point of the series... and I think that annoys me too because of point #1.

Frustration with the prophecy aside, The Raven Boys was really enjoyable. It did take me a while to latch on the RIGHT point of the book - and it took me even longer to realize that I was holding on to TWO wrong points (the other is kinda spoiler-y, so I won't share it). The misdirection, which had me jumping at shadows, is a bit frustrating, but at the same time it kept things interesting since the ACTUAL point - a mystery surrounding the discovery and awakening of the ley lines - wasn't the most exciting bit for me. It was good and lead to some spectacularly weird moments that I enjoyed, particularly because they let me use my ever-weakening Latin skills (though everything was translated too).

Each of the characters has such a vibrant personality and I loved getting to know them. I liked the boys and got excited as the puzzle pieces in their search started coming together. There were a few unexpected twists that I enjoyed - and though I think I figured out the moment that put The Raven Boys on Goodreads Causes of Ugly Crying list, I think I also know why it's like #410 on that list... not many people are going to ugly cry over it. I didn't even come close to shedding a tear. It was more of a "gasp!" moment.

All in all, I'm really glad I was introduced to this fun world and The Raven Boys - I do plan to continue with the series at some point.

[Stephanie]

Really enjoyed the story, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I read it instead of listened to the audio. The narrator was good, this was just the kind of story that I would prefer to read.

[Sam@WLABB]

All I can say it, I need to start the next book.

There is so much to talk about with respect to this book.

The premise: A group of boys, led by one of their own, are seeking a legendary king. In order to accomplish this task, they must find where the ley lines intersect and the "energy" is concentrated. The energy happens to be concentrated in Henniretta, the hometown of Blue. Blue is a teenager who lives in a home full of psychics. This premise was very interesting and new for me, which I really liked.

The characters: The group of boys, known as the Raven boys, are an interesting bunch. Each one carries a weight, a burden, but they are stronger together, than apart. Then, there are Blue's mom and her "aunts". These women are quite amusing and do a lot to color this story. Finally, there is the person who brings them all together, Blue. Each character is interesting, multi-dimensional, and important in their own right.

The ending: All I'm going to say is, "What did he just say?"

[girlinthepages]

This review was originally posted at Girl in the Pages


I really had no idea what to expect from this book. I had read Stiefvater’s Wolves of Mercy Falls series and liked her writing style, but hated the way the trilogy ended, and the premise of the Raven Cycle was really different from the werewolf genre. I’d seen a lot of rave reviews about The Dream Thieves on a lot of my favorite blogs so I decided to start the series, and it’s been the best reading decision I’ve made all summer.

First of all, I love that Stiefvater went a more “traditional” and less popular route for the theme of her paranormal series. No vampires or werewolves here, rather psychics, adventurers, scholars, and mythological royalty. The paranormal events in the book seemed more accessible and realistic because what Blue’s family does isn’t magic or witchcraft, rather they are just humans who are highly intuitive with stronger senses and premonition than others, and the events that happen in the book are more manifestations of the unexplainable many people have felt (cold spots, sacred places, energy) rather than completely far-fetched occurrences. To me, the book holds enough possibility that a place like Cabeswater could exist, that ley lines of energy could be a thing, that it made the book all the more eerie and spooky to read- which was great!

Stiefvater’s character development in this book was amazing. It’s refreshing to see male main characters in YA, let alone four, and I instantly developed a deep affection for each Raven Boy for a different reason: Ronan for his intense emotions and buried passion, Adam for his earnestness and desire to succeed, Noah for his brief flashes of affection and quiet sadness, and Gansey, Gansey, for his endless pursuit of knowledge, for his martyred mission to save everyone close to him, and for his compassion for life. Ironically, Blue is the character who was a bit of an enigma for me, and I’m still trying to figure out what exactly I feel about her. Yet the fact that Stiefvater can juggle so many main characters and make readers empathetic to all of them, especially male characters in a female-heavy genre, is truly impressive.

The settings in this book are absolutely, simultaneously gorgeous and creepy, and I couldn’t get enough about reading about Cabeswater, with its chronically shifting seasons and whispering trees, to the ley lines that shift and intensify energy. Stiefvater’s writing is carefully lyrical and she’s able to set the tone and the scene perfectly depending on who’s eyes she’s writing through, rather the careful prose of Gansey or the straightforward view of Blue. As in the Wloves of Mercy Falls trilogy, Stiefvater has a knack for writing about nature that makes it seems alive, beautiful, and frightening all at once.

And the plot twist! I try and keep my reviews spoiler-free, but I will say this: Stiefvater actually threw me for a loop on this one, and I can truly say I didn’t see it coming at all. It’s been so long that I’ve been truly surprised by a major revelation in the book. Also, this book left me wanting so much more, since the prologue and beginning of the book opened up major questions that are not even close to being answered: Who is Blue’s true love? Who is going to die, and how? How accurate are apparitions of spirits on the corpse road? Why is Blue the only one in her family who’s not clairvoyant? I’m literally ordering the next book in the series as I write this, because I need to find out what happens, and I need more of Henrietta, more of the ley lines, more of the creepy-but-magical story, and more of Gansey.

Overall: This book had all the elements I love in a story: ghosts, psychics, magic, bluebloods, strong females, well-written male characters, witty dialogue, dark humor, a hint of romance, and a great balance of the paranormal with reality. I love the Raven Boys, and I can’t wait to see where their stories go. Go out and read it now, and then let me know what you think!!!

Awesome! Very original and the characters are brilliant and believable and unique.

[Amber]

This review was originally posted on Books of Amber

Since being bored to death by the Wolves of Mercy Falls series (I got halfway through Linger before I had to put it down or risk falling into a coma), I had very little interest in reading Stiefvater’s other books. Then The Raven Boys was released and and I decided that four guys x one girl x Welsh mythology was something I might like to read about, so I bought it for my birthday last year. I didn’t get around to reading it for a few months, but I’m glad that I was finally in the mood to pick it up, because I very much enjoyed it!

Blue, the female main character, is absolutely flawless. I adore her, and her family is amazing. I loved how Blue’s family of psychics was just as prominent and relevant to the story as Blue and the guys, because this doesn’t happen very often. Usually it’s the main character and her love interest, perhaps a couple of friends, who go off and fight evil, but in The Raven Boys, everyone is involved.

The other characters are mostly excellent. Adam was my favourite of the guys in this book. He’s the poor kid going to a private school full of rich guys who throw money around like it’s nothing. I had a similar experience in high school myself, and totally understood what he was going through and how he didn’t want his friends to pay his way. Adam made me cry several times, especially towards the end when THE THING happened and oh my god NOBODY WARNED ME.

Gansey, the fan favourite, is also bloody amazing. I love his whole personality, and his blissful ignorance, and his relationship with all of the guys. I think it’s brilliant that he’s the thread that connects them all together, and it makes me emotional because Gansey is their rock, even if some of the characters don’t want to acknowledge that right now. His accidental chemistry with Blue hurts my soul, especially since it’s said that if Blue kisses her true love (who is probably hopefully obviously Gansey) he will die. Gansey is my favourite after reading the sequel, by the way, because he’s FLAW FREEEEEEE.

While reading The Raven Boys, I didn’t really feel much for either Ronan or Noah. I know, I know, what is this blasphemy? I don’t know, I just didn’t find either of them to be very enticing, although Noah was kind of adorable at some points.

There is a giant twist at the end of the book that blew everything up and made people smack their heads against the wall. Unfortunately, I knew it was coming because I accidentally read part of Maggie’s recap when we posted it on Recaptains. I hate myself for that, but at the same time it meant that I spotted a few things as I was reading that made me go OH MY GOD.

The Raven Boys is so much better than The Wolves of Mercy Falls, and I wish I hadn’t let that series deter me from trying out Maggie’s other stuff for so long. I want to read The Scorpio Races ASAP, because I have a feeling it’s going to be great, and I am highly anticipating the release of Blue Lily, Lily Blue right now! The Raven Boys is thrilling, adorable, and packed full of interesting characters. Stiefvater has developed a captivating story and her writing keeps you wanting more.

Speaking of The Raven Cycle, have you signed up for the Raven Cycle (Re)Readathon yet? It’s happening over the course of two months, and there’s going to be giveaways and challenges and twitter chats and Q&A’s and more! If you’re a fan of The Raven Cycle, or if you want to potentially become one, you should sign up and read along with us!

[KitsuneBae]

OMG! This book is very reminiscent of Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers where 4 boys are attending an elite school. And their leader is insanely rich. And then, the heroine is quite poor but really feisty. And her first love was the "other" boy and then, she gradually fell in love with the leader of the group. If you are familiar with that manga (A manga which was later made into various TV shows i.e. Meteor Garden, Boys Over Flowers and Hana Yori Dango) then you know what I mean.

The Raven Boys is my first Maggie Stiefvater book and I can say that I fell inlove with her writing. I love the concept of the Raven Boys. It's very creative. I love the weird characters especially Blue, Gansey and Ronan Lynch. Whew!

[nannah]

(4.5, really)

Okay, so stories that deal with "true love," boys that go to private schools with their own fancy sweaters and such, and love triangles usually don't interest me, but I had to read this because of Adam Doyle's breathtaking cover art. Well, that and because I adored Maggie Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races, but it's impossible to resist Adam Doyle. Impossible. If anyone claims to never have judged a book by its cover, they're lying.

In any case, I ended up falling in love with this dang novel. And it's dang love story and its dang boys in their dang fancy sweaters and such.

The book begins with a nice and creepy scene outside a church on St. Mark's Eve, in which the protag, Blue, sees a spirit who calls himself Gansey. Because Blue's not a psychic like the rest of her family, seeing this spirit means only two things: he's either her true love, or he's someone she's going to kill. Or probably both.

Now, the love story unfolds with the classic, "oh god, he's a rich private school boy with money out his ears we will never be friends" Pride and Prejudice kind of affair, but the book's plot chooses not to revolve around their little love story (even with a +1, making this a dreaded love triangle but one that actually doesn't seem forced or convoluted). There's a LOT going on in this book.

For starters, every character has a fully-developed backstory, and their actions actually reflect their past experiences. I can't even explain how rare that simple concept seems to be nowadays, especially in YA fiction. Every action and choice is thought out and carefully expressed. Each of the four Aglionby boys are so different from each other yet avoid being shoved into a cliché. And they each have something to add to the story, to richen it, to develop it further. I also have to give props to Maggie for the relationships between these guys, because even their relationships with each other are unique and believable. It all just works, and I'm left here stunned wondering how she did it. How she managed to come so close to all these stereotypes, but somehow avoid them and create something wonderful.

Also, I just couldn't put this book down. There was an immediacy to the writing (and oohh, the writing. Such beautiful, beautiful writing. I want to kiss those words. Mmm.) that just drew me into the story and wouldn't let me stop, even for a bathroom break.

That's not to say everything was perfect, though. I did feel like sometimes there was too much going on at one time, or that things were happening with no explanation (like the ending, and maybe it was me, but I floundered for a while before I realized what the ending line really meant. Kind of seemed a bit gimmicky at that point; "get ready for the sequel, folks!"). Plus, I wanted a bit more closure. The climax happened, and then suddenly there was an ending. I wasn't sure where exactly the characters were at. What really happened? Plus, the whole story seemed to set up this "fall in love or kill him" idea, and that wasn't resolved. I get that the idea would probably span the entire cycle, but it didn't seem to be introduced that way, and it felt like being cheated.

Anyways, loved the plot, the atmosphere, the characters, the WRITING, and all the details in between. I can't wait to get my hand on the second installment.

[nitzan_schwarz]

I can't believe I never added my review to GR... I suck lol It's from my old blog that is now private soooo... not my best haha none of my old reviews were :/
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Writing this review is very difficult for me. I've actually been procrastinating doing it for the last week. I can tell you very clearly that I loved this book. Now, explaining my feelings on it, putting my jumbled thoughts in writing... that's the difficult part.

To start off, let me just say...

This was my first Maggie Stiefvater book, and I was impressed by the writing and the creativity, and the characters from the first moment, which is pretty amazing. The only other experience I had like that was with Libba Bray's The Diviners.

The best way I can describe this book is saying that reading it was felt a bit like walking inside of a dream; a magical, eternal, kind of confusing and disemboweled feeling. Not everything made sense. Sometimes things appear and disappear (but trust me, it all ended up having a meaning. Which is fucking genius, by the way). It was airy and bewildering. I wonder if anyone can understand what I just said?... It's the closest I can come to explaining it.

All the characters in this book are odd. They are not normal people, but they're all okay with that. And they're all shrouded in mystery. Mighty intriguing. You will definitely want to know what happens with them next once you start reading.

This is going to be long because there are 5 characters to introduce:

First, there is Blue. She comes from a family of psychics, but the only thing she's capable of is "increasing the noise", making her family members' abilities stronger. Her name really fits her. Nothing much fazes her (but maybe Gansey) as she's grown around weirdness. And, of course, with a prophecy that says she'll kill her true love with a kiss. No biggie.

Gansey is looking for something. Something supernatural - a forgotten magical realm and one dead welsh king. He's also the guy Blue is destined to fall in love with... and kill. He's an oddball; wicked smart, and determined, but also so rich he comes out condescending to those less fortunate without him noticing or meaning to hurt them.

Ronan is Gansey's best friend. He's never been the same since he found his murdered father; he drinks, he explodes often, he acts like a jerk. But something about him makes him appealing still. Maybe it's all Chainsaw. A curious character indeed.

Adam is the only guy in the group who's lower statues. He comes from a bad family background, and he's almost as determined as Gansey to find the Ley Lines, only for different reasons. He's got a huge complex when it comes to getting help from others. I was sometimes in love with him, sometimes really pissed with him. At the end, the annoyance won.

And last but not least, Noah. Possibly my favorite guy in this book. I don't know why, but I just found him so freakin' adorable! He was the quiet one people forget about sometimes, but with Blue he was just like an adorable puppy or a big brother, I don't know. But I loved him. He gets a pretty major and surprising part in this book, too.

I got invested in all of these characters, despite their strangeness. They were all so unique, and when things happened (and things seemed to happen often), I screamed "NO" out-loud more than once. I was really anxious and hopeful it will work out somehow. Mostly it did. Some it didn't.

The writing of this entire book was just phenomenal. It was so beautiful and magical and enchanting, and just for her writing I know I'll give any book this woman writes a chance. She's also a genius Confuser (the job title I came up with, for people who confuse others on a professional basis)

It was a joy to read this book, though I know I'll have to re-read it many times to fully - or even kind of - understand everything. It's confusing. Bottom line: I can't wait to read the next book in the series, and I pray all four will be published soon. A girl can dream. lol