The Raven King (The Raven Cycle, #4)

by Maggie Stiefvater

[jnikkir]

This review can also be found at my blog, There were books involved...

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When it comes to The Raven King, there are a lot of things I could talk about.

I could talk about its plot — how this book weaves every little detail from previous books together into something that is so remarkable, and so, so satisfying.

I could talk about the characters — how tangible they feel, how ridiculously over-invested I became in all of their stories. But it's not just about the specific characters, either. There are moments when each and every character flawlessly displays these truths about how people and emotions work, truths that are so succinctly and effortlessly presented that it hurts.

I could talk about Maggie Stiefvater's way with words — which is, as usual, incredible. The Raven Cycle's words will both delight you and cut you, deeply. There were moments when I grinned like an idiot, and moments (including nearly the entire last 20%, I'm not ashamed to admit it) when I was sobbing. And that's not hyperbole. I mean literally sobbing.

I could talk about how, as the finale to a much-beloved series, The Raven King had a lot of expectations to live up to — and it did so. It really, really did.

I could also turn into a total fangirl and talk about my ships. (My shiiipssss.)

But I don't want to get into those things in detail. Talking about details could get spoilery, and this series is one that you need to experience, beginning to end, in the right order. So, no details. No spoilers.

There's just one thing I really want to talk about, which is: the reason for this "review."

First of all, I have never considered myself to be terribly good with words. No matter if it's writing or talking, I completely lack the ability to express myself when it comes to certain topics — especially articulating emotions. I never know how to say what I feel. I'm often not sure exactly how I feel, which is common, I think. Words just don't come easily when it comes to emotions.

And yet, I'm going to try to use my words a little bit and hopefully get my point across. The thing is, I've always longed for something bigger, something stranger and magical and more. Nearly everyone can probably relate to this feeling, whether it's a big thing for you or a smaller thing. For me, it's big. It can be a sad feeling, but it can also be happy, and I feel it near-constantly, in many different aspects of my life. It might sound odd, but I've grown to like this feeling, in whatever form it takes. But I don't know how to explain it, not properly.

For some reason, though, I tend to gravitate toward different forms of media (tv, movies, books) that poke this feeling with a sharp stick.

There are no sticks in The Raven Cycle's arsenal. The Raven Cycle impales that feeling with a sword. Not only does it evoke that emotion so strongly, the series as a whole expresses what it's like to feel that feeling — using its words and its story — better than anything I've encountered before. The Raven Cycle hurts. It's not always a good hurt; but also, it is. (See?? I'm bad at words.) But my point is: I can finally, finally point to something concrete and say, Yes, that. That is the unexplainable feeling. That's what it is. This series is that.

And the fact that I can do that, point to something like that, when I don't have words myself... It means a lot to me. So, thanks, Maggie. ♥

. . . Okay thank you that's all now back to your regularly-scheduled programming READ THIS SERIES you can thank me later k bye

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There were books involved...