The Scorpio Races

by Maggie Stiefvater

[nannah]

Loved it.

This book was beautiful and sweet and dark all at the same time. I love its atmosphere, the sheer simplicity of it as a whole, and the folklore that plays a vital role on every page. And the names. I mean come on: "Sean Kendrick, Puck Connolly," how can you not instantly fall in love?

I now know what all the hype was about. Honestly I was not at all a fan of Shiver and it made me hesitant to pick up The Scorpio Races, but boy am I glad I did anyways (though Stiefvater's description can still be a bit ridiculous--I think she used "It was a pink morning" or "The morning was blue" like 3 times each or something). This book's got heart and it's got danger, real character motives, it's got rivalry and family troubles--it's really just got everything. And it's not even bogged down under all of it, it's just a part of the whole story's big ol' heart.

I think what I loved most about this is how simple the story can be boiled down. Nowadays it seems like everyone's trying for insane plot twists or things for "sparkle" value rather than good old plot worth. The Scorpio Races has a beautifully simple plot that drives everything else. Everything relates to that bigger plot, every single event that happens. When you tear it apart detail-by-detail, this book's got a lot in its covers, but it's still so simple. It doesn't need to have so-called mind-boggling twists to keep readers entertained.

It's brilliant, that's about all I can say. I freaking loved it.