The first electrifying book in Maggie Stiefvater's The
Raven Cycle series.
"There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit
on St. Mark's Eve...
Either you're his true love... or you killed him."
Part of a clairvoyant family, Blue has spent sixteen years being
told that if she kisses her true love, he will die.
So when she meets Gansey's spirit on the corpse road, Blue knows
that either he is her true love - or she has killed him.
The boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her. His
name is Gansey, and he is a student at Aglionby, a wealthy local
private school. With three other mysterious and privileged boys,
he is on a quest to find the grave of Glendower - a Welsh king buried
somewhere on a Virginia ley line. Whoever finds him will be
granted a supernatural favour.
Never before has Blue felt such magic around her. But is Gansey
really her true love - the one she is destined to kill?
Blue never fully believed in the prophecy. But as she is caught
up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not
so sure anymore.
Absolutely addictive writing for teen girls... and grown-up girls...
Magic, mystery and adventure at every turn
From the bestselling author of Shiver, Linger
and Forever which all debuted at #1 on the UK book bestseller
charts
Film rights to The Raven Cycle have been acquired
PRAISE FOR MAGGIE STIEFVATER BOOKS
The Raven Boys:
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year 2012
"Stiefvater is a master storyteller." - USA Today
"A dizzying paranormal romance tinged with murder and Welsh mythology."
- The Los Angeles Times
"A tour de force... such a memorable read." - Publishers Weekly
"One unexpected and wonderful surprise after another... a marvel
of imagination." - Booklist
"The Raven Boys is an incredibly rich and unique tale, a supernatural
thriller of a different flavor... Fans have been salivating
for Stiefvater's next release and The Raven Boys delivers." -
School Library Journal
"Equal parts thriller and mystery, with a measured dash of romance
sprinkled on top... Maggie has woven such a unique, intriguing
narrative that I struggled for comparisons." - MTV.com
Blue Lily, Lily Blue:
"Blue Lily, Lily Blue is, simply, a triumph." - Booklist
"Expect this truly one-of-a-kind series to come to a thundering
close." - Kirkus Reviews
"We have not yet finished loving these characters and exploring
their world." - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Stiefvater's razor-sharp characterizations, drily witty dialogue,
and knack for unexpected metaphors and turns of phrase make
for sumptuous, thrilling reading... Readers will snap up the final
installment the second it's available." - Publishers Weekly
"The prose is crisp and dazzling and the dialogue positively crackles."
- School Library Journal
The Scorpio Races:
"Masterful. Like nothing else out there now." - Kirkus Reviews
"An utterly compelling read." - Publishers Weekly
"Filling it with loving descriptions of wet, wind-tossed Thisby
as well as exciting equine action, Stiefvater has created a thrilling
backdrop for the love story that blooms...A book appealing
to lovers of fantasy, horse stories, romance, and actionadventure
alike, this seems to have a shot at being a YA blockbuster." -
School Library Journal
#1 New York Times bestselling Shiver trilogy:
"A lyrical tale of alienated werewolves and first love....Stiefvater
skillfully increases the tension throughout; her take on werewolves
is interesting and original while her characters are refreshingly
willing to use their brains to deal with the challenges
they face." - Publishers Weekly
"Readers will be able to enjoy Stiefvater's fast-paced storytelling
and dedication to the old-fashioned art of creating a believable
and enduring romance. Shiver is beautifully written, even poetic
at times, and a perfect indulgence for readers of all ages."
- Bookpage.com
"This riveting narrative, impossible to put down, is not only
an excellent addition to the current fangs and fur craze, but is
also a beautifully written romance that, along with Shiver, will
have teens clamoring for the third and final entry." - VOYA
Initial thoughts: After my reread of The Raven Boys, I like it significantly more. Close reading, tabbing & annotating made me appreciate the beautiful but precise prose. I recognised a lot more plot twists than I did when listening to the audiobook before. Also, I didn't quite catch who this Whelk figure was in the past. Now I've finally got that ingrained too. Hah. I think it helps that I've been in more of a fantasy mood lately. When I first read The Raven Boys I was apprehensive because this wasn't the sort of book I would've reached for on my own accord. It took a lot of raving from friends to pique my interest back then. Although, I still wish the danger of Blue kissing her one true love had been more palpable.
______
Feb 28, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Initial thoughts: Where do I begin? I'm still trying to grapple with the book but somehow I feel genuinely sorry that I didn't like this book more because there's just so much excitement surrounding this series. The prose and the narration were impeccable and the setting with the myth of Glendower was more than original. Perhaps it's the premise that I got stuck on. Blue had been told since she was young that if she kissed her true love, he would die.
For all her cautious, nay, sensible ways, avoiding any sort of kiss, in case she'd kiss her true love, that tension and danger because of it didn't feel all too real. On the other hand, I liked that The Raven Boys lacked any sort of overbearing romance. It focused on the other issues at hand, like chasing a god, searching for ley lines and generally introducing all the complex characters and their traits.
Also, I'm glad I started with the audiobook because Will Patton's narration style is exactly how I like it — engaging without being overdone. He added rhythm to Maggie Stiefvater's lyrical words and paired together, it was perfect. Thankfully, I already have the audio CDs of The Dream Thieves on reserve at my public library.
