The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Release Date: September 18th, 2012

Source: BEA 2012

 

There are only two reasons a non-seer 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.

 

Review: I won't deny that I'm already a huge Maggie Stiefvater fan but please don't let my already-established author-crush make you think that when I say good things about this book it's only because I'm already a fan. Because this is not the case. If this had been my first time reading one of Stiefvater's novels, I still would've been blown away. But since that's not the case, I must make my feelings known: this book is incredible. I don't know how Maggie Stiefvater does it but it's like she puts everything that I want in a story (it's like she can read my mind!) and makes it so magically MAGGIE that I explode in a supernova of awe and amazement because HOW DOES SHE DO IT.

 

I haven't read a book written in third person in the longest time but with The Raven Boys, MS proves that she does it well. The essence of every character and their motives in this story are completely different and ooh, so good. I especially liked Blue and her family: they have these ties to the supernatural and ok, so maybe they're oddballs but they're cool oddballs. As for the Raven boys? They have their own little dynamic in the group and with their differing personalities, it seems like they couldn't work but the boys just coalesce so smoothly. And behind all this is the recognized "pillar" of the group: Gansey. I'm SO curious to know what's going to happen with him because he drives so much of the story foward. Blue has her part too but once their paths collide....the possibilities!! I'm so ready for the sequel. I need it >_<

 

Final Verdict: Try to ignore my fangirly spew and pretend that I've been serious this entire time. Okay. *breathes in and out slowly* Ok....

 

I expected great things once I heard the news about The Raven Boys and aftering reading it, I can tell you that Stiefvater does not disappoint on any level. I feel like with this novel and The Scorpio Races that her writing has hit a new level that I haven't seen in any of her prior novels. If anything, I think she's gotten even BETTER. And that's like woah because it's Maggie Stiefvater, y'all. o_o So yeah, I totally recommend this book. I'd shove this book into your hands if I could. :) And if you don't believe me, at least take it out from your library if it's there. Please. Do this for me?  You're not going to regret it and if you do, come back here so I can smack some sense into you  so we can talk about it.