Helpful Score: 2
I was really looking forward to a new book from Steifvater. This was an interesting book that is told from numerous POVs. It really isnt any one characters story but a story about a group of people. It was an intriguing read and is full of mystery.
Blue comes from a family of Clairvoyants, but she herself only makes their abilities stronger. That is until she sees the ghost of a boy named Gansey on the road in a cemetery. Blue comes to find that Gansey is one of the rich boys that goes to Aglionby, an all boys private school. Gansey is on a quest to search out ley lines and is accompanied by three other Raven boys. The five teenagers must solve a mystery of murder, ghosts, and mystical energy.
This story is told from five points of view. That of Blue, Gansey, Adam, Ronan, and Wilkes. Blue, who lives with many clairvoyants, is told that the first boy she kisses will die. She has one rule and that is to never get involved with Raven boys.
Gansey is seeking out Ley lines in hopes of finding something hes missing. His friends are all wrapped up in the mystery and death with him. Ronan is a wild and dangerous boy who has never been the same since his father died. Adam comes from an abusive and poor family and always feels like he is so much less than the other boys, he is constantly trying to prove himself. Noah is Ganseys third friend and he is quiet and drifts in the background.
The last POV we hear from is Wilkes, he is the Latin teacher from Aglionby and has a dark secret that ends up tying in with the mystery the Raven boys and Blue get wrapped up in.
The multiple POVs work well for this story, but make it so the story belongs to all of the characters and not really any one character. The characters are all very well done, they have a lot of depth to them, and you really care about what happens to them. They are all loners in their own way, yet are drawn together by Ganseys quest to search out the ley lines and the truth.
The plot is mostly driven by Ganseys quest, by Blues predicted fate, and by the mystery behind what Wilkes did so long ago. It ends up being a mystery of ley lines, future deaths, and missing people. Some of the most interesting parts of the story are driven by how all of these somewhat flawed characters interact with each other.
The story starts a bit slow but picks up pace towards the end; almost all of Steifvaters books are like this. The story was still engaging and interesting and I enjoyed reading it. The book is well written and the descriptions of settings are beautifully done.
Overall I enjoyed reading this story. Its pretty much a paranormal mystery involving future deaths, missing persons, ley lines, and fate. The whole story is well put together and the characters involved are intriguing. I hope in the next book we get to dive deeper into the lives of these characters and learn more about the ley lines. Recommended to those who enjoy a character-driven paranormal mysteries. I cant wait to see what happens next.
Blue comes from a family of Clairvoyants, but she herself only makes their abilities stronger. That is until she sees the ghost of a boy named Gansey on the road in a cemetery. Blue comes to find that Gansey is one of the rich boys that goes to Aglionby, an all boys private school. Gansey is on a quest to search out ley lines and is accompanied by three other Raven boys. The five teenagers must solve a mystery of murder, ghosts, and mystical energy.
This story is told from five points of view. That of Blue, Gansey, Adam, Ronan, and Wilkes. Blue, who lives with many clairvoyants, is told that the first boy she kisses will die. She has one rule and that is to never get involved with Raven boys.
Gansey is seeking out Ley lines in hopes of finding something hes missing. His friends are all wrapped up in the mystery and death with him. Ronan is a wild and dangerous boy who has never been the same since his father died. Adam comes from an abusive and poor family and always feels like he is so much less than the other boys, he is constantly trying to prove himself. Noah is Ganseys third friend and he is quiet and drifts in the background.
The last POV we hear from is Wilkes, he is the Latin teacher from Aglionby and has a dark secret that ends up tying in with the mystery the Raven boys and Blue get wrapped up in.
The multiple POVs work well for this story, but make it so the story belongs to all of the characters and not really any one character. The characters are all very well done, they have a lot of depth to them, and you really care about what happens to them. They are all loners in their own way, yet are drawn together by Ganseys quest to search out the ley lines and the truth.
The plot is mostly driven by Ganseys quest, by Blues predicted fate, and by the mystery behind what Wilkes did so long ago. It ends up being a mystery of ley lines, future deaths, and missing people. Some of the most interesting parts of the story are driven by how all of these somewhat flawed characters interact with each other.
The story starts a bit slow but picks up pace towards the end; almost all of Steifvaters books are like this. The story was still engaging and interesting and I enjoyed reading it. The book is well written and the descriptions of settings are beautifully done.
Overall I enjoyed reading this story. Its pretty much a paranormal mystery involving future deaths, missing persons, ley lines, and fate. The whole story is well put together and the characters involved are intriguing. I hope in the next book we get to dive deeper into the lives of these characters and learn more about the ley lines. Recommended to those who enjoy a character-driven paranormal mysteries. I cant wait to see what happens next.
Helpful Score: 1
I'm always excited when a new book by Maggie Stiefvater comes out, and The Raven Boys was no exception. I held off on reading it though because I knew it's the first book in a trilogy, and I really prefer to read trilogies in one go. My plans to wait for all three books to be available to hold the Raven Boys Readathon were foiled however when Maggie posted on her blog that SYNC was giving away the audiobook as part of their summer program. I got the book and couldn't resist any longer.
As I listened to it I congratulated myself again and again on getting it and Maggie on writing it. She continues to grow as a writer and watching her progress makes me happy, not just because she keeps giving me great books to read, but also because every book is a little bit more than the last one. More mature, more masterful, more complex, more quirky, more "Maggie" somehow.
My favorite thing about The Raven Boys is how multi-faceted it is. There are family relationships, friendships, socio-economical differences, abuse and love, and of course magic to make everything real-life seem surreal yet even more heartbreaking, because that's what fairy tales do. I kept remembering the old adage "Don't judge a book by its cover" throughout the novel and marveled at how nothing really is at it seems in it.
Maggie's books are different from a lot of other YA novels in that her characters' families are always very present in them. There's not the absentee parent syndrome that makes it seem as though the teenagers have somehow woken up one day and all the parents were gone (and yes, I know there are books built around that premise too), and in The Raven Boys that's even more noticeable than in her previous novels. Blue's colorful family is particularly central to the story, and it's interesting to see their dynamics, the struggles over Blue's independence being a new territory for both her and her mother. The boys all have their own family issues to contend with, some more serious than others, but all with painful past, present and, I assume, future. I loved seeing their interactions and hearing characters talk and learn about things that are subtle, yet not less true or important just because they don't stare you in the face.
The only thing I wished for is more mystery when it came to the main plot of this novel. From the very beginning it was obvious that the boys' and Blue's lives would be interwoven and in what context, the villain was apparent almost from the very beginning and he didn't seem evil or clever enough to last past the end of this book, and a few other things that I won't describe here, with two exceptions, were not particularly surprising. This dampened my enjoyment of the novel but not enough to make a real difference because for me this book was more about the characters and the setting than Gansey's quest for Glendower. I could also tell that it was setting up the sequels by establishing all the relationships, building the world, giving us clues of secrets and ideas for what will be coming next in The Dream Thieves. How could it not with that kind of last line!
If you are a fan of urban fantasy, magic, engaging characters and excellent writing, and you haven't read The Raven Boys yet, I recommend that you do. I listened to the audiobook and I'm planning on getting the actual book to read, because I want to see the words on the page and soak them in in a way an audiobook won't allow, no matter how good the narrator.
As I listened to it I congratulated myself again and again on getting it and Maggie on writing it. She continues to grow as a writer and watching her progress makes me happy, not just because she keeps giving me great books to read, but also because every book is a little bit more than the last one. More mature, more masterful, more complex, more quirky, more "Maggie" somehow.
My favorite thing about The Raven Boys is how multi-faceted it is. There are family relationships, friendships, socio-economical differences, abuse and love, and of course magic to make everything real-life seem surreal yet even more heartbreaking, because that's what fairy tales do. I kept remembering the old adage "Don't judge a book by its cover" throughout the novel and marveled at how nothing really is at it seems in it.
Maggie's books are different from a lot of other YA novels in that her characters' families are always very present in them. There's not the absentee parent syndrome that makes it seem as though the teenagers have somehow woken up one day and all the parents were gone (and yes, I know there are books built around that premise too), and in The Raven Boys that's even more noticeable than in her previous novels. Blue's colorful family is particularly central to the story, and it's interesting to see their dynamics, the struggles over Blue's independence being a new territory for both her and her mother. The boys all have their own family issues to contend with, some more serious than others, but all with painful past, present and, I assume, future. I loved seeing their interactions and hearing characters talk and learn about things that are subtle, yet not less true or important just because they don't stare you in the face.
The only thing I wished for is more mystery when it came to the main plot of this novel. From the very beginning it was obvious that the boys' and Blue's lives would be interwoven and in what context, the villain was apparent almost from the very beginning and he didn't seem evil or clever enough to last past the end of this book, and a few other things that I won't describe here, with two exceptions, were not particularly surprising. This dampened my enjoyment of the novel but not enough to make a real difference because for me this book was more about the characters and the setting than Gansey's quest for Glendower. I could also tell that it was setting up the sequels by establishing all the relationships, building the world, giving us clues of secrets and ideas for what will be coming next in The Dream Thieves. How could it not with that kind of last line!
If you are a fan of urban fantasy, magic, engaging characters and excellent writing, and you haven't read The Raven Boys yet, I recommend that you do. I listened to the audiobook and I'm planning on getting the actual book to read, because I want to see the words on the page and soak them in in a way an audiobook won't allow, no matter how good the narrator.
Though the book is slow to start with, the story line will keep you captivated and draw you in slowly and then deeper. This is a book you need to pay attention to even the tiniest details, hence not making it a quick read. But it is well worth! I cannot wait to have some of the mysteries solved in the next book!
SUSAN S. (susieqmillsacoustics) -
While I really, really enjoyed reading this book on many levels, it ends with many loose ends. I love the characters, especially the raven boys and their teenage angst, but fierce loyalty. This has magic, mystery, and creepiness. However, the ending is very disappointing and it seems the story is just getting started. I would recommend having the sequel in hand before reading this one. I hope there will be answers in the next book.
This was an awesome and amazing book. It was so creepy in parts it gave me chills and the ending made be want to scream, because now I have to wait until September to find out what's going to happen.
Sarah I. (onecurvyblogger) -
There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Marks Eve, Blue.. Either youre his true love, Neeve said, or you killed him.
In my years as a bookworm, Ive read many YA novels, but Ive never read anything quite like Maggie Stiefvater. Even though The Raven Cycle didnt have as much action as I thought it would, it became a novel I obsessed over fairly quickly. The writing is mysterious and gothic, and incredibly riveting. I woke up the morning of determined to get things done and before I knew it, I spent the whole day in bed, starting and finishing this novel...I pretty much read it all in one sitting. Nothing was more important than figuring out what was going to happen to my new favorite characters!
Blue
She wasnt interested in telling other peoples futures. She was interested in going out and finding her own.
Blue is the only normal in a family full of psychics. She doesnt have the sight, she cant see or speak to ghosts, all she can do is amplify the gifts of seers around her. To make matters worse, she cant even act like the teenage girl she is, because shes been prophesied to kill her to kill her one true love by kiss. . . (what a way to die, though!) and now that she knows the identity of her ever-mysterious true love, the danger of causing his death is more present than ever. But when she is given the opportunity to help him and the Raven boys find Owen Glendower, a lost noble from medieval Welsh whom some say is still alive by magical means, how can she say no to the only magical adventure shell ever experience firsthand?
Can you imagine knowing that the first time you kiss your true love, youll cause his death? That would put me off kissing (boys) forever! Blues character was a lot of fun. Shes quirky and unique in her own ways, but also the same as most teenage girls. Everyone at some point has desired to be like everybody else. Blue sees herself as the black sheep of the family, the only female in her family to be born without seer abilities. Though she may have no ability to see the future, she can amplify the seers gifts and I think that's pretty cool, too!
Gansley
Gansley is a student at Aglionby Academy, an all-boy school for the rich. He spends most of the time with his head stuck in books, and doesnt understand how much emphasis most people put on money. . . and how offended they get when he offers to pay their way for them. Hes spent his whole life searching for treasure of a lost Welsh noble who fought against England during the medieval times. I had a great time learning about Gansleys past and what made him so determined to find the treasure of a man who may never have existed in the first place. Not only is he a romantic at heart, but hes also the glue that holds the Raven Boys together. The groups dynamic is so interested to learn about, and its interesting to note they are all so different from one another that they probably shouldnt even be friends. Hell, most of them act like they dont like each other, but some how they came to care for one another. Its a complicated relationship. . . thank goodness I like complicated!
Adam
All the Raven Boys are interesting, but Adam is one mystery I cant wait to dig more into. Hes a scholarship with a severely abusive father. He wants to leave home so bad, but he cant stand up to his father, and he wants to leave home on his own. He wont accept the handouts Gansley offers him, and he wont even think of moving in with him. . . and yet they are best friends? Hummm. Like I said, complicated.
Ronan
I didnt learn nearly enough about Ronan to appease my curiosity, and most of it I cant share or my review would be riddled with spoilers, however I will say I didnt much like him in this book. Id say hes the anti-hero, and Ill be interested to see if Stiefvater redeems him in the next story, which Ive heard is pretty much all about him.
Noah
I just knew there was something up with Noah ever since he was introduced into the story. Hes a hermit, practically never leaves the house unless forced to, and yet hes a student going to a rather strict private school for rich young boys? There was always something fishy about him, and I think its funny his own friends didnt realize! I will say he is adorable and one of my favorite characters. I hope he makes an appearance in the new couple of books, because he is just so damn cute!
With every chapter of this book I read, I gained a new question. While The Raven Cycle didnt have much going on in the way of action until most of the book was finished, Stiefvater leans heavily on the development of important characters (not just the main characters, either!), and in doing so, deepening the intrigue. I cant wait to see how Dream Thieves plays out - if my friends are right, the series only gets better!
Thank you too ALL the fans of The Raven Cycle series who encouraged me to read this! Everybody else who is dragging at the heels to pick up this book, I dare you to buy, steal, or borrow a copy now! (just kidding, stealing is bad! dont do that!)
In my years as a bookworm, Ive read many YA novels, but Ive never read anything quite like Maggie Stiefvater. Even though The Raven Cycle didnt have as much action as I thought it would, it became a novel I obsessed over fairly quickly. The writing is mysterious and gothic, and incredibly riveting. I woke up the morning of determined to get things done and before I knew it, I spent the whole day in bed, starting and finishing this novel...I pretty much read it all in one sitting. Nothing was more important than figuring out what was going to happen to my new favorite characters!
Blue
She wasnt interested in telling other peoples futures. She was interested in going out and finding her own.
Blue is the only normal in a family full of psychics. She doesnt have the sight, she cant see or speak to ghosts, all she can do is amplify the gifts of seers around her. To make matters worse, she cant even act like the teenage girl she is, because shes been prophesied to kill her to kill her one true love by kiss. . . (what a way to die, though!) and now that she knows the identity of her ever-mysterious true love, the danger of causing his death is more present than ever. But when she is given the opportunity to help him and the Raven boys find Owen Glendower, a lost noble from medieval Welsh whom some say is still alive by magical means, how can she say no to the only magical adventure shell ever experience firsthand?
Can you imagine knowing that the first time you kiss your true love, youll cause his death? That would put me off kissing (boys) forever! Blues character was a lot of fun. Shes quirky and unique in her own ways, but also the same as most teenage girls. Everyone at some point has desired to be like everybody else. Blue sees herself as the black sheep of the family, the only female in her family to be born without seer abilities. Though she may have no ability to see the future, she can amplify the seers gifts and I think that's pretty cool, too!
Gansley
Gansley is a student at Aglionby Academy, an all-boy school for the rich. He spends most of the time with his head stuck in books, and doesnt understand how much emphasis most people put on money. . . and how offended they get when he offers to pay their way for them. Hes spent his whole life searching for treasure of a lost Welsh noble who fought against England during the medieval times. I had a great time learning about Gansleys past and what made him so determined to find the treasure of a man who may never have existed in the first place. Not only is he a romantic at heart, but hes also the glue that holds the Raven Boys together. The groups dynamic is so interested to learn about, and its interesting to note they are all so different from one another that they probably shouldnt even be friends. Hell, most of them act like they dont like each other, but some how they came to care for one another. Its a complicated relationship. . . thank goodness I like complicated!
Adam
All the Raven Boys are interesting, but Adam is one mystery I cant wait to dig more into. Hes a scholarship with a severely abusive father. He wants to leave home so bad, but he cant stand up to his father, and he wants to leave home on his own. He wont accept the handouts Gansley offers him, and he wont even think of moving in with him. . . and yet they are best friends? Hummm. Like I said, complicated.
Ronan
I didnt learn nearly enough about Ronan to appease my curiosity, and most of it I cant share or my review would be riddled with spoilers, however I will say I didnt much like him in this book. Id say hes the anti-hero, and Ill be interested to see if Stiefvater redeems him in the next story, which Ive heard is pretty much all about him.
Noah
I just knew there was something up with Noah ever since he was introduced into the story. Hes a hermit, practically never leaves the house unless forced to, and yet hes a student going to a rather strict private school for rich young boys? There was always something fishy about him, and I think its funny his own friends didnt realize! I will say he is adorable and one of my favorite characters. I hope he makes an appearance in the new couple of books, because he is just so damn cute!
With every chapter of this book I read, I gained a new question. While The Raven Cycle didnt have much going on in the way of action until most of the book was finished, Stiefvater leans heavily on the development of important characters (not just the main characters, either!), and in doing so, deepening the intrigue. I cant wait to see how Dream Thieves plays out - if my friends are right, the series only gets better!
Thank you too ALL the fans of The Raven Cycle series who encouraged me to read this! Everybody else who is dragging at the heels to pick up this book, I dare you to buy, steal, or borrow a copy now! (just kidding, stealing is bad! dont do that!)
This book is a fantasy-magic-ya delight. It's the story of Blue Sargent who lives in Henrietta, Virginia. She is the one non-psychic in a family/house full of psychics; however, she does have her own special talent. Blue is a magical amplifier. When she is around magical things/events become stronger.
For the majority of her 16 years, Blue has been told that kissing her true love will kill him. So naturally, she's sworn off boys--especially boys from Aglionby Academy, the local private all-boys school. It's where all of the ridiculously rich families send their sons. In Blue's experience the students of Aglionby are rich, entitled brats, and it's just smart--logical-- to steer clear of them.
That is until Blue has her first psychic experience. During a yearly family custom in which they sit in an old church yard and take down the names of the spirits who will die within the next year, Blue sees a spirit. It is the spirit of a boy and Blue learns that she has seen him because he will either die by her hands...or he's her one true love.
Enter the Raven Boys, Gansey, Ronan, Adam, and Noah. They are on a search to find the local ley lines in order to help them find and ancient Welsh king, Glendower, also called The Raven King. The group is drawn together in the quest to find the ley lines, wake them up, and eventually find the Raven King. But they aren't the only ones on this quest. It becomes a race to be the first to find the heart of the ley lines and perform the ritual to wake it up. And throughout, Blue is determined not to fall in love with any of her Raven Boys.
There is magic, lies, betrayal, murder...everything you need in a good book. I loved the story and the characters. It was well paced and kept me interested all throughout.
For the majority of her 16 years, Blue has been told that kissing her true love will kill him. So naturally, she's sworn off boys--especially boys from Aglionby Academy, the local private all-boys school. It's where all of the ridiculously rich families send their sons. In Blue's experience the students of Aglionby are rich, entitled brats, and it's just smart--logical-- to steer clear of them.
That is until Blue has her first psychic experience. During a yearly family custom in which they sit in an old church yard and take down the names of the spirits who will die within the next year, Blue sees a spirit. It is the spirit of a boy and Blue learns that she has seen him because he will either die by her hands...or he's her one true love.
Enter the Raven Boys, Gansey, Ronan, Adam, and Noah. They are on a search to find the local ley lines in order to help them find and ancient Welsh king, Glendower, also called The Raven King. The group is drawn together in the quest to find the ley lines, wake them up, and eventually find the Raven King. But they aren't the only ones on this quest. It becomes a race to be the first to find the heart of the ley lines and perform the ritual to wake it up. And throughout, Blue is determined not to fall in love with any of her Raven Boys.
There is magic, lies, betrayal, murder...everything you need in a good book. I loved the story and the characters. It was well paced and kept me interested all throughout.
