The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Release Date: September 18, 2012
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 390
Series: Raven Cycle #1
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
“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.

From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we’ve never been before

My Thoughts:
I absolutely adored ‘The Scorpio Races’, so there was no question about whether or not I would check out Maggie’s new series. The concept was so interesting sounding, and after reading ‘The Raven Boys’ there's also no question in my mind about how intriguing this book is. When thinking of how to express my feelings for this book “intrigued” is the word I keep coming back to and using over and over again. I really don’t know of any other book like it, which makes it stand out all the more. The fusion of history, legend, treasure hunting, and the occult make for an irresistible combination.

One reason why I appreciated ‘The Raven Boys’ so much is because I love history and historical mysteries; I could identify with Gansey’s obsession in that way. The characters are another huge aspect of what make this book so fabulous. The aforementioned Gansey is rich, eccentric, and completely socially awkward, but he is such a fabulous character, primarily because of how much he cares about his friends. I adored all the Raven Boys and the friendship they had, and also I loved how Blue fit into their group. Blue and her family of psychics add another interesting dynamic to the book.

‘The Raven Boys’ is a bit meandering and slower paced at some moments, so I can see how it might not be for everyone. However, I was so enchanted by the characters that I loved every moment I could spend with them. Don’t get me wrong, the book isn’t all slow. There are plot-twists that have the potential to leave you shocked, and moments of higher intensity when you can’t read quickly enough to find out what’s going to happen next.

Overall I was wholly impressed with ‘The Raven Boys’, and it confirmed to me that I am a fan of Maggie Stiefvater’s writing (potentially enough so to make me go back and give ‘Shiver’ another chance). ‘The Raven Boys’ is an enchanting read, one that will stick with you long after you’ve finished the last page.

The Cover:
You should know that I'm terrified of birds. I think that spells out my reaction to this cover pretty well. ;) However, objectively speaking it's pretty awesome and unique, and I like the white background element and the swirly-ness (that's obviously a technical term) of the illustration.

Rating:
[5/5]

Find The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater on Goodreads, Book Depository, & Amazon.