“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.
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I was very excited to read The Raven Boys this month. I kept looking at it at the bookstore, debating whether or not I should try it out. And finally, I gave it a go. I thought by reading the synopsis that I had the story all figured out. I was wrong. It was so much more than what I was expecting and I loved every bit of it.
During each chapter of the book, the story is told from alternate characters points of view. I enjoyed this feature a lot more than just the regular one person POV because instead of seeing everything through one person’s eyes you get several which help you to understand each character and the story a little bit better.
I loved Blue. I felt like she was relatable. She is eccentric, strong, and sensible; surprisingly so for just a sixteen year old. I liked how determined she was to find a way to help Gansey. She wouldn’t just accept his imminent death, for her there has to be some way to change things.
“Once she’d seen his death laid out for him, and seen that he was real, and found out that she was meant to have a part in it, there had never been a chance she would just stand by and let it happen.” – Maggie Stiefvater, The Raven Boys
All the raven boys...Gansey, Adam, Ronan, and Noah are loyal to each other. I liked their friendship and how they would protect and stick up for each other. And how easily they took Blue into their group like one of their own.
Maggie Stiefvater creates a one of a kind world filled with magic and unique solid characters that pique the readers curiosity and makes them want to not only explore Blue, Gansey, Adam, Noah, and Ronan’s world alongside with them, but to explore further into the characters themselves.
The Raven Boys is not a fast paced story, and there was not a constant amount of action going on either. That being said though, there were enough things happening that kept be interested and engaged the whole time. Each time I finished a chapter, all I wanted to do was finish the next one and the next one. The surprises and little twists in the story helped to create a thrilling read.
The ending had me saying WHAATTT????!??!?? It teases you just enough so that you cannot wait to read the second book in the series. Unfortunately for me, the next book isn't scheduled to be released until September 2013!!! Though I am hopping it might be released early…I know that is wishful thinking on my part, but a girl can hope right?
Rating: 4 out of 5.
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