Book Review: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle #1)
Author: Maggie Steifvater
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: 18th September 2012
Read In: September 2012

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“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.

This is a book that I picked up because of the hype and a high number of good reviews. I wanted to give Maggie Stiefvater another go and I hoped The Raven Boys would do it for me.

‘The young man stood on the threshold of the church and Blue knew, just knew, that if he stepped into the church, she would lose the chance to get his name. “Please,” Blue said, softer than before. (…) She asked, “Will you tell me your name?"
He faced her and she realized with a shock that he wore an Aglionby jumper.
“Gansey,” he said. Though his voice was quiet, it wasn’t a whisper. It was a real voice spoken from some place almost too far away to hear.‘

 

The whole story, as a whole, was different to anything I have read before. Tarot cards and psychic magic isn’t foreign but I have never experienced it this integrated into the plot before. What kept me reading through the slow bits was the desire to find out what was really going on and what would ultimately happen. 

I loved all of the characters. Yes even the nasty ones. All of them were unique in their own way. None of them were what I would call a stereotypical teenage character. For me this book was all about the characters.

Adam was by far my favourite character. He seemed sweet and innocent on the outside but on the inside there was a strong independent man striving for his ambitious. I loved that. He has had a different experience to the rest of the Raven Boys and that made him stand out. I enjoyed his developing relationship with Blue. We are made to believe that the main relationship will be between Blue and Gansey, but the one Blue develops with Adam is so sweet. I want to see more of him. 

Gansey also as a lead male was unlike other characters I have been introduced to before. Many lead males have a lot of similar traits. It is what usually makes them so appealing. However Gansey not only had more original physical traits; glasses (for a lead male it is unusual), allergic to wasps but personality as well. He was dominant but really caring. And it worked. It was just so relieving to read a book where the lead male seems much more real than others.  

Personally, I was more interested in the Raven boys than I was with what Blue was up too. Things didn’t start getting interesting until she started hanging out with Gansey, Adam and the rest. I did find Blue interesting but just not as interesting as the boys. Blue is a good lead. She just didn’t stand out for me. 

I loved all the supporting characters as well. They all had a part to play and were all unique. At first I didn’t see what purpose Noah serves. Don’t give up on him! He has purpose and when you discover it, I was even more drawn to him. Oh Noah. I love you. 

I did find the book slow in pace. It alternated between multiple points of view so you get an all rounded picture, but it is a little too sluggish for my liking. I was half way through and still waiting for a bang. This book had mystery and I was intrigued but I didn’t get absorbed in as much as I wanted too. 

This book was all about the characters for me. I was falling in love with nearly all of them. I want to see where this series goes just to see how they develop. If the plot becomes a bit more fast-paced, with a bit more action, then that would be an awesome bonus. 

Becky