Review: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: The Raven Boys (Raven Cycle #1)
Author:  Maggie Stiefvater
Pages:  408
Publisher:  Scholastic
Genre:  Fantasy | Paranormal 
Release:  September 18th 2012
Source: BEA + Scholastic Canada
Buy the book at: Amazon | Indigo Chapters 
 

“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.

Mind-blowing! Phenomenal!! Marvelous!!

...Of course, it's Maggie Stiefvater we are talking about ;)

         Bounding realistic settings with mythology, Maggie Stiefvater takes elements from myths and legends, and turns them into her own world and creation. This is why I'm not surprised that Maggie Stiefvater has once again blown my mind! The Raven Boys was pretty close to sit on the throne of my heart, but The Scorpio Races still has that privileged spot. Yet, I have to admit that Maggie's new series is, as I said before, absolutely mind-blowing and I am pretty sure many readers will consider  The Raven Boys Stiefvater's best work so far.



         The Raven Boys is written in a darker tone than any of Maggie's previous works. For instance, there is raw violence and some language that intensify the feeling of this novel towards a darker mood. I definitely loved reading this novel that feels so Maggie yet so new at the same time. Seriously, she never stopped surprising me!

         Told from 3rd person point of view, Stiefvater' s narration is so rich that provides a marvelous and insightful perspectives during in each chapter. In addition, the whole concept of this novel was glorious! A girl who can see the souls of people who will die within the next year, a lost Welsh King, a doomed first love and so much more. Fantasy, romance, mythology, supernatural, action, mystery, drama and adventure all in one single book! I have no idea what Maggie will unveil in the second installment of this new overwhelming series that has wonderfully surprised me (and obsessed me), but there is one thing I am 100% sure about, Maggie Stiefvater will once again delight me with a brilliant narrative and magnificent plot that will glue me to its pages.

         Characters are so important for me to love a novel (I'm pretty sure I'm not alone on this) and Maggie Stiefvater simply nails the creation of substantial characters. Blue, Gansey, Noah, Adam and Ronan have all a precious spot in my heart and probably many other readers will fall for them as hard as I.

         Intense, rich and complex, The Raven Boys is a phenomenal start for a new series! But truth be told, I didn't expect any less from Maggie Stiefvater. She reached all of my high expectations and I have no doubt that the rest of the series will be as marvelous as this first installment (if not better!).

Watch the trailer!

Visit Maggie's website at http://maggiestiefvater.com