Book Review: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

 GOODREADS SUMMARY:

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.

TEE'S THOUGHTS

When I picked up The Raven Boys I thought I was going to be reading a book that I had read when it first came out in 2012. I have been doing that lately, going back and trying to reread and finish up series I hadn't finished, but after reading a bit I realized I hadn't made it past the first three or four chapters.

I am not sure what made me put it down during those years, other than that was a time when my Crohns Disease decided to begin acting up after a few years of laying dormant, and it had come back with a vengeance, keeping me in the hospital about a week every month and countless ER visits in between. I think the last thing I was doing was reading books.

So unlike what I thought, this was not a reread for me.

There wasn't much I disliked about The Raven Boys, the only minor thing that I could see was that it might get a bit slow in the middle for some readers. The beginning and ending are worth staying with it. I did not find it THAT slow, I found that the storyline kept me interested and moving. I had actually forgotten how much I enjoy a bit of paranormal in my reading, I think rereading The Mortal Instruments made me realize that it had been missing from my life. Mostly YA though, I still do not like paranormal in an adult book. Also, ley lines, which play a huge factor in this book have always interested me.

Right off the bat, the book hooked me in...

" There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St Marks Eve. Either you're his true love...or you killed him..." 

This is what Blue Sargent was told by her physic mother while watching the march of the soon-to-be dead. Blue is the only member of her family who is not physic, however, she does seem to make the work more powerful or stronger when she is near. She does see Gansy though, a boy from the posh private school in town. Blue has also been told by her family, that she will kill her one true love if she kisses them, so does that mean Gansy is her true love?

Despite that lead-in and the summary on the back of the book, there is very little romance in this book. I honestly thought there was more chemistry, and trust me there wasn't much, between Blue and Adam,( I do think the lack of a love storyline will make this book more appealing to a young male audience.) and even that chemistry felt more of a friendship than a love interest. Maybe the chemistry and relationship between Blue and either male character will build as the story moves into the second book. I am not complaining about the lack of a love story in the book, I did not think it needed one, and I am not a fan of insta-love in books, I thrive on tension, which is probably why I prefer the enemies to lover trope in a romance book.

I loved the story line that Stiefvater came up with for this series. Gancy trying to find King Glendower and following the ley lines looking for him. But don't think that is all that this has going for it, the author has woven so much more into the story. There is mystery, murder, and strong friendships that flow together perfectly.

But it is the characters I found myself really drawn to. The author has written characters that you will care about. They are flawed, some terribly so. They are troubled, but you will find your self wanting the best for them, you will want them to win.

Blue lives in a house full of quirky female characters, and I am still not sure, how, if any, are related to her other than Maura her mother, who she calls by her first name. Blue seems just normal. She is trying to figure her life out whilst not killing some boy by kissing him. She is loyal to the Raven Boys, boys she did not trust, until she got to know them.

Gancy, Ronan, Adam, and Noah are the Raven boys, given that name because of their private school uniform they all wear. Blue feels like these boys are trouble and way out of her league, but she ends up getting involved with them anyway.

Gancy is pretentious and hell bent on finding the ley lines and King Glendower no matter the cost. ( Of course he is my favorite ) But he is also someone who is concerned about his friends and goes out of his way to help them.

Ronan is probably the Raven Boy I liked least, he is rough and mysterious and a bit more rebellious than the other boys. The second book, The Dream Thieves centers around Ronan, so I am anxious to read his story.

Adam, he is so sweet, and I love him to death. My heart broke for him. He is on scholarship at the school, and is from a bad home, but he will not take anything from the other boys who would willingly give him money, especially Gancy. He wants to make it on his own.

Lastly there is Noah. He is shy, and more in the back ground. A man of few words, but he plays an important role in the entire story as it begins to unfold.

The location of Henrietta Virginia is beautifully written. An eerie town with spooky graveyards, and crumbling church ruins. I imagined the place shrouded in fog the entire time I was reading.

With its Welsh Mythology, ghosts, ley lines, and dark academia vibes from the private school setting The Raven Boys is just some really good storytelling.