The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater Review

One book down, twenty-four to go! WOOP!

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 Gansey is different. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more. 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 told by her psychic family that she will kill her true love. 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. -goodreads.com summary

“She wasn't interested in telling other people's futures. She was interested in going out and finding her own.”

“Fate," Blue replied, glowering at her mother, "is a very weighty word to throw around before breakfast.”

For anyone who doesn’t know, I am rereading both The Raven Boys and The Dream Thieves so I can then continue with, and finish, the series. With that said, I believe this was my third time reading The Raven Boys, and I still really like it. It’s not my favorite, probably never will be, but there is just something about the characters that just keeps me coming back!

I have a very weird relationship with The Raven Cycle. I own books one through three because the covers are BEAUTIFUL, but have only read books one and two. The books are not my favorite, due to the complex nature of their plot that takes all my focus to understand at times, but they reward rereads. It is a series that, even though I haven’t finished it yet, I find my thoughts drifting back to quite a lot. I find myself searching through pages of adorable fanart, even though it could contain spoilers. I really do love these books, even if they take a while to read.

Now that I have all of my feels out, I think I should talk about the book… :) If you are new to The Raven Cycle, and you’ve just stumbled upon this post, it is a slower paced, character driven paranormal novel. Not really something I would normally pick up, but it is worth a read. Maggie Stiefvater introduces the reader to a cast of diverse characters, each with their own unique goals and personality. You might expect each of these rich boys to be the same, but Gansey, Ronan, Adam, and Noah are all very different— from different backgrounds and standing for different things. This diversity adds realism to the novel and allows the reader to better relate to the characters.

Overall, The Raven Boys is a slower novel that takes a little more effort to read. The paranormal aspects might be confusing if you don’t usually read that genre, but close attention to details can pay off. Things often build upon one another making rereads worth the time. You will fall in love for these characters and want the best for them in every situation. I recommend for fans of paranormal, or anyone who is looking for something different.

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Elise