Title: The Raven Boys Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publishing Date: September 16th 2012
Pages: 408
Genre: YA Supernatural Mystery
Series: Raven Cycle#1
Source: Audiobook
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.
I will make this as short as possible. Blue lives in a family full of psychics, but she did not inherit the gift. She has been told her entire that her true love will die. She stays away from boys and so far so good until the day she sees a vision with a boy who can also see her. This vision happens during St. Mark’s Eve… Blue knows this boy will be dead in a year. She meets boy, Gansey and his friends, Adam, Ronan, and Noah. These boys are on a treasure hunt for something supernatural and Blue gets pulled in. Along the way Blue falls for a boy, kisses a boy, uncovers a murder, and discovers a world she didn’t know existed.
The first part of the book was a tiny bit slow for me, but I knew to stick with it. Before I knew it I was wrapped in a world of pure imagination, set in the present but with a very vintage feel. A world of the supernatural told in a very mysterious, creepy, intriguing way that had my full attention. I was completely lost in the story. The writing was magnificent, the plot was fresh and exciting, and the characters were captivating.
This story had a wonderful cast of characters, each unique and interesting in their own way and each with a past full of secrets. Gansey felt like a modern day James Dean and I fell for him quickly. He cares but comes off as he doesn’t, he has his own agenda but knows he can’t do it alone. He is very loyal to his friends and yet he is a loner too. Adam was OK for me, he was a great addition to the cast but not my favorite. He seemed to have a bit of a chip on his shoulder whenever he was offered help and that bothered me a bit. I understood where he came from and with his messed up family life, I couldn’t expect him to be normal. Ronan was the jerk of the group yet he was still likable. I really couldn’t figure out what he was after. Noah wasn’t in the story too much but played a very important part. He was there but always in the background and quiet. Blue was a girl that lived a very unique life and wanted more in life but scared to go after it. She found that it just maybe possible with the help of these 4 boys.
I really enjoyed the story, it kept me on my toes with the ever twisting plot. I was thoroughly entertained from early on. I can’t wait to continue on with the next book.
