The Raven Boys
Maggie Stiefvater’s The Raven Boys is the first book in the Raven Cycle series.
Blue Sargent lives in the small town of Henrietta, Virginia, in a house full of psychics. Every year, Blue and her mother watch the souls of the soon to be dead. Her mother’s clairvoyant abilities allow her to see the ghosts, but Blue’s lack of psychic abilities made it impossible until this year. For the first time, she is able to see the ghost of a boy named Gansey, a rich student at the prestigious Aglionby private school. The boys at this school are known as the Raven Boys and their generally dislikable behavior causes Blue to adopt a policy of avoiding them. Strangely, Blue is drawn to Gansey and finds herself caught up in a mysterious treasure hunt dating back to a Welsh king. While this book switches between the perspectives of multiple people, two characters receive most of the attention. Blue Sargent is an odd girl. She lives in an all-girl house with her extended family. Her unconventional household can lead to some unconventional habits especially when, her entire family, excluding her, has some sort of psychic or clairvoyant ability. Blue’s only ability is to strengthen the powers of other psychics. The constant presence of magic around her, but lack of it in her life is part of what draws her to the Raven Boys’ mysterious quest. To add to her intriguing home life, every psychic she has every visited has told her that her kiss will be the death of her true love. This was never a problem until she met the Raven Boys. Richard Gansey is a rich kid with a dream. He grew up with lots of money and his behavior shows it. He has little regard for money, a proper manner, and an occasionally condescending way of speaking. His less fortunate friends are sometimes insulted by his words, despite him having no ill intention. Thankfully, there is more to Gansey’s character. For years, he is searching for a sleeping Welsh king. When searching he has a tendency to be more excited and emotive. Over the course of the book, he proves himself to be caring, sensible and passionate The Raven Boys is a very interesting read. This paranormal, mystery book starts off slow, but builds up. Chasing the Gansey’s dream, the characters attempt to uncover the secrets of Henrietta. With each discovery, the plot thickens making it more and more enthralling as the book goes on. The characters are also well done. Many of them have unique characteristics to distinguish themselves from each other. Some of the main characters go through smaller arcs, preparing them for more growth in future installments. The multiple subplots makes the story more interesting and complex. The setting is a mix of eerie and exciting as the characters explore the secrets of the mysterious town. I give this 408 page book 4 stars. |
The Raven CycleIn the small town of Henrietta, many strange things happen. It is a place full of mysterious energy that enhances psychic abilities. In this town, Blue and her friends search for the sleeping Welsh king.
More books in the SeriesComing Soon
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