The Raven Boys (Raven Cycle) [Hardcover]

Maggie Stiefvater (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 18, 2012 | Series: Raven Cycle

An all-new series from the masterful, #1 New York Times bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater!

"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:

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 8 Up-Blue was born into a psychic family with the misfortune of having no psychic ability of her own. However, her presence helps others "see" more clearly, which has led to every psychic she's ever met predicting that if Blue were to kiss her true love, he would die. Not interested in boys yet and especially repulsed by the snooty lot at Aglionby Academy, she decides to simply never kiss anyone. When she has her first clairvoyant experience, it's not as thrilling as she had hoped. She sees that Gansey, a boy from Aglionby, will die within the next year. She can't get him out of her mind, a task made impossible when she meets him and his three friends. The Raven Boys, as Aglionby students are called, rope her into helping them with their mission: to locate a ley line. The line of energy could possibly connect them to the past and to the legendary "sleeping" Welsh king, Glendower, who will grant the one who awakens him a reward. Their quest puts each of them in harm's way, made more imminent when Blue finally starts to feel as if her kiss of death is going to be a real problem. First in a planned quartet, The Raven Boys is an incredibly rich and unique tale, a supernatural thriller of a different flavor. The cinematic feel paces the novel well, and the many pieces of the story unfold with grace. The complicated relationships between the Raven boys and Blue are not of the standard main character/love interest variety and makes the curious plot all the more enthralling. Fans have been salivating for Stiefvater's next release and The Raven Boys delivers.-Emily Chornomaz, Camden County Library System, NJα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Review

“Simultaneously complex and simple, compulsively readable, marvelously wrought. The only flaw is that this is Book 1; it may be months yet before Book 2 comes out.” - Kirkus, starred review

“. . . the book is marvelous, for not only is it filled with marvels, it is also a marvel of imagination and, more prosaically, structure. Rich, too, in characterization, this fantasy/mystery rises to the level of serious literature” - Booklist, starred review

“It’s a tour de force of characterization, and while there is no lack of event or mystery, it is the way Stiefvater’s people live in the reader’s imagination that makes this such a memorable read.” - Publishers Weekly, starred review

"The Raven Boys is an incredibly rich and unique tale, a supernatural thriller of a different flavor . . . The Raven Boys delivers." - School Library Journal, starred review

"Amid well-paced, suspenseful plotting intriguingly overlaid with history, myth, and legend, Stiefvater creates a compelling human drama of boys whose privilege or lack thereof colors all of their interactions." - Bulletin of the Center of Children's Books, starred review

"Stiefvater not only weaves a suspenseful tale of Blue’s involvement with three such boys and their quest for the grave of an ancient king, but she also does so stylishly, with sly social commentary." - The Washington Post

"Stiefvater's can't-put-it-down paranormal adventure will leave you clamoring for book 2." - Entertainment Weekly

"Patton is masterful with the suspense and the mysticism and seductively plays the emotional line of real and imagined events. Don't miss this compelling listen" - Audiofile Magazine

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Press; First Edition edition (September 18, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0545424925
• ISBN-13: 978-0545424929
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (278 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,834 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

After a tumultuous past as a history major, calligraphy instructor, wedding musician, technical editor, and equestrian artist, I'm now a full-time writer living in the middle of nowhere, Virginia, with my charmingly straight-laced husband, two kids, four neurotic dogs who fart recreationally, and a 1973 Camaro named Loki.

I'm also an award-winning colored pencil artist, play several musical instruments (most infamously, the bagpipes), and recently acquired a race car.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#63 in Books > Teens

#63 in Books > Teens

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars If Edgar Allan Poe had taught the boys of Dead Poets Society, this is the type of story he might've told. September 18, 2012

By Wendy Darling

Format:Hardcover

On a cold night every spring, sixteen-year-old Blue and her psychic mother wait in a churchyard for the dead to arrive. Her mother is usually the one who sees the spirits of people who will die within the next twelve months, but this year, Blue herself is startled by the sad, desperate sight of a boy named Gansey falling to his knees before her.

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

With those chilling words, Blue is caught up in a mystery she never expected involving the privileged Raven Boys from Aglionby Academy. She must guard her heart closely, however, because Blue's always been told that she's destined to kill her true love with a kiss.

If Edgar Allan Poe had taught the boys of Dead Poets Society, The Raven Boys is the type of tale he might've told, one that emerges through curl of smoke and excites with a flash of fire. This story, which seems to be loosely based on a real Welsh folk tale, is haunted by ghosts, invigorated by a fantastical search for a legendary sleeping Welsh king, and tinged with the frightening dark beauty of centuries-old magic.

While the story starts out from Blue's point of view, the book is actually told in third-party omniscient style, a welcome change from the author's usual first person perspective, and a necessary one given the many characters we get to know, particularly the raven boys. Gansey, who is obsessed with the supernatural; Adam, who yearns for a life outside what he knows; Ronan, whose anger hides untold regret; and Noah, a troubled soul who knows a great deal more than he lets on. I loved the complicated relationship between these boys, from their good-natured jeers to their anxious concern for one another. There is a collegial feel to the book that I very much enjoyed, but beyond that, there is also a deeply felt connection and a mysterious synergy between the characters that I hadn't felt in the author's books since Shiver and Linger. It's a surprise to find that the strongest and most compelling facet of this novel isn't necessarily the romance--although that is also intriguing and incredibly complicated--but the brotherly love between this tightly-knit group of boys.

There are several mysteries going on, all of which aroused my curiosity. I have to admit, however, there are so many characters and plot lines to keep track of that the first half of the book was occasionally bewildering and a little maddening. As with The Scorpio Races, I also find some of the names a bit distracting since there are so many unusual ones (although I do like some of them, including the rather gloriously pompous "Barrington Whelk"), and the propensity to overuse proper nouns when a simple "he" or "she" would do occasionally tried my patience. While I think the novel would be stronger overall if it was a little more focused and lost some of its cluttering details, these are small nitpicks in such an imaginative book, and the whirlwind of the second half definitely rewards those who stick with it. I liked that we see more of the author's offbeat humor in this novel, and her gift for seeing beauty in ordinary things still moves me.

I'm happy to find another Maggie Stiefvater book that I like so much and I'm incredibly excited to see where this story goes next. That cryptic ending--and the loose ends with Blue's romantic destiny--will guarantee that I'll be one of the first people in line for the sequel.

For fans of intelligent mystery and fantasy, this unkindness of ravens is well worth your time.

**An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

77 of 93 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars The promise of the novel (or series) is more than the novel itself... September 18, 2012

By Eventide

Format:Hardcover

I debated between 3 and 4 stars, but ultimately went with 3, for reasons I will state below. This review contains very minor spoilers (vague references to plot/character dynamics).

Pros:

1) The characters: Blue and the Raven Boys are well crafted. Gansey's my favorite, the rich boy who wants to do more with his life and help the people he's closest to, little realizing that his fixing things with money caused bitterness in some of the very people he wanted to help. One of the most intriguing parts of his character is the bee subplot and how it ties to the main plot with Glendower, and the idea that Gansey technically should have been dead years ago.

Blue is also a great character, though I found her aggravating and dense sometimes. I felt she should've told Gansey everything she knew, particularly about St. Mark's and her visions, but that's a personal quibble. At least she has a personality and felt real. I'm also interested in her parents' story and what will happen with Gansey. I have a soft spot for Ronan with his tortured self; the author manages to do a bad boy without making him cliché. I guessed Noah's secret from almost the get go, so it wasn't a surprise, but he was sweet and I enjoyed him.

Adam is my least favorite Raven Boy, though he was as well as drawn as the others. I have no idea why Blue likes him (or thinks she likes him; it's apparent she actually likes Gansey more, but is being stubborn/dense about it). I felt sorry for Adam, but look at the difference between him and Ronan, who are reverse in their exterior/interior. Ronan, for all of his bad behavior, is really the boys' friend; Adam, for all his model behavior, is not a good friend. I saw Adam's actions at the end of the novel coming a mile away (as well as the vision he had). Adam is that kind of friend who hates his friends underneath it all because he's jealous and believes his misery is worse than everyone else's. I almost wish the author had left out the Blue/Adam dynamic (though I assume it's too add another dimension to Adam's jealousy when Blue falls for Gansey), because it's obvious from her interactions with both boys that she and Gansey are better suited for each other. Right now, Blue is seeing them both superficially, though she's started to glimpse the real Gansey.

Whelk could've been better developed, as could Blue's family (though I assume we're learn more about their pasts in the ensuing books, so I wasn't too bothered about that).

2) The Mysteries: I didn't care that the blurb is misleading and the main plot is Glendower and the ley lines. It was different from the usual YA fare, and I'm also interested in learning more of Ronan and Blue's fathers, Neeve, Gansey's fate, Adam's latest development, and how it all ties to Henrietta.

3)The writing: The author knows how to string words together :)

Cons:

Execution: For all the great characters and interesting plot, the author's execution is mediocre. It feels like she imagined a bunch of scenes with the characters, wrote the scenes down, and threw them in a book without going back and fashioning them into a coherent narrative.

I don't mind slower paced novels. I love character development. I get that this is the first novel in a series. But any novel should be substantial on its own. Only 50-60% of The Raven Boys seems necessary. The first third of the novel in particular could have been heavily cut. While I'm glad I finished it, I was constantly questioning why I kept reading for a long time. Some scenes and dialogue are cute and clever. But every scene should move the story forward in some way and should matter. If this had been the author's debut, I would have rated it 4 stars, but considering this is her 7th, she should have a handle on execution by now. This is an indulgent novel, and the last fourth of it shouldn't justify its existence. Also, there were info-dumps galore.

I described the novel to a friend. I spent longer explaining and thinking about the characters than I did on what actually happens, because not much does. And when I was finished she said: "That's it?" The novel lacked buildup and payoff, had no tension, nor a beginning, middle, and end - just stuff divulged by/to characters at various instances. Compare this to Kathleen Peacock's Hemlock, which is the first in a series too, but has its own complete narrative and exists as a novel in its own right. I was dissatisfied when I finished the last page of The Raven Boys and wondered if this novel could have been combined with the second one. There were too many instances where I kept thinking "boring, boring, can we get to the point?" I also felt like Gansey and Blue, as much as I liked them, did not really evolve as characters in any profound way either. Again, I get this is a series, but like the plot, there should be a trajectory for them in each book too.

I know I'll probably get slammed for this review, but to be honest, the promise of the novel (and what is to come in the ensuing novels) is better than the actual novel itself.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars The Raven Boys October 5, 2012

By Sarah

Format:Hardcover

Blue's family is full of psychics, her mother, aunt. Expect for her, she is a non-seer, Blue's power is to amplify energy. But when they visit the church graveyard, they have been doing this every year on St. Mark's Eve. The only thing different about this year is Blue sees someone. A boy from the local private school. All they get from him is his name, Gansey.

It took me a long time to get into the book, the beginning of the book was confusing and I kept getting distracted. But after I got into the book it was incredible!

The characters, all of them, were great, I loved Gansey, and his friends.

I'm ready for book number two!

Thank you Scholastics and NetGally for this ARC.