Published By: Scholastic
Released : 28th September 2012
Details: Paperback, ARC 408 Pages
RATING: 4.5 GANSEY, ADAM, RONAN & NOAH STARS!
Blurb: Goodreads
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.
From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of theShiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we’ve never been before.
“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.”
BOOK REVIEW by Michelle :
The cover of The Raven Boys is absolutely gorgeous. I want to get it in hardback. The beautiful raven on the front is stunning with the painted brush strokes, and the embellished title and author names add to this cover.
The story within is so much more than the blurb.
This book is told from many POV’s. I enjoyed being in everybody’s head, looking through their eyes. Maggie takes the time to let the reader absorb her characters and world she has made for us to enjoy.
The characters in this story are made up of the quirky, the mysterious, the abused, believers in magic and the impossible, psychics, troubled souls and boys on a quest, believing in their leader Gansey, whole heartedly.
My first thoughts were this was going to be a story about a girl, Blue ( love her name!!) who has been warned by her mother and half aunts ( the quirky , eccentric psychics) that she will indeed meet a boy, and her kiss will kill him. The reader following Blue about as Raven Boys enter her prominently female home life.
This is true. She meets the boy. But which boy does this kiss of death refer to?
This story goes much deeper and takes the reader on their own quest away from kissing. Sure it pops up as a thought throughout the storyline, but we are learning about Gansey, Adam, Ronan and Noah.
There is more than one story within this story..... deep aren't I?
I really liked Blue. She is quite a serious character who is surrounded by her mother and her friends. Women are a big part of her life. Men, not so much.
Enter The Raven Boys. The title of this book is perfect. There is much reference to ravens in this story. It all must mean something. Little seeds are sown for future instalments.
Gansey, the boy with dollars to burn, he knows no other life. He has always had money, owner of Monmouth, an old brick factory. This guy has the coolest pad. Noah, Ronan and Gansey live together in this awesome pad, complete with mini Henrietta township ( you have to read the book).
Gansey is on a quest of discovery, he is quite obsessed. He tells everybody about this quest. Is this a good idea? All his findings are in his journal. I loved Gansey’s character. He drives a bright orange Camaro he names THE PIG. He could own any car in the world, no matter the cost, but he owns THE PIG , it breaks down alot.
Gansey cares for his mates. He wants to help them. He appears to have the perfect life. Great family, no money problems and he gets to indulge in a quest. It’s like a boys dream to have all of the above and not have to worry about anything other than getting to the end of his quest.
Adam who makes up this foursome of mates lives in a trailer park with his parents. He has much to worry about. He is not rich. He is not a true Raven Boy, he is on a scholarship. He holds down jobs, plural. He is not privileged. Adam is a very likeable character. He is observant, caring and thoughtful. He has a lot of heart.
Ronan is the bad boy. Gansey knows how to handle Ronan. Ronan doesn’t much want to like anybody. Ronan is privileged but he is also damaged, troubled. There are these awesome seeds sown in this book with regard to Ronan. I caught a lot of them, I may have missed others. See how you go with finding them. Ronan to me is much, much more than he probably knows himself. Hmmmm...I am intrigued about what Maggie is doing with this guy.
I air high fived Maggie ,she got me, she got me goooood! I love when I get blind sided. There is a character that I noticed one sentence that made me prick my ‘theory ears’ up. This one sentence bugged me the whole book , my brain being a smarty pants thinking I had worked it out.....OMG!! Maggie got me gooooood!!
There is this wonderful mythology thing that Maggie is weaving through the story.
The Quest. ( it needs its own line as it is a QUEST!!!)
We spend a lot of the book with Blue meeting the boys and seeing some of the back story of these Raven Boys and we learn more about Gansey’s quest. Should he be telling all and sundry about this quest?
I found myself having to let the pages turn with the story line as we do spend time getting to know the boys and bringing everybody together,then ............let the magic begin. OOo wonderful imagination , Maggie.
This party has only just got started. We have met the boys, the psychics, learnt about the quest and such things. Blue has us wondering who she should not kiss, who she wants to kiss? Will there be a kiss?
There are funny moments , intrigue, beautifully described scenes, sad moments that will wind you and leave you holding your heart. There will be the characters that take you by surprise and make you rethink your original thoughts. I am very, very intrigued to read more.
All the Raven Boys have caught my attention, and of course there is the quest and that kiss!
The kiss of death. Not a lot to put on Blue's shoulders. Much.
A big THANKYOU to Scholastic Australia for sending me an Arc copy of The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater.
FAVE QUOTES:
There were two Ganseys: the one who lived inside his skin, and the one Gansey put on in the morning when he slid his wallet into the back pocket of his chinos. The former was troubled and passionate, with no discernible accent to Adam’s ears, and the latter bristled with latent power as he greeted people with the slippery, handsome accent of old Virginia money. It was a mystery to Adam how he could not seem to see both versions of Gansey at the same time.
Gansey could’ve had any and all of the friends that he wanted. Instead he had chosen the three of them, three guys who should’ve, for three different reasons, been friendless.
Blue had two rules: Stay away from boys, because they’re trouble , and stay away from raven boys, because they were bastards.
Success meant nothing to Adam if he hadn’t done it for himself.
These little flowers were quiet and sparse, just like him.
This trailer will tell you a lot I won't repeat in my review.
BOOK REVIEW by Michelle :
The cover of The Raven Boys is absolutely gorgeous. I want to get it in hardback. The beautiful raven on the front is stunning with the painted brush strokes, and the embellished title and author names add to this cover.
The story within is so much more than the blurb.
This book is told from many POV’s. I enjoyed being in everybody’s head, looking through their eyes. Maggie takes the time to let the reader absorb her characters and world she has made for us to enjoy.
The characters in this story are made up of the quirky, the mysterious, the abused, believers in magic and the impossible, psychics, troubled souls and boys on a quest, believing in their leader Gansey, whole heartedly.
My first thoughts were this was going to be a story about a girl, Blue ( love her name!!) who has been warned by her mother and half aunts ( the quirky , eccentric psychics) that she will indeed meet a boy, and her kiss will kill him. The reader following Blue about as Raven Boys enter her prominently female home life.
This is true. She meets the boy. But which boy does this kiss of death refer to?
This story goes much deeper and takes the reader on their own quest away from kissing. Sure it pops up as a thought throughout the storyline, but we are learning about Gansey, Adam, Ronan and Noah.
There is more than one story within this story..... deep aren't I?
I really liked Blue. She is quite a serious character who is surrounded by her mother and her friends. Women are a big part of her life. Men, not so much.
Enter The Raven Boys. The title of this book is perfect. There is much reference to ravens in this story. It all must mean something. Little seeds are sown for future instalments.
Gansey, the boy with dollars to burn, he knows no other life. He has always had money, owner of Monmouth, an old brick factory. This guy has the coolest pad. Noah, Ronan and Gansey live together in this awesome pad, complete with mini Henrietta township ( you have to read the book).
Gansey is on a quest of discovery, he is quite obsessed. He tells everybody about this quest. Is this a good idea? All his findings are in his journal. I loved Gansey’s character. He drives a bright orange Camaro he names THE PIG. He could own any car in the world, no matter the cost, but he owns THE PIG , it breaks down alot.
Gansey cares for his mates. He wants to help them. He appears to have the perfect life. Great family, no money problems and he gets to indulge in a quest. It’s like a boys dream to have all of the above and not have to worry about anything other than getting to the end of his quest.
Adam who makes up this foursome of mates lives in a trailer park with his parents. He has much to worry about. He is not rich. He is not a true Raven Boy, he is on a scholarship. He holds down jobs, plural. He is not privileged. Adam is a very likeable character. He is observant, caring and thoughtful. He has a lot of heart.
Ronan is the bad boy. Gansey knows how to handle Ronan. Ronan doesn’t much want to like anybody. Ronan is privileged but he is also damaged, troubled. There are these awesome seeds sown in this book with regard to Ronan. I caught a lot of them, I may have missed others. See how you go with finding them. Ronan to me is much, much more than he probably knows himself. Hmmmm...I am intrigued about what Maggie is doing with this guy.
I air high fived Maggie ,she got me, she got me goooood! I love when I get blind sided. There is a character that I noticed one sentence that made me prick my ‘theory ears’ up. This one sentence bugged me the whole book , my brain being a smarty pants thinking I had worked it out.....OMG!! Maggie got me gooooood!!
There is this wonderful mythology thing that Maggie is weaving through the story.
The Quest. ( it needs its own line as it is a QUEST!!!)
We spend a lot of the book with Blue meeting the boys and seeing some of the back story of these Raven Boys and we learn more about Gansey’s quest. Should he be telling all and sundry about this quest?
I found myself having to let the pages turn with the story line as we do spend time getting to know the boys and bringing everybody together,then ............let the magic begin. OOo wonderful imagination , Maggie.
This party has only just got started. We have met the boys, the psychics, learnt about the quest and such things. Blue has us wondering who she should not kiss, who she wants to kiss? Will there be a kiss?
There are funny moments , intrigue, beautifully described scenes, sad moments that will wind you and leave you holding your heart. There will be the characters that take you by surprise and make you rethink your original thoughts. I am very, very intrigued to read more.
All the Raven Boys have caught my attention, and of course there is the quest and that kiss!
The kiss of death. Not a lot to put on Blue's shoulders. Much.
A big THANKYOU to Scholastic Australia for sending me an Arc copy of The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater.
FAVE QUOTES:
There were two Ganseys: the one who lived inside his skin, and the one Gansey put on in the morning when he slid his wallet into the back pocket of his chinos. The former was troubled and passionate, with no discernible accent to Adam’s ears, and the latter bristled with latent power as he greeted people with the slippery, handsome accent of old Virginia money. It was a mystery to Adam how he could not seem to see both versions of Gansey at the same time.
Gansey could’ve had any and all of the friends that he wanted. Instead he had chosen the three of them, three guys who should’ve, for three different reasons, been friendless.
Blue had two rules: Stay away from boys, because they’re trouble , and stay away from raven boys, because they were bastards.
Success meant nothing to Adam if he hadn’t done it for himself.
These little flowers were quiet and sparse, just like him.
Michelle
I really liked this book and I think the entire reason I loved the book so much was Gansey, you did a great job summing up his character. I'm glad you enjoyed the story too ^^
ReplyDeleteHi Emily,
DeleteI am looking forward to book 2, now we have met the main players and learnt some things about each and the Quest! Gansey is great but I also am beginning to see the light with Ronan too:D
Thanks for dropping by:D
Mich
Love the Breakfast-Club-esque roundup of the characters: "The characters in this story are made up of the quirky, the mysterious, the abused, believers in magic and the impossible, psychics, troubled souls and boys on a quest, believing in their leader Gansey, whole heartedly."
ReplyDeleteIt's perfect!
Hi Donna,
DeleteThanks for dropping by! There is so much mor the characters have to tell us:D
Mich