Review Detail

The Raven Boys is very different to the other books that Maggie Stiefvater normally writes. Although the blurb definitely suggest otherwise, with the true love dying and all that, but love isn't that important in this book compared to Shiver or Lament. It's partly because Blue doesn't want to love someone, otherwise they die, but it's also partly because the ley lines and psychics are more important in the story at the time, and maybe (spoiler) dating Adam instead of Gansey prevents the true love. I reckon though, in the next few books, that it will become way more meaningful.

I felt restricted from Blue, like I couldn't get to know her. At the start, it felt like Blue was going be the main character (and she was), and we would follow her throughout most of the book, but as it progressed, we kept getting further and further away from her, until we basically lost all connections, and started trailing Gansey instead. By the end of the book, Gansey was the most important character, and Blue was just there. I thought it was a really strange switch, and it just didn't feel right. But I do like Gansey a lot more than Blue, so I don't mind it that much, it just felt a bit strange.

The ending was fast, to fast compared to this such slow going book. It got confusing and way out there. I have no clue what happened with Adam. Was he stabbed? Did he turn evil? Was he connected to the ley line? I am so unsure about what happened, that re-read about five times, and still had no idea what was going on. So be prepared for a rapid ending.

*SPOILER*
I thought what was really strange was that Blue and the three boys took Noah's death really lightly, even if it was ages ago. They knew him, even as a ghost. They hardly reacted when they found out he was a ghost. They were like "oh look, Noah's dead, he must be a ghost, how about we don't scream in horror or exclaim in surprise, but see if he is still hanging round." If I found out one of my close friends was a ghost, I would react way more than that.

The Raven Boys is another great book from the great author Maggie Stiefvater. If you loved her previous books, but with the romance toned down, then this book is perfect. Don't be fooled with the true love dying, there is nothing like that in this, it will come in the next books of the series.