The Raven Boys (Raven Cycle #1)

This was actually my first Maggie Stiefvater book so I had absolutely no idea what to expect when going into it. The cover is what drew me to the novel in the first place and then after reading the description I knew I had to buy it and read it. Unfortunately, it ended up sitting on my shelf for a long time.

I can't say I was absolutely blown away by the book, that would be completely false. I did however, enjoy it quite a bit. I had a bit of trouble getting into it for the first third of the book or so. I found it to be pretty slow and there was a ton of description. Once the story started to progress, I found myself completely captivated by the plot and the characters.

I had a slight issue with Gansey. He reminded me of a teenage version of Jay Gatsby from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Just the way he spoke and his actions were very similar. Once I got past that, I absolutely loved Gansey. He was a vulnerable, caring guy and it was really nice to see a YA love interest who wasn't a complete jerk.

I honestly found myself frustrated with Blue. One minute she's complaining about Gansey and then the next she's thinking maybe she might be wrong about him. I wish she would have made up her mind because it got old after awhile. Besides that issue, I thought she was a pretty unique and interesting character. Meanwhile I absolutely loved Ronan. I started off disliking him immensely but he ended up growing on me. Who doesn't like the bad boy? Deep underneath that hard shell I think lies a boy who is tormented by his past and vulnerable. He's not a terrible person he just tends to put on a front to push people away.

While this was my first book by Maggie Stiefvater, it most definitely will not be my last. The world she created was spellbinding and the storyline was enough to have me coming back for the sequel. Based on this work I will also be checking out some of her other stories.?

Originally posted on http://wordsareinnermusic.blogspot.com

Raven Boys takes off from the first pages. Right away, we are pulled into the life of Blue, a girl who’s family is psychic. Everyone but her that is. Every year, her mother and Blue go to the cemetery and write down the names of those who are about to pass. Blue can’t see the people at the cemetery, no does she possess any special powers. Until that night. This year, she goes with her aunt and this year she sees someone for the first time. He’s one of the Raven Boys, and he’s either her one true love or someone she kills. When the Raven Boys walk into her life, everything changes.
Honestly, I don’t even know where to start! This book is so much, too much. Maggie is fabulous at creating stories that pull you in and take your mind on a journey. Blue is a great character. She’s strong and smart, pushing herself beyond the comfortable to discover what lies beyond. Enter Gansey. I was very interested in how Maggie will introduce Gansey to the readers and let me tell you, it wasn’t what I expected. We see a lot of Gansey and his friends, because Maggie tell their stories along side of Blue’s. I really enjoyed this aspect.
Oh Raven Boys. You have stolen my heart. Seriously, these guys are great! I love their intensity, I love their different personalities, I love their quirks and dynamics. Maggie did such a great job making them real and complex and lovable (even while you want to strangle them). My only concern is that...no I can’t do it. I can’t be spoilery and can’t go crazy and talk about the romance in this book. I won’t do it. (ugh)
When you read this book, you need to read it. There is so much going on, you don’t want to miss anything. This book, this whole story was not what I expected. This is definitely a set up for the next books and I can’t wait to see where Maggie takes these characters. Honestly, that ending left me quite frustrated because I needed the next book right now!