Book Review: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: The Raven Boys
Series: The Raven Cycle #1
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Published On: September 18, 2012
Source: publisher, BEA (ARC)

“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: 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.

My Thoughts:

     The Raven Boys reminds me of a very famous Asian TV series group of boys called F4. The series was originally a manga then made into a TV series. First in Taiwan, then in Japan, then later in Korea. Only because there were 4 boys and a girl. I think this is the first time I’ve read a YA book where the group consists of 4 boys, then a girl comes a long and joins them. There might be some that comes similarly, but not as how it was depicted in the novel. I just plainly love this book.

     Maggie Stiefvater is a genius in creating a story unique in itself and very much compelling. The story is riveting from the start until the end. The story is fresh from all the others that I’ve read. There’s so much paranormal novels out there, but somehow Stiefvater was still able to make her new one stand out. Honestly, I was quite doubtful I’ll like the Raven Boys (that was before reading it) because I didn’t particularly like the Shiver series. I’ve read the first one, Shiver, and it did not appeal to me, I just found no life in them. But that’s just me. But, The Raven Boys, my oh my. I’m addicted to them. I know there’s something about mysterious characters that are appealing, and every one of them are mysterious and tainted in their own ways. The awesome twists reveals themselves as you read along. And oh the dangerous pull the author has created to make the readers want more of the story, it shakes out the desperateness I feel. lol.
     Here’s the thing, right from the beginning, Blue is told that she will kill her true love with a kiss. I know, a very opposite condition from the fairytale’s version. And when she saw Gansey’s soul at St. Mark’s eve, there are only two reasons for this: he’s her true love or she will kill him. I thought that when they will finally meet each other, I expected the usual falling in love and fight ’til the end theme to emerge. But it didn’t. and I was really taken aback with surprise, and this just made me hold on to the book and read some more. There’s another love interest for Blue that somewhat changes everything. Then there are the visions of the future wherein it still shows that Gansey and Blue will fall in love. But the thing is it’s not possible in the moment, it’s not happening, and it scares me. Because the inner fan in me is already rooting for them! I know the love story part is not the main thing in the story but i’m a romantic, so screw me. Anyway, that’s the main reason I can’t wait for the next book! But seriously though, the plot is so good. The thrill of seeking a long lost secret is mysterious and alluring. Each boy: Gansey, Adam, Ronan and Noah. I want to be a part of their group. I want to be their friend, even if it’ll make me ‘one of the boys’. The novel is so good it made me want that.

    So now I already completely understand the many gushes this book has received, and it is well deserved. Do I even have to say this? Alright, 5 STARS!