Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

35 reviews

heyjudy's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

~4/5

[Read more at my blog, Geeky Reading!]

This was very good, and very much an opening to whatever is coming next.

I love Stiefvater’s writing, as I always do. It’s beautiful, and the character’s and their voices were done really well. She did a very good job with this book, and perhaps I’m only emphasizing this because her book before this one, The Scorpio Races, was not as good as her books before it. Also, it’s often been hard for me to tell when her books are set, as they usually seem modern but there was always something missing, something that made it seem older. And I think now that maybe it’s the lack of technology. Computers, cellphones, just any use of high tech items are missing in her books. There are some mentions, but they’re so little. I still think there’s something else to it, but I think that’s part of it; not that that’s bad, as I rather like the feel her books have.

I loved the characters. I don’t feel like we got to know them as well as we could have, though, for some reason. Like I didn’t get to know them as people, or something. And I think part of this might be because it seemed like almost every scene was put in for a specific reason, to move the plot forward or set up a plot point later on; none of it was just for the characters to develop (although they did develop along the way). This isn't necessarily bad, but sometimes I just love the scenes where the characters are just being people.

But still. Blue was great. I related to her in ways, and I loved her thoughts on things, her hesitance but straight-forwardness. And her family, the group of older-lady psychics, were fantastic. Her relationship with her mom, Maura, was really nice and mature and honest once they got past the lies and secrets. The other psychics were great, and I loved their all-knowing, cryptic statements, and the readings they gave.

Then there’s the group of raven boys. I did like Gansey a lot, his quest and determination and responsibility. I know his relationship with Blue is going to develop more later, and I’m looking forward to that a lot.

I like Adam a whole lot, although I’m a little conflicted about him now. At first he seemed sweet and a little broken, beaten down, but like he was going to get better. But now it seems like bad things are in his future, and I’m not looking forward to that. Also, what happened to him near the end of the book has me a little confused…

Noah was a sweetheart, and I like him a lot, and am really happy with what happened to him in the end. I want to see his relationship with Blue grow, though, since we only got hints of their friendship here.

Then there’s Ronan, who I really don’t know what to think of. I like him. He’s tough and hard around the edges and there is definitely something bad just around the corner for him. But at the same time he has that raven and I can tell there has to be some kind of good hiding inside him. I want to see that part show itself. But also, what did that ending mean? 

Quite a bit happened in this book, but at the same time it's very much a beginning. A lot more is in store for these characters and their story, and I’m really intrigued and interested and excited to see what happens next.

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val_theburrowofstories's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This series has been in my TBR since 2018, so I figured I should start 2024 by finally reading it and I'm so glad to say I enjoyed it a lot and finished the audiobook in one day (great narrator)!

I really liked the characters and can't wait to see more of them, I love how Blue is so independent but also relies on her family to help her and they are always there for her; I want to know more about Gansey to have him as favorite, I see the potential, but we'll see; I already love Adam and just want to protect him but also smack him for his pride lol; Ronan is starting to grow on me but is going to take time with his personality ; and for whatever little we get to see of Noah I'm liking him too I like Noah (never getting over this personal things because it's just so funny, can't believe I avoided spoilers for SIX years only to go into twitter that day, read their names and then see how Noah
is a ghost lmao I mean I wasn't sure if he wasn't joking at the beginning when he said that he had been dead for 7 years, but the biggest surprise was that he was the boy murdered by the boys's professor, that would've good to find out on my own, but no big deal)

ALSO, I know I'm not the only one who saw the connection here: The Raven Boys reminded me of The Marauders! (don't expect something exactly like them, just something similar in dynamics, personalities, role in the group, but it was nice to see)

Love all the paranormal stuff about being able to see ghosts and the souls of people who will die, this "prophecy" on Blue, Ronan's
power with dreams that made him being able to take out an animal to the real world!?
and I'm excited to see more of that in the 2nd book.

I agree with other reviews though that this has an open ending, you won't get answers here, in fact you will have more questions on how things work and what the characters are going to do about it, but you will really want to know them and continue with this story and the characters. So if you're okay with that read this book.

So happy my first book of the year was so good.

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kitfkat's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny inspiring fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0


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askirmishofwit's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

2023 Review:
I stand by what Past Emma said about this book.

Also the audiobook narrator is fantastic for this series so would highly recommend that. 

—-
2015 Review:
You know the feeling when you're not quite sure what you read but you find yourself hooked and wanting more all the same? That, in a nutshell, was my experience of reading <i>The Raven Boys</i>. I'd seen this book everywhere on Booktube but what intrigued me most about it was the lack of detail people seemed to be able to give about it in their mini synopses - I now understand why. Saying house of psychics, searching for ley lines, an orange Camaro, Glendower, public school boys, and Latin all seems like an incongruous puzzle that couldn't possibly fit together, but it turns out that, in Maggie Stiefvater's hands, it does.

What impressed me most about this book is that it's the kind of odd and quirky and ridiculous that you honestly just fall into its world and then you're along for the ride, no matter what twist is thrown at you next. The pacing is perfectly controlled (I read this in the space of two days when I definitely had other things to do) and the characters are pleasingly different and distinguishable from each other. It would have been easy for some of the eponymous "raven boys" to blend into one another but, no, each stands on his own merit even if I do find myself wanting to shake some sense into each and every one of them - I'm mostly looking at you, Adam. And of course I like Gansey, even though I'm 99.9% certain that he's designed for everyone to fall for him. What can I say, well-spoken little rich boys who search for ancient Welsh kings in their free time and casually use words like "repugnant", that's "my type", apparently.

I spent a lot of time whilst reading muttering "no, no, don't, please no" and "wait... what?!?" at this book so if that isn't a ringing endorsement of how much <I>The Raven Boys</I> draws you into its world (even despite your better judgement), then I don't know what is.

[4.5/5 stars]

PS- If the blurb puts you off this book because it makes the narrative seem romance heavy, don't believe it, it lies. This is so much more than just a girl called Blue pining after pretty boys she can't kiss, though that is a shame in itself.

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viacrow's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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trintrin's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

ooookay where do we start

THE CHARACTERS. I love the characters. I can't stress how much I love the characters. I would willingly read a thousand one-shots and spin-offs about them even though it's only been one out of four books so far.
- Maura, Calla, Persephone, and the other psychic women were very interesting to read about. I hope to get to know them more in the future books. Especially Persephone, she's got me in her charms.
- Blue is such a refreshing character, I love her so much. I thought she's gonna be one of those whiny YA protagonists,
especially considering her forbidden love and kind of poor background story,
but oh boy, she's none of those things.
- I don't really have an opinion on Ronan yet, but I smell a character backstory/arc up ahead. I shall deliver my judgement after that :D
Although, I do admit, those little moments where Ronan actually expressed his emotions and his love for the others or Chainsaw made me feel warm

- Adam is probably the most realistic character out of everyone here. He was my first favourite character, I hope he pulls through all the way to the end.
His relationship(?) with Blue was very pure, but obviously it's not gonna be the endgame. I pray for him and my future self.

- Gansey, oh Gansey. I have a soft spot towards Gansey. Something about the way he cares so much for the Raven Boys, and eventually, Blue, makes me want to not read this book anymore. Because I absolutely do not want him to die. He's such a FANTASTIC friend and he is the glue holding the group together. I genuinely cannot imagine how the boys would even survive without him. I want a friend like Gansey, and not just because he's filthy rich.
I don't really sense any chemistry between Gansey and Blue so far. I kinda hope they don't have to resort to that, but oh well. A prophecy is a prophecy, but ig prophecies can also be misleading

- And finally, saving the best boy for the last, NOAHHHH.
He went from a very suspicious background character to this adorable, cutest little child gahhhhhh someone please protect him from all the harm in the world


THE PLOT. The first 50%-ish part of the book had a very weird pacing, so much so that it nearly took me a month to finish it. I truly did not care about Glendower or the ley lines or Aglionby, but it was the characters that kept me going. Lucky I did, because after setting up the world and everything about halfway through, the book picks up the pace. One second you think you've got it, and the next second it goes poof. It keeps you guessing all the way till the end.

I literally just finished reading the book, but what wouldn't I give to find out that Noah Czerny's been dead all along for the first time. I was convinced he was sneaking out trying to wake up the ley line on his own, but turns out the poor child wasn't even alive in the first place. I'm so glad the others didn't freak out and suddenly turn Noah into this ghost who haunts them now, but they gave a logical explanation on why he appeared and disappeared at certain times.

The amount of foreshadowing this book has?? Noah quite literally said that the reason he is always cold is because he's been dead for seven years in the fourth chapter AND NO ONE QUESTIONED IT? Every time Noah makes an appearance has some sort of clue to his situation (the way he threw up after seeing that car and no one bothered to think why?) and yet I never guessed that he was actually dead, just that he's sketchy. And the way it matched up with Gansey's hornet death backstory and Whelk's Czerny backstory, it's incredible, really.

Whelk, I thought he's a weirdo who turns out to be a good-ish guy in the end. The psychopath straight up murdered Noah. Little bitch deserved every bit of his stupid death. Noah's funeral actually made me kinda teary eyed, but I didn't expect them to commit literal grave robbery wtaf 😭 we stan.

One thing that made me feel so relieved in a way was when Adam's father (he can go to hell) slapped him, he actually lost his hearing in a ear. That's it. It's gone. No partial hearing loss, or temporary deafness that will soon be back to normal, or magical abilities to heal his condition, or super hear with his other ear. Nothing. It's just an injury that can never be fixed. This is one thing that I never really liked about fantasy. Like why make the characters lose something as important as a body part only to immediately fix it in someway that its loss is not a big deal at all? I really hope Adam stays this way at least for a good long time, and that his partial deafness affects and slows him down every once in a while. (I understand how sadistic this sounds, but we really need more disabled characters who are actually disabled)


Overall, if only the pacing in the first half hadn't been dogshit, I would've given this five stars. As it is, I hope we can rectify that in the next one :D (although I still don't really care about Glendower, I'm just here for the lovely people and some vibes)

Jan 2024 reread:
This has been my favourite book ever to reread, easily 5 stars! I remember thinking there was a lot of foreshadowing immediately after finishing this book and just flipping back through the pages. Now, with the knowledge of the other three books and the Dreamer Trilogy combined, I can safely say THERE'S SO MUCH FORESHADOWING!! I was sitting here with my jaw dropped for some of those. So many of them evaded my attention, even the things that happen within this book. Maggie, you big-brained genius.

Another thing that I somehow forgot about is
how present Adam's abuse is. I was genuinely shocked on reading about it even before Blue became a part of the gangsey. Reading Adam and Gansey's argument hurt even more, now knowing and understanding the two characters better than before. So proud of them for making it through eventually.


I remember struggling with the pacing so much that it took me nearly a month to finish this book because it took forever to get to the main plot. After flying through the book at record-speed during this reread, I realised it's probably because I didn't know that the main point of this series is not finding Glendower, it's the friendships, and it's always been there at the core of the book. Not justifying the book or invalidating new readers who might feel the same way, just a curious thing to point out. 

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paulaandreea's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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nebraskanwriter's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0


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sp522's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75


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sophiesmallhands's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5


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