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erinsca's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
alivaster's review against another edition
4.0
The Scorpio Races was a pretty good book. The prologue greatly caught my interest because it was so intense! I was drawn in and hooked at that point. I've read Maggie Stiefvarter's other books so her writing wasn't surprising, but I felt this book was better. The characters were more developed, the writing was clear, the concept of the book and what it was about was well executed and interesting. I can see this turning into a great movie one day.
However, I was really disappointed by the actual races. There was such a huge build up to the Scorpio Races - that's what the book is about, but when we finally got there, it was only about 14 pages long. I expected more from Stiegvater and this world. There were some great parts of the book that will stay with me forever - haunting moments - but the races will stick with me as well, but not in a good way. She's great in providing imagery within the book, but the races she dropped off leaving a lot more to the imagination and using broader description. It overall felt rushed compared to many other parts of the book.
However, overall, it was a good read and I would recommend it because of it's haunting moments that really captured my imagination.
Sidenote: If you're not a fan of horses, blood-shed, or intense writing, this book probably isn't for you. If you like or don't mind those things? You'll probably like it!
However, I was really disappointed by the actual races. There was such a huge build up to the Scorpio Races - that's what the book is about, but when we finally got there, it was only about 14 pages long. I expected more from Stiegvater and this world. There were some great parts of the book that will stay with me forever - haunting moments - but the races will stick with me as well, but not in a good way. She's great in providing imagery within the book, but the races she dropped off leaving a lot more to the imagination and using broader description. It overall felt rushed compared to many other parts of the book.
However, overall, it was a good read and I would recommend it because of it's haunting moments that really captured my imagination.
Sidenote: If you're not a fan of horses, blood-shed, or intense writing, this book probably isn't for you. If you like or don't mind those things? You'll probably like it!
gracebirdly's review against another edition
5.0
I genuinely think this deserves 5 stars. It’s really easy to mess up a story about water horses but it was written so well. I loved all of the characters and I honestly can’t stop thinking about this book.
sparks_the_power_pony's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
brisingr's review
4.0
2nd read: 8-10 December 2022
How long do you have to be in a place before it's your home? This is their home on land.
Bumping this down to 4 stars, because it was extremely wonderful once, ages ago, and it is just wonderful now. Despite my personal feelings towards Maggie Stiefvater as a person (which are mostly petty), this person can sure write - and the exact type of style that I adore, that lulls you into a story and breathes magic into a world.
This is a book about hard people, love for land and love for things and love for others, humane stubbornness and literal murderous horses that come from the sea and feast on blood. Fun, fun, fun!!! (Also unpopular opinion but I think Stiefvater writes better stand-alones than series).
1st read: 21-24 October 2014
Thanks god for tumblr because I find out about one of the most interesting books, that I'd have probably never tried if it wasn't for the awesome edits.
The Scorpio Races are some horse races that are held every year at the beggining of November, on Thisby island. Hundreds of tourists come from the whole world to be amazed by the strenght of the horses, by the terrifying sound of the ocean, by the courage of the riders. But the fame of these races is mostly thanks to the deads that are left behind the galloping horses and to the blood that accompanies the special horses of Thisby. But this year is different: a girl signed up for the races. The first girl to do so.
I must say I am not a fan of YA and I tried a lot in the past to avoid it. I think i will have to alter my opinion a little bit. I am actually still thinking if this book fits into the young-adult genre (goodreads says so, I don't know if I should believe it). But if it is, then it means that I was so against YA because I still didn't find a book that would be more than... bad. Some recent reads of mine, including this one, has shown me that there are some books meant for a younger audience that can still be catchy and interesting. And maybe the fact that it has magic in it also had a saying, as my youth startled happily at the mention of it.
I really liked how the book was built. It's pretty slow, which makes it charming and fit for the place where the action takes place (slow are the waves and slow is the story, but slowly my heart learns to love this). The writing style gives you the impression you are in a darker version of a fairy-tail. You can taste the sea, you can feel the wind going through your hair. You almost can hear the call of the ocean, smell the blood in the air. I fell in love with the invisible way the story charmed me, tied me to its happenings.
Like in most cases of books that get a good rating from me, the characters had a lot to say. Being written in two point of views, we are torn between two people, undecided for who to cheer. On a side we have Sean, four time winner, silent but attentive, just a horse lover. And then we have Puck, courageous and loving. Their relationship development is subtle and deliberate, carefully built around the way their personality fits, but also clashes. The secondary characters are just as lovely, and you get attached to most of them. Also, the book emphasize on the bond between a human and an animal, the creature for whom they were ready to do almost anything. I appreciated this special tie enormously, giving a human and painful trait to the characters.
There are also a lot of plot-twists, decisions I didn't expect to be taken, and the ending was simply perfect and made me immensely happy. Even if the last 20-10 pages are quite hurried, I didn't mind it as hard as I would usually do because it was exactly what I wanted from this book.
I knew from the beginning that this will be a book that'll captivate me, because the idea is so, so interesting, but I am glad it passed all my expectations. A book that I recommend, but not exactly to horse lovers.
How long do you have to be in a place before it's your home? This is their home on land.
Bumping this down to 4 stars, because it was extremely wonderful once, ages ago, and it is just wonderful now. Despite my personal feelings towards Maggie Stiefvater as a person (which are mostly petty), this person can sure write - and the exact type of style that I adore, that lulls you into a story and breathes magic into a world.
This is a book about hard people, love for land and love for things and love for others, humane stubbornness and literal murderous horses that come from the sea and feast on blood. Fun, fun, fun!!! (Also unpopular opinion but I think Stiefvater writes better stand-alones than series).
1st read: 21-24 October 2014
Thanks god for tumblr because I find out about one of the most interesting books, that I'd have probably never tried if it wasn't for the awesome edits.
The Scorpio Races are some horse races that are held every year at the beggining of November, on Thisby island. Hundreds of tourists come from the whole world to be amazed by the strenght of the horses, by the terrifying sound of the ocean, by the courage of the riders. But the fame of these races is mostly thanks to the deads that are left behind the galloping horses and to the blood that accompanies the special horses of Thisby. But this year is different: a girl signed up for the races. The first girl to do so.
I must say I am not a fan of YA and I tried a lot in the past to avoid it. I think i will have to alter my opinion a little bit. I am actually still thinking if this book fits into the young-adult genre (goodreads says so, I don't know if I should believe it). But if it is, then it means that I was so against YA because I still didn't find a book that would be more than... bad. Some recent reads of mine, including this one, has shown me that there are some books meant for a younger audience that can still be catchy and interesting. And maybe the fact that it has magic in it also had a saying, as my youth startled happily at the mention of it.
I really liked how the book was built. It's pretty slow, which makes it charming and fit for the place where the action takes place (slow are the waves and slow is the story, but slowly my heart learns to love this). The writing style gives you the impression you are in a darker version of a fairy-tail. You can taste the sea, you can feel the wind going through your hair. You almost can hear the call of the ocean, smell the blood in the air. I fell in love with the invisible way the story charmed me, tied me to its happenings.
Like in most cases of books that get a good rating from me, the characters had a lot to say. Being written in two point of views, we are torn between two people, undecided for who to cheer. On a side we have Sean, four time winner, silent but attentive, just a horse lover. And then we have Puck, courageous and loving. Their relationship development is subtle and deliberate, carefully built around the way their personality fits, but also clashes. The secondary characters are just as lovely, and you get attached to most of them. Also, the book emphasize on the bond between a human and an animal, the creature for whom they were ready to do almost anything. I appreciated this special tie enormously, giving a human and painful trait to the characters.
There are also a lot of plot-twists, decisions I didn't expect to be taken, and the ending was simply perfect and made me immensely happy. Even if the last 20-10 pages are quite hurried, I didn't mind it as hard as I would usually do because it was exactly what I wanted from this book.
I knew from the beginning that this will be a book that'll captivate me, because the idea is so, so interesting, but I am glad it passed all my expectations. A book that I recommend, but not exactly to horse lovers.
shewwimonster's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-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? No
5.0
a_fantasy_lover's review against another edition
5.0
This book deserves 4.5 stars. The characters had completely different personalities and how they were implied gave them life.
The only problem was the lack of explanation as to how the magic itself works and why they were even called the 'Scorpio Races'.
However, compared to the the plot of the story, this is nothing. And the romance was just wonderful. It felt real and not just something that's fueled by lust like I feel many romances depend on. Gere it felt innocent and pure - that's the romance I love most - even if the characters themselves are all the shades of grey and white (maybe not black cause they weren't dark they were just normal people).
That's without even mentioning the strong genuine bond between Sean and Corr (the water horse). It's beautiful.
The only problem was the lack of explanation as to how the magic itself works and why they were even called the 'Scorpio Races'.
However, compared to the the plot of the story, this is nothing. And the romance was just wonderful. It felt real and not just something that's fueled by lust like I feel many romances depend on. Gere it felt innocent and pure - that's the romance I love most - even if the characters themselves are all the shades of grey and white (maybe not black cause they weren't dark they were just normal people).
That's without even mentioning the strong genuine bond between Sean and Corr (the water horse). It's beautiful.
heathercottledillon's review against another edition
4.0
I've never read a book quite like this before, and I really liked it. Stiefvater did a great job of creating the atmosphere of Thisby--it felt melancholy and beautiful at the same time. I could just see the dangerous capaill uisce and the water's thrashing waves. The plot is a bit slow and definitely predictable, but I enjoyed the writing so much that it didn't bother me.