Reviews

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

niamhgill's review

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3.0

i would probably give this likr 3.75 idk it was rlly good and i enjoyed it but it was paced kinda weird and i figured out a lot of the stuff early on but i really enjoyed it

afs's review against another edition

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

wicked_bibliophile's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

fernplant__'s review

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

4.25

skyninja's review against another edition

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

3.0

esqfanny's review

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2.0

It was a fast read! I think it needs some work, specially with the antagonist, which was very bland. There are too many descriptions about Gansey giving chores to the others so they can find the lost king, although it is only mentioned, so most of the time we don´t get a real feeling of discovering things with them.
I think its true potential, as in any good novel, is the strong bond between the protagonists. However, it is what is is: a potentially good bond. I think the main problem is that the author struggles a bit with creating good dialogues. She captures the posh style of Gansey, but every interaction sounds sloppy, artificial and not very fluid. That is why the discussions between Adam and Gansey didn´t hit the right spot of emotional response and tense expectation I was hoping for. Neither the dialogues with Blue and her mother. The Secret History, another novel with high class characters and social clash, has better dialogues, although I always feel these novels always have a bias for rich kids.
But what the novel did accomplish was to increase my hopes for the next installment. I hope the bond is strengthened with a better dialogue, more action packed, defying scenes and less fillers.

yusra_s's review

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5.0

I don't know what to say. I found the beginning very annoying. In fact, I expected to dnf this after the first two chapters. But I kept going. Probably cause I wanted blue to meet Gansey.
(What kind of name is Gansey, though?)
Well, by the time they met, things started to make more sense and the search got interesting. Honestly, the second half of the book was amazing. Really.

Also, the characters were all PERFECTION incarnate. I absolutely loved all of them.

lilyantan's review

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5.0

Ok, I LOVED this. I just, loved it. Character and dialogue could use some work but IDGAF the story is everything and I adore Blue, I want to adopt her.

The creepy atmosphere is executed perfectly, Cabeswater scenes had me like:


Shit is about to go dowwn.

The relationships between the boys were so intense, I loved that it was the center of the story rather than any romantic stuff.

And the plot twists!



I am here for this series, let's goooo.

missteddybearears's review

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4.0

I have to admit, I tried reading this in the past and could not get into it. I just, well, didn't care. Maybe the timing was just off. Because I gave it another shot, and I'm hooked. I binge ordered the entire series. What a ride this book was! Great characterization, great world building, lovely and varied characters, cool premise. Plus, for me it had the additional appeal of Virginia charm. Since I'm from VA, this really drew me into the world Stiefvater created.

Plot: Blue's family all possess psychic abilities; she is the only one unable to peer into the future. Instead, she amplifies the ability of others. When she sees the soul of a dead boy on St. Mark's Eve, there can be only two reasons for this to happen. She either kills him, or he is her true love. As it so happens, Blue has known that her true love will die if she kisses him. This night leads to meeting The Raven Boys- Gansey, Ronan, Adam, and Noah. Welsh mythology and fantastical elements abound.

Characters: At first, Blue grated on me. The necessity to craft yourself into being quirky didn't feel honest or true and irritated me. However, I pushed through it and reminded myself that I was probably even more grating when I was 16. The Raven Boys are all different and lovely and, to me, what is so compelling about the story. The secrets they each hold kept me hooked. Minor characters were fleshed out well.

Overall Impression: I really want to give this 5 stars because I'm so taken with it. I love Stiefvater's evocative writing style. I love her ability to weave fantasy and mythology so seamlessly into reality that you forget these things don't appear in every day life. I love the boys and I came to love Blue and I love the possibilities of what comes next. However, if I didn't have the other books waiting at home for me, I'd be frustrated. The major action is yet to happen. The major antagonist in this installment was removed, and it felt a little disappointing to me. I trust that Stiefvater has plenty of emotional pain in store for me. And I can't wait for it.

judemoon's review

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4.0

Al principio se puso un poco pesado, pero en cuanto Blue se hace amiga de los chicos se vuelve más interesante. Me ha enganchado bastante. Eso sí: alguien que entienda el final?