Reviews

Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

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mariam___ahmed8's review against another edition

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This series may contain an explicit gay romance scene

xladyxdreamer's review against another edition

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adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

The Raven Boys was an odd experience. On one hand I really loved the first few chapters of the book, setting up the characters individually and mentioning how it's all leading up to them actually meeting was really cool to read about. And I liked this set up with these characters. The further this went tho, the more problems I saw in it.

Some of the characters (Adam) were actually so fucking annoying to read about. And I feel like a lot of their actions in context to the scene they were in, was written in such a strange way? Like I don't know, something especially during that final sequence (with no stakes btw, it came and went and I was just like... okay?) felt so off and I cannot put a finger on what specifically. That ending overall seemed like it came out of nowhere.

The thing about this first book is that even in the middle of the book you're like 'no way does any of this go anywhere in this book'. It's actually just pure set up and I don't think I've ever experienced a book like that. I've read series before obviously, but all of them successfully set up the world, told a story it wanted to tell in book one and there was enough left to continue it further without the first book being just filler. It was such a strange reading experience when I realised this felt like that.

The magic system in this was also set up so weirdly, it's not even unpolished it feels unfinished. There's some semblance of ideas but it kind of goes to shit sometimes and it feels like the writer was just throwing shit at a wall. It doesn't seem purposeful like it does in fantasy books with magic systems I love (The Gilded Wolves/Mirror Visitor come to mind as great examples).

Even with that much negatives to say, I do own the whole series (Ily Casey, will thank you for it forever) and besides all that annoying aspects I had a decent enough time that I will continue reading these books. If not for the actually good comedic moments then to give this series another chance and see what direction this is all heading in.

Different note, but I fucking love these covers for this series. The main reason I was interested in picking it up and I cannot stop looking at them even now. Great job Polish publishers, as always <33

toomx's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful 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? No

3.5

snoopydoo77's review against another edition

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3.0

To be honest it took me a while to get into this book. For one I think I was in a reading slump, two I had a hard time connecting to the characters at first and lastly, the blurb was nothing like the story I was reading. It is a bit misleading.

All that having been said I ended up enjoying the book more than I thought at first I would. Somewhere along the 50% mark I really started to get the character as we learned more about them and there motives and most importantly for me their backgrounds. Though this is one book I wish would not have so many POVs , which made it a bit more confusing than it already was at some parts.

The more I understood the world building the more I liked it but I think it is by far not all and we will see a lot more and new things in future books.

The story seemed dark and mysterious and sometimes sad. Really we don’t find out much by the end of the book if anything we are left hanging with even more questions than we started but somehow I really enjoyed that and it kept me clued to the pages/ (once I reached a certain point).

I can’t wait to finds out more about Blue, her family, including her father and the boys. I’m really curious to see what all will be uncovered in the next book.

I’m giving this book 3★ but only because I had a hard time getting it to it but I think the next book might be easier and therefore faster to read for me and I might enjoy it more.