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A review by moonspluvia
The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater
5.0
Reread april 2023: Wow… just wow. I am in complete awe of this book and the entire series. It is one of my favorites for a reason. I loved it then, I love it now, and I will love it again in the future. There is just… something more about this series. I simply cannot put my love into words. I loved this conclusion with my whole heart, with tears to match!! However, if you were to ask me to think about this book objectively, critically, it would not be 5 stars. Let me explain:
* Henry. I hate to say it, I really do, but it must be said. Henry is simply a plot device for Gansey’s character development specifically. I love him, but I forget about him 90% of the time. This is what happens when you bring in a supposedly super important character in the final book of the series. Not only was he a plot device, he is also a sort of a token diversity character. From the odd generalizations of his race to the VERY odd casual racist joke made by Adam and Ronan made it was just weird to me. The other characters are much more complex because they had four books to develop- Henry had only one. Again, I love him, but I wish he was introduced in the series sooner.
* Noah. I have a love/hate relationship with what happens to Noah. I’m okay with him finally getting some sort of peace, but my heart can’t take the fact that everyone forgets him?? Ronan can take things from his dreams, Adam is a psychic on steroids, Blue is half tree nymph, Gansey is made of a magical tree forest… why can’t they remember their dead friend. Because he slipped from time?? He existed before he died so he couldn’t have just disappeared completely from the world, you know?? It just creates this gaping wound in my torso filled with sadness and yearning. Noah was there the ENTIRE time all FOUR BOOKS and there wasn’t even a hint of him in the epilogue. His character deserves to be in peace not only by the narrative but also by the characters themselves. At the very least there should’ve been some sort of insinuation or mention of him/his impact on everyone. But that’s just me.
* Gansey/Glendower. This isn’t a bad thing per se but I wanted to include it. I’ve seen here and there how people thought it would’ve been better if it was revealed that Gansey was Glendower is some sort of way. I think that would’ve really cool and interesting but I’m not mad at the way things played out. I think it’s powerful that Gansey learned in the end to live- and die- for himself and for the people he loves. Glendower was an obsession stemmed from trauma, it seemed right for him to be dead and for Gansey to live beyond that.
Now, here I would usually write what was good about the book, but good lord, there are too many things I could talk about. Even with the faults this book is a wonderful conclusion to my favorite series, and I could cry just thinking about it. I was the same age as the characters of the first book when I read it for the first time, and now I am the same age as them in Greywaren. I have evolved with them and their impossible, infinite, magical, youthful adventure and grown as an adult with them and their existential dread, tearful revelations, and hope for themselves and their future. This book is filled with love and light, angst and heartbreak, life and death and life again, stars in the eyes and trees in the heart. I love this book with all my heart and soul.
That’s all there is.
* Henry. I hate to say it, I really do, but it must be said. Henry is simply a plot device for Gansey’s character development specifically. I love him, but I forget about him 90% of the time. This is what happens when you bring in a supposedly super important character in the final book of the series. Not only was he a plot device, he is also a sort of a token diversity character. From the odd generalizations of his race to the VERY odd casual racist joke made by Adam and Ronan made it was just weird to me. The other characters are much more complex because they had four books to develop- Henry had only one. Again, I love him, but I wish he was introduced in the series sooner.
* Noah. I have a love/hate relationship with what happens to Noah. I’m okay with him finally getting some sort of peace, but my heart can’t take the fact that everyone forgets him?? Ronan can take things from his dreams, Adam is a psychic on steroids, Blue is half tree nymph, Gansey is made of a magical tree forest… why can’t they remember their dead friend. Because he slipped from time?? He existed before he died so he couldn’t have just disappeared completely from the world, you know?? It just creates this gaping wound in my torso filled with sadness and yearning. Noah was there the ENTIRE time all FOUR BOOKS and there wasn’t even a hint of him in the epilogue. His character deserves to be in peace not only by the narrative but also by the characters themselves. At the very least there should’ve been some sort of insinuation or mention of him/his impact on everyone. But that’s just me.
* Gansey/Glendower. This isn’t a bad thing per se but I wanted to include it. I’ve seen here and there how people thought it would’ve been better if it was revealed that Gansey was Glendower is some sort of way. I think that would’ve really cool and interesting but I’m not mad at the way things played out. I think it’s powerful that Gansey learned in the end to live- and die- for himself and for the people he loves. Glendower was an obsession stemmed from trauma, it seemed right for him to be dead and for Gansey to live beyond that.
Now, here I would usually write what was good about the book, but good lord, there are too many things I could talk about. Even with the faults this book is a wonderful conclusion to my favorite series, and I could cry just thinking about it. I was the same age as the characters of the first book when I read it for the first time, and now I am the same age as them in Greywaren. I have evolved with them and their impossible, infinite, magical, youthful adventure and grown as an adult with them and their existential dread, tearful revelations, and hope for themselves and their future. This book is filled with love and light, angst and heartbreak, life and death and life again, stars in the eyes and trees in the heart. I love this book with all my heart and soul.
That’s all there is.