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A review by akmargie
The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater
5.0
I think I went through all five stages of grief with this book. The Raven Cycle open with the promise that Gansey will die and Blue will kill her true love with a kiss. So all series as I came to know more about Blue and Gansey and Ronan and Adam, I knew those two things and was emotionally preparing, starting with denial. Stiefvater's a good writer, she can find a way out of this. No way Gansey dies.
Then anger. Stiefvater's too good a writer and now I care about these characters and all the others and they hurt my heart (oh Adam Parrish, you hurt it the most) and how dare you have bad things happen to them.
Then it was bargaining. Okay a few someones will have to die, I get it, it's that kind of story that anything less would be a cop out. So mentally I was tallying who I'd be okay to lose. (At one point I was chanting in the car, not Mr. Grey, please not Mr. Grey, DON'T YOU DARE KILL Mr. Grey!)
Then depression. I had to turn the audio off a few times because everything was terrible and its hopeless fighting against fate so why bother.
And finally acceptance. When the moment happened I was ready, not happy, but ready for it to be over, much like Gansey.
And then Stifvater happened. Unmaker, I say Stiefvater, unmaker. You undid all that emotional work in seconds rather breathlessly and brilliantly. I hate and admire you for it, you tricky asshole (said in Will Patton's perfect Ronan voice.)
I'm grateful I finished this knowing she's planning a Ronan trilogy because I do feel there are some threads that didn't get a good enough closure, whether on purpose or because, dear Lord could you fit anything else into this book without it becoming an unwieldy mess. As it is I feel like I need a few months and 2 or 3 close readings to figure out what exactly happened and how it all worked.
Unmaker, Stiefvater. Unmaker.
Then anger. Stiefvater's too good a writer and now I care about these characters and all the others and they hurt my heart (oh Adam Parrish, you hurt it the most) and how dare you have bad things happen to them.
Then it was bargaining. Okay a few someones will have to die, I get it, it's that kind of story that anything less would be a cop out. So mentally I was tallying who I'd be okay to lose. (At one point I was chanting in the car, not Mr. Grey, please not Mr. Grey, DON'T YOU DARE KILL Mr. Grey!)
Then depression. I had to turn the audio off a few times because everything was terrible and its hopeless fighting against fate so why bother.
And finally acceptance. When the moment happened I was ready, not happy, but ready for it to be over, much like Gansey.
And then Stifvater happened. Unmaker, I say Stiefvater, unmaker. You undid all that emotional work in seconds rather breathlessly and brilliantly. I hate and admire you for it, you tricky asshole (said in Will Patton's perfect Ronan voice.)
I'm grateful I finished this knowing she's planning a Ronan trilogy because I do feel there are some threads that didn't get a good enough closure, whether on purpose or because, dear Lord could you fit anything else into this book without it becoming an unwieldy mess. As it is I feel like I need a few months and 2 or 3 close readings to figure out what exactly happened and how it all worked.
Unmaker, Stiefvater. Unmaker.