Scan barcode
A review by theespressoedition
The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
So we've reached the end. I'll admit, I'm a little bit emotional about wrapping up this series. Now, that might seem strange considering my 3-star ratings for every book, but hear me out:
This series is confusing as hell. There, I said it. Okay, that's not a revelation because I've said it in every review so far, but it's just the truth. There is a lot that doesn't make sense - even at the very end. I actually wound up messaging a fellow reader (and a huge fan of the series) to pepper them with a bunch of questions because, despite having read them all, I was still confused about so much!
Maggie's writing is beyond unique. I'm truly wracking my brain trying to come up with a better description, but that's all I can think of. It's not necessarily "beautiful" but it is interesting. The writing alone made me want to come back for more. Even when I was scared to death by the content, I wanted to know what happened next.
I can't say that this was my favorite series of all time. I can't even really say that I "loved" the books. But, for whatever reason, I definitely think I'll want to read them again at some point. Maybe it'll help me understand them better? Maybe I'll find myself even liking them more at that point. For now, the entire series gets a 3-star rating from me (which makes sense because that's the exact rating I gave every single book).
It's dark, it's quotable, it has great diversity, it's haunting, it's interesting, it's confusing - and I think it's worth reading if only to say you did!
This series is confusing as hell. There, I said it. Okay, that's not a revelation because I've said it in every review so far, but it's just the truth. There is a lot that doesn't make sense - even at the very end. I actually wound up messaging a fellow reader (and a huge fan of the series) to pepper them with a bunch of questions because, despite having read them all, I was still confused about so much!
Maggie's writing is beyond unique. I'm truly wracking my brain trying to come up with a better description, but that's all I can think of. It's not necessarily "beautiful" but it is interesting. The writing alone made me want to come back for more. Even when I was scared to death by the content, I wanted to know what happened next.
I can't say that this was my favorite series of all time. I can't even really say that I "loved" the books. But, for whatever reason, I definitely think I'll want to read them again at some point. Maybe it'll help me understand them better? Maybe I'll find myself even liking them more at that point. For now, the entire series gets a 3-star rating from me (which makes sense because that's the exact rating I gave every single book).
It's dark, it's quotable, it has great diversity, it's haunting, it's interesting, it's confusing - and I think it's worth reading if only to say you did!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Gore, and Murder