webblywebb 's review for:

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
5.0

Did I go into this book knowing full well that I am possibly Maggie Stiefvaters biggest fan, and that I was determined to love the prose regardless of everything else? Yes. Did my unbridled passion for magical realism cloud my already subjective view of the story? Yes. Did I have to take a week-long break (sorry if anyone had a hold on the library book) only a handful of pages from the end because of my abject terror at finding out how it ends? Yes.
Was it excellent? Yes.

This story, much like the Raven Cycle, balances being whimsical and overtly magical with being so deeply grounded and real feeling that I came out of it not quite sure whether it was fiction at all. The three things that consistently stand out in Maggie's books (first name basis? I am so bold) are the prose, the relationships, and the world-building, and the Scorpio Races are no exception. Her writing style verges on poetry, with occasional lines bringing a tear to my eye from wording alone. The relationship between the characters are vibrant and passionate, and the motives behind their actions are therefore better fleshed out. And the world, how can it be so lightly yet so effectively described? Without overloading on exposition, I feel like I've been here, and known this place as if the story were my own.
Lastly, am I an overly-emotional, biased, sucker for this exact sort of story? Should this review be taken with a grain of salt? Definitely. Still love it though, I look forward to my reread.