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cocoonofbooks 's review for:
Call Down the Hawk
by Maggie Stiefvater
I can't imagine recommending this to someone who hadn't read The Raven Cycle, which leads you slowly into Stiefvater's fantasy world, but as a fan of that series, it was fantastic to return to that world and go even deeper. Declan is surprisingly enjoyable as a POV character, and we're introduced to two new sets of characters who add layers of complexity to the story. There are themes running through the book of secrets and lies, right vs. wrong, lawful vs. unlawful, and you're left to wonder: Is it OK to cheer on the people who might destroy the world if those trying to save it are callous frat boy murderers?
Even though it was a little sad not to get much of Blue and Gansey in this book, I appreciated the darker, more adult tone of this series. Some characters may be having complicated romantic feelings, but they aren't anything like the will-they-won't-they of a teen romance. (To be fair, there wasn't a ton of typical teen romance in The Raven Cycle, but the series was largely rooted in the question of who Blue would fall in love with, while this series is focused on much bigger questions.)
I'm not sure how to feel about the character of Bryde, but so far he's managed not to be too much of a deus ex machina and has stayed on the side of being an enigma who hints at the untapped powers of Dreamers. It was made pretty clear that Ronan and Hennessy had to work hard to get anything from Bryde and also that they were taking on a risk in accepting Bryde's help.
I loved the plot twist(s) related to the Lynch brothers and their parents, and I'm looking forward to learning more about that in the subsequent books. So far we've just gotten hints at a larger network of Dreamers, and I'm excited for seeing what Stiefvater has in mind for developing that. We're left with quite a lot of cliffhangers (and a bit of a theatrical ride off into the sunset at the end) but at least one story arc was resolved by the end of this book, and I'm content to wait for what happens next.
Even though it was a little sad not to get much of Blue and Gansey in this book, I appreciated the darker, more adult tone of this series. Some characters may be having complicated romantic feelings, but they aren't anything like the will-they-won't-they of a teen romance. (To be fair, there wasn't a ton of typical teen romance in The Raven Cycle, but the series was largely rooted in the question of who Blue would fall in love with, while this series is focused on much bigger questions.)
I'm not sure how to feel about the character of Bryde, but so far he's managed not to be too much of a deus ex machina and has stayed on the side of being an enigma who hints at the untapped powers of Dreamers. It was made pretty clear that Ronan and Hennessy had to work hard to get anything from Bryde and also that they were taking on a risk in accepting Bryde's help.
I loved the plot twist(s) related to the Lynch brothers and their parents, and I'm looking forward to learning more about that in the subsequent books. So far we've just gotten hints at a larger network of Dreamers, and I'm excited for seeing what Stiefvater has in mind for developing that. We're left with quite a lot of cliffhangers (and a bit of a theatrical ride off into the sunset at the end) but at least one story arc was resolved by the end of this book, and I'm content to wait for what happens next.