Scan barcode
A review by szava
Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater
5.0
I have a lot of thoughts about Hawk and even more feelings.
I feel it draws parallel to Dream Thieves in many ways: it centers on Ronan's loneliness and isolation as a dreamer. There is a character who leans on that loneliness and isolation and tries to gain Ronan's loyalty for his own gain - and while Bryde is not Kavinsky, we don't know enough about him to make the correct judgements. There is the POV of a killer: we had our conflicted Gray Man, now we have conflicted Carmen who wants to save the world, but doesn't have the ruthlessness her fellow worldsavers have. (Moderators as a name is giving me comic book flashbacks. I wonder if that association is intentional.) There is Declan with his secrets and his own private war, except it is becoming less and less private. I adore his chapters. Maybe it's an oldest sibling thing, but I always thought him a really good character and I feel so much sympathy for him. I think it was in Thieves that Ronan learned he dreamt Matthew and now Matthew figured that truth out himself.
Ronan is struggling with his identity once again, but the resolution, the catharsis is different this time (help yourself vs help others). And it also comes back to Ronan's imagination being a terrifying thing, a beautiful thing and also incredibly powerful.
The central theme leans into heavily of forgery vs original, real vs dreamed and truth vs lie but is never heavyhanded and very well built up. It stood out to me a lot this time because while I liked All the Crooked Saints, I found its central theme very heavyhanded. And let's talk about the title. There is the poem at the beginning and that is one level, but later Bryde shares a story, where the Hawk was equated with wisdom basically and ever since then this prayer keeps going in my head: Lord grant me the serenity (....) and wisdom to know the difference. Don't know if it's just me, but I think it also fits.
I'm incredibly happy to see that his relationship with Adam is going strong and the level of understanding between them is just so good. The way they do not say I love you like regural people do, because why the fuck would they. I love how they get borderline pretentious with their uniqeness.
I was happy about the bits of Gansey and Blue showing up, but I hope there will be more of them. There is a vision about the end of the world and some kind of demonic entity afoot, Ronan and Henessey will need all the help.
Henessey and Jordan. I love them so much, and I love how different they are and how it brings up the question what makes a person real. And I especially live Jordan and her relationship with Declan and can't wait to see how that goes with both of them hiding in the Barns.
I have also a lot of worries: Declan' mother, Boudicca, Niall's copy and who dreamt him, the woman from the Opal short... i have a feeling anything Niall Lynch related is going to get more fucked-up. The goverment backing of the Moderators... (if only Ronan knew someone related to a politician...#sarcasm)
Things I do not worry about: Adam. I remember what happened last time fandom worried about Adam, and this time I think it has even less basis.
I feel it draws parallel to Dream Thieves in many ways: it centers on Ronan's loneliness and isolation as a dreamer. There is a character who leans on that loneliness and isolation and tries to gain Ronan's loyalty for his own gain - and while Bryde is not Kavinsky, we don't know enough about him to make the correct judgements. There is the POV of a killer: we had our conflicted Gray Man, now we have conflicted Carmen who wants to save the world, but doesn't have the ruthlessness her fellow worldsavers have. (Moderators as a name is giving me comic book flashbacks. I wonder if that association is intentional.) There is Declan with his secrets and his own private war, except it is becoming less and less private. I adore his chapters. Maybe it's an oldest sibling thing, but I always thought him a really good character and I feel so much sympathy for him. I think it was in Thieves that Ronan learned he dreamt Matthew and now Matthew figured that truth out himself.
Ronan is struggling with his identity once again, but the resolution, the catharsis is different this time (help yourself vs help others). And it also comes back to Ronan's imagination being a terrifying thing, a beautiful thing and also incredibly powerful.
The central theme leans into heavily of forgery vs original, real vs dreamed and truth vs lie but is never heavyhanded and very well built up. It stood out to me a lot this time because while I liked All the Crooked Saints, I found its central theme very heavyhanded. And let's talk about the title. There is the poem at the beginning and that is one level, but later Bryde shares a story, where the Hawk was equated with wisdom basically and ever since then this prayer keeps going in my head: Lord grant me the serenity (....) and wisdom to know the difference. Don't know if it's just me, but I think it also fits.
I'm incredibly happy to see that his relationship with Adam is going strong and the level of understanding between them is just so good. The way they do not say I love you like regural people do, because why the fuck would they. I love how they get borderline pretentious with their uniqeness.
I was happy about the bits of Gansey and Blue showing up, but I hope there will be more of them. There is a vision about the end of the world and some kind of demonic entity afoot, Ronan and Henessey will need all the help.
Henessey and Jordan. I love them so much, and I love how different they are and how it brings up the question what makes a person real. And I especially live Jordan and her relationship with Declan and can't wait to see how that goes with both of them hiding in the Barns.
I have also a lot of worries: Declan' mother, Boudicca, Niall's copy and who dreamt him, the woman from the Opal short... i have a feeling anything Niall Lynch related is going to get more fucked-up. The goverment backing of the Moderators... (if only Ronan knew someone related to a politician...#sarcasm)
Things I do not worry about: Adam. I remember what happened last time fandom worried about Adam, and this time I think it has even less basis.