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A review by cpcabaniss
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
5.0
October 2021
February-March 2021
Read through all of my old reviews below to see my thoughts on this book. I enjoy it just as much, or more, every time that I read it.
December 2020
It's no secret that I love this book. Please read through some of my older reviews below to see more of my thoughts.
April - November Review
I've been reading the French edition of this, Sous Le Signe Du Scorpion, to try and improve on my language skills. I read in English alongside that, very slowly, a few paragraphs a day. It was a good experience and I will likely repeat it, with French and with other languages.
To see more specific thoughts about the novel itself, please scroll through this review, as it has all of them from the very first read until now.
November 2020 Review
I finished this on October 30 and then started again on November 1. Yes, I might be obsessed. Something about this world and these characters and their struggles speaks to me like few other things do.
October 2020 Review
Another read of my favorite novel with a lovely group of readers on instagram. I listened to the audio once again and, as always, I love Fiona Hardingham and Steve West in this production. They are brilliant and really add life to Puck and Sean.
March 2020 Review
Have you ever felt like a book was written just for you? Like perhaps you were from the world of that book and had somehow been transported out into your current reality, memories of your real home erased? Well, The Scorpio Races is that book for me.
Perhaps this book isn't for everyone. No book really is. But if you ever feel inclined to read it, do so. And if you have a chance to listen to the audiobook, give it a listen. Steve West and Fiona Hardingham bring it to life so beautifully, you might love it just for them.
December 2019 Review
After another reading, I still adore this book. There's something magical about it. And it's great to read it along with others and see how everyone reacts to the story.
There were a few things that stood out to me this time around. One being the meals that are had at the Connolly home. They say a lot about the progression of the characters through the story.
To see previous thoughts on this series, read through all of my old reviews here.
October 2019 Review
Is it possible for me to get tired of this book? I don't think so, and I certainly hope not. I love my near constant rereading and all the little things I notice every time and how happy it makes me just to be back in this story, like it's a part of me.
Gabe was a big focus for my mind this time. During discussions with fellow readers, I really started to analyze his character and it was fascinating. There are a lot of thoughts there that I will avoid because of spoilers, but I do want to write about them somewhere.
If you haven't read this book yet, do it now. I'll even read it and discuss it with you.
August 2019 Review
What else is there to say about this book that I haven't already said? Scroll through all of my previous thoughts and maybe they will explain something of my love for this book. I can't finish this book without wanting to jump right back in.
I lost two of my horses earlier this year, so the last two times I've read this book have hit me very hard. Sean and Corr, Puck and Dove--they are me and my horses.
This was the first time I've read this and actually thought about how brutal it can be, how bleak this world kind of is. I still want to visit Thisby, but it would be a tough place to live.
This read was done on audio and I will forever love the sound of Steve West and Fiona Hardingham reading these characters. I feel like I'm coming home when the introduction starts.
July 2019 Review
My fifth reading of this book and I am just as much in love with it as ever. There are some books, some stories and characters, that speak to your soul and this is one that speaks to mine.
One thing that I loved on this reading was George Holly. I like how he is so different than our main characters and yet he gets them in a way that many of the people on the island do not.
A beautiful book. If you want more of my thoughts and maybe less gushing, read through the previous reviews for all of the times I've read this book. Also find me on instagram (@courtneysreads) if you want to see loads of pictures of my Scorpio Races collection, which always seems to be growing.
March 2019 Review
After a fourth reading of this, I am still in love. The characters and world are so vivid, I feel like I'm there with them, riding and surviving.
This book isn't an epic quest to save the world or a hero destined for greatness. It is a quiet story of life and love and sacrifice. And that is one of the things that makes it so powerful. Not all stories need a grand adventure, sometimes they need real people dealing with life.
Puck and Sean are both characters that I love. And one of the things I love most about them are the bonds they have with Dove and Corr. It reminds me of my own attachment to my horses and how devoted they are to me and I am to them.
This is beautifully written. I once again did the audio and still adore Steve West and Fiona Hardingham as the narrators. They will forever be what I hear in my head for Sean and Puck.
November 2018 Review
I think this is going to be a book that I revisit dozens of times over the years. There is something about it that pulls me in. Even now, only a few days after finishing, I am ready to open it again. Or to listen to the audiobook (which is amazing). This book feels like it was written for me.
I love the characters in this and the bonds that both Sean and Puck have with Dove and Corr. It reminds me so much of myself and my horses.
It is impossible to do this book justice, so I will leave it here. Check out both of my previous reviews for more thoughts. And if you haven't read this yet, do so. And if it doesn't grab you, set it aside and try again in the future. I did and now it's one of my favorite books.
March 2018 Review
It's been less than a year since I first read this book and after a second listen I already want to read it again. My paperback copy is sitting next to me, asking me to open and dive right back into the story. I can already tell that this is a book that I will visit over and over again in the years to come.
Thisby, the island that the story takes place on, is a rather bleak place, where water horses come out of the ocean and eat people, but it's also a beautiful place with a lot of beautiful people. Maggie was able to blend the bleak with the hopeful very very well.
While listening to this, I am there on Thisby alongside Puck and Sean, riding Dove and Corr atop the cliffs and through the surf. I can feel the wind on my face, smell the salt from the sea, hear the horses calling, and taste the sweetness of the November cakes. Maggie has said that she wanted people to finish the story and feel like they were shaking sand from their hair--I definitely have that feeling.
The bonds that Puck and Sean have with Dove and Corr are some of the best things about this novel. It's the kind of bond that I have with my horses and the fact that someone has been able to capture it on paper both thrills and surprises me. There is a delicate balance that has to be kept to get this right, and when it is, it's beautiful.
The romance in this is a beautiful thing. It's subtle and fresh and raw and wonderful. More is said in gestures and actions than with words.
This is by far my favorite of Maggie's novels. I am already looking forward to reading it again. Maybe this time I will read the entire thing from the physical version. You should all read it and love it.
Original Review
4.5 stars, I think.
I started this years ago and only read the prologue. For some reason it just wasn't working for me. For a long time I thought that I might not give it another try. And then I found the audiobook on my library overdrive account and figured why not. I am so glad that I did.
One day I want to try reading this in a physical form, but I don't know that it can ever outdo this audiobook. The narrators were absolutely wonderful. They brought everything on the page to life and I felt like I was right there alongside Sean and Puck, riding Corr and Dove, the wind and spray of salt from the sea in my face. It was so wonderfully vivid.
It always worries me to read books that are set around horses, no matter what kind, because so often horses are not done well. Authors usually do a better job than those attempting movies, but still, it worries me. Maggie managed to do it really, really well though. It's not like it was a manual on riding or horses, but still, the horsey stuff was well done and just as vivid as the setting. It made me long to get back on my horse.
The relationship between Sean and Puck was beautiful. They were both fighting for their own lives, the things they couldn't live without. Puck's family is falling apart, her brother on the brink of leaving, and Sean is trying desperately to break away from the man who plays games with his life. They have a lot to offer each other because they understand each other so well.
The story revolves around the Scorpio Races, where men race horses that come from the water. These aren't tame horses, but man eating beasts with magic that will lure you to your death. They are an integral part of the island of Thisby. Both Sean and Puck are caught up in the races for different but similar reasons.
I've heard people say they are not satisfied with the ending, because it's too open. For me, it was perfect. I didn't need to know all of the details, there were enough hints along the way that I could see the path spread out ahead of Sean and Puck and it was a satisfying one.
Maggie also wrote and performed music for this audiobook, which was really neat.
Read this book. Please read it and love it.
"It is the first day of November and so, today, someone will die."
February-March 2021
Read through all of my old reviews below to see my thoughts on this book. I enjoy it just as much, or more, every time that I read it.
December 2020
It's no secret that I love this book. Please read through some of my older reviews below to see more of my thoughts.
April - November Review
I've been reading the French edition of this, Sous Le Signe Du Scorpion, to try and improve on my language skills. I read in English alongside that, very slowly, a few paragraphs a day. It was a good experience and I will likely repeat it, with French and with other languages.
To see more specific thoughts about the novel itself, please scroll through this review, as it has all of them from the very first read until now.
November 2020 Review
I finished this on October 30 and then started again on November 1. Yes, I might be obsessed. Something about this world and these characters and their struggles speaks to me like few other things do.
October 2020 Review
Another read of my favorite novel with a lovely group of readers on instagram. I listened to the audio once again and, as always, I love Fiona Hardingham and Steve West in this production. They are brilliant and really add life to Puck and Sean.
March 2020 Review
Have you ever felt like a book was written just for you? Like perhaps you were from the world of that book and had somehow been transported out into your current reality, memories of your real home erased? Well, The Scorpio Races is that book for me.
Perhaps this book isn't for everyone. No book really is. But if you ever feel inclined to read it, do so. And if you have a chance to listen to the audiobook, give it a listen. Steve West and Fiona Hardingham bring it to life so beautifully, you might love it just for them.
December 2019 Review
"It's something I'd taken for granted, just the presence of him."
After another reading, I still adore this book. There's something magical about it. And it's great to read it along with others and see how everyone reacts to the story.
There were a few things that stood out to me this time around. One being the meals that are had at the Connolly home. They say a lot about the progression of the characters through the story.
To see previous thoughts on this series, read through all of my old reviews here.
October 2019 Review
"I think, just then, that in an island populated by monsters, he's more monstrous than any."
Is it possible for me to get tired of this book? I don't think so, and I certainly hope not. I love my near constant rereading and all the little things I notice every time and how happy it makes me just to be back in this story, like it's a part of me.
Gabe was a big focus for my mind this time. During discussions with fellow readers, I really started to analyze his character and it was fascinating. There are a lot of thoughts there that I will avoid because of spoilers, but I do want to write about them somewhere.
If you haven't read this book yet, do it now. I'll even read it and discuss it with you.
August 2019 Review
What else is there to say about this book that I haven't already said? Scroll through all of my previous thoughts and maybe they will explain something of my love for this book. I can't finish this book without wanting to jump right back in.
I lost two of my horses earlier this year, so the last two times I've read this book have hit me very hard. Sean and Corr, Puck and Dove--they are me and my horses.
This was the first time I've read this and actually thought about how brutal it can be, how bleak this world kind of is. I still want to visit Thisby, but it would be a tough place to live.
This read was done on audio and I will forever love the sound of Steve West and Fiona Hardingham reading these characters. I feel like I'm coming home when the introduction starts.
July 2019 Review
"I wonder how long it will take for me to feel as adult inside as I look outside."
My fifth reading of this book and I am just as much in love with it as ever. There are some books, some stories and characters, that speak to your soul and this is one that speaks to mine.
One thing that I loved on this reading was George Holly. I like how he is so different than our main characters and yet he gets them in a way that many of the people on the island do not.
A beautiful book. If you want more of my thoughts and maybe less gushing, read through the previous reviews for all of the times I've read this book. Also find me on instagram (@courtneysreads) if you want to see loads of pictures of my Scorpio Races collection, which always seems to be growing.
March 2019 Review
"I'm standing in the ocean, feeling it press against my legs, but I won't let it move me."
After a fourth reading of this, I am still in love. The characters and world are so vivid, I feel like I'm there with them, riding and surviving.
This book isn't an epic quest to save the world or a hero destined for greatness. It is a quiet story of life and love and sacrifice. And that is one of the things that makes it so powerful. Not all stories need a grand adventure, sometimes they need real people dealing with life.
Puck and Sean are both characters that I love. And one of the things I love most about them are the bonds they have with Dove and Corr. It reminds me of my own attachment to my horses and how devoted they are to me and I am to them.
This is beautifully written. I once again did the audio and still adore Steve West and Fiona Hardingham as the narrators. They will forever be what I hear in my head for Sean and Puck.
November 2018 Review
"Dad told me once you should be grateful for the gifts that are the rarest."
I think this is going to be a book that I revisit dozens of times over the years. There is something about it that pulls me in. Even now, only a few days after finishing, I am ready to open it again. Or to listen to the audiobook (which is amazing). This book feels like it was written for me.
I love the characters in this and the bonds that both Sean and Puck have with Dove and Corr. It reminds me so much of myself and my horses.
It is impossible to do this book justice, so I will leave it here. Check out both of my previous reviews for more thoughts. And if you haven't read this yet, do so. And if it doesn't grab you, set it aside and try again in the future. I did and now it's one of my favorite books.
March 2018 Review
"There are moments you'll remember for the rest of your life and there are moments you think you'll remember for the rest of your life, and it's not often they turn out to be the same moments."
It's been less than a year since I first read this book and after a second listen I already want to read it again. My paperback copy is sitting next to me, asking me to open and dive right back into the story. I can already tell that this is a book that I will visit over and over again in the years to come.
"It is the first day of November and so, today, someone will die."
Thisby, the island that the story takes place on, is a rather bleak place, where water horses come out of the ocean and eat people, but it's also a beautiful place with a lot of beautiful people. Maggie was able to blend the bleak with the hopeful very very well.
While listening to this, I am there on Thisby alongside Puck and Sean, riding Dove and Corr atop the cliffs and through the surf. I can feel the wind on my face, smell the salt from the sea, hear the horses calling, and taste the sweetness of the November cakes. Maggie has said that she wanted people to finish the story and feel like they were shaking sand from their hair--I definitely have that feeling.
"On horseback, it's easy to be certain."
The bonds that Puck and Sean have with Dove and Corr are some of the best things about this novel. It's the kind of bond that I have with my horses and the fact that someone has been able to capture it on paper both thrills and surprises me. There is a delicate balance that has to be kept to get this right, and when it is, it's beautiful.
"All the while I try very hard to keep my eyes from darting to Sean because I'm quite certain that no one at the table will be able to miss how I look at him and how I find him looking back."
The romance in this is a beautiful thing. It's subtle and fresh and raw and wonderful. More is said in gestures and actions than with words.
This is by far my favorite of Maggie's novels. I am already looking forward to reading it again. Maybe this time I will read the entire thing from the physical version. You should all read it and love it.
Original Review
4.5 stars, I think.
I started this years ago and only read the prologue. For some reason it just wasn't working for me. For a long time I thought that I might not give it another try. And then I found the audiobook on my library overdrive account and figured why not. I am so glad that I did.
"It is the first day of November and so, today, someone will die."
One day I want to try reading this in a physical form, but I don't know that it can ever outdo this audiobook. The narrators were absolutely wonderful. They brought everything on the page to life and I felt like I was right there alongside Sean and Puck, riding Corr and Dove, the wind and spray of salt from the sea in my face. It was so wonderfully vivid.
It always worries me to read books that are set around horses, no matter what kind, because so often horses are not done well. Authors usually do a better job than those attempting movies, but still, it worries me. Maggie managed to do it really, really well though. It's not like it was a manual on riding or horses, but still, the horsey stuff was well done and just as vivid as the setting. It made me long to get back on my horse.
The relationship between Sean and Puck was beautiful. They were both fighting for their own lives, the things they couldn't live without. Puck's family is falling apart, her brother on the brink of leaving, and Sean is trying desperately to break away from the man who plays games with his life. They have a lot to offer each other because they understand each other so well.
The story revolves around the Scorpio Races, where men race horses that come from the water. These aren't tame horses, but man eating beasts with magic that will lure you to your death. They are an integral part of the island of Thisby. Both Sean and Puck are caught up in the races for different but similar reasons.
I've heard people say they are not satisfied with the ending, because it's too open. For me, it was perfect. I didn't need to know all of the details, there were enough hints along the way that I could see the path spread out ahead of Sean and Puck and it was a satisfying one.
Maggie also wrote and performed music for this audiobook, which was really neat.
Read this book. Please read it and love it.