THE RAVEN BOYS by Maggie Stiefvalter-a review

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvalter is Book One (September 2012 release) of an exciting new series. Blue Sargent participates each year in a St Mark’s ritual, she and her mother go to a local cemetary and the soon-to-be dead walk past them. Bleu lives in a family of psychics, but she does not have the gift. This year is different, she sees a boy emerge and he speaks to her! Her Aunt Neeve tells Blue why she can see the boy. “There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St Mark’s Eve. Either you’re his true love, or you killed him.”.

The boy’s name is Gansey and he is a student at the local private school. The Alionsby boys go by a nickname that is found on their school uniforms, they are known as the Raven Boys and they are TROUBLE!! Blue knows that the boys are bad news, but she is drawn to Gansey since her vision. Blue has always been warned that she will cause her true love to die, so she guards her heart and acts with sarcasm around the Raven Boys. Readers will think that this is a typical YA love story, but it isn’t! It evolves into a book full of mystery and a quest. The book is loosely based on a Welsh folk tale, involving Fae ley lines and Glendower, an ancient powerful Welsh King.

Gansey is the leader of The Boys and he is behind the quest of finding the ancient ley line that he believes is found in the city of Henrietta Virginia. Ley lines are powerful energy fields that connect the world together. Gansey is very charismatic, a boy born from priviledge, who knows what he wants and is obsessed with breaking the Curse of King Glendower and being granted his heart’s desire. He drags his three friends along on his adventures. Adam, the scholarship student who has a difficult homelife. Ronan, the angry and passionate boy who is very unpredictable. Last is Noah, the one who disappears in a room of people, the watcher who sees things that others’ miss. Blue becomes involved in the quest, basically because her mother tells her not to get involved with the boys and she isn’t used to being told what to do. Typical teenage reaction!

Blue may not be a psychic, but she is like a psychic battery. She can amplify powers and energy. She knows where the ley lines are and she makes an agreement with the boys. She wants in on the action if she can tag along on their adventure. They discover a valley where time seems to have stopped, they have visions of their future and the trees speak in Latin! The gang soon discover that others’ have tried to find the ley lines in the past and they find a body of a deceased Raven Boy from years past. The same person who sacrificed the boy is on the hunt to find the ley lines first and gain the power. The action is very fast based and suspenseful. Along with the main story arc of the teens finding the ley line, Blue’s mother and aunt have a quest too. They are trying to find Blue’s father. A man who appeared and disappeared near the infamous ley lines!

Readers soon discover that The Boys all have their secrets! They discover that magic is real in this town, ghosts are among them and one of the boys is willing to make a sacrifice to help his friends. The ending is not neatly tied up, but their lifes are changed forever. The character development is excellent and I can’t wait to continue on their journey. Does Blue kill Gansey or is he her true love, stay tuned for Part Two!

Post a comment on this review and have a chance to win a signed copy of The Raven Boys! Enjoy!!

Reviewed by Jules

Jules is offering a GIVEAWAY hard-cover copy of THE RAVEN BOYS to one lucky member at The Reading Cafe.

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5. Giveaway runs from November 6 to November 9, 2012.