Tag: Adam

The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater (Book Review)

Kat Impossible11 Comments

theravenking

Publisher: Scholastic
Page Count: 439

The Raven King is the final installment in the Raven Cycle! You can find my previous reviews for The Raven Boys, The Dream Thieves and Blue Lily, Lily Blue by clicking on the titles!

If you’ve read my previous reviews for the series, you know that I am adamant on not wanting to give away much of anything, which meant they were extremely vague. And I am talking super vague! As a little forewarning, this won’t be much different. There is just something about these books that makes me feel inherently protective of the story and even more so of the characters. Just like Blue, I’ve slowly fallen in love with all the boys and they’ve become MY Raven Boys in the process.

I usually don’t like endings, for obvious reasons, because it means the end. There are stories that I wish could go on forever and I am pretty sure that this is one of the few that actually could (also a reason that I am really, really happy about the companion series from Ronan’s POV coming out in the distant future). So, finales always take me so much longer to read, but I couldn’t pace myself with The Raven King. The stakes have been getting higher and higher for our friends with each book, but this was just pure intensity and despair and what-is-even-happening the entire time, so that I NEEDED to know what happened next. Every time I had to stop reading because of work, but was at a thrilling moment (which was a lot), I seriously cursed that place and adulthood.

However, even though it was a read that gave me all the feels and had me on the edge of my seat, I am not entirely happy about it. I feel like Noah was a character whom I adored, but who was constantly ignored. As far as endings go, I thought that Maggie Stiefvater did well, EXCEPT for Noah again. If I take that aside, the relationships went even further in this one. It had laugh-out-loud moments as well as the ones that made me want to dissolve in tears. The Raven Cycle has such an intricate magical world that just keeps on expanding. The entire series you grow along and learn about the world with the characters. Even though their problems are mostly of the supernatural kind, I felt like so much of it could be applicable for a regular human as well – wanting to belong, being curious, finding your place in this madness!

Fazit: 5/5 stars! Definitely a deserving end of one of my new favourite series!

5stars

What’s your take on the Raven King? Did you enjoy it as much as I did?

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater (Book Review)

Kat Impossible18 Comments

TDT

Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Page Count: 450

The Dream Thieves is the second book in the Raven Cycle. If you have missed out on my review for the first one a couple days ago, you can click here to check it out!

I thought that after The Raven Boys, I had an inkling of an idea as to how this book would go down. Well, turns out I didn’t. Of course, it did still talk about Glendower, which was the main plot in book one, but only very loosely in my opinion. It focused on different things instead, but you definitely won’t hear me complaining. While the first book was very Gansey and/or Blue focused with a bit of Adam, I felt that this one really showcased Ronan and Adam in a more detailed way.

I am not going to lie, I had my troubles with Ronan in The Raven Boys. He was arrogant and mean, not exactly the lovable kind of characteristics I am looking for. However, and this in no way means that he has changed much, I actually feel like I begin to understand him now and he’s grown on me so much since then. Basically everyone has! I love all the different POVs. It’s the perfect way to show the workings of all the characters, even the “villains”, which makes it all extremely engaging.

The plot … I guess I could talk about it, but there is something about the series that makes me want to keep everything secret so that no one gets spoiled. It’s such an intricately and beautifully written series that always manages to surprise you and pull you in. I already feel like I have known all of the boys and Blue forever, like I am meeting up with old friends as soon as I open the book. You sort of become part of their circle, seeing all those relationships unfold right in front of you. Again, this was so brilliant to read because of the characters and not what was happening.

There sure is a ton more to say, but I just don’t have the proper words to express it, so here is a quote:

TDT2

Fazit: 5/5 stars! I wish I could continue with the series right now, but duty calls.

5stars

Did you read The Dream Thieves? Did you enjoy it as much as I did? I heard this is the one that split quite a few opinions.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (Book Review)

Kat Impossible45 Comments

RB

Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Page Count: 408

I’ve wanted to pick up this series in what feels like forever, so when I FINALLY got all the books at once, I suddenly became scared. I have never read anything by Maggie Stiefvater before, but you know how you sometimes hype something so much for yourself that there is absolutely no way it can possibly hold up? Well, I hyped this book A LOT! But as soon as I actually started reading, I realised that I had no clue what the book was really about. Heck, I even thought Blue was a boy (which she’s not. She’s a cool and eccentric girl). It’s pretty difficult to be disappointed about something when you didn’t even have a picture in your mind as to what exactly to expect. So, long story short, I loved it and am SO happy about that!

When we jump into the story it actually starts off kind of sinister but even though there are a ton of creepy vibes, I never felt scared. Which is a good thing, because I don’t like to be scared and also don’t think that the story is supposed to do that. In fact, I laughed a lot, while also being completely pulled into this world. It was way more magical than I expected, while at the same time I thought “yes, that is totally how I would have loved to spend my time during High School”.

Which brings me to my favourite part of the book – the characters. They are always such an essential part of any book really and this one is no exception. Blue and the boys don’t meet on the best of turns and it’s simply hilarious to read, because you know their fates are intertwined. There is bantering and friendship and love (platonical, familiar and a tinsy bit the romantic kind). They are immediately the kind of people you’d identify as squad goals! However, I didn’t love everyone from the beginning. In fact, I thought some of them were just plain weird or mean, but in the end they definitely grow on you. They aren’t just one-dimensional, they do have problems, and not just the magical kind, but real-life-relatable-problems.

There really isn’t much more I can say without spoiling people who haven’t read it (*keeping my fingers crossed I am not the last person in the universe who hasn’t*), but there were some great twists. You knew that something was up, but I honestly doubt that I would ever have made the connection myself. Twists are great, I really love them, but I would have freaked out if I had read the book without a possibility to continue with the series. It’s such a small statement, yet it changes everything. I am so looking forward to binge-read the rest!

Fazit: 4.5/5 stars! I want more, more, more! (Good thing I have all the books right here on my shelf!)

5stars

Have you read the Raven Cycle? Which book was your favourite (without spoiling me please)? Is it only going to get better?