From the Bookshelf of Gentle SPECTRUMS…

The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle, #1)

Maggie Stiefvater

Start date: May 4, 2023

Finish date: May 16, 2023

Discussion: Buddies: Maggie Stiefvater

Why we're reading this: Kerri, Shirin, and Carolyn look forward to joining the famous Maggie Stiefvater party together!
[close] Kerri, Shirin, and Carolyn look forward to joining the famous Maggie Stiefvater party together!

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Buddies: Maggie Stiefvater

Blue Lily, Lily Blue (2014)
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last updated Aug 02, 2025 11:09PM

The Raven King (2016)
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last updated Jan 16, 2025 05:16PM

What Members Thought

May 13, 2023 S. ≽^•⩊•^≼ I'm not here yet rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: own-english, g-fantasy, buddy-reads

9/10

It's been a while since I had not enjoyed reading young characters, but this book has broken that curse!

Blue lives with her mother, Maura, and her two friends, Clara and Persephone. They share a profession as psychic readers, although Blue only fabricate their abilities by amplifying their powers.
Blue has always been warned that she will cause her true love to die. So when for the first time she could see a spirit of a boy in clairvoyant, her life becomes caught up in the strange world of t ...more

52 likes · Like · see review

May 09, 2023 C. (Comment, never msg). rated it it was amazing

Shelves: riedel-titles-2023, paranormal-mystery

I relished this magnificent book with my friends, Kerri and Shirin! I laughed so hard that my face, pillow, and glasses were wet with amused tears! When I got up to clean my reading glasses, I took a good 20 minutes to stop laughing and rereading a literally priceless flower delivery scene and cat doodling visuals that are simplistically clever! I needed the blessing of overwhelming mirth! I thank Maggie Stiefvater for avoiding the tsunami of ‘historical fiction’. Nothing is better than a myste ...more

31 likes · Like · see review

May 16, 2023 Kerri rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: most-loved, buddy-reads

As I prepare to read the next book, I am quickly writing this review, several months after reading!

This was a buddy read with Carolyn and Shirin, and it was an excellent choice. I loved it from the first mysterious chapter, and quickly became deeply attached to all the characters (with the exception of the bastard teacher, though his sections were enlightening and chilling.)

I loved the focus on friendship and discovery, and that while there were romantic elements, the sole focus wasn't girl meet ...more

24 likes · Like · see review

Nov 10, 2012 Sue rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-books, southern, series, young-adult, magical, kindle-reads

31 Oct 2019: Just finished reading/listening and am mesmerized by the story once again. :)

Dec 2015: Maggie just released the cover for the final book in the cycle and I decided it's time to listen again to this series to prep for volume 4!

2012: I was mesmerized by this tale of four boys attending a privileged Virginia prep school who are looking for an ancient Welsh king along ley lines, assisted by a quirky local girl living in a house full of eccentric psychics. It starts out weird and gets de ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Jul 03, 2016 Anstice Brown rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, favourites, paranormal, owned, ebooks, epic-plot-twists, 2016

Having previously enjoyed The Wolves of Mercy Falls series, I was curious as to whether The Raven Boys would be as compelling. Based on the synopsis, I was expecting an enjoyable yet fairly run-of-the-mill YA paranormal romance based on the forbidden love trope. However, The Raven Boys is so much more than that and it exceeded my expectations. I was pleasantly surprised that the romance aspect was subtle. Instead, the relationship between the four Aglionby students, known as 'Raven Boys' and the Having previously enjoyed The Wolves of Mercy Falls series, I was curious as to whether The Raven Boys would be as compelling. Based on the synopsis, I was expecting an enjoyable yet fairly run-of-the-mill YA paranormal romance based on the forbidden love trope. However, The Raven Boys is so much more than that and it exceeded my expectations. I was pleasantly surprised that the romance aspect was subtle. Instead, the relationship between the four Aglionby students, known as 'Raven Boys' and their quest to discover the lost king Glendower takes centre stage.

As usual, Stiefvater’s writing is rich and nuanced. There are lines that you can take at face value on the first reading, then later realise it was metaphor, foreshadowing or a clue to a major plot twist. Her descriptions are vivid and complex at times, but not overly flowery and the balance between description and action is just right.

The novel started slowly, but I soon grew to love each of the unique characters and the complicated relationships between them. Gansey is rich, handsome and the natural leader of the group. I normally don't warm to this type of character at all, but layer by layer, Stiefvater gradually introduces us to a more likeable, vulnerable Gansey. Beneath his confident exterior, he has a deep longing for adventure, a tendency towards obsession and a feeling of loneliness and responsibility that leads him to work furiously hard at keeping his band of friends safe and happy, whatever it takes. The plot focuses on his plans to follow the ley lines (paranormal lines of energy) in order to discover the burial place of Glendower, a legendary Welsh hero.

Gansey is aided (and sometimes hindered) by his three fellow students, Ronan, Adam and Noah. Ronan is a clever yet troubled boy with a dark past, a sharp wit and a tendency to get into nasty fist fights. He is the least likeable of the four in my opinion, but as events unfolded I did warm to him somewhat. Adam is his polar opposite-kind, gentle, observant and quiet. I was immediately drawn to him and he became my favourite character. Unlike the other boys, he comes from a poor background and suffers abuse at the hands of his father, but is too proud to accept Gansey's offers of money and accommodation. If he leaves, he wants it to be on his own terms. Noah was the character I felt I knew least about. In some scenes he is mentioned only fleetingly and there is something mysterious and ‘off’ about him, which all makes sense later on.

The other significant character is Blue-a quirky girl brought up in a family of psychics. She doesn't have the gift of clairvoyance or prophesy and is not privy to the secrets of the paranormal that her mother and the rest of the household trade in. However, she does possess a lot of energy which makes others' powers stronger, so they involve her in many of their readings and rituals. Still, she feels like she is on the outside looking in, until a strange incident in a graveyard causes her fate to be inexplicably linked with Gansey's. Against her mother's wishes, she becomes friends with the raven boys and teams up with them in their search for Glendower.

The prophecy mentioned in the synopsis-that Blue will cause her true love to die-is not dwelled upon too much. This is not a typical angst-filled forbidden romance. There is a blossoming potential relationship in the book, but not between the characters I expected. The focus is on the hunt for Glendower and the mysterious paranormal experiences they have along the way. I prefer action and mystery over romance, so that really appealed to me. There was a good twist in the middle of the book that I didn't see coming and I had to go back and re-read some of the earlier chapters to make sense of it. As a true fantasy fan, I really enjoyed the magical scenes at Cabeswater. I also loved the complex relationship between the boys, who all have their ups and downs, but each need their friends in some way.

The only negative aspect of the book for me was that it started quite slowly. I’m glad I persevered, because the story just got better and better. Similarly, the ending wasn't as explosive as I would have liked. I felt there was a lot of tension building up that didn't really come to anything. There was a confrontation, but not much of a resolution. That’s the only reason I haven’t given it the full five stars. However, I’m sure some of the loose ends will be tied up in the sequel. I’m looking forward to reading The Dream Thieves to find out how the characters have been affected by what happened at the end of this book and to hopefully have some more mysteries explained.

I would recommend The Raven Boys to anyone that enjoys YA fantasy and paranormal where the focus is on mystery and adventure rather than romance. If you are interested in ‘new age’ spirituality and the supernatural, this will also appeal to you. Fans of Stiefvater’s other series, such as Wolves of Mercy Falls and The Scorpio Races, will probably also enjoy this book. ...more

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