Gypsy Reviews

Originally posted at Gypsy ReviewsThe Raven Boys has got to be one of the most original books I have ever read, usually I would only give a 5 star rating to a book that fully grabbed my attention throughout the entire book or blew my mind but The Raven Boys didn’t fulfil any of those requirements. However, there’s something just so transfixing about Stiefvater’s writing and her story-telling, it is anything but predictable. It truly stands out amongst all other YA books and that’s why I gave it a full 5 star rating because it is so different.Reading the blurb, you think that this story was about the fact that Blue meets Gansey and that if she kisses him, he will die? Nope, the central theme is anything but that. There is so much more to the plot in the story and I have never read anything quite like it before. The quest to find Glendower is not entirely interesting because it does get confusing and it is hard to wrap your mind around but the way it was formulated was just amazing. Few people would have been able to think up of a plot that was more concentrated on a quest and the relationships between the characters (non-romantic relationships), delving deep into the character’s emotions and their motivation in trying to complete the quest.All the characters are so distinct, so colourful and so themselves. It was just so wonderful to delve deep into them and Stiefvater really put a lot of thought into her characters because she shaped them so well. She managed to fit in a bit of history into each of her characters so we understand more about the decisions they make and feelings they have. From Blue’s fear of getting too close to a guy because she’s afraid she might kill him, to Adam’s desire to do everything on his terms and to be dependant on himself. To Gansey’s determination to make his life more meaningful and to actually contribute something to the world other than being a trust fund baby by finding Glendower to Ronan’s complicated relationship with his brother and the troubling secret of the reason behind his father’s death.I was so torn between wanting Blue to be with Adam or Gansey, part of that was killing me while I was reading the book because I actually wanted to know which couple was going to be together in the end before I made my decision and I loved both Gansey and Adam! They were both so different and yet so likable, how could you choose between them? I was relieved that it wasn’t finally decided in the end who Blue was going to be with because the romance wasn’t a big part of the story and it was still left out in the open. In this case, I’m okay that nothing in the romance department was resolved in the first book because there was so much going on and more development between the characters to get to that point of a romantic relationship is always welcome so I’m looking forward to the steady build-up on this in the sequel.It was so refreshing to finally read a story in the third person and Stiefvater utilises it to the best of her ability to make the story-telling eloquent and mysterious. It fits the whole atmosphere of the story and I was hooked just a few pages in. The various POVs definitely added to the story and it allowed you to fit in the pieces of the story together slowly and get to know the characters so much better. The language is absolutely beautiful, so many thought-provoking quotes that made me stop for a second and reread it to fully absorb everything.The story I admit was a bit slow and usually I would knock off a bit of the rating but in this case, it seemed to work out in The Raven Boys favour because there was a lot to take in and it would have been even more confusing if it was fast-paced. The Raven Boys managed to keep me in a constant trance of wonder and curiosity which was an odd feeling and I don’t usually like it but it was surprisingly welcome in this case. Some of those scenes were so full of emotion though, I finally understood the phrase that is commonly used in YA books where the character didn’t realise they had been holding their breath – that was me while reading some of those scenes. I had no idea I was holding my breath until I actually finished reading the chapter, time seemed to stop in that moment and everything in the book seemed to go by so fast.The Raven Boys has definitely made its mark as one of the best books I’ve read in 2013 and I’ll be eagerly awaiting the sequel – The Dream Thieves. I’m going to be getting my own copy of this when I can because I definitely want to reread it. If you’re looking for something original and nothing like a typical YA novel, The Raven Boys is definitely for you if you’re looking to change things up. Though really, I think everyone should read The Raven Boys – it’s nothing you’ll ever expect to be and that’s the best part of the book.