The Raven Boys

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, Scholastic Press, New York, 2012. ISBN 978-0545424929

Summary

Blue Sargent is the only person in her family who is not psychic. But she makes the psychic gifts of her family stronger and helps her mother see the souls of those who will die in the next year. As she and her mom wait by an abandoned church, Blue is shocked when she sees one of the souls. She has never been able to see or hear them before, but this night she sees a boy her age, who  only gives his name as Gansey. While Blue knows Gansey will soon die, she can't help but to feel a connection to him, and longs to find out more about him.

While Blue tries to figure out who the boy is, the still-living Gansey is on a quest of his own. Along with his three friends, Ronan, Adam, and Noah, Gansey is searching for the

burial place of King Glendower, located somewhere in the small town of Henrietta, Virginia.

 Legend foretells the Welsh king granting any wish to those who find him, and each of the “Raven Boys” has a personal desire to find the king.

After Blue discovers the identity of Gansey, she unwillingly finds herself part of the Raven Boys quest. As the group navigates the secret history and magic in Henrietta, Blue tries to fight the attraction she feels toward Gansey:  because all of her family members have predicted if she kisses her true love, he will die.

Critical Evaluation

The plot of “The Raven Boys” contains a mix between supernatural, adventure, and romance.   Maggie Steifvater manages to combine all of these elements fluidly, without one genre overtaking the others. Blue’s attraction to Gansey doesn’t overshadow the real point of the plot: finding Glendower and preventing Gansey’s death.  The quest to find Glendower is enriching enough to not bore the reader and not too complicated to confuse the readers. And while psychics, wishes, and supernatural town lines are all elements in the plot, they never come across as unbelievable or too strange.  

The novel is told in several points of views, (POV) and helps develop the character growth of Blue and the Raven Boys. The different POV chapters also help readers develop more insight into each character’s thoughts while also revealing plot points. Steifvater never spoils the ending outright but there are little clues and bits of dialogue that create an “aha” moment for the reader.

Blue’s relationship with the Raven Boys never comes across as forced, and also doesn’t evolve too quickly in her journey, making her realistic.  There are moments of conflict and inside jokes within the group, which makes the characters feel less fictional and more alive. 

There are no flat or clichéd characters to be found in this book. Each character has their own quirks, emotions, and back story that defines how they evolve throughout the novel. The characters, from Blue, to the Raven Boys, to Blue’s family, come alive in a way that makes them stay in the reader’s mind, even after the book is finished.

Reader’s Annotation

Blue finds herself on an unlikely quest with four Raven Boys, while avoiding her feelings for one of them—because if she kisses her true love, she’ll cause his death.

About the Author

“Maggie Stiefvater is an author of YA contemporary fantasies, including the internationally bestselling SHIVER series. Most of her life decisions have revolved around her inability to be gainfully employed. Talking to yourself, staring off into space, and coming to work in your pajamas are frowned upon when you're a waitress, calligraphy instructor, or technical editor (all of which she's tried), but are highly-prized traits in authors, musicians, and artists (she's made her living as at least one or another of these since she was 22).

Maggie now lives in the middle of nowhere, Virginia, with her charmingly straight-laced husband, her two small children, two dogs who fart recreationally, and a 1973 Camaro named Loki. She's an avid reader, an award-winning colored pencil artist, and can play several jigs on the bagpipes. She's also fair-to-middling at cocktail party conversation.” (Maggie Stiefvater. Retrieved September 23^rd from http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/maggiestiefvater/)

Genres

Paranormal/Supernatural

Adventure

 Romance

Curriculum Ties   N/A

Booktalking Ideas

1: If you found King Glendower, what would you ask of him?

2: Talk about the difference in relationships between Blue’s family and Adam’s father.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Ages 12+

7^th grade +

Challenge Issues

Violence and murder

Themes of magic and psychics

Defense File

1—Ensure that policies such as “Freedom to Read,” “Collection Development,” and “Challenged Materials” are available for patrons and staff to read and research. Have list of awards and reviews for titles, as well as a “Reconsideration Form” on hand at all branches.

2—Listen to challenges and complaints openly and without judgment. Allow the patron to express their thoughts without inputting your own.

3—Have patron fill out reconsideration form. Provide information and background on challenge material’s author and title.  Forward reconsideration form to appropriate supervisors.

PPLD’s Challenge Materials Policy: http://ppld.org/challenged-materials-policy

PPLD’s Collection Development Policy: http://ppld.org/collection-development-policy

Literary Awards: Bram Stoker Award Nominee for Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel (2012), Carnegie  Medal in Literature   Nominee (2014), Abraham Lincoln Award Nominee (2015,) YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults (Top Ten) 2013. (Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17675462-the-raven-boys)

Why included?

I included “The Raven Boys” because it was unlike any YA novel I’ve read before. The book had strong characters, an interesting plot, and a beautiful writing style. I think fans of other fantasy novels, such as the “Harry Potter” series would enjoy this book.