Friday, December 20, 2013

The Raven Boys

The Raven Boys
By Maggie Stiefvater
Scholastic, 2012. 412 pages. Young Adult

Sixteen-year-old Blue Sargent's been born into a family of psychics, but has no psychic talent to call her own . . . outside of amplifying the abilities of other psychics, that is. To make matters worse, her gifted family members have been telling her for years that if she kisses her true love, he'll die. So when Blue accompanies her eccentric Aunt Neeve on their annual St. Mark's Eve pilgrimage to take stock of the dead, both women are surprised when Blue has her first clairvoyant experience and sees the ghost of a young man named Gansey . . . a boy Blue fears she is responsible for killing.

So nothing prepares Blue for meeting Gansey in real life -- or for the unforgettable adventure Gansey and his prep-school "Raven Boys" are about to drag her into . . .

First in a four book cycle, Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Boys will captivate readers with magic, adventure, defiantly loyal friendship, and some of the most dynamic (and sympathetic) characters I have ever encountered in a young adult novel. Stiefvater's poignant, lushly-wrought, and wise prose is a delight as well -- it's an almost pitch-perfect container for the story it holds.

Recommended for readers aged fifteen and up, due to some domestic violence and strong language.

CA

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