SOPHIE LI

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

What I Liked

• I liked the relationships between Gansey, Ronan, and Adam. It was interesting to see the characters respond to the events in the book, and to see how the events impacted their relationships.
• The plot kept me guessing. To be absolutely honest, I had no idea what was happening for about 75% if the book… but I was always curious about what was going to happen next.
• Related to that, several major plot twists took me by surprise.

What I Didn’t Like

• I wish I had a deeper understanding of the supernatural and the fantastical elements of the story. The plot revolved around finding the ley line and reviving Glendower which was supposed to grant a wish, but how would this happen? How did it work? There wasn’t much explanation around this. It all seemed vague and fuzzy.
• I didn’t really get a sense of Blue’s personality nor the chemistry in her relationships with the Raven Boys.
• I couldn’t get used to the writing style. The dialogues seemed forced.

The Bottom Line: 3/5 stars

Overall, the Raven Boys was an enjoyable read that kept me intrigued. However, I wish there was more explanations about the mechanics of the ley line, and the writing style was just not right for me.

Have you read The Raven Cycle? What did you think? What are signs of great world building in a fantasy book?