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The Raven Cycle: The Graphic Novels #1
The Raven Boys: The Graphic Novel
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A gorgeously illustrated graphic novel adaptation of the first book in Maggie Stiefvater’s #1 New York Times bestselling series The Raven Cycle!
Blue Sargent comes from a family of psychics. Only, she has never had the same clairvoyant abilities they had and has always felt too ordinary within the magic that surrounded her. Enter Gansey, a rich student from Aglionby, the town’s all-boys private school teeming with wealth, privilege, and trouble. Blue's always made it a point to stay away from its students, the Raven Boys.
But when Gansey asks her to join him and three other Raven Boys on his quest to find a long-forgotten Welsh king rumored to be sleeping beneath the mountains of their quiet Virginia town, Blue doesn’t hesitate. She jumps at the chance to finally be a part of something real and full of magic, a world she was born into yet one that always stood just out of reach. Soon enough, she’s swept into a strange and shifting world woven into theirs, one far more dangerous than anything they could have dreamt up.
Now reimagined as a stunning full-color graphic novel adapted by Stephanie Williams and illustrated by Sas Milledge, The Raven Boys unravels a thrilling plot around a cast of characters impossible to forget.
Blue Sargent comes from a family of psychics. Only, she has never had the same clairvoyant abilities they had and has always felt too ordinary within the magic that surrounded her. Enter Gansey, a rich student from Aglionby, the town’s all-boys private school teeming with wealth, privilege, and trouble. Blue's always made it a point to stay away from its students, the Raven Boys.
But when Gansey asks her to join him and three other Raven Boys on his quest to find a long-forgotten Welsh king rumored to be sleeping beneath the mountains of their quiet Virginia town, Blue doesn’t hesitate. She jumps at the chance to finally be a part of something real and full of magic, a world she was born into yet one that always stood just out of reach. Soon enough, she’s swept into a strange and shifting world woven into theirs, one far more dangerous than anything they could have dreamt up.
Now reimagined as a stunning full-color graphic novel adapted by Stephanie Williams and illustrated by Sas Milledge, The Raven Boys unravels a thrilling plot around a cast of characters impossible to forget.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 29, 2025
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November 14, 2024Sas is a wizard.
Want to read
November 14, 2024i’m seated. the book store employees are scared and asking me to leave because it’s “not out yet” but i’m simply too seated.
August 7, 2025
"Four boys, one girl, a path unknown,
A house of cards, a hollow throne.
The prophecy begins to swell,
And every heartbeat tolls a bell."
where the boys are cursed, the girl is marked, and the forest listens...
This graphic novel adaptation of raven boys won’t just retell the tale.It’ll haunt you in color.And when the ravens call —you’ll already know.You’ve been drawn in.
📌 Initial Reaction
I was feral when I got my hands on this.
Fully. Fangs-out. Spirit-walking-through-a-corpse-road level unwell.
And then I opened it — and the art looked back.
Felt like cracking open a dusty old spellbook I didn’t know was mine.
Ley lines? I’ve read about them.
Tarot cards? Seen them.
Dreams leaking into reality? Yup, totally normal.
But then… Blue Sargent looked fate in the eye and said “absolutely not,” and suddenly I was emotionally invested, metaphysically rattled, and spiritually feral.
It was giving “do not enter the woods” energy, and I entered anyway. Barefoot. With snacks.
I picked up The Raven Boys because I was promised a cursed kiss and some brooding rich boys chasing a dead king. What I got ? A gothic love letter to fate, friendship, grief, and ghost boys who break your heart just by existing quietly in the background.
It’s messy, magical, deeply character-driven, and somehow full of both emotional devastation and chaotic tarot aunties giving psychic readings in their pajamas. This book didn’t ask me to suspend disbelief. It asked me to walk directly into the ley line barefoot and hand over my soul.
It’s not just a retelling. It’s a haunting in hardcover.
A spell drawn in ink.
A prophecy in panel form.
I was simply not okay, and I’ll never be again.
Stephanie Williams’ graphic novel adaptation of The Raven Boys drags you straight back into Henrietta: a town where ley lines hum under your feet, ghosts walk corpse roads, and five disaster teenagers accidentally start the apocalypse.
✨ The Setup
Blue Sargent lives in a house full of psychics, but she’s the one without visions. Her only gift? She makes other people’s powers stronger — like an amplifier for other people’s magic. She’s been told, her whole life, that if she kisses her true love… he’ll die.
So of course, fate throws her straight into the path of four private school boys on a quest to wake a long-dead Welsh king. Because why not add a little necromancy to your teen years?
╰┈➤Blue and Her Raven Boys: A Haunting Beginning!
We meet Blue Sargent — a sharp-tongued, non-psychic girl born into a family of clairvoyants. Her life is haunted by one chilling prophecy:
→ If she kisses her true love, he will die.
So obviously, the universe throws her into the path of four Aglionby Academy boys:
♟️ Enter the Raven Boys, four Aglionby students with secrets stitched into their uniforms:
• Gansey – mint-scented, old-souled, and obsessively chasing the legend of a sleeping Welsh king.
• Adam– a scholarship boy burning with quiet rage, pride, and a desperate hunger to make something of himself.
• Ronan – sharp edges, violent grace, and a heart full of stormclouds.
• Noah – Noah... oh, Noah.
(Graphic novel Noah was somehow even more ghost-boy coded and I was not prepared.) soft-spoken, achingly gentle, and carrying a ghost’s sorrow behind his smile.
Together, they chase legends through misty Virginia forests. But this book isn’t just about finding Glendower.
It’s about finding yourself — and sometimes not liking what you see.
What begins as a magical quest — the search for Glendower, a sleeping king said to grant a wish — quickly becomes something deeper:
→ A haunting, intimate exploration of fate, friendship, and the quiet unraveling of who you thought you were.
They’re not looking for love. They’re looking for Glendower, a sleeping king who might grant a wish.
But what they find?
Each other.
And pain.
And the kind of magic that changes you and asks for everything back.
The graphic novel adaptation doesn’t just depict their journey — it embodies it.
→ Every emotion, every glance, every unspoken ache is felt through the art as much as the story.
The graphic adaptation captures the eerie whimsy of Henrietta — dreamlike, dangerous, strangely tender — making every page feel like a tarot card pulled from the future. Blue is as sharp and chaotic as ever, the boys even more heartbreakingly alive when sketched in blues and autumnal golds, and the signature offbeat humor somehow hits harder when you can see Gansey’s sweater vests and Ronan’s resting murder face.
It’s mystical. It’s atmospheric. It’s beautifully weird...
Friendship here becomes its own kind of magic — grounding, brutal, loyal — and the supernatural elements are never just spectacle, but deeply symbolic. Stiefvater crafts a world where what is hidden always rises, and sometimes, the greatest power lies in understanding who you are when no one is watching.
The supporting cast is just as rich. Maura, Calla, Persephone? Iconic psychic energy. Neeve? Suspicious as hell. Helen Gansey? Unexpected queen. And the ley line? Practically a character of its own.
By the time Noah’s spirit finds peace and Adam wakes the ley line, the book has quietly carved itself into you. The story lingers, because this isn’t just about finding a king. It’s about finding who you are when destiny is a curse and magic asks too much.
The Raven Boys didn’t feel like a first book. It felt like the opening door to a world that knows your name. One you didn’t mean to enter, but now can’t leave.
And I? I’ll be waiting in Cabeswater.
Symbolism, Baby:
The Prophecy: Love as a weapon. The kiss that kills. Fate hanging over every touch.
The Ley Line: A physical thing, sure — but also the symbol of invisible threads binding them together.
Tarot cards: Not just fortune-telling — truth-telling. The future whispered in metaphor.
Dreams and Visions: What do you do when what you imagine becomes real? What do you lose in the process?
📍THE THEMES THAT CAME FOR ME
✔ fate vs. free will, and what it means to choose anyway
✔ magic that's just as messy as it is magnificent
✔ found family that fights, fractures, and still chooses each other
✔ the danger of wanting too much
✔ quiet grief, loud ambition, dreams that bleed into the real world
✔ unspoken feelings — the kind that hover, haunt, and never quite leave
This book feels like walking through a haunted library. Every page knows something you don’t.
🗯️ Favorite Unhinged Moments:
Gansey drawing the Death card like it’s a Tuesday.
Adam’s sacrifice scene?? Gutting.
Ronan straight-up saying “I took Chainsaw from my dreams” like that’s a normal sentence.
The churchyard scene on St. Mark’s Eve. Bone-chilling.
Blue trying on Gansey’s glasses. Top-tier soft chaos.
🎬 A Moodboard
A mint-scented journal filled with obsession!
A flashlight in the dark woods at 3AM
A death card pulled too casually
A ghost looking over your shoulder
Latin muttered like a prayer
Hands almost touching
Thunderstorms in the soul
Boys trying to outrun fate and each other
જ⁀➴ What I loved most about reading the graphic novel version:
~The prophecy hits harder when you see Blue and Gansey’s faces collide with inevitable doom.
~The friendship dynamics, especially Ronan/Adam/Gansey smashing personalities every time they share a panel — absolute chaos, perfectly illustrated.
~Noah’s reveal … haunting, gentle, heartbreaking all at once — somehow even more powerful in art form.
~And the PSYCHIC WOMEN of 300 Fox Way? Iconic, terrifying and hilarious — truly the queens of the comic.
~The Art? Stunning!
- Honestly? Sas Milledge’s illustrations elevated everything. Williams's artwork is soft, expressive, and soaked in that dreamy teenage liminality The Raven Cycle is famous for. Haunting, soft, expressive — like if Studio Ghibli drew emotionally repressed boys in boat shoes.
The tiny details — a hand on a shoulder, an eye-roll mid-panel, Gansey’s stupid perfect posture — made my heart combust on sight. Blue’s reactions to Gansey talking?? Peak comedy.Noah Czerny, my ghostly sweetheart, lit up every frame — gently tragic, quietly hilarious, and somehow even more lovable all sketched out in ink.
🎯 Verdict:
5 stars
📍 For the friendships.
📍 For the longing.
📍 For the mythology.
📍 For the poetry buried in pain.
📍 And for the ghost who just wanted to stay.
1 prophecy, 4 ruined boys, and 17 quotes I want tattooed on my soul.
My heart is somewhere in Cabeswater. Do not retrieve it. Let it sleep.
Gorgeous, addictive, strangely poetic chaos. Beautiful, immersive, and delivered straight to the heart in powerful, illustrated punches. — this comic is a magical, melancholic joyride. If you like your fantasy atmospheric, your boys emotionally unavailable, and your heroines one bad decision away from kissing death — welcome back to the ley line. 🔮✨
Perfect for long-time raven cycle devotees who want to feel the heartache all over again — and a beautiful entry-point for newcomers who’d rather chase magic in illustrations than paragraphs — this adaptation is gorgeously atmospheric, emotionally messy, and absolutely drenched in mythos. One word? Enchanting.So High school me waited YEARS to see this story in pictures. Present me is feral for Volume 2. Sas Milledge, Maggie, please be delusional with me again.
“Did I Sign Up for a Ghost Hunt or Emotional Damage? (Unclear, but I’m Obsessed)”5/5 raven feathers! It’s friendship as devotion. Fate as flirtation. Love as mythology.This book didn’t just haunt me. It claimed me.If you love disaster friendships, cursed kisses, and the idea of destiny painting itself across a comic page — this adaptation is a gorgeous, haunting must-read. ✨
January 5, 2026
"How much do you know about Welsh kings?"Gansey goes to Aglionby along with his friends, Ronan, Adam, and Noah. Something inexplicable happened to him once, and he has been chasing after Welsh Kings ever since.
Blue Sargent, the only nonpsychic in a family of psychics, has been told again and again what will happen to her.
"Her fortune was clear. If Blue was to kiss her true love... He would die."A chance encounter between the two of them sets the ball rolling on Welsh Kings, ley lines, secret worlds...and kisses (maybe).
Okay, so I am a HUGE Raven Boys fan. I have loved this series ever since it came out and was so excited for this graphic novel...but this just didn't work for me.
First off, it was waaaaaaay too short.
This graphic novel crams the entirety of book 1 within roughly 250 pages - meaning we get a lot of text and quotes from the original book (since this is a beat-for-beat remake) but not a lot of room for the characters to breath.
Even though I had read (and reread) (and rereread) the Raven Boys series, I struggled at times to keep up with the plot because we were racing through content.
The original book had so many hilarious moments, snappy one-liners and just great character development. I feel like that was really lost with this plot-point-to-plot-point style of doing the graphic novel.
I feel like this should've been at least two (maybe three) graphic novels for the first book so we can have that space for the characters to work their magic.
Additionally, the art is...just okay. The background scenes are pretty decent but the characters just weren't what I envisioned.
Stiefvater does a really good job of describing her main characters in the original books and I've seen countless fanarts that I could immediately recognize and love that version of the characters.
Heck, I've even bought merch from Stiefvater of the Raven boys and she has pictures of them on the art section on her website - and they look nothing like the final art in the graphic novel.
Which, I do get trying to put your own spin on it but at least check out the fanart on pintrest first to see the community vibe for the characters.
Ronan and Gansey in particular didn't really seem to match their descriptions and the only one that I really liked off the bat was Persephone.
Overall, maybe if you are a superfan, then you'd collect this one...but honestly, just reread the original book.
September 12, 2025
visually striking but structurally and narratively toothless. the art has spelling errors (the school gate reads AGLIOBY, the sign for st. agnes catholic church reads ST. AU—, etc). entire pages are spent on naming the ghosts, and blue’s parentage (minor in the grand scale of the story). the use of color is effective/lush and some of the micro expressions in the art are very well done. the things that were cut are honestly very surprising to me. they don’t mention or explain that gansey wants a favor from glendower, and that is why they want to wake him. adam mentions the favor at the end, but prior to that, no one explains it. ronan’s character suffers immensely. pivotal moments or facets of his character are completely gone (i’m always straight, “to do this”, REMEMBERED, his alcoholism, “corvus corax”, and other lines of his dialogue are given to other characters for some reason, etc). ronan is not drunk/lying down in the pew during the chainsaw scene, so we lose the visual parallel to the dead ronan copy in the church in BLLB. other crucial adam moments are also gone, or repurposed entirely (am i invited?, can i press charges?, the “repugnant” argument with gansey, etc). we don’t learn why adam is at aglionby or that he is on scholarship. we don’t see the killing tree visions, so there is no reason for adam to later guess that gansey is going to die. we don’t know why declan and ronan don’t get along. we don’t know that niall was murdered. everything that makes ronan more sympathetic and shows us from jump that he is capable of immense love and kindness (and also humor) is gone, while adam’s role is somewhat reduced. maggie addressed some of these things at the launch event last night, while offering specifics like “we cut 90% of the text”, and stating that the scene where adam loses his hearing was cut down on purpose because it is an unpleasant scene, and they wanted to “get back to the wonder”. if ronan never makes the sacrifice of being arrested while in defense of adam, and adam never makes the sacrifice of asking to press charges in order to prevent ronan going to jail, we lose the sacrifice that parallels adam’s offering to cabeswater. while i have great respect for maggie and trust there must be some sort of vision here, these omissions and alterations of the narrative structure are baffling to me. gansey’s dialogue in places makes him come off as a bully. (also: the scene where he’s shown leaving adam a voicemail instead of talking to him about ronan disappearing—adam doesn’t have a cellphone. why would he leave a voicemail of that nature on the parrish’s home phone?) we know gansey is not a bully, but some of the direction taken somewhat unfairly maligns him. blue and gansey are cute, but the obvious shift of focus towards their characters at the cost of the other two comes off as a purposeful sidelining of the eventual gay relationship. in today’s political climate, it is not surprising to me that these choices which eliminated specific nuances and complexities were made, but it does dishearten me. it renders the story somewhat flat and disappointing. the heart of the raven cycle has always been the characters—here, the characters suffer. it does beg the question “who is this for?”, because in my opinion the subject matter is still not entirely dumbed down enough to be suitable for “middle grades”, while the actual books were always pushing the envelope as far as what was acceptable in YA. it is not for brand new fans, because there is so much missing. it is not for old fans, either, because there is so much missing. and also, while i have the floor: the lettering is very difficult to read. the fact that the FAVOR FROM GLENDOWER the THING THE ENTIRE SERIES IS ABOUT is not even MENTIONED until the very end of the book is bananas. it assumes knowledge. all in all, i appreciate the visual spectacle, and it is fun to see some of the iconic moments play out. gansey’s journal looks great, and so does fox way. however, please do not get me started on ronan’s helmet hair or his traveling hairline. adam’s doing charity work. the choices made here DO make me apprehensive about the impending dream thieves adaptation.
July 31, 2025
mourning the coke shirt though
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August 26, 2025i was going to post a silly one liner (something like "you don't understand they are my bestest friends". because they are) and call it a day but i have way too much to say. so here's that instead.
prefacing this by saying: i've been obsessed with this series for +8 years. i knew i'd have bones to pick with an adaptation, no matter how good it was. despite everything i'm about to say, i did mostly have a great time reading it. they ARE my bestest friends and they are BEAUTIFUL!!!!! the art is magical. the colors are insane. just stunning to look at, the whole thing. i'm about to be a little insufferable. with that out of the way, onto said bones:
this kind of feels like someone grabbed the raven boys and just… chopped at it. wildly. like, machete flying around, swinging blindly. and then they put the remaining pieces back together and tried to make it stand on its own. and the thing is, it doesn't. most of the dialogue is taken directly from the book (a bunch of it was taken out, as expected, and some of it underwent small but crazy changes, some more upsetting than others. the lack of "that's as warm as they get" as an apparent punchline to noah's most iconic line still baffles me. adam unpromptedly going "i live in a place made for leaving" had me cackling), which is nice but simply not enough to make the whole thing make sense. it feels like there wasn't much of an effort to actually adapt the text to a different medium, and so even with a lot of the original dialogue, the very big gaping hole at the center of this is still very much apparent.
the big gaping hole being the lack of characters' thoughts, of course. which is not surprising. the absence of internal monologue was always going to be the main problem with a trc adaptation. because despite its convoluted, ever-branching, strange plot, the heart of the raven cycle are its characters, and one thing about these characters is they don't actually say that much. they talk a lot of shit but they don't do a lot of saying what they need to say when they need to say it. but oh, the mind palaces on these motherfuckers! there's only so much the visual aspect can do to bridge the gap between action and thought, and to help with characterization. and then there are things that it could but simply does not do (eg: i love gansey's silly glasses, but there IS a point to him wearing contacts the majority of the time. that would've been a nice little way to show the contrast between gansey's public and private persona, which is such a central part of his character and not explored at all here.) all of them are a little less multidimensional, a little less polarizing, a little less messy teenage kids, which is what makes them interesting + so painfully lovable in the first place.
needless to say, because the characters individually suffer from this, so do their relationships with each other. gansey and adam (as a pair) are the ones most affected by this, i think, if only because they have the messiest relationship of the bunch. the wealth disparity and the (real and perceived) power imbalance and gansey's duality and adam's values and both their trauma and general fear and desperation and stubbornness are barely there; we only get to see it once in a while in little dialogues that don't reflect the real intensity of the issues that make their feelings towards each other so complex (the love and the jealousy and the admiration and the resentment, the i would die and kill for you but i can't stand being around you sometimes). their last fight, its watering down, the lack of "i'm sorry your father never taught you the meaning of repugnant" was kind of the last straw for me, but also i understand that there's no space for it here, and that somehow makes it worse. because how do you explain a line like that, the nastiness of it, when they've spent the entire thing mostly being… just two normal guys who are friends! even the things that adam does tell him during that fight read as a little abrupt in the context of the graphic novel.
this whole thing does end up snowballing and affecting the plot too, specially towards the end. the pacing is a bit of a mess in general, but it definitely does get worse as we approach the climax. we gloss over the vision adam has in the tree + the conversation they all have with [redacted] after finding the bones (no "a friend wouldn't kill you" shot me in the head twice), we gloss over the scene with his dad and ronan, we gloss over the nasty fight with gansey, we don't get a conversation with blue going back to the two of swords and the third, self-made choice, and so the Big Important Decision at the end, which shapes everything that happens going forward, feels kind of perplexing in the wrong way. it's also very funny to me that we don't really know where the hell he got the gun from. anyway.
a lot of the smaller details, the ones that seem irrelevant but actually make the characters feel like flesh and bone, were missing, too. and i think that was my biggest problem with the whole thing, i guess: that the threads that hold the story together were mostly there, but if we are missing the true meat of the series (ie, the complex characters, the intense relationships, the exploration of their own internal struggles) but also the little details and the quieter scenes and the goofy interactions, the sauce, if you will, we are left with little of what makes the raven cycle the raven cycle.
my last critique: not nearly as humorous as the original, although it was probably never going to be because a big, big part of what makes this series so unexpectedly funny is not stiefvater's dialogue but her prose. there were some eerier scenes for sure (loved the blue hues, the harsh lights in the night scenes. and lord, the washed out flashbacks!!!! the entire thing is very atmospheric), but it doesn't feel as dark as the book, either, although we'll have to see if that changes going into the next ones, which are admittedly a lot darker. this definitely seems to be leaning more into the magical, melancholic, whimsical vibe of the series, which works incredibly well with the art style.
all of this to say what i already pointed out at the start: this doesn't stand on its own. it's quite definitely not for first time readers, unless they want to get a not very satisfying, most likely confusing and incredibly watered down version of what trc really is. if they would be curious to read the novels after or just dumbfounded by the whole thing, i don't know. it also doesn't fully feel like it's for people who have been obsessed with this series for years and can recite full passages by heart (me), because there's just too much missing. i am fully aware a lot of this was inevitable, too, and don't know how some of it could have been fixed while keeping it under 300 pages. so a lot of this IS me being unfair, i will admit. if they had consulted me, instead of a graphic novel this would have been The Illustrated The Raven Boys, but obviously no one consulted me. at least it wasn't a tv show (remember when that was a thing that was happening. ha!). anyway, will keep buying, will keep reading, will keep complaining. because i don't know if you've heard, but they are my bestest friends.
--
pre-release
suicide POSTPONED!!!!!!!!!!
prefacing this by saying: i've been obsessed with this series for +8 years. i knew i'd have bones to pick with an adaptation, no matter how good it was. despite everything i'm about to say, i did mostly have a great time reading it. they ARE my bestest friends and they are BEAUTIFUL!!!!! the art is magical. the colors are insane. just stunning to look at, the whole thing. i'm about to be a little insufferable. with that out of the way, onto said bones:
this kind of feels like someone grabbed the raven boys and just… chopped at it. wildly. like, machete flying around, swinging blindly. and then they put the remaining pieces back together and tried to make it stand on its own. and the thing is, it doesn't. most of the dialogue is taken directly from the book (a bunch of it was taken out, as expected, and some of it underwent small but crazy changes, some more upsetting than others. the lack of "that's as warm as they get" as an apparent punchline to noah's most iconic line still baffles me. adam unpromptedly going "i live in a place made for leaving" had me cackling), which is nice but simply not enough to make the whole thing make sense. it feels like there wasn't much of an effort to actually adapt the text to a different medium, and so even with a lot of the original dialogue, the very big gaping hole at the center of this is still very much apparent.
the big gaping hole being the lack of characters' thoughts, of course. which is not surprising. the absence of internal monologue was always going to be the main problem with a trc adaptation. because despite its convoluted, ever-branching, strange plot, the heart of the raven cycle are its characters, and one thing about these characters is they don't actually say that much. they talk a lot of shit but they don't do a lot of saying what they need to say when they need to say it. but oh, the mind palaces on these motherfuckers! there's only so much the visual aspect can do to bridge the gap between action and thought, and to help with characterization. and then there are things that it could but simply does not do (eg: i love gansey's silly glasses, but there IS a point to him wearing contacts the majority of the time. that would've been a nice little way to show the contrast between gansey's public and private persona, which is such a central part of his character and not explored at all here.) all of them are a little less multidimensional, a little less polarizing, a little less messy teenage kids, which is what makes them interesting + so painfully lovable in the first place.
needless to say, because the characters individually suffer from this, so do their relationships with each other. gansey and adam (as a pair) are the ones most affected by this, i think, if only because they have the messiest relationship of the bunch. the wealth disparity and the (real and perceived) power imbalance and gansey's duality and adam's values and both their trauma and general fear and desperation and stubbornness are barely there; we only get to see it once in a while in little dialogues that don't reflect the real intensity of the issues that make their feelings towards each other so complex (the love and the jealousy and the admiration and the resentment, the i would die and kill for you but i can't stand being around you sometimes). their last fight, its watering down, the lack of "i'm sorry your father never taught you the meaning of repugnant" was kind of the last straw for me, but also i understand that there's no space for it here, and that somehow makes it worse. because how do you explain a line like that, the nastiness of it, when they've spent the entire thing mostly being… just two normal guys who are friends! even the things that adam does tell him during that fight read as a little abrupt in the context of the graphic novel.
this whole thing does end up snowballing and affecting the plot too, specially towards the end. the pacing is a bit of a mess in general, but it definitely does get worse as we approach the climax. we gloss over the vision adam has in the tree + the conversation they all have with [redacted] after finding the bones (no "a friend wouldn't kill you" shot me in the head twice), we gloss over the scene with his dad and ronan, we gloss over the nasty fight with gansey, we don't get a conversation with blue going back to the two of swords and the third, self-made choice, and so the Big Important Decision at the end, which shapes everything that happens going forward, feels kind of perplexing in the wrong way. it's also very funny to me that we don't really know where the hell he got the gun from. anyway.
a lot of the smaller details, the ones that seem irrelevant but actually make the characters feel like flesh and bone, were missing, too. and i think that was my biggest problem with the whole thing, i guess: that the threads that hold the story together were mostly there, but if we are missing the true meat of the series (ie, the complex characters, the intense relationships, the exploration of their own internal struggles) but also the little details and the quieter scenes and the goofy interactions, the sauce, if you will, we are left with little of what makes the raven cycle the raven cycle.
my last critique: not nearly as humorous as the original, although it was probably never going to be because a big, big part of what makes this series so unexpectedly funny is not stiefvater's dialogue but her prose. there were some eerier scenes for sure (loved the blue hues, the harsh lights in the night scenes. and lord, the washed out flashbacks!!!! the entire thing is very atmospheric), but it doesn't feel as dark as the book, either, although we'll have to see if that changes going into the next ones, which are admittedly a lot darker. this definitely seems to be leaning more into the magical, melancholic, whimsical vibe of the series, which works incredibly well with the art style.
all of this to say what i already pointed out at the start: this doesn't stand on its own. it's quite definitely not for first time readers, unless they want to get a not very satisfying, most likely confusing and incredibly watered down version of what trc really is. if they would be curious to read the novels after or just dumbfounded by the whole thing, i don't know. it also doesn't fully feel like it's for people who have been obsessed with this series for years and can recite full passages by heart (me), because there's just too much missing. i am fully aware a lot of this was inevitable, too, and don't know how some of it could have been fixed while keeping it under 300 pages. so a lot of this IS me being unfair, i will admit. if they had consulted me, instead of a graphic novel this would have been The Illustrated The Raven Boys, but obviously no one consulted me. at least it wasn't a tv show (remember when that was a thing that was happening. ha!). anyway, will keep buying, will keep reading, will keep complaining. because i don't know if you've heard, but they are my bestest friends.
--
pre-release
suicide POSTPONED!!!!!!!!!!
August 8, 2025
3.5⭐
Anyone who knows me, knows that I am utterly OBSESSED with The Raven Cycle. This obviously means that had to get to this Graphic Novel adaptation as quickly as possible.
Even though I have many critiques , I did like this. I liked the art style, and the characters looked almost exactly like I imagined them in my head. I am, however, of the opinion that you should read the original source material before reading this. There is so much context lost, and I also strongly believe that Stiefvater's prose is what makes The Raven Boys so good.
Even though I think this is a well done adaptation, I do think we lost some key characterizations that made me fall in love with this group to begin with.
So, in summary: Read the actual novel first!!!
Anyone who knows me, knows that I am utterly OBSESSED with The Raven Cycle. This obviously means that had to get to this Graphic Novel adaptation as quickly as possible.
Even though I have many critiques , I did like this. I liked the art style, and the characters looked almost exactly like I imagined them in my head. I am, however, of the opinion that you should read the original source material before reading this. There is so much context lost, and I also strongly believe that Stiefvater's prose is what makes The Raven Boys so good.
Even though I think this is a well done adaptation, I do think we lost some key characterizations that made me fall in love with this group to begin with.
So, in summary: Read the actual novel first!!!
May 9, 2025
MY CHILDREEENNNN, YOU’VE COME HOME TO ME
This graphic novel is a fantastic adaption of the original book and gives all the same whimsical, dreamy, and found family love as the series. It felt very tightly wound, at no point did I feel like it was too rushed or too choppy scene wise.
Obviously a lot had to be omitted for the sake of time, but I felt like all the major points were hit without sacrificing too much characterization. We get Blue’s defiance, Adam’s pride, Gansey’s loyalty, Noah’s sweetness, and Ronan’s snark. However, I do think out of everyone Ronan got the least amount of time spent on his arc. I wanted to see more of his anger, his troubled past, and of Chainsaw. I’m assuming they’re just saving it for Vol. II considering Dream Thieves is more of his book, but he felt more like a mystery in this graphic novel.
Majority of the iconic book quotes were left in, which I appreciated. It helped keep that nostalgic, giddy feeling while reading. There was only one hiccup, the scene after Gansey sprains his thumb and Persephone says she warned about keeping your thumb outside when you throw a punch. The quote’s foreshadowing was dampened by the fact that the previous scene where she warned that wasn’t actually included.
Sas Milledge was the perfect choice for illustrator, her art style perfectly encapsulates the dreamy youthfulness of Maggie’s writing. We got so many tiny details and snap shots that made my heart melt. Blue’s facial expressions every time Gansey spoke took me OUT. I was laughing so hard. The scene where Blue is trying on Gansey’s glasses?? I love them so much. And Noah, my son, was the highlight of every page.
I do wish we got to see some of Blue’s more eccentric outfits, most of what she was drawn in was very tame in comparison. However we do get to see her maximalist room and the canvas trees on her wall! Gansey is always shown with his glasses on, which is fine but I think the moment Blue sees him wearing them for the first time is a nice moment in their story. We were also missing Gansey’s iconic mint plant!
I love this series so much and I cannot wait for the rest of the books to be adapted. Everything about this graphic novel felt so true to the original story and the perfectly curated vibe it gives off. I cannot wait until the official publication date so I can reread this in color! I’m sure I missed a lot because of the ARC being in black & white. This story is begging to be read in all its vibrancy.
This graphic novel is a fantastic adaption of the original book and gives all the same whimsical, dreamy, and found family love as the series. It felt very tightly wound, at no point did I feel like it was too rushed or too choppy scene wise.
Obviously a lot had to be omitted for the sake of time, but I felt like all the major points were hit without sacrificing too much characterization. We get Blue’s defiance, Adam’s pride, Gansey’s loyalty, Noah’s sweetness, and Ronan’s snark. However, I do think out of everyone Ronan got the least amount of time spent on his arc. I wanted to see more of his anger, his troubled past, and of Chainsaw. I’m assuming they’re just saving it for Vol. II considering Dream Thieves is more of his book, but he felt more like a mystery in this graphic novel.
Majority of the iconic book quotes were left in, which I appreciated. It helped keep that nostalgic, giddy feeling while reading. There was only one hiccup, the scene after Gansey sprains his thumb and Persephone says she warned about keeping your thumb outside when you throw a punch. The quote’s foreshadowing was dampened by the fact that the previous scene where she warned that wasn’t actually included.
Sas Milledge was the perfect choice for illustrator, her art style perfectly encapsulates the dreamy youthfulness of Maggie’s writing. We got so many tiny details and snap shots that made my heart melt. Blue’s facial expressions every time Gansey spoke took me OUT. I was laughing so hard. The scene where Blue is trying on Gansey’s glasses?? I love them so much. And Noah, my son, was the highlight of every page.
I do wish we got to see some of Blue’s more eccentric outfits, most of what she was drawn in was very tame in comparison. However we do get to see her maximalist room and the canvas trees on her wall! Gansey is always shown with his glasses on, which is fine but I think the moment Blue sees him wearing them for the first time is a nice moment in their story. We were also missing Gansey’s iconic mint plant!
I love this series so much and I cannot wait for the rest of the books to be adapted. Everything about this graphic novel felt so true to the original story and the perfectly curated vibe it gives off. I cannot wait until the official publication date so I can reread this in color! I’m sure I missed a lot because of the ARC being in black & white. This story is begging to be read in all its vibrancy.
August 17, 2025
It's The Raven Boys, it'll never be less than perfect.
February 16, 2025
thank you to viking books for young readers and penguin teen for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
genuinely, i need to start by saying how honored i am to have been able to receive a physical arc of one of my most anticipated reads of the year. this book, this series was one of my first introductions back into the reading world when i was in high school. i read the series in such a fugue state, i honestly forget (nearly 8??? years later) what events happened in which books. so knowing that i planned to read this ASAP, i reread the first book in the series.
and i can say that this graphic novel adaptation is so faithful to the original story. condensing a 400 page book into just under 240 pages for a graphic novel is such a challenge and this team truly executed it perfectly. not only were they able to pull all the meat of the story into the graphic novel, but they were able to include some of the "little" scenes, the spots where these characters's personalities truly shined. seeing the gangsey on page, seeing them visually interact, it made my heart so happy. i think they did an incredible job condensing this story into this graphic novel while still having the heart of what the raven cycle is.
i think all the fans of the story will truly love this story. and honestly, if the 4 book series was a hinderance for you, i think this a great way to introduce yourself to this story of henrietta. i cannot wait for the adaptations of the rest of this series now, and i have officially re-ignited my absolute love for this series!
genuinely, i need to start by saying how honored i am to have been able to receive a physical arc of one of my most anticipated reads of the year. this book, this series was one of my first introductions back into the reading world when i was in high school. i read the series in such a fugue state, i honestly forget (nearly 8??? years later) what events happened in which books. so knowing that i planned to read this ASAP, i reread the first book in the series.
and i can say that this graphic novel adaptation is so faithful to the original story. condensing a 400 page book into just under 240 pages for a graphic novel is such a challenge and this team truly executed it perfectly. not only were they able to pull all the meat of the story into the graphic novel, but they were able to include some of the "little" scenes, the spots where these characters's personalities truly shined. seeing the gangsey on page, seeing them visually interact, it made my heart so happy. i think they did an incredible job condensing this story into this graphic novel while still having the heart of what the raven cycle is.
i think all the fans of the story will truly love this story. and honestly, if the 4 book series was a hinderance for you, i think this a great way to introduce yourself to this story of henrietta. i cannot wait for the adaptations of the rest of this series now, and i have officially re-ignited my absolute love for this series!
January 20, 2026
this book was soooo good i can’t wait to read more omg
August 1, 2025
No words can describe the nostalgia this series gives me and the bittersweet feelings of emotions that bubble up every time I remember these characters!
To say this series is a core memory in my teen years is an understatement. I love this series, the characters, the whole crew…Blue, Ronan, Gansey, Adam and sweet Noah T_T You’ll never be forgotten!!
Even after all these years, this series still lives rent free in my brain so imagine my excitement when I heard there was a graphic novel coming out. OMG I was this close to tears when I saw the beautiful illustrations and artwork. The artist really brought the story visually to life! It captured all the magically visually elements and the characters exactly like how i saw them in my head.
Consider me SEATED for when the next book is adapted!
Thank you @penguinteen for this beautiful arc! I’ll treasure this forever!
To say this series is a core memory in my teen years is an understatement. I love this series, the characters, the whole crew…Blue, Ronan, Gansey, Adam and sweet Noah T_T You’ll never be forgotten!!
Even after all these years, this series still lives rent free in my brain so imagine my excitement when I heard there was a graphic novel coming out. OMG I was this close to tears when I saw the beautiful illustrations and artwork. The artist really brought the story visually to life! It captured all the magically visually elements and the characters exactly like how i saw them in my head.
Consider me SEATED for when the next book is adapted!
Thank you @penguinteen for this beautiful arc! I’ll treasure this forever!
December 30, 2025
My favorite book ever. I will always love coming back to this story ! And I loved the reminder of small details I missed or forgot over the years.
I don't know if The Raven Boys is a book that necessarily lends itself to a graphic novel adaptation; so much of the original story's success comes from Maggie Stiefvater's excellent prose and ability to capture the relationships between the characters. It follows that there's a lot that gets lopped out here to condense The Raven Boys into a coherent story, and it leaves the first half of this book feeling choppy. Things come back around by the end once we've had a bit more time with the characters, though there's a bit of disservice done to Blue (who gets about two facial expressions total) & Noah.
The art here is really gorgeous. I love how much it captures the color and warmth of Fox Way. The scenes with Blue's family are some of my favorites for how well we bounce between her aunts. Cabeswater is GORGEOUS and illustrator Sas Milledge plays around with space, color, and time in really interesting and rewarding ways - perfect for capturing the feeling of those scenes.
This is definitely a supplementary text for people who already love The Raven Cycle. I wouldn't recommend it to people who are newly interested. But still a fun and refreshing way to revisit my favs <3
I don't know if The Raven Boys is a book that necessarily lends itself to a graphic novel adaptation; so much of the original story's success comes from Maggie Stiefvater's excellent prose and ability to capture the relationships between the characters. It follows that there's a lot that gets lopped out here to condense The Raven Boys into a coherent story, and it leaves the first half of this book feeling choppy. Things come back around by the end once we've had a bit more time with the characters, though there's a bit of disservice done to Blue (who gets about two facial expressions total) & Noah.
The art here is really gorgeous. I love how much it captures the color and warmth of Fox Way. The scenes with Blue's family are some of my favorites for how well we bounce between her aunts. Cabeswater is GORGEOUS and illustrator Sas Milledge plays around with space, color, and time in really interesting and rewarding ways - perfect for capturing the feeling of those scenes.
This is definitely a supplementary text for people who already love The Raven Cycle. I wouldn't recommend it to people who are newly interested. But still a fun and refreshing way to revisit my favs <3
October 12, 2025
The art was absolutely stunning, and it was such a treat getting to see my favourite series in a new way.
I did find the emotions and inflections of the characters' words were sometimes hard to parse, without there being any narration alongside the dialogue. Getting some more clearly drawn facial expression variations could assist with this.
I believe this will be most enjoyed by those who don't like their adaptations veering away even an iota from the source material. Personally, I would have liked to see more creative freedom given with regard to the dialogue and plot beats, rather than exclusively word-for-word quotes from the novel. I think the story would have been easier to follow if there was more room for new and unique conversation (including explanations and commentary on what was going on with the plot,) since all the fantastic exposition from the original novel was excluded.
Overall an enjoyable visual experience; I will continue to pick up the series just to see the beautiful locations and scenes I've only been able to see in my own imagination for the past decade!
I did find the emotions and inflections of the characters' words were sometimes hard to parse, without there being any narration alongside the dialogue. Getting some more clearly drawn facial expression variations could assist with this.
I believe this will be most enjoyed by those who don't like their adaptations veering away even an iota from the source material. Personally, I would have liked to see more creative freedom given with regard to the dialogue and plot beats, rather than exclusively word-for-word quotes from the novel. I think the story would have been easier to follow if there was more room for new and unique conversation (including explanations and commentary on what was going on with the plot,) since all the fantastic exposition from the original novel was excluded.
Overall an enjoyable visual experience; I will continue to pick up the series just to see the beautiful locations and scenes I've only been able to see in my own imagination for the past decade!
Want to read
November 21, 2024This series was my Harry Potter. My Percy Jackson. It didn't even feel real when Maggie announced that we're getting graphic novel adaptations for all of the books, and now the first cover is already out???
Seeing my boys (+Blue) again is going to be everything to me. This series has always carried such a vivid atmosphere with it, which makes me ecstatic to see everything drawn out on the page. TRC fans we are so back I could cry....
Seeing my boys (+Blue) again is going to be everything to me. This series has always carried such a vivid atmosphere with it, which makes me ecstatic to see everything drawn out on the page. TRC fans we are so back I could cry....
October 20, 2025
➳ 3 ☆! 🔎 spoiler free + mini review
⤷ would def read the real series in the future when i get the copies!
₊‧꒰my thoughts꒱ ‧₊
⤷ for a graphic novel, this was super beautiful! the illustrations were amaze. growing up, graphic novels were always my favorite things to read, so this felt nostalgic! anyways, storyline was good and i think if i read the actual novel first, this wouldve felt more rewarding! ofc, i find the story super interesting and i feel like this series is out of my genre lane, so im intrigued 👀 if you WANT to get into this series and read smth quick, i recommend this!! super easy and fun 💋💗
⤷ would def read the real series in the future when i get the copies!
₊‧꒰my thoughts꒱ ‧₊
⤷ for a graphic novel, this was super beautiful! the illustrations were amaze. growing up, graphic novels were always my favorite things to read, so this felt nostalgic! anyways, storyline was good and i think if i read the actual novel first, this wouldve felt more rewarding! ofc, i find the story super interesting and i feel like this series is out of my genre lane, so im intrigued 👀 if you WANT to get into this series and read smth quick, i recommend this!! super easy and fun 💋💗
July 29, 2025
RAHHH
July 30, 2025
this is EVERYTHING to me!! i feel like everything i was envisioning while originally reading the series came to life. the artwork is SO beautiful. obviously a lot had to be condensed, but they did a good job at still keeping the main points (i do wish we got more of ronan tho, i guess i will have to wait for #2).
the found family in this series makes me emotional and nostalgic, i just might have to do a reread.
the found family in this series makes me emotional and nostalgic, i just might have to do a reread.
November 15, 2025
truly am so, so hashtag blessed to live in a world where the raven cycle exists
Want to read
November 19, 2024WE HAVE A COVER!!!
I will definitely be back for Blue and my boys.
I will definitely be back for Blue and my boys.
Want to read
November 14, 2024AHHHHHHHHHH maggie you can have my firstborn for this
August 7, 2025
‧₊˚ 🍂 ᭪ started 07.08.25
˖ finished 07.08.25
❝i would take all of you anywhere with me.❞
˖ finished 07.08.25
❝i would take all of you anywhere with me.❞
Want to read
November 16, 2024im so fucking excited for this, my friends and family are never going to hear me shut up about this
July 24, 2025
4 ⭐️
Omg my copy arrived in the mail a whole week before the release date I am ecstatic!!
I finished this in less than a day obviously, and I loved it. There will forever be a special place in my heart for this series and I loved being back in Henrietta with these amazing characters.
The art was really great and this was a great adaptation overall, but I admit to be disappointed by a lot of the scene they removed. Like how could they remove the scene where Gansey crashes out at Adam after his dad almost kills him?? Or the scene in the forest where Ronan and Noah write on the car window??? Those are some of my favourite moments in the series and I’m really sad they took them out. 😔 Other than that I think the graphic novel managed to perfectly capture the magic of this world and the specific vibes this series has that I Iove so much, and all the characters were drawn exactly like how I imagined them.
Pre-release:
OH MY GODDDD IM SO EXCITED FOR THIS I CANT WAIT TO SEE NOAH
AUGUST 2025 IS SOOO FAR AWAY THOUGH WHAT HAPPENED TO SPRING 2025
Omg my copy arrived in the mail a whole week before the release date I am ecstatic!!
I finished this in less than a day obviously, and I loved it. There will forever be a special place in my heart for this series and I loved being back in Henrietta with these amazing characters.
The art was really great and this was a great adaptation overall, but I admit to be disappointed by a lot of the scene they removed. Like how could they remove the scene where Gansey crashes out at Adam after his dad almost kills him?? Or the scene in the forest where Ronan and Noah write on the car window??? Those are some of my favourite moments in the series and I’m really sad they took them out. 😔 Other than that I think the graphic novel managed to perfectly capture the magic of this world and the specific vibes this series has that I Iove so much, and all the characters were drawn exactly like how I imagined them.
Pre-release:
OH MY GODDDD IM SO EXCITED FOR THIS I CANT WAIT TO SEE NOAH
AUGUST 2025 IS SOOO FAR AWAY THOUGH WHAT HAPPENED TO SPRING 2025
Read
September 29, 2025Really aesthetic graphic novel adaptation. Loved getting to see this story in a different medium and getting to see some of the scenes illustrated.
September 2, 2025
I read the books years ago and, while I enjoyed it, it didn't quite live up to the hype for me. I liked the characters for the most part but the story was confusing and kinda messy.
Sadly, I felt very much the same about this graphic novel adaptation - if even more confused.
There's no time taken to build the setting or the characters, so what we get is mostly a mess of things happening. I've read the story before and I STILL found it hard to follow.
On that note, I don't know how well this will be read by those who haven't read the books. This very much strikes me as fan service; it banks on the popularity of the books rather than trying to build a story that will grab new readers.
The artwork, while cute, didn't reflect my interpretation of the characters, and some parts of the action were too muddled to follow. Some interesting techniques used but it really didn't work for me - the style strikes me as childish and more frivolous than the tone of the story calls for.
I think, sadly, the graphic novel just doesn't hold up to the novel. There's too much nuance in the book that gets missed in this format, and for grahpic novel fans that have no experience of the book, I think this one is just too 'out there'.
I wouldn't recommend it to the uninitiated, but fans of The Raven Boys should be happy just to have more, and to see characters they love brought to life.
Sadly, I felt very much the same about this graphic novel adaptation - if even more confused.
There's no time taken to build the setting or the characters, so what we get is mostly a mess of things happening. I've read the story before and I STILL found it hard to follow.
On that note, I don't know how well this will be read by those who haven't read the books. This very much strikes me as fan service; it banks on the popularity of the books rather than trying to build a story that will grab new readers.
The artwork, while cute, didn't reflect my interpretation of the characters, and some parts of the action were too muddled to follow. Some interesting techniques used but it really didn't work for me - the style strikes me as childish and more frivolous than the tone of the story calls for.
I think, sadly, the graphic novel just doesn't hold up to the novel. There's too much nuance in the book that gets missed in this format, and for grahpic novel fans that have no experience of the book, I think this one is just too 'out there'.
I wouldn't recommend it to the uninitiated, but fans of The Raven Boys should be happy just to have more, and to see characters they love brought to life.
July 29, 2025
No "I'm always straight"
No the infamous repugnant quote
No Adam being envious of a guy's groceries
No Ronan teaching Adam how to drive a stick shift.
No Blue's weird outfits
No "Hey Tiger"
And they cut Ronan beating the shit out of Adam's father and Adam pressing charges...
But hey!! At least Noah looks adorable sooo, I'll take that as a win.
No the infamous repugnant quote
No Adam being envious of a guy's groceries
No Ronan teaching Adam how to drive a stick shift.
No Blue's weird outfits
No "Hey Tiger"
And they cut Ronan beating the shit out of Adam's father and Adam pressing charges...
But hey!! At least Noah looks adorable sooo, I'll take that as a win.
August 1, 2025
Least objective review ever because this story and these characters mean so much to me but it was literally surreal seeing everything I envisioned in my head come to life 🥹
Want to read
November 20, 2024PUT THIS IN MY HANDS RIGHT NOW. RIGHT. NOW.
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