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Dreamer Trilogy #1
Call Down the Hawk
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2019)Ronan Lynch is a dreamer. He can pull both curiosities and catastrophes out of his dreams and into his compromised reality.
Jordan Hennessy is a thief. The closer she comes to the dream object she is after, the more inextricably she becomes tied to it.
Carmen Farooq-Lane is a hunter. Her brother was a dreamer... and a killer. She has seen what dreaming can do to a person. And she has seen the damage that dreamers can do. But that is nothing compared to the destruction that is about to be unleashed...
Jordan Hennessy is a thief. The closer she comes to the dream object she is after, the more inextricably she becomes tied to it.
Carmen Farooq-Lane is a hunter. Her brother was a dreamer... and a killer. She has seen what dreaming can do to a person. And she has seen the damage that dreamers can do. But that is nothing compared to the destruction that is about to be unleashed...
469 pages, Paperback
First published November 5, 2019
2305 people are currently reading
62028 people want to read
About the author
Maggie Stiefvater
63 books172k followersNew York Times bestselling author of The Shiver Trilogy, The Raven Cycle, and The Scorpio Races. Artist. Driver of things with wheels. Avid reader.
Maggie Stiefvater plays several musical instruments (most infamously, the bagpipes) and makes art in several media (most generally, colored pencils).
She lives in Virginia with her husband, their two children, many dogs, a bunch of fainting goats, and an irascible tuner car.
Maggie Stiefvater plays several musical instruments (most infamously, the bagpipes) and makes art in several media (most generally, colored pencils).
She lives in Virginia with her husband, their two children, many dogs, a bunch of fainting goats, and an irascible tuner car.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,193 reviews
December 16, 2019
“There was something else afoot that October, something else stretching and straining and panting, but it was mostly as of yet unseen.”
Call Down the Hawk didn't hit like a freight train, nor did it call for any fantastical shocks... The true magic of this novel is the fact that it is a subtle triumph. Stiefvater wrote a tour de force that caused me to lose my breath through its soft complexities.
_______________
Tamquam, Alter Idem
Without giving much away, Call Down the Hawk explores the world of dreamers as well as the dreamed. It presents a fresh new cast of characters (including the Lynch brothers) that you'll both love, hate and hate to love.
→ Our first main character, Ronan Lynch discovers that his dreams have been infiltrated by a voice that wants him to both understand his capabilities as well as the world around him.
→ Jordan Hennessy is struggling with herself, she's not living a life that's her own and if there is a single character that you should begin this story knowing nothing about, she is the one.
→ Carmen Farooq-Lane is a huntress that tracks both dreamers and their visionaries, hers is a tale of the end times.
→ Declan Lynch wins your heart by stealing it first. He has a handful of lies, a handful of truths and very interesting shoes.
→ Matthew Lynch was made to hug. He possibly has the shortest page time, but has a story to tell nevertheless, and I feel like we are going to be seeing a lot more of him in the coming sequel.
These characters made the entire book for me. It would be hard to talk about CDTH without mentioning The Raven Cycle, so I'm going to get it over with now. Maggie Stiefvater has a talent with her characters, each so unique and tragic in their own way. I loved Ronan during TRC and if possible, I love him even more so after this book. It was wonderful to be in Ronan's mind and understand his conflicts and desires throughout the novel. There is seemingly nothing better than the dialogue between Ronan Lynch and his bird, Chainsaw. (Except for maybe the dialogue between Ronan Lynch and his boyfriend, Adam Parrish).
©
The character dynamics within the different relationships were so cleverly written. Alongside the development and growth you see from start to finish is captivating to say the least. This book is not without its flaws but I feel like none of them warranted a four-star rating. A caveat; I will say that although the character engagement is alike TRC - the similarities stop there, the atmosphere of CTDH is very different. The world of dreamers is desperately darker than the world in which a group of teenagers hunt down a dead welsh king. The way the plot is handled and the pacing is also very different, so my thought would be to go into this with the understanding that it's completely separate to that of TRC.
This book made me ache, laugh, pine and hope... so much hope. I want to put another cautionary note that although Adam and Ronan have moments in CDTH. This novel is not in anyway focused on their relationship. Adam is a large part of Ronan's life but they're now on different paths going different directions in an effort to come to themselves. But this is not to say that they aren't still the two soft cinnamon rolls desperately in love with each other. Also, for those that are expecting ride or die friendships like the gang in TRC, this is not that either. It's darker and more dire... it focuses on a very different dynamic. I fell in love with the slow-building in this book because of that reason. If anything, Maggie Stiefvater just proved to me that she can write more than one trick.
Another major contributor to my adoration of this book was Stiefvater's writing. To give you an idea, I read the prologue and everything inside me felt at peace but electric at the same time. Her writing is lyrical and the effect is somewhat of a trance; I could not put this book down. I flew through the pages and was consumed with the need to know what happens!! In an effort to try and encapsulate what a gem of a book this was;
What it was: the interconnected lives of a bunch of misfits, some who dream, some who have come from dreams and some who want the world to stop dreaming.
What we didn't know we needed in life: For Parsifal Bauer to reach peak Parsifalness.
What we got:
ronan and declan making a routine list,
a room full of murder crabs,
a Lynch falling in love,
a black market for weird fantasy objects,
ronan being soft for adam and adam being adam,
the many frustrating exchanges of business cards and,
a return to Lindenmere.
©
Side Note: woke up to Maggie retweeting my graphics and I'm not okay....
Pre-Review
plans: cancelled
sweatpants: on
alex: excited af
ronan: lynch
©
watch me finish this in a whole ass day.
Call Down the Hawk didn't hit like a freight train, nor did it call for any fantastical shocks... The true magic of this novel is the fact that it is a subtle triumph. Stiefvater wrote a tour de force that caused me to lose my breath through its soft complexities.
_______________
Tamquam, Alter Idem
Without giving much away, Call Down the Hawk explores the world of dreamers as well as the dreamed. It presents a fresh new cast of characters (including the Lynch brothers) that you'll both love, hate and hate to love.
→ Our first main character, Ronan Lynch discovers that his dreams have been infiltrated by a voice that wants him to both understand his capabilities as well as the world around him.
→ Jordan Hennessy is struggling with herself, she's not living a life that's her own and if there is a single character that you should begin this story knowing nothing about, she is the one.
→ Carmen Farooq-Lane is a huntress that tracks both dreamers and their visionaries, hers is a tale of the end times.
→ Declan Lynch wins your heart by stealing it first. He has a handful of lies, a handful of truths and very interesting shoes.
→ Matthew Lynch was made to hug. He possibly has the shortest page time, but has a story to tell nevertheless, and I feel like we are going to be seeing a lot more of him in the coming sequel.
“No idea sounded like a good idea when you had only one shot left.”
These characters made the entire book for me. It would be hard to talk about CDTH without mentioning The Raven Cycle, so I'm going to get it over with now. Maggie Stiefvater has a talent with her characters, each so unique and tragic in their own way. I loved Ronan during TRC and if possible, I love him even more so after this book. It was wonderful to be in Ronan's mind and understand his conflicts and desires throughout the novel. There is seemingly nothing better than the dialogue between Ronan Lynch and his bird, Chainsaw. (Except for maybe the dialogue between Ronan Lynch and his boyfriend, Adam Parrish).
"Tamquam,” said Adam.
"Wait," said Ronan.
"Tamquam,” he said again, gently.
"Alter idem," Ronan said, and found himself alone.
©The character dynamics within the different relationships were so cleverly written. Alongside the development and growth you see from start to finish is captivating to say the least. This book is not without its flaws but I feel like none of them warranted a four-star rating. A caveat; I will say that although the character engagement is alike TRC - the similarities stop there, the atmosphere of CTDH is very different. The world of dreamers is desperately darker than the world in which a group of teenagers hunt down a dead welsh king. The way the plot is handled and the pacing is also very different, so my thought would be to go into this with the understanding that it's completely separate to that of TRC.
“You think it's hard for you to hear the dreams when you're far away from your mountains. From our ley line. From your forest. from Lindenmere. That's not right. It's not wrong, but it's only half right. It's hard for the dreams to hear you.”
This book made me ache, laugh, pine and hope... so much hope. I want to put another cautionary note that although Adam and Ronan have moments in CDTH. This novel is not in anyway focused on their relationship. Adam is a large part of Ronan's life but they're now on different paths going different directions in an effort to come to themselves. But this is not to say that they aren't still the two soft cinnamon rolls desperately in love with each other. Also, for those that are expecting ride or die friendships like the gang in TRC, this is not that either. It's darker and more dire... it focuses on a very different dynamic. I fell in love with the slow-building in this book because of that reason. If anything, Maggie Stiefvater just proved to me that she can write more than one trick.
“You are made of dreams and this world is not for you.”
Another major contributor to my adoration of this book was Stiefvater's writing. To give you an idea, I read the prologue and everything inside me felt at peace but electric at the same time. Her writing is lyrical and the effect is somewhat of a trance; I could not put this book down. I flew through the pages and was consumed with the need to know what happens!! In an effort to try and encapsulate what a gem of a book this was;
What it was: the interconnected lives of a bunch of misfits, some who dream, some who have come from dreams and some who want the world to stop dreaming.
What we didn't know we needed in life: For Parsifal Bauer to reach peak Parsifalness.
What we got:
ronan and declan making a routine list,
a room full of murder crabs,
a Lynch falling in love,
a black market for weird fantasy objects,
ronan being soft for adam and adam being adam,
the many frustrating exchanges of business cards and,
a return to Lindenmere.
“We fool ourselves better than anyone when we're afraid.”
©Side Note: woke up to Maggie retweeting my graphics and I'm not okay....
Pre-Review
plans: cancelled
sweatpants: on
alex: excited af
ronan: lynch
©watch me finish this in a whole ass day.
Read
November 30, 2019"CALL down the hawk from the air;
Let him be hooded or caged
Till the yellow eye has grown mild,
For larder and spit are bare,
The old cook enraged,
The scullion gone wild."
"I will not be clapped in a hood,
Nor a cage, nor alight upon wrist,
Now I have learnt to be proud
Hovering over the wood
In the broken mist
Or tumbling cloud."
"What tumbling cloud did you cleave,
Yellow-eyed hawk of the mind,
Last evening? that I, who had sat
Dumfounded before a knave,
Should give to my friend
A pretence of wit."
- w. b. yeats, "The Hawk"
First 8 chapters can be read free here! https://www.scribd.com/document/41236...
Chapter-by-chapter playlist of songs I listened to while writing it here: http://maggiestiefvater.com/call-down...
Let him be hooded or caged
Till the yellow eye has grown mild,
For larder and spit are bare,
The old cook enraged,
The scullion gone wild."
"I will not be clapped in a hood,
Nor a cage, nor alight upon wrist,
Now I have learnt to be proud
Hovering over the wood
In the broken mist
Or tumbling cloud."
"What tumbling cloud did you cleave,
Yellow-eyed hawk of the mind,
Last evening? that I, who had sat
Dumfounded before a knave,
Should give to my friend
A pretence of wit."
- w. b. yeats, "The Hawk"
First 8 chapters can be read free here! https://www.scribd.com/document/41236...
Chapter-by-chapter playlist of songs I listened to while writing it here: http://maggiestiefvater.com/call-down...
January 11, 2022
me: I'm OBSESSED with this book
me: [remembers that, according to Plutarch, Alexander the Great slept with the Iliad beneath his pillow, alongside a dagger, presumably so that he could murder anyone who tried to steal his copy]
me: Nevermind, I love this book a normal amount actually
me: [remembers that, according to Plutarch, Alexander the Great slept with the Iliad beneath his pillow, alongside a dagger, presumably so that he could murder anyone who tried to steal his copy]
me: Nevermind, I love this book a normal amount actually
December 27, 2025
IT'S HERE AND THE OWLCRATE EDITION IS FLAWLESS
Unbeknownst to him, there is something hunting (and eliminating) the dreamers.
Jordan Hennessy is a flawless art thief and one of many. Danger is circling ever-closer to her and disaster is around every corner.
With Carmen Farooq-Lane on the side of the hunters, and the fate of the world is determined by the outcome, she will stop at nothing until they are all eliminated.
I actually got so angry at it that I had to set it down.
It was too many characters, too many creatures and too much happening. It wasn't remotely the same as the Raven Boys and I truly thought this was going to be a disaster rivaling the Shiver series.
BUT THEN I got a free trial from scribd and decided to give Call Down the Hawk another shot.
And honestly...I don't know what I was thinking that first round.
I loved this book.
I think the first round I was just so mad that this book wasn't Raven Boys #5 that I just threw up my hands and gave up.
But after taking (a lot) of time to cool off, the second round of Call Down the Hawk felt like coming home.
I loved the plot, the return of the characters and (above all) the magical narration of Will Patton.
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
Ronan Lynch thought he was alright with staying at the Barns but what once felt like freedom is becoming increasingly more like a cage.
"You are made of dreams and this world is not for you."
After a disastrous visit to Adam's dorm room, Ronan realizes that he cannot continue balancing so perilously close to danger.
"But joy is a small, tenacious crop, especially in soil that hasn't grown any for a long time."
Unbeknownst to him, there is something hunting (and eliminating) the dreamers.
Jordan Hennessy is a flawless art thief and one of many. Danger is circling ever-closer to her and disaster is around every corner.
With Carmen Farooq-Lane on the side of the hunters, and the fate of the world is determined by the outcome, she will stop at nothing until they are all eliminated.
So. I tried reading this one when it first came out and...I couldn't.
"Dreams are not the safest thing to build a life on."
I actually got so angry at it that I had to set it down.
It was too many characters, too many creatures and too much happening. It wasn't remotely the same as the Raven Boys and I truly thought this was going to be a disaster rivaling the Shiver series.
BUT THEN I got a free trial from scribd and decided to give Call Down the Hawk another shot.
And honestly...I don't know what I was thinking that first round.
I loved this book.
I think the first round I was just so mad that this book wasn't Raven Boys #5 that I just threw up my hands and gave up.
But after taking (a lot) of time to cool off, the second round of Call Down the Hawk felt like coming home.
I loved the plot, the return of the characters and (above all) the magical narration of Will Patton.
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
April 25, 2024
I take back everything I've ever said about the following:
- the darkness of my soul
- the cynicism I feel about every aspect of waking life
- my black heart, my pessimistic core, my status as an eternal hater, etc.
I'm rebranding to a lover now. Someone who consumes content without criticism and likes everything. A person who five stars every book and thinks every movie is the best one.
This book changed me.
I adore The Raven Cycle to an extent that is almost disturbing. I love the dialogue and the figurative and the descriptive. I love the boarding school and the pizza shop and the psychics' house and the mountains and the magic forest and the general store and the D.C. mansion and the renovated factory. I love the protagonist and the love interest and the family members and the ghost and the distant background characters and the villains.
There are two things I DON'T love. And those two things happen to be the only characters who make the transition into this book.
And yet.
I loved them here.
This is just as good as any book in The Raven Cycle. Except maybe Blue Lily, Lily Blue.
Nothing is coming for that book's title.
(Pun intended.)
Bottom line: Now everything is good to me!
---------------
pre-review
always a pleasant surprise when something goes better than you expect.
at least, i assume so. it doesn't happen that often.
review to come / 4.5ish
---------------
tbr review
yes i DID truly love the last two books in this series...yes this spinoff IS about my two least favorite characters...no i do NOT know how i'll feel about it
---------------
oh girl.......THIS is our cover?................oh girl
- the darkness of my soul
- the cynicism I feel about every aspect of waking life
- my black heart, my pessimistic core, my status as an eternal hater, etc.
I'm rebranding to a lover now. Someone who consumes content without criticism and likes everything. A person who five stars every book and thinks every movie is the best one.
This book changed me.
I adore The Raven Cycle to an extent that is almost disturbing. I love the dialogue and the figurative and the descriptive. I love the boarding school and the pizza shop and the psychics' house and the mountains and the magic forest and the general store and the D.C. mansion and the renovated factory. I love the protagonist and the love interest and the family members and the ghost and the distant background characters and the villains.
There are two things I DON'T love. And those two things happen to be the only characters who make the transition into this book.
And yet.
I loved them here.
This is just as good as any book in The Raven Cycle. Except maybe Blue Lily, Lily Blue.
Nothing is coming for that book's title.
(Pun intended.)
Bottom line: Now everything is good to me!
---------------
pre-review
always a pleasant surprise when something goes better than you expect.
at least, i assume so. it doesn't happen that often.
review to come / 4.5ish
---------------
tbr review
yes i DID truly love the last two books in this series...yes this spinoff IS about my two least favorite characters...no i do NOT know how i'll feel about it
---------------
oh girl.......THIS is our cover?................oh girl
November 12, 2019
1.) The Raven Boys ★★★★★
2.) The Dream Thieves ★★★★★
3.) Blue Lily, Lily Blue ★★★★★
4.) The Raven King ★★★★★
4.5) Opal ★★★★★
Jesus... Maggie Stiefvater's mind (and prose). 11/10.
Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Youtube | Twitch
July 27, 2020
I never read something so beautiful, magical, creative, original, depicted all those vivid dreams adroitly and meticulously! You may visualize everything written in the words with the help of them you may use entire five senses to open your heart to those unimaginably fantastic dream sequences!
This is creating a remarkable portrait with the power of vocabulary instead of using paint and brushes. This is creating a memorable song with the talented mind without using any notes and instruments.
I’m in love this book! I had amazing time and this is one of the special books you may read at least thousand times and you can still find a different detail you didn’t notice before or get a different taste you weren’t experienced at your previous readings.
I don’t want to give any spoilers because any words mistakenly pop out from my non-stop talking mouth may ruin the surprises and your enjoyment. So I duct taped my mouth (actually I didn’t, because I cannot read with my happy hour refreshments!) let’s stay hypnotically I closed my mouth so you need to READ! READ! And READ!
But I have to mention something that I really admired about this book:
I don’t like any written stories full with over imposing, over sexual that authors use their own character subjectively to prove their points and forgetting all the emotions, realism of back stories.
But of course at this book, everything is proportionally told and if you are already fans of Raven Cycle series, it is impossible not to fall in with Adam and Ronan ( catch out the references: did you notice Adam’s name on Ronan’s phone: Yess: freaking ma-na-ge-ment!!!!) and your love is already formed for them (I can dedicate my karaoke competition song that made me the winner for those characters. Yes I drank too many shots and I massacred Taylor Swift’s “Lover” but those words meant for those beautiful characters!!!) Nothing over reacted or unrealistic about their character developments which make you easily bond with them and read their adventures excitedly. If I didn’t have close to Mount Everest height tbr pile, I could start to reread this book only one week later but I’m so sure I’ll do that before the second book comes out!
So we have an amazing, exciting, fresh, unique story, lots of extra ordinary dream sequences and adorable characters! This is the quiet efficient formula of a masterpiece! So what are you waiting for? Just jump in and then send me thank you notes for my recommendation.
This is creating a remarkable portrait with the power of vocabulary instead of using paint and brushes. This is creating a memorable song with the talented mind without using any notes and instruments.
I’m in love this book! I had amazing time and this is one of the special books you may read at least thousand times and you can still find a different detail you didn’t notice before or get a different taste you weren’t experienced at your previous readings.
I don’t want to give any spoilers because any words mistakenly pop out from my non-stop talking mouth may ruin the surprises and your enjoyment. So I duct taped my mouth (actually I didn’t, because I cannot read with my happy hour refreshments!) let’s stay hypnotically I closed my mouth so you need to READ! READ! And READ!
But I have to mention something that I really admired about this book:
I don’t like any written stories full with over imposing, over sexual that authors use their own character subjectively to prove their points and forgetting all the emotions, realism of back stories.
But of course at this book, everything is proportionally told and if you are already fans of Raven Cycle series, it is impossible not to fall in with Adam and Ronan ( catch out the references: did you notice Adam’s name on Ronan’s phone: Yess: freaking ma-na-ge-ment!!!!) and your love is already formed for them (I can dedicate my karaoke competition song that made me the winner for those characters. Yes I drank too many shots and I massacred Taylor Swift’s “Lover” but those words meant for those beautiful characters!!!) Nothing over reacted or unrealistic about their character developments which make you easily bond with them and read their adventures excitedly. If I didn’t have close to Mount Everest height tbr pile, I could start to reread this book only one week later but I’m so sure I’ll do that before the second book comes out!
So we have an amazing, exciting, fresh, unique story, lots of extra ordinary dream sequences and adorable characters! This is the quiet efficient formula of a masterpiece! So what are you waiting for? Just jump in and then send me thank you notes for my recommendation.
Want to read
November 3, 2017Ronan Lynch is everything!
“I think it means I’m a raven.
That makes you a raven boy.”
-The Dream Thieves.
"Squash one . . squash two . . squash three!!"
AAYYYYYYYYYYY!!
^^( LMAO! GET IT? )^^
I am honestly not even surprised to hear about this.
Extremely happy? Hell yeah!
Surprised? Not really.
It's no secret Ronan has always been Maggie's favorite, and when she first started writing TRB it was meant to be about Ronan and his dreams. I think it's time to find out what The Raven Cycle was originally supposed to be about.
(AWW i could stare at this gif forever.
This is exactly how i picture my Adam.)
THAT SMILE! *HEART EYES*
"Thanks for the straight teeth then."
^^(Look at them straight ass teeth!
Tell me this isn't a perfect Adam Parrish!!)
Don't get me wrong, i adore Gansey!! But everything Ronan Lynch does is just 50 times more interesting than looking for the dead king, or waiting for some "true love's kiss" to happen.
My only question is whether it's prequel to TRC series or does it come after?
I know, i know, everyone is super excited about more "PYNCH" (myself included) but i could kill for a prequel. There are so many questions: The Raven King gave me no answers! Plus, i'd rather read Ronan and Adam's earlier interactions. AHHHH let's not forget Kavinsky and Ronan trying to kill each other *MY HEART*. I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT RONAN WAS LIKE BEFORE HIS FATHER'S DEATH, DAMN IT!!
To all you Ronan haters out there:
This kid gets so much hate! Him and Adam, both. And i do not get it. Some people feel this urge to tell me how much they dislike them and why, as soon as they find out how crazy i am about this series (are we still calling it the raven cycle?), and how Gansey is the main character blah blah blah. Guess what? I DON'T GIVE A SINGLE FUCK. You are not coming in my house and insulting my children. Not acceptable. Get out. Bye, bye!
“I think it means I’m a raven.
That makes you a raven boy.”
-The Dream Thieves.
"Squash one . . squash two . . squash three!!"
AAYYYYYYYYYYY!!
^^( LMAO! GET IT? )^^
I am honestly not even surprised to hear about this.
Extremely happy? Hell yeah!
Surprised? Not really.
It's no secret Ronan has always been Maggie's favorite, and when she first started writing TRB it was meant to be about Ronan and his dreams. I think it's time to find out what The Raven Cycle was originally supposed to be about.
(AWW i could stare at this gif forever.
This is exactly how i picture my Adam.)
THAT SMILE! *HEART EYES*
"Thanks for the straight teeth then."
^^(Look at them straight ass teeth!
Tell me this isn't a perfect Adam Parrish!!)
Don't get me wrong, i adore Gansey!! But everything Ronan Lynch does is just 50 times more interesting than looking for the dead king, or waiting for some "true love's kiss" to happen.
My only question is whether it's prequel to TRC series or does it come after?
I know, i know, everyone is super excited about more "PYNCH" (myself included) but i could kill for a prequel. There are so many questions: The Raven King gave me no answers! Plus, i'd rather read Ronan and Adam's earlier interactions. AHHHH let's not forget Kavinsky and Ronan trying to kill each other *MY HEART*. I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT RONAN WAS LIKE BEFORE HIS FATHER'S DEATH, DAMN IT!!
To all you Ronan haters out there:
This kid gets so much hate! Him and Adam, both. And i do not get it. Some people feel this urge to tell me how much they dislike them and why, as soon as they find out how crazy i am about this series (are we still calling it the raven cycle?), and how Gansey is the main character blah blah blah. Guess what? I DON'T GIVE A SINGLE FUCK. You are not coming in my house and insulting my children. Not acceptable. Get out. Bye, bye!
December 17, 2019
SAYING THIS IS ONE OF MY MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS ---EVER--- IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
July 24, 2022
Reread 2022 - 2.5 Stars - I don’t like it. I’m not sure why I have it 5 stars before. I was mostly bored but I’m giving it 2.5 stars for the gang. I’m going to unhaul my hardbacks of the first two and I probably won’t read the 3rd one unless I get it from the library. I loved The Raven Boys and I hope I still do on my reread of them, I’m pretty sure I will though 💕 We shall see.
********************
Here's the awesome CALL DOWN THE HAWK BOX FROM OWLCRATE! Let me just say, I'm so glad they got their special edition cover! I love theirs more than the original cover! Click on the GOODIES LINK to see the awesome GOODIES!
THE GOODIES LINK
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
********************
Here's the awesome CALL DOWN THE HAWK BOX FROM OWLCRATE! Let me just say, I'm so glad they got their special edition cover! I love theirs more than the original cover! Click on the GOODIES LINK to see the awesome GOODIES!
THE GOODIES LINK
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Read
September 3, 2023I’m on BookTube now! =)
OMG! That ending! O_o
Very curious about “Mister Impossible” now! It feels like the actual plot just began!
Also: YAY me!!! I started to read this book in July 2022 and I finally finished it today! *lol*
Why does it always take me so long to read Maggie’s books? It’s like I need to read them slowly to soak up everything. XD I’m happy this is no longer on my “currently reading” though. Haha! More than a year is enough. ;-P
Full RTC soon! Stay tuned. I promise it won’t take as long as it took me to read the book. *lol*
_______________________________
I’m finally picking this up and I can’t wait to dive into “Calll Down the Hawk”!!!
I was supposed to read it in June, but last month was crazy and my bestie didn’t manage to get her hands on a library copy. (I’ll never complain about my library again because it never happened that the books I preordered were lost in transit for weeks. *lol*)
Anyway! All our troubles out of the way it’s finally time to read this! I’m so ready to dive into Maggie’s beautiful writing style. <3
________________________________
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
ASDFGJIJLMNÖSSKAKDKSJSJASKKDKDKEAK!!!!!!!
WE HAVE A COVER AND A RELEASE DATE!!!
5th November 2019 !!!!
OMG!!! I am freaking out here!!
Yes! Yes! YESH!!!! 😍😍😍
*runs around hyper for eternity*
Maggie you perfect and sneaky human being!! This is the best early birthday present ever!! 😁❤
P.S: Of course we have a title too! How could I forget about the title!? I'm so freaking excited!!!
______________________
An entire series!!! AN ENTIRE SERIES!!!???
That means...
Three books about... about....
RONAN FREAKING LYNCH!!!!!
(And hopefully ADAM FREAKING PARRISH!!!)
SIGN ME UP!!!!!!! I'm crying tears of joy!!!! <33333
*dies*
OMG! That ending! O_o
Very curious about “Mister Impossible” now! It feels like the actual plot just began!
Also: YAY me!!! I started to read this book in July 2022 and I finally finished it today! *lol*
Why does it always take me so long to read Maggie’s books? It’s like I need to read them slowly to soak up everything. XD I’m happy this is no longer on my “currently reading” though. Haha! More than a year is enough. ;-P
Full RTC soon! Stay tuned. I promise it won’t take as long as it took me to read the book. *lol*
_______________________________
I’m finally picking this up and I can’t wait to dive into “Calll Down the Hawk”!!!
I was supposed to read it in June, but last month was crazy and my bestie didn’t manage to get her hands on a library copy. (I’ll never complain about my library again because it never happened that the books I preordered were lost in transit for weeks. *lol*)
Anyway! All our troubles out of the way it’s finally time to read this! I’m so ready to dive into Maggie’s beautiful writing style. <3
________________________________
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
ASDFGJIJLMNÖSSKAKDKSJSJASKKDKDKEAK!!!!!!!
WE HAVE A COVER AND A RELEASE DATE!!!
5th November 2019 !!!!
OMG!!! I am freaking out here!!
Yes! Yes! YESH!!!! 😍😍😍
*runs around hyper for eternity*
Maggie you perfect and sneaky human being!! This is the best early birthday present ever!! 😁❤
P.S: Of course we have a title too! How could I forget about the title!? I'm so freaking excited!!!
______________________
An entire series!!! AN ENTIRE SERIES!!!???
That means...
Three books about... about....
RONAN FREAKING LYNCH!!!!!
(And hopefully ADAM FREAKING PARRISH!!!)
SIGN ME UP!!!!!!! I'm crying tears of joy!!!! <33333
*dies*
September 27, 2019
Cool. Fun to exist in this perpetual state of agony. I’m fine.
Update 9/26/19:
Just popping back in a few weeks before publication to say that I think this is so worth the wait. This is ambitious, original, and darkly fascinating. It offers so much character development and is occasionally just batshit crazy with its worldbuilding and fantastical elements. Once you start reading it is impossible to look away. I can't wait to talk about this book nonstop with all of you soon.
Update 9/26/19:
Just popping back in a few weeks before publication to say that I think this is so worth the wait. This is ambitious, original, and darkly fascinating. It offers so much character development and is occasionally just batshit crazy with its worldbuilding and fantastical elements. Once you start reading it is impossible to look away. I can't wait to talk about this book nonstop with all of you soon.
Want to read
August 9, 2016God said Adam and Ronan not Adam and Eve
December 9, 2019
oh man....😭 😭 😭
_____
update: FEBRUARY 6, 2019
so the cover....
we finally have a cover....
AND A FUCKING RELEASE DATE .
so the cover....
we finally have a cover....
and i don't really like it.
but im still going to fucking love this book.
i know it.
Twitter | Bookstagram | Youtube |
__
um, hello??! 911 we have an emergency?!
we.
don't.
have.
a.
friggin.
release.
date.
or.
cover.
yet .
i would like to read this book sometime in 2019 pls.
if this gets push backed to 2020......
(deletes goodreads, BET)
___
I'M FUCKING SCREAMING
_____
update: FEBRUARY 6, 2019
so the cover....
we finally have a cover....
AND A FUCKING RELEASE DATE .
so the cover....
we finally have a cover....
and i don't really like it.
but im still going to fucking love this book.
i know it.
Twitter | Bookstagram | Youtube |
__
um, hello??! 911 we have an emergency?!
we.
don't.
have.
a.
friggin.
release.
date.
or.
cover.
yet .
i would like to read this book sometime in 2019 pls.
if this gets push backed to 2020......
(deletes goodreads, BET)
___
I'M FUCKING SCREAMING
Want to read
November 6, 2019this cover is cancelled
November 29, 2019
‘you are made of dreams and this world is not for you.’
reading this book made me feel like i was dreaming someone elses dream, a dream that only makes sense to the dreamer and i was the intruder. thats really the only way i can describe my experience.
from the first page, the first word, i could tell this story is means something to someone. stiefvater has always had a dreamlike quality to her writing, but this story made me feel like i was inside her sleeping mind and i just couldnt quite grasp what it all meant to her.
i was never the biggest fan of the raven boys series, but i appreciate ronan for being such a complex character. however, the only moments where i really looked forward to reading about him was when he was with adam.
i know many people will fall so in love with this story, but i sadly have to admit that this book is made of dreams and its world is not for me.
↠ 3 stars
reading this book made me feel like i was dreaming someone elses dream, a dream that only makes sense to the dreamer and i was the intruder. thats really the only way i can describe my experience.
from the first page, the first word, i could tell this story is means something to someone. stiefvater has always had a dreamlike quality to her writing, but this story made me feel like i was inside her sleeping mind and i just couldnt quite grasp what it all meant to her.
i was never the biggest fan of the raven boys series, but i appreciate ronan for being such a complex character. however, the only moments where i really looked forward to reading about him was when he was with adam.
i know many people will fall so in love with this story, but i sadly have to admit that this book is made of dreams and its world is not for me.
↠ 3 stars
May 30, 2025
this one is for the dreamers.
i have no words to express how dear this book is to me. it made me appreciate art in all its forms, and how important it is for us to communicate and interact with the world; how it can describe a feeling; how it can be big and unfathomable; how it can make us feel less alone; how it makes us want to live.
and maybe i'm a hypocrite, because i find it incredibly hard to put my writing Out There where people can poke and prod at it, judge it for its vulnerability and heart. i'm useless with a pencil - give me a sheet of paper and i'll likely scribble something inane on it.
but the world needs art now more than ever; it will collapse without it. the desire to create - the sheer dedication that's needed to paint or write or draw or weave or knit or play something is fueled by a love that is all-consuming. and love is all this world demands, in the end.
now that is something i know a lot about. i'm a person that can never be normal about anything; i care so much that it hurts to think about everything i love. i have to scream about all of it into the void.
and this book is life-altering.
i've been (unintentionally) reading books about art throughout this month. my friends and its discourse on art - on how it connects people from different spheres while losing its value as it becomes more commodified - really touched my heart. yellowface was such a fascinating peek into the publishing industry, while discussing who should be creating art that profits off of others' work/pain. and now, call down the hawk - which told me art is theft. art is a form of intimacy. art is a fuck you.
so. this book. it's stunningly crafted.
it's about two dreamers, two dreams, and a liar. (disregarding carmen farooq-lane because she did Not manage to endear herself to me.)
it's about brothers, who, despite all their differences, stay in each others' lives. it's about lovers that understand each other. it's about friendship that despite (or perhaps because of) everything, prevails. it's about magic, about stolen paintings, about sentient forests.
it's about love.
(oh, look. maybe i did have the words after all.)
i have no words to express how dear this book is to me. it made me appreciate art in all its forms, and how important it is for us to communicate and interact with the world; how it can describe a feeling; how it can be big and unfathomable; how it can make us feel less alone; how it makes us want to live.
and maybe i'm a hypocrite, because i find it incredibly hard to put my writing Out There where people can poke and prod at it, judge it for its vulnerability and heart. i'm useless with a pencil - give me a sheet of paper and i'll likely scribble something inane on it.
but the world needs art now more than ever; it will collapse without it. the desire to create - the sheer dedication that's needed to paint or write or draw or weave or knit or play something is fueled by a love that is all-consuming. and love is all this world demands, in the end.
now that is something i know a lot about. i'm a person that can never be normal about anything; i care so much that it hurts to think about everything i love. i have to scream about all of it into the void.
and this book is life-altering.
i've been (unintentionally) reading books about art throughout this month. my friends and its discourse on art - on how it connects people from different spheres while losing its value as it becomes more commodified - really touched my heart. yellowface was such a fascinating peek into the publishing industry, while discussing who should be creating art that profits off of others' work/pain. and now, call down the hawk - which told me art is theft. art is a form of intimacy. art is a fuck you.
so. this book. it's stunningly crafted.
it's about two dreamers, two dreams, and a liar. (disregarding carmen farooq-lane because she did Not manage to endear herself to me.)
it's about brothers, who, despite all their differences, stay in each others' lives. it's about lovers that understand each other. it's about friendship that despite (or perhaps because of) everything, prevails. it's about magic, about stolen paintings, about sentient forests.
it's about love.
(oh, look. maybe i did have the words after all.)
Want to read
November 6, 2019my fervent desire to read this vs my insurmountable disgust about having to spend money on a cover that ugly. who’s going to win? cast your votes NOW
June 8, 2021
Over the past year, I’ve become quite immersed in Maggie’s Stiefvater’s writing, enough to say The Dream Thieves has become one of my favourite books of all time. Unfortunately, since said book, I’ve felt a downward trend in what once contained a lot of love and magic for me.
Call Down The Hawk is a spin-off focused on Ronan Lynch – a boy with the ability to bring anything he wishes back from his dreams – and how he is coping without his friends, who have gone on a year-long road trip, and his boyfriend Adam, who has traded his small town life for Harvard University. Meanwhile, another dreamer, Hennessey, is trying to cope with the terrors her head manifests while a woman named Carmen Farooq Lane is on search for more people like Ronan/Hennessey – after all, the world’s going to end and it can only be because of dreamers, right?
I came into Call Down the Hawk with lowered expectations. I was warned by other readers that this would be a very different tone to the Raven Cycle – which honestly, I was fine with, considering the underwhelming finish to the series. But I was still intrigued to pick this series up because 1. I love the characters, 2. The writing is superb, and 3. Steifvater’s brain is literally a goldmine for magical, quirky and original stories. There is no limit in regards to imagination when it comes to dreamers since they can literally manifest anything they want. And yes, the tone was different from The Raven Cycle – but when was different meant to be boring?
The weakest part for me with The Raven Cycle was the plot, or the lack of it at least. This apparently is a trait in her other books, so I came into Call Down the Hawk for the writing, characters and world more than anything. Unfortunately, The Raven Cycle made up for this lack of plot with its characters, who are beloved by most readers I’ve met. Call Down the Hawk does not contain the chemistry or the brilliant characters that made the original series. The dialogue, the relationships, most of it fell flat. This book also happens to contain possibly the blandest character by Steifvater since the villain in the The Raven Boys. What was his name? I can’t really remember. But I felt his characterisation was better done than Farooq-Lane’s, and we got to spend a lot more time with her, unfortunately.
I suppose she’s a good place to start with, since her story was the only one expanded the world. Carmen Farooq-Lane is working to save the world by finding dreamers who will eventually be murdered by one of her co-workers. She’s charged with taking care of a Visionary – someone who can see the future – to find more dreamers. Sounds kind of fun, maybe, until you realise what a bland character both her and the Visionary, Parsifal Bauer, are. And the amount of page time, they took up. Once again, it’s a case of 1. Finish a good chapter, 2. Flip the page, 3. Groan when you see who it is.
I can barely describe her or Parsifal. Were they supposed to be funny? Make us care for them? No, they were boring and they stayed boring. It didn’t help that their storyline was possibly the only one with real relevance to the bigger plot.
A character(s) I can say I did get intrigued in was Jordan and Hennessey. Hennessey’s a dreamer who doesn’t want to dream. Every time she does, she gets a little closer to death, or something else. I don’t think I can go into detail without spoiling anything, so I’ll just say she was farrrrrr better than Farooq-Lane and Parsifal, though honestly, that bar is lower than my foot.
And Ronan Lynch. What to say? I feel like people may not like me for this, but I was kind of indifferent to him in this book? Ronan was always probably my second favourite, overshadowed by Adam Parrish, but in this book…I just don’t think he was as interesting as he used to be. Maybe it’s that he’s more mature, or older, though he still seemed young to me. I suppose interesting things did happen to Ronan – his dreams for me were always highlights – some of them encounters with a very interesting figure named Bryde, and those encounters just happened to be my favourite part of the book. It’s just with re-treaded inner monologue after inner monologue, I’m waiting for something different, something as captivating as the Ronan I used to know. A book can’t always survive on the complexities of thoughts, and I guess I just expected bigger things for him than what happened. And that can easily be resolved in the next book – but then what exactly was the point of this one then, other than establishing other characters that had more intriguing backgrounds?
Adam, was actually in this more than I thought he was, which is always welcome. Once again, the chemistry between the two of them didn’t hit for me the way it used to. It could be down to his brief appearances, or the fact we don’t get Adam’s perspective, which I love. Ultimately, I still think the two of them are a #1 Power Couple, but it just wasn’t shown in this book, which I guess is fair enough, since one of Ronan’s biggest issues is the distance between him and Adam.
Declan and Matthew, Ronan’s brothers, also get more focus in this book, but once again, it’s only a so-so deal. Declan’s probably up there with Hennessey, and possibly more interesting than Ronan in this book. Matthew, I find boring and underdeveloped, personally. The “he’s so lovable” trick gets old after a little while, along with Declan’s “he’s so boring.”
Personally, I think I’ll keep this review short, since now that I think of it, there isn’t really much to say. Not much actually happened in this book, and the bigger things that I wanted to see, were always a promise of “later” a.k.a “in the next book.” I love the swirling mystery and magic of Maggie’s writing, but there just wasn't much to justify my interest in this book. The characters were only okay, the plot was uninteresting, not much got done, and the chemistry/natural dialogue/humor/relationships were missing. When it comes to the characters, the book feels kind of dry, maybe soulless.
As I said, the writing was supreme and as intriguing as ever, but how long can a series run without plot? There were some really cool angles and twists opened up towards the end of the book and I will pick up the next one up out of loyalty and hope more than anything. It’s just this book literally could have no limits when it comes to plots, and yet it felt more mundane than I expected. Mentions of the Gangsey were fun (no mention of Noah, or Henry though). Maybe I would’ve liked this more if it were shorter, since the length seemed about 20,000 words too much. I considered taking a break between The Raven Cycle and this, but I’m glad I didn’t let my hope build up. Such a shame, because there is a lot of good in here, but it’s just too long and overdrawn.
My final thoughts. Don’t read this without reading The Raven Cycle first. This does not work as a “you can pick me up without knowing anything” book. If you were disappointed with The Raven King, you’ll probably be disappointed for this. If you’re here for the writing, world, and characters as I am, the latter unfortunately does not deliver, but the other two definitely do.
Maybe others will like it, but for me the word is “underwhelming.”
(I may edit this later, as I am alarmed by the length of the review. It seems weird how so little stuck out to me.)
Call Down The Hawk is a spin-off focused on Ronan Lynch – a boy with the ability to bring anything he wishes back from his dreams – and how he is coping without his friends, who have gone on a year-long road trip, and his boyfriend Adam, who has traded his small town life for Harvard University. Meanwhile, another dreamer, Hennessey, is trying to cope with the terrors her head manifests while a woman named Carmen Farooq Lane is on search for more people like Ronan/Hennessey – after all, the world’s going to end and it can only be because of dreamers, right?
I came into Call Down the Hawk with lowered expectations. I was warned by other readers that this would be a very different tone to the Raven Cycle – which honestly, I was fine with, considering the underwhelming finish to the series. But I was still intrigued to pick this series up because 1. I love the characters, 2. The writing is superb, and 3. Steifvater’s brain is literally a goldmine for magical, quirky and original stories. There is no limit in regards to imagination when it comes to dreamers since they can literally manifest anything they want. And yes, the tone was different from The Raven Cycle – but when was different meant to be boring?
The weakest part for me with The Raven Cycle was the plot, or the lack of it at least. This apparently is a trait in her other books, so I came into Call Down the Hawk for the writing, characters and world more than anything. Unfortunately, The Raven Cycle made up for this lack of plot with its characters, who are beloved by most readers I’ve met. Call Down the Hawk does not contain the chemistry or the brilliant characters that made the original series. The dialogue, the relationships, most of it fell flat. This book also happens to contain possibly the blandest character by Steifvater since the villain in the The Raven Boys. What was his name? I can’t really remember. But I felt his characterisation was better done than Farooq-Lane’s, and we got to spend a lot more time with her, unfortunately.
I suppose she’s a good place to start with, since her story was the only one expanded the world. Carmen Farooq-Lane is working to save the world by finding dreamers who will eventually be murdered by one of her co-workers. She’s charged with taking care of a Visionary – someone who can see the future – to find more dreamers. Sounds kind of fun, maybe, until you realise what a bland character both her and the Visionary, Parsifal Bauer, are. And the amount of page time, they took up. Once again, it’s a case of 1. Finish a good chapter, 2. Flip the page, 3. Groan when you see who it is.
I can barely describe her or Parsifal. Were they supposed to be funny? Make us care for them? No, they were boring and they stayed boring. It didn’t help that their storyline was possibly the only one with real relevance to the bigger plot.
A character(s) I can say I did get intrigued in was Jordan and Hennessey. Hennessey’s a dreamer who doesn’t want to dream. Every time she does, she gets a little closer to death, or something else. I don’t think I can go into detail without spoiling anything, so I’ll just say she was farrrrrr better than Farooq-Lane and Parsifal, though honestly, that bar is lower than my foot.
And Ronan Lynch. What to say? I feel like people may not like me for this, but I was kind of indifferent to him in this book? Ronan was always probably my second favourite, overshadowed by Adam Parrish, but in this book…I just don’t think he was as interesting as he used to be. Maybe it’s that he’s more mature, or older, though he still seemed young to me. I suppose interesting things did happen to Ronan – his dreams for me were always highlights – some of them encounters with a very interesting figure named Bryde, and those encounters just happened to be my favourite part of the book. It’s just with re-treaded inner monologue after inner monologue, I’m waiting for something different, something as captivating as the Ronan I used to know. A book can’t always survive on the complexities of thoughts, and I guess I just expected bigger things for him than what happened. And that can easily be resolved in the next book – but then what exactly was the point of this one then, other than establishing other characters that had more intriguing backgrounds?
Adam, was actually in this more than I thought he was, which is always welcome. Once again, the chemistry between the two of them didn’t hit for me the way it used to. It could be down to his brief appearances, or the fact we don’t get Adam’s perspective, which I love. Ultimately, I still think the two of them are a #1 Power Couple, but it just wasn’t shown in this book, which I guess is fair enough, since one of Ronan’s biggest issues is the distance between him and Adam.
Declan and Matthew, Ronan’s brothers, also get more focus in this book, but once again, it’s only a so-so deal. Declan’s probably up there with Hennessey, and possibly more interesting than Ronan in this book. Matthew, I find boring and underdeveloped, personally. The “he’s so lovable” trick gets old after a little while, along with Declan’s “he’s so boring.”
Personally, I think I’ll keep this review short, since now that I think of it, there isn’t really much to say. Not much actually happened in this book, and the bigger things that I wanted to see, were always a promise of “later” a.k.a “in the next book.” I love the swirling mystery and magic of Maggie’s writing, but there just wasn't much to justify my interest in this book. The characters were only okay, the plot was uninteresting, not much got done, and the chemistry/natural dialogue/humor/relationships were missing. When it comes to the characters, the book feels kind of dry, maybe soulless.
As I said, the writing was supreme and as intriguing as ever, but how long can a series run without plot? There were some really cool angles and twists opened up towards the end of the book and I will pick up the next one up out of loyalty and hope more than anything. It’s just this book literally could have no limits when it comes to plots, and yet it felt more mundane than I expected. Mentions of the Gangsey were fun (no mention of Noah, or Henry though). Maybe I would’ve liked this more if it were shorter, since the length seemed about 20,000 words too much. I considered taking a break between The Raven Cycle and this, but I’m glad I didn’t let my hope build up. Such a shame, because there is a lot of good in here, but it’s just too long and overdrawn.
My final thoughts. Don’t read this without reading The Raven Cycle first. This does not work as a “you can pick me up without knowing anything” book. If you were disappointed with The Raven King, you’ll probably be disappointed for this. If you’re here for the writing, world, and characters as I am, the latter unfortunately does not deliver, but the other two definitely do.
Maybe others will like it, but for me the word is “underwhelming.”
(I may edit this later, as I am alarmed by the length of the review. It seems weird how so little stuck out to me.)
November 6, 2021
RTC
——————
A RELEASE DATE OH MY GOD SOMEONE HOLD ME
Stiefvater's Instagram:
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't think this woman understands the effect one vague instagram post has on my psyche. I NEED THIS BOOK
(And is this about Ronan finally using a phone???)
(I spy my boy, Adam ❤️)
(Also, is this now called The Dreamer's Trilogy? Because I can get behind that!)
——————
A RELEASE DATE OH MY GOD SOMEONE HOLD ME
Stiefvater's Instagram:
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't think this woman understands the effect one vague instagram post has on my psyche. I NEED THIS BOOK
(And is this about Ronan finally using a phone???)
(I spy my boy, Adam ❤️)
(Also, is this now called The Dreamer's Trilogy? Because I can get behind that!)
maybe
February 6, 2019i love ronan so much.................................................... but i also dont trust maggie at all..................................................... im gonna.............. make a do it for him board i guess
also i dont like the cover much
wish i could reread trc but im afraid to
also i dont like the cover much
wish i could reread trc but im afraid to
June 10, 2025
REREAD 2025: It's interesting returning to the Raven Cycle and then to this trilogy and realizing your interests align more with grown-up Ronan than with teenage Ronan. Growth.
OG 2019:
Source
Right when I thought my Ronan Lynch obsession had reached its peak, Call Down The Hawk comes out.
Please tell me how it's been three full years since The Raven King came out and concluded one of the best series out there? It's unreal. Time is just an illusion.
I still remember cracking open the first book, The Raven Boys, waiting to see if I’ll be impressed. I was completely hooked on the first line. And I sped through the series in a few days' time. I lived with these characters for months after. I heard their lines echoed in my thoughts.
This new release couldn’t have made me happier. Having my favorite character grow alongside me is a perk granted to few. I don’t take it lightly. Having new iconic Ronan Lynch lines is a perk I don’t take for granted, as well. Having stories about his childhood? In love. Seeing his perspective on ground-breaking scenes in The Raven Cycle? Love. Seeing Declan Lynch break out of his mold? Give me more. G I V E M E M O R E.
Like my reviews for The Raven Cycle, I have to mention my favorite gems in here. Future me, this is all you need to know before you start on book 2 in this new trilogy:
*Spoilers ahead*
• The main theme of Ronan's conflicting thoughts on being left behind felt all too real.
“He loved the Barns, he was bored of the Barns, he wanted to leave, he wanted to stay.”
It's truly heartbreaking to see a gang as tightknit as the gangsey all on their separate paths. From having late-night conversations in the bathroom/kitchen in The Raven Cycle to barely having once a week text contact was breaking me. This is the part of growing up that no one warns you about. So it's no secret then that I didn't take for Adam's new friend group, and I was beyond glad that we didn't have to spend more than one scene with them. They just don't get it like the gangsey does.
• Dauntless Declan. I am so utterly impressed with his character development. I always wanted to see more of him and Matthew, and I got just that. The dynamic between the brothers makes my heart shine.
“Thank God,” Declan said, retrieving his car keys.
“You can if you like,” Matthew said. “But I dressed myself.”
He shot a look at Ronan to make sure his joke had been funny.”
This is such a younger sibling thing to do that I can't help but smile.
• But then my mind always returns to that heartstopping moment when the Lynch brothers didn't know if Matthew was safe. All you want is to know that they're okay so you can breathe in relief. It showcased just how entangled they are.
“Ronan didn’t know who he would be without them.”
• I highlighted so many Declan quotes because he just gets it. He understands how it feels to numb yourself so as to not feel anything until there's a glimmer of hope for a better life.
The Lynch brothers make me feel alive. They understand my deepest fears and most intimate thoughts. Whenever I have the chance to read their words I know I'll feel a little less alone.
• Ronan stepping up to help someone he doesn't even know truly showcases just how much he's grown. He's become his own Gansey. He understands himself now better than ever, and it was refreshing to see him open himself up and be vulnerable to help another dreamer. The moment he revealed the significance of the leather bands on his wrist was another hit.
Source
Again, it's a Declan quote that tells it like it is:
• Besides, did anyone else perceive Bryde as a healthy Kavinsky? Both of them taught Ronan to take charge of his dreams. One did it a bit more provocatively, but still. I feel like he'll have a big part in Ronan's life. And I'm not sure, what with Declan's proclamation, if it's simply platonic: “Adam wasn’t really enough for him, either, but Declan knew he hadn’t gotten that far yet.”
• The saddest part was feeling so good reading this book and taking my time with it but also knowing that with each chapter I enjoyed, it took me closer to the end. It came to an end all too soon. I was both happy and sad reading this.
• Also, this is how you write a follow-up book after years. You don't infodrop everything that happened over the course of four books in the first chapter. You sprinkle it in when called for. So I immensely appreciated that little detail of not dropping everything on the reader immediately. (This is something that really bothered me when starting the third book of The Diviners, "Before The Devil Breaks You".)
• Oh, and I encountered the perfect song that captures the darkness and subtle movements in this novel: Tamino - Indigo Night
The first few seconds of the music playing without any words really has it all.
What else is there to say but that I need the second book now more than ever. Anticipating this release was less gruesome because I had no idea what was awaiting me. Now I know and I want my daily dose of Ronan Lynch.
Check the dreamer out for yourself with my Amazon Affiliate link:
Update upon completing the book: When you take down so many notes during your reading experience that you can’t wait to put to use, but then you reach that wretched last page and you’re left with only one thought: H E L P
Ronan Lynch chapters: Anyone else's chapters:
This review and more can be found on my blog.
OG 2019:
“You are made of dreams and this world is not for you.”
Source
Right when I thought my Ronan Lynch obsession had reached its peak, Call Down The Hawk comes out.
Please tell me how it's been three full years since The Raven King came out and concluded one of the best series out there? It's unreal. Time is just an illusion.
I still remember cracking open the first book, The Raven Boys, waiting to see if I’ll be impressed. I was completely hooked on the first line. And I sped through the series in a few days' time. I lived with these characters for months after. I heard their lines echoed in my thoughts.
This new release couldn’t have made me happier. Having my favorite character grow alongside me is a perk granted to few. I don’t take it lightly. Having new iconic Ronan Lynch lines is a perk I don’t take for granted, as well. Having stories about his childhood? In love. Seeing his perspective on ground-breaking scenes in The Raven Cycle? Love. Seeing Declan Lynch break out of his mold? Give me more. G I V E M E M O R E.
Like my reviews for The Raven Cycle, I have to mention my favorite gems in here. Future me, this is all you need to know before you start on book 2 in this new trilogy:
*Spoilers ahead*
• The main theme of Ronan's conflicting thoughts on being left behind felt all too real.
“He loved the Barns, he was bored of the Barns, he wanted to leave, he wanted to stay.”
It's truly heartbreaking to see a gang as tightknit as the gangsey all on their separate paths. From having late-night conversations in the bathroom/kitchen in The Raven Cycle to barely having once a week text contact was breaking me. This is the part of growing up that no one warns you about. So it's no secret then that I didn't take for Adam's new friend group, and I was beyond glad that we didn't have to spend more than one scene with them. They just don't get it like the gangsey does.
• Dauntless Declan. I am so utterly impressed with his character development. I always wanted to see more of him and Matthew, and I got just that. The dynamic between the brothers makes my heart shine.
“Thank God,” Declan said, retrieving his car keys.
“You can if you like,” Matthew said. “But I dressed myself.”
He shot a look at Ronan to make sure his joke had been funny.”
This is such a younger sibling thing to do that I can't help but smile.
• But then my mind always returns to that heartstopping moment when the Lynch brothers didn't know if Matthew was safe. All you want is to know that they're okay so you can breathe in relief. It showcased just how entangled they are.
“Ronan didn’t know who he would be without them.”
• I highlighted so many Declan quotes because he just gets it. He understands how it feels to numb yourself so as to not feel anything until there's a glimmer of hope for a better life.
“Because the safest shape was being both unknown and unchanging”
The Lynch brothers make me feel alive. They understand my deepest fears and most intimate thoughts. Whenever I have the chance to read their words I know I'll feel a little less alone.
• Ronan stepping up to help someone he doesn't even know truly showcases just how much he's grown. He's become his own Gansey. He understands himself now better than ever, and it was refreshing to see him open himself up and be vulnerable to help another dreamer. The moment he revealed the significance of the leather bands on his wrist was another hit.
Source
Again, it's a Declan quote that tells it like it is:
“Declan hated that he loved someone who wasn’t real.”
• Besides, did anyone else perceive Bryde as a healthy Kavinsky? Both of them taught Ronan to take charge of his dreams. One did it a bit more provocatively, but still. I feel like he'll have a big part in Ronan's life. And I'm not sure, what with Declan's proclamation, if it's simply platonic: “Adam wasn’t really enough for him, either, but Declan knew he hadn’t gotten that far yet.”
• The saddest part was feeling so good reading this book and taking my time with it but also knowing that with each chapter I enjoyed, it took me closer to the end. It came to an end all too soon. I was both happy and sad reading this.
• Also, this is how you write a follow-up book after years. You don't infodrop everything that happened over the course of four books in the first chapter. You sprinkle it in when called for. So I immensely appreciated that little detail of not dropping everything on the reader immediately. (This is something that really bothered me when starting the third book of The Diviners, "Before The Devil Breaks You".)
• Oh, and I encountered the perfect song that captures the darkness and subtle movements in this novel: Tamino - Indigo Night
The first few seconds of the music playing without any words really has it all.
What else is there to say but that I need the second book now more than ever. Anticipating this release was less gruesome because I had no idea what was awaiting me. Now I know and I want my daily dose of Ronan Lynch.
Check the dreamer out for yourself with my Amazon Affiliate link:
Update upon completing the book: When you take down so many notes during your reading experience that you can’t wait to put to use, but then you reach that wretched last page and you’re left with only one thought: H E L P
Ronan Lynch chapters: Anyone else's chapters:
This review and more can be found on my blog.
October 24, 2022
well that was a wild ride. i don’t know what to say except reading this felt like coming home. also. i would still die for ronan lynch.
Want to read
August 8, 2016
OMIGOD, OMIGOD, OMIGOD
WHAT I'M HOPING FOR:
1.More Pynch (They're endgame, they don't suffer, they explore their relationship and in under no circumstance do they break up.)
2.Ronan addressing his issues.
3.More Lynch brothers
4.Lynch brothers bonding
5.Ronan/Adam/Opal scenes
6. Did I mention more Pynch?!?!
February 6, 2022
2nd Review: February 2022
Basically everything I said below, in my original review of this book, holds true upon a re-read. I don't think it's her best work but it's doing a lot of set-up and heavy lifting for this trilogy. I am excited to continue though because there is a lot of potential in this world and I'm excited to see more, especially now that I'm more familiar with the new characters and lore that she's creating in this one.
Original Review: January 2020
Let me say this first: I love The Raven Cycle. I think the characters, plots, and atmosphere with her writing that Stiefvater crafted in that series is phenomenal and unmatched by many YA (or even non-YA) series out there.
I went into this book with basically no knowledge of what it was other than a spin-off of TRC that followed Ronan, presumably after the events of TRC. That's what this book is about, for sure, but it's so much more. And it wants to be so much more than the Raven Cycle, which I think is admirable.
Stiefvater definitely diversified her cast of characters in this story which is refreshing, but she also expanded the world a lot. The thing that TRC really thrives on is the close-knit community of characters it cultivates: the ladies of 300 Fox Way, the boys of Monmouth Manufacturing, and the endless permutations of both groups coming together. Call Down the Hawk has many characters, but for a majority of the story they are siloed.
We start with the brothers Lynch: we are familiar with Declan, Ronan and Matthew from TRC. I loved these guys, and this installment really made me enjoy Declan's presence a lot more. He came to life more than he did in TRC and I appreciate the time and attention he got immensely. Matthew's story arc is fascinating and excites me for future books. Ronan is Ronan, of course, but in a way compared to all the other characters and because he is so well established from TRC, he didn't shine as much as I expected.
Other characters we meet and begin to get to know (this is only book 1 of 3, keep in mind) are Jordan & Hennessy, two lovely additions to this world. Jordan is a curious character who I adore and can't wait to see more of. Carmen Farooq-Lane and Parsifal Bauer were fun but a bit shallow characters. And all the ancillary characters in Carmen's world are really only serving, so far, as plot devices. I hope they get fleshed out more in future installments of the series.
A lot of what I think this book suffers from is first book syndrome, which is ironic because it both is and is not the first book in a series. While you don't have to read TRC before reading this, it would be a bit disorienting and lackluster to skip right to this book. You'd get minor spoilers that probably wouldn't mean much to you, but you would get along fine. However, because it is the first book in a new series that relies so much on the lore and world of the first, I had a hard time getting settled in the fact that this was solely Ronan's story of the original TRC characters. I missed Blue and Gansey, and though Adam makes appearances, he's definitely not a major focus. The chemistry we got from the Raven Boys & Blue does not exist here. That's not to fault the fact that this is meant to be something new, but I didn't feel that Ronan, in this book, did enough to really make up for the loss of the others.
That being said, I will definitely continue this series. In the final 100 pages or so I saw glimmers of something much larger and exciting that I believe will be explored and expanded on in the next two books. Plus Stiefvater's writing is always delicious, and not many authors can get me to write such a long review. There's lots to think about, and I might enjoy this more upon a re-read (or listen since Will Patton also reads this one on audio!).
Basically everything I said below, in my original review of this book, holds true upon a re-read. I don't think it's her best work but it's doing a lot of set-up and heavy lifting for this trilogy. I am excited to continue though because there is a lot of potential in this world and I'm excited to see more, especially now that I'm more familiar with the new characters and lore that she's creating in this one.
Original Review: January 2020
Let me say this first: I love The Raven Cycle. I think the characters, plots, and atmosphere with her writing that Stiefvater crafted in that series is phenomenal and unmatched by many YA (or even non-YA) series out there.
I went into this book with basically no knowledge of what it was other than a spin-off of TRC that followed Ronan, presumably after the events of TRC. That's what this book is about, for sure, but it's so much more. And it wants to be so much more than the Raven Cycle, which I think is admirable.
Stiefvater definitely diversified her cast of characters in this story which is refreshing, but she also expanded the world a lot. The thing that TRC really thrives on is the close-knit community of characters it cultivates: the ladies of 300 Fox Way, the boys of Monmouth Manufacturing, and the endless permutations of both groups coming together. Call Down the Hawk has many characters, but for a majority of the story they are siloed.
We start with the brothers Lynch: we are familiar with Declan, Ronan and Matthew from TRC. I loved these guys, and this installment really made me enjoy Declan's presence a lot more. He came to life more than he did in TRC and I appreciate the time and attention he got immensely. Matthew's story arc is fascinating and excites me for future books. Ronan is Ronan, of course, but in a way compared to all the other characters and because he is so well established from TRC, he didn't shine as much as I expected.
Other characters we meet and begin to get to know (this is only book 1 of 3, keep in mind) are Jordan & Hennessy, two lovely additions to this world. Jordan is a curious character who I adore and can't wait to see more of. Carmen Farooq-Lane and Parsifal Bauer were fun but a bit shallow characters. And all the ancillary characters in Carmen's world are really only serving, so far, as plot devices. I hope they get fleshed out more in future installments of the series.
A lot of what I think this book suffers from is first book syndrome, which is ironic because it both is and is not the first book in a series. While you don't have to read TRC before reading this, it would be a bit disorienting and lackluster to skip right to this book. You'd get minor spoilers that probably wouldn't mean much to you, but you would get along fine. However, because it is the first book in a new series that relies so much on the lore and world of the first, I had a hard time getting settled in the fact that this was solely Ronan's story of the original TRC characters. I missed Blue and Gansey, and though Adam makes appearances, he's definitely not a major focus. The chemistry we got from the Raven Boys & Blue does not exist here. That's not to fault the fact that this is meant to be something new, but I didn't feel that Ronan, in this book, did enough to really make up for the loss of the others.
That being said, I will definitely continue this series. In the final 100 pages or so I saw glimmers of something much larger and exciting that I believe will be explored and expanded on in the next two books. Plus Stiefvater's writing is always delicious, and not many authors can get me to write such a long review. There's lots to think about, and I might enjoy this more upon a re-read (or listen since Will Patton also reads this one on audio!).
June 5, 2021
There’s an inexplicable way that Ms. Stiefvater wields her words so that the reader is comforted by the cadence and speeds along the stripped-down, short statements that say so very much. If this book were a car, it’d be the 2020 Lotus. Call Down the Hawk doesn’t warm up, it’s already impatiently revving, mirroring the barely-held-back growl that vibrates inside of Ronan Lynch.
Yes, my fellow Raven Cycle fans, Ronan Lynch is back! And, we are in his world now. Beyond the barns.
Ms. Stiefvater, of course makes no time for traipsing down memory lane, but there’s no need. New readers won’t need the background of The Raven Cycle to thoroughly enjoy this story centered around the Lynch brothers. I will not be surprised however, if readers of this first tantalizing tale in the Dreamer Trilogy seek out Raven Cycle series while waiting for the second, simply Stiefvater, Dreamer Book.
Ronan Lynch is a Dreamer. But that isn’t what makes him so surly and somewhat terrifying. Those traits are mainly because he is always thinking. Working out complicated puzzles in his head means that any interruption, even as innocuous as a casual greeting, is enough to have him snarling.
Declan, the eldest Lynch sibling, exists in a severely serious state of being. His dogged determination to be boring infuriates Ronan, while Ronan’s recklessness gives Declan heartburn. But both brothers adore their younger brother Matthew. The elder siblings are viciously protective of the blissfully unaware boy, in his constant state of content.
Despite their differences, the brothers Lynch are going to have to find a way to work together. The recent loss of both parents has made the trio a target. Turns out, Dreamers aren’t quite as secret or unique as the boys had been led to believe. In fact, there is a group of people banded together for the sole purpose of finding and eliminating all of the Dreamers.
If the brothers Lynch are to survive the assault, they will have to finally be completely honest with each other. Facing the folks set out to obliterate Dreamers could be exponentially easier than unleashing the secrets each sibling has been desperately trying to keep.
This review was written by jv poore for Buried Under Books.
Yes, my fellow Raven Cycle fans, Ronan Lynch is back! And, we are in his world now. Beyond the barns.
Ms. Stiefvater, of course makes no time for traipsing down memory lane, but there’s no need. New readers won’t need the background of The Raven Cycle to thoroughly enjoy this story centered around the Lynch brothers. I will not be surprised however, if readers of this first tantalizing tale in the Dreamer Trilogy seek out Raven Cycle series while waiting for the second, simply Stiefvater, Dreamer Book.
Ronan Lynch is a Dreamer. But that isn’t what makes him so surly and somewhat terrifying. Those traits are mainly because he is always thinking. Working out complicated puzzles in his head means that any interruption, even as innocuous as a casual greeting, is enough to have him snarling.
Declan, the eldest Lynch sibling, exists in a severely serious state of being. His dogged determination to be boring infuriates Ronan, while Ronan’s recklessness gives Declan heartburn. But both brothers adore their younger brother Matthew. The elder siblings are viciously protective of the blissfully unaware boy, in his constant state of content.
Despite their differences, the brothers Lynch are going to have to find a way to work together. The recent loss of both parents has made the trio a target. Turns out, Dreamers aren’t quite as secret or unique as the boys had been led to believe. In fact, there is a group of people banded together for the sole purpose of finding and eliminating all of the Dreamers.
If the brothers Lynch are to survive the assault, they will have to finally be completely honest with each other. Facing the folks set out to obliterate Dreamers could be exponentially easier than unleashing the secrets each sibling has been desperately trying to keep.
This review was written by jv poore for Buried Under Books.
November 10, 2022
September 04, 2021
The next book, you ask?
Yeah.
So not gonna happen.
Not even Ronan Lynch has enough power to make me suffer through Mister Impossible. Especially with that title.
I should reread The Raven Cycle to at least get one of my favorite series back, but it feels like this book ruined the main series for me, and I'm afraid I won't even like it anymore.
March 07, 2020
I'll leave my original review here just so you know how I felt when I read the last page:
What you have to know about me is that there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for Ronan Lynch.
Including suffering through the world’s worst book. This isn’t that, of course, but what it is, is the most disappointing book of my life. More disappointing than Wayward Son. I was suffering the whole time and it took me 4 months to finish. Every time I made an eye-contact with the cover I wanted to cry and tell the hawk it's not gonna happen. But as I said, Ronan Lynch. If it wasn’t for him, I would have dnf’d it a looong time ago.
Let’s start with the fact that this should have been a Ronan Trilogy. And he isn’t 🤦♀️ even 🤦♀️ the main 🤦♀️ character 🤦♀️!
And why the hell fucking Farooq-Lane and Parsifal got that impossible amount of chapters when they did nothing!? Literally nothing! I mean, they quarreled all the time so yey I guess. They were boring and annoying and I wanted to shoot them in the head because they didn’t add anything to the story. They just stole the pagetime from Ronan!
I knew I won't care for the story, because I didn't care about that in the previous series either. It's not a big deal, because that one didn't really have a plot, but at least there were those amazing characters.
And what did we get here?
I'll tell you.
Fucking Farooq-Lane and Parsifal.
That's what.
The only thing I liked (beside the Lynch brothers) was the idea of Hennessy and her girls. That shit was interesting.
Will I read the next one?
Of course.
Because you know:
Ronan Lynch
The next book, you ask?
Yeah.
So not gonna happen.
Not even Ronan Lynch has enough power to make me suffer through Mister Impossible. Especially with that title.
I should reread The Raven Cycle to at least get one of my favorite series back, but it feels like this book ruined the main series for me, and I'm afraid I won't even like it anymore.
March 07, 2020
I'll leave my original review here just so you know how I felt when I read the last page:
It's over.
Fucking finally.
What you have to know about me is that there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for Ronan Lynch.
Including suffering through the world’s worst book. This isn’t that, of course, but what it is, is the most disappointing book of my life. More disappointing than Wayward Son. I was suffering the whole time and it took me 4 months to finish. Every time I made an eye-contact with the cover I wanted to cry and tell the hawk it's not gonna happen. But as I said, Ronan Lynch. If it wasn’t for him, I would have dnf’d it a looong time ago.
Let’s start with the fact that this should have been a Ronan Trilogy. And he isn’t 🤦♀️ even 🤦♀️ the main 🤦♀️ character 🤦♀️!
And why the hell fucking Farooq-Lane and Parsifal got that impossible amount of chapters when they did nothing!? Literally nothing! I mean, they quarreled all the time so yey I guess. They were boring and annoying and I wanted to shoot them in the head because they didn’t add anything to the story. They just stole the pagetime from Ronan!
I knew I won't care for the story, because I didn't care about that in the previous series either. It's not a big deal, because that one didn't really have a plot, but at least there were those amazing characters.
And what did we get here?
I'll tell you.
Fucking Farooq-Lane and Parsifal.
That's what.
The only thing I liked (beside the Lynch brothers) was the idea of Hennessy and her girls. That shit was interesting.
Will I read the next one?
Of course.
Because you know:
Ronan Lynch
November 10, 2019
4.5/5 Stars
It was so nice being back with some of the characters I loved from the original Raven Cycle series.
I didn't think I was going to love a story that focused only on the Lynch brothers because I thought that everything between them was pretty much said in the previous series, but how wrong I was!
The bonds that keep them together are so strong, stronger than so many things. It's mesmerizing to read about them and how much love they have for each other. Yes, I'm also talking about Declan and Ronan, even though they may not be ready to admit it out loud.
Speaking of Ronan, I didn't realize how much I missed him until I started reading this book! He's such a complex character who never ceases to amaze me and intrigue me. His abilities are only getting stronger and I'm really looking forward to see him realize his full potential.
I also very much enjoy his relationship with Adam. When Ronan's with Adam, he allows himself to be vulnerable and to be truly seen by someone, and if this doesn't make you cry I don't know what does. The moments they spent together were some of my favourite parts of this book, even though they were only a few and far between. I needed more Adam in this book, I want him more involved in the story. I know he's at Harvard to make his dreams come true, but he can be helpful to the cause and so we need to see him more in the next installment.
Overall it was a great start to this new series. I don't know exactly what the future holds for these characters, but I'm pretty sure they're going to have to fight tooth and nail in order to get to it.
It was so nice being back with some of the characters I loved from the original Raven Cycle series.
I didn't think I was going to love a story that focused only on the Lynch brothers because I thought that everything between them was pretty much said in the previous series, but how wrong I was!
The bonds that keep them together are so strong, stronger than so many things. It's mesmerizing to read about them and how much love they have for each other. Yes, I'm also talking about Declan and Ronan, even though they may not be ready to admit it out loud.
Speaking of Ronan, I didn't realize how much I missed him until I started reading this book! He's such a complex character who never ceases to amaze me and intrigue me. His abilities are only getting stronger and I'm really looking forward to see him realize his full potential.
I also very much enjoy his relationship with Adam. When Ronan's with Adam, he allows himself to be vulnerable and to be truly seen by someone, and if this doesn't make you cry I don't know what does. The moments they spent together were some of my favourite parts of this book, even though they were only a few and far between. I needed more Adam in this book, I want him more involved in the story. I know he's at Harvard to make his dreams come true, but he can be helpful to the cause and so we need to see him more in the next installment.
Overall it was a great start to this new series. I don't know exactly what the future holds for these characters, but I'm pretty sure they're going to have to fight tooth and nail in order to get to it.
Want to read
August 11, 2016I didn't think that there could be a better dream than Chainsaw.
And then this happened.
My fave character gets a trilogy and trust me, the customers at the restaurant I was in when I heard know all about it (my BF was pretty confused, so OF COURSE I had to explain who was Ronan and why it was FREAKING FANTASTIC XD) *hides*
And then this happened.
My fave character gets a trilogy and trust me, the customers at the restaurant I was in when I heard know all about it (my BF was pretty confused, so OF COURSE I had to explain who was Ronan and why it was FREAKING FANTASTIC XD) *hides*
April 17, 2022
Ronan Ronan Ronan Ronan
Declan
Matthew
Hennessy! Hennessy!!
Oh my God
I love you all.
Someone, please buy Maggie Stiefvater a drink ...or ten.
FRTC
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