The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle, #1) in Random Readalongs

Sep 17, 2015 Kristin rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-i-own, 2015-reads

Absolutely loved this book so much! I loved the characters and the writing! I also loved the tone of the book! I can see why people would find this book slow, but I was so driven by all the characters and questions to find out more that j just couldn't even hesitate to keep reading!!

Such a fantastic beginning to a series! You are left with some answers and some questions, which makes for a good series! I love when I find a series that is so pre planned that you get to the final book and the auth ...more

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Jul 23, 2015 Ashley rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, own, 2015

4.25

It is time that I finally sit down and confront my complex and intense feelings about this book. Going in to The Raven Boys I had a lot of expectations. So many people had read it and hyped it (which is the reason I try to read things as soon as possible so I can form my own uninformed opinion). Unfortunately, I could not avoid the fact that this is a rather widespread love for this book. In fact, I don't think I encountered anyone saying that they didn't like this book.

I was skeptical.

Extre 4.25

It is time that I finally sit down and confront my complex and intense feelings about this book. Going in to The Raven Boys I had a lot of expectations. So many people had read it and hyped it (which is the reason I try to read things as soon as possible so I can form my own uninformed opinion). Unfortunately, I could not avoid the fact that this is a rather widespread love for this book. In fact, I don't think I encountered anyone saying that they didn't like this book.

I was skeptical.

Extremely skeptical about how much I was going to enjoy this book. I was terrified that I would have an opinion that was convoluted.

Now that I've read the book, my feelings are still a bit convoluted. The story certainly was not perfect, but I definitely loved it. I want to bring something new to the table, but in all honesty, like everyone has said before, it was the characters that made this story. There were times reading this when my heart felt tight and my throat closed as panic rose through my chest, leaving me sweating with anticipation and anxiety. There were also times when I got warm and fuzzy feels because of the sweet things that were happening.

I mentioned that this book was not perfect. It is not. I've encountered very few books that I feel have achieved that. The biggest problem with this book in particular is actually one in the same with the book's strength. The focus is entirely on the characters with the plot kind of lingering in the background. I love the characters, but it took a while to get there.

The plot is truly secondary in this story. There is most certainly a plot their. The characters have goals and they take steps toward reaching those goals. There were obstacles they encountered. There were antagonists trying to hinder them. All those elements were there, but they largely just fell to the background. They just weren't as important. Which in some ways is a bit of a shame, because that plot is actually pretty interesting. However the number of major plot points in this story would not have added up to a full story in more plot driven novels. I have to give the book credit because even though the plot isn't particularly quick and it does fall to the back, it is never forgotten. The plot is so intricately entwined with the characters that it would be impossible. So even when the plot isn't important it's ever present.

This isn't a plot driven book. It is a character driven book. Sure the character's goals are interesting, but you stick around because you come to like the characters. The problem with this for the first almost half of the book I was not invested. We spent so much time with these characters as they moved through life that it was hard to finally care. There was one exception and that was Adam who I was instantly enamored with. Everyone else I needed time to come to care about them. It came, but it wasn't quickly. Honestly it was a subtle shift just before the midway point when I realized that these characters had come to life for me. They weren't just traits on a page, but felt like people I was going on a journey with.

I have to take a moment to talk about the titular Raven Boys. Soe know off the bat that theese are boys who go to an all boys private school Aglionby, which I love to say. They are nicknamed Raven boys. Being private school boys they come from money, but they are all different and interesting. Gansy is the leader. The one everyone circles around. Despite his money, he's a nice guy. He cares about people and his money gives him privilege. Even still he comes off as someone who would be the nice guy even if he didn't have money. Ronan is the fighter. Despite his privilege, he hasn't exactly had it easy partially because of his personality. That said, there is a softness to him that doesn't quite show to a random onlooker. Then there is Noah, the quiet one. The moment he appeared, I felt like I wanted to take care of him. I'm still very protective of him. Then there is Adam. The only one who doesn't have the same privilege of the others. There is something extremely relateable to him. He's prideful and doesn't always make the best decisions, but again he's another good guy. Yes, the Raven Boys are the kind of motley crew that you want on your side for all sorts of reasons.

Then there is Blue. I didn't fall in love with her. There's something even at the end of the novel that I just could not relate to. This is largely because she's so far removed from any situation I've been in that it felt entirely foreign. Add on that her personality in the novel was the least fleshed out of all the characters didn't help.

Overall, I really did enjoy it. I particuarly enjoyed it from the second half onward. So much so, that I went out and purchased the next book before I finished it. I was so convinced that I wanted to continue on this journey. I still do. ...more

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Sep 10, 2015 Zezee rated it really liked it

Shelves: paranormal

As posted on Zezee with Books.

My thoughts:

I enjoyed this story from beginning to end. It starts out slow and takes its time building to its climax. During the slow beginning, Steifvater acclimates you to the characters, their troubles and motivations, as well as the setting, which has an eerie atmosphere about it. Once that’s done, the story takes off. Some readers might get frustrated with this slow start, as a few readers in the Goodreads readalong group did, but it pays off.

Once the story pic ...more

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Oct 30, 2017 Katy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

I have heard and read so many good things about this series so I was really eager to start reading The Raven Boys this autumn. Autumn is the perfect time to read this book as it is full of the paranormal and creepy locations. It was very atmospheric.

It’s not quite what I was expecting and I have mixed feelings about it. The story follows Blue, who lives in a house full of psychics, as she gets involved with a group of boys from the local private academy, Aglionby. Gansey is obsessed with finding ...more

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Sep 18, 2015 Melany rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016, own, 2018, 2022, own-physical, own-kindle

Declan’s wide jaw and smile said, Vote for me while Ronan’s buzzed head and thin mouth warned that this species was poisonous.

Gansey had once told Adam that he was afraid most people didn’t know how to handle Ronan. What he meant by this was that he was worried that one day someone would fall on Ronan and cut themselves.

God, I love this book! I love the characters and more importantly how Stiefvater describes her characters. My favorite (if you couldn't tell) is how she describes Ronan. I love t ...more

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May 02, 2015 justcallmeemilie rated it liked it

Shelves: audiobook

Ooooof, this book was quite something.
I thought, I would have enjoyed it more or that it would at least receive 4 stars, but well...

I partly listened to it as an audiobook, but also read some parts as an ebook.

The beginning was great! It sucked me in, the writing was interesting and it was really nice to get to know everybody. But then after the set up was done, however, the pace just fell off the edge of the world. It felt so weird and off and parts of the book were simply moving forth far too Ooooof, this book was quite something.
I thought, I would have enjoyed it more or that it would at least receive 4 stars, but well...

I partly listened to it as an audiobook, but also read some parts as an ebook.

The beginning was great! It sucked me in, the writing was interesting and it was really nice to get to know everybody. But then after the set up was done, however, the pace just fell off the edge of the world. It felt so weird and off and parts of the book were simply moving forth far too slowly for me, while other parts were so jumpy that I had to reel back and focus on where the story is currently at and where it's intending on going.
Magical realism books may not be my cup of tea afterall.
The writing was magical, beautiful and flowing at times, but then there were similes made with eyebrows and a phrase that got stuck in my brain was "soft as a poem" and at that I was just like "???" Some weird and quirky descriptions work exceptionally well, but you can also overdo it with eccentricity. I am always for less is more, or in this case: simple is better.
The characters were not as marvelous and complex as I have expected them either (but since it's only the first book in a series, I will cut them some slack, they may still develop in ways I cannot even think of at this point).
The plot irked me, I just didn't see clearly what the plot of this whole story way. And the climax+conclusion also seemed forced to me. It didn't make that much sense in my head and the ending was also rushed, in my opinion.
Things that I didn't really understand:
Barrington Whelk as a character. (view spoiler)
Neeve's mysteriousness. She should have been this über-powerful psychic aunt with secrets and weirdness etc., but it seemed too much for me (also forced again) and I didn't really buy into it.
I actually just realised that I have so many problems with this book (but mostly little things). The little things do add up and I guess that just knocked off two stars from my rating in the end.

I'm still not sure if I will continue this series, since the first book didn't blow me away and perhaps my time is spent better reading other books.

To end this review on a nice note, though, here I show you a quote that simply captured my heart in its wholeness and beauty:
"She recognized the strange happiness that came from loving something without knowing why you did, that strange happiness that was sometimes so big that it felt like sadness. It was the way she felt when she looked at the stars." ...more

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Oct 12, 2016 Brittany rated it liked it

I have very mixed feelings about this book. The premise of this book sounded amazing, and I've never read anything like this before, so I was really excited to read it. However, I was a little let down. First of all, this book took FOREVER for me to get into. The first 200 pages were really boring, in my opinion. I found myself not wanting to read it, which is why it took so long for me to finish it. The final 200 pages were really good though. I started to get into the book a lot more and start ...more

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Oct 29, 2015 Silke rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, ya, read-2015

Well, another case of a book synopsis that doesn’t come close to what the book is actually about. And in this case I thought it was a good thing! Because the synopsis makes it sound like another paranormal romance and what is this book lacking of? Exactly romance! And again, that is a good thing. Because the story that is told is so good that you don’t even need the physical romance. (Because there is a little bit of romance vibes going around.) You don’t miss it at all. All though I think there Well, another case of a book synopsis that doesn’t come close to what the book is actually about. And in this case I thought it was a good thing! Because the synopsis makes it sound like another paranormal romance and what is this book lacking of? Exactly romance! And again, that is a good thing. Because the story that is told is so good that you don’t even need the physical romance. (Because there is a little bit of romance vibes going around.) You don’t miss it at all. All though I think there will be some kind of romance further into the series and I will welcome it with joy! But for now the story was perfect as it was; full of mystery, magic, legend and adventure.

So you hear me say a perfect story, so why only 4 stars? Doesn’t a “perfect” story deserve 5 stars? Yes, it does, normally. But I had some issues with the first part of the book. It felt a little bit dragging, but at the same time it was a magnificent piece of character building and there are lots of characters in a complicated web of relationships. So yes, there is a sheer amount of character building and it is necessary for the plotline to come together in the end. But at times it made the first part of the story a bit slow and hard to digest. But then all the action is happening at once and you go down a rollercoaster of emotions and adventure.

One of the strongest points of this novel is the fact that it’s not a predictable story. At multiple times I was surprised by the twists and turns inside the story. I even had a few “Ow no, that did not just happen!” moments and they are rare for me. A pleasant surprise, especially because I started this book thinking I was going to read another textbook paranormal romance. Oh boy, it was so much better than that!

The main story line might be a little complicated to explain for people who haven’t read the book. It involves leylines and sleeping hero kings. There are mystical places where time travels at a different speed and it’s all very mystical and magical. I love that Stiefvater took an actually legend (Owen Glendower, he is up there with Arthur and Cadwaldr, waiting to be woken and fight for his people.) and mixed it with her own magical story. I am surprised at the sheer amount of research that went into this book and I loved how the world building was done.

And then I didn’t even mention all the atmospheric reading you will be doing once you dive into this book! The writing style in this book compliments the story in such a way that it make the story actually better and stronger than it already is.

So there you have it, wonderful fleshed out characters, a unique storyline and a magical writing style. You should already be reading this book!
...more

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Nov 30, 2015 Andrea rated it liked it

Shelves: own

The first half of this book was just so so so sooooo slow I nearly put it down, for me it didn't pick up until page 200 or so. After that things actually started happening and now I am just so happy I push through those first 200 pages. ...more

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