Audiobook Review: The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle #1) by Maggie Stiefvater

Compelling and all-consuming

Title: The Raven Boys
Series: The Raven Cycle
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic, UK
My ratings: 5 out of 5 stars
Released: 12th September, 2012
Having read mixed reviews about Maggie Stiefvater's The Wolves of Mercy Falls, this author had been on my TBR list for a while. But a couple for years ago I heard that her new book The Raven Boys is absolutely brilliant. Dismissing it as ramblings of die-hard fans, I ignored it. Now after listening to The Raven Boys I realise what a huge mistake I was about to do.

Blue is a psychic's daughter who lives with her her aunt's in a small town called Henrietta. In the same town is the private school for the privileged children of the rich and the famous called Aglionby. The students are called the Raven Boys due to the emblems on their sweaters. Blue wants to stay away from these boys but little does she know what is in store for her when one night on St. Mark's Day she sees an Aglionby Boy's spirit on the corpse Road which means that this boy is going to die in a year.

I had my reservations about listening to a male narrator and that too in third person but I think Will Patton's voice did justice to every character, which is so important in this story as it is so characters centered. He does the accents so well that I knew who was speaking by the voice alone.

The Raven Boys may not be liked by all as the main plot is slow moving and the characters play such an important role that the the mystery sometimes seems more like a subplot. If I'm ruthlessly honest, not much happens in most of the book until the very end. So if you are looking for an adventurous book with action and mayhem, this book is not for you. However this book is unmissable if you are looking for an intelligent, sweet, atmospheric, character-driven story which makes you invested in the world and forget that anything part from Henrietta exists.

I've never been a fan of bromance in fact it usually puts me off but Maggie Stiefvater makes the relationship between the four boys so utterly complicated and beautiful, that all I can do is just keep going.

The characters relationship with each other is complex and unique and Stiefvater knows them so well that I feel them to my bones. She is a master in show not tell that the subtle changes and progression is a sweet pain. At the beginning it seems like it's Blue's story but in fact it is all of theirs story, Blue, Adam, Noah, Ronan, and Gansey. They are perfectly imperfect with their flaws and shortcomings.

At first I liked Adam but as the story progress I got more and more intrigued by Gansey. Their are so many layers to him that unraveling him slowly keeps me fascinated just as Blue. I think that scene where he is sat in Blue's house with his glasses on sealed the deal for me.

I really should stop writing now as if I'm given the opportunity, I will keep going on as to how much I loved this deeply atmospheric, magical and extraordinarily unique book but I have to stop at some point.

If you are a fan of YA, I urge you to give this book a chance, if you don't like it, that's fine but if you appreciate great writing and a characters which will stay with you, this book is a blessing. I think this line will forever encompass this series for me.

“Is that all?" she whispered. 
Gansey closed his eyes. "That's all there is.”