Bookish Review! The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

“Aglionby Academy was the number one reason Blue had developed her two rules: One, stay away from boys because they were trouble. And two, stay away from Aglionby boys, because they were bastards.” 
― Maggie Stiefvater, The Raven Boys

Synopsis:  "Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her. His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Gansey is different. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

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

The Raven Boys thrusts you into a world of magic and mystery, accompanied by a flawed, but incredibly lovable cast of characters that you won't soon forget. 

Initial Thoughts: I adored this book! Even from the first page, I couldn't seem to put it down. There was just this mystical quality to the story that drew me in and kept me engaged the whole time, I could feel the story building, shaping, and forming with each chapter. The story felt so fantastical and interesting that I fell in love with it and the characters.

The Plot: Honestly, the plot was a little slow forming, which I think that some readers will struggle with. For me, though, I was drawn in by the mystery and trying to figure out what was really going on. The second half of the book was really when things started to pick up the pace. I could just feel that the author was weaving this intricate plot, and I just couldn't wait to discover what she had in store for the reader.

The Writing: The writing style was beautiful and vivid. I loved the use of language and metaphor and simile and just the over all tone of the book. At first, the shifting points of view did throw me off a little bit, I don't normally like jumping around to different characters heads, but I eventually got used to it and it felt natural and fluid. I ended up really liking the POV changes. I really loved getting to know each and every one of the characters, especially the boys. The relationships between the characters was beautiful and you couldn't help but fall in love with them.

Over-all Thoughts and Rating: This was an amazingly written book and the story was very unique and interesting. I got very attached to all the characters and can't wait to continue on with the series. My only issue was that I felt like the book ended too suddenly. It didn't feel like a whole story, but again, this is a series so it is what it is. I have heard that some people found this book confusing or hard to follow, but I didn't feel that way at all. I felt like the plot was slow in the beginning, and the writing style took some getting used to, but after that the story flew by. I would recommend this to fans of the paranormal and mystery.

I gave this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars.