Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: October 2011
Genre: YA
Main Themes: Horses, Mythical Creatures, Romance, Family, & Death
Pages: 404
Plot: (From the Dust Jacket)
"It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line.
Some riders live.
Others die.
At nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.
Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in he Scorpio Races. But fae hasn't given her much of a choice. So she enters the competition- the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen."
I am a big fan of Maggie Stiefvater and her work. I adored the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy and I loved Lament and Ballad. When I found out about The Scorpio Races I was thrilled! I didn’t even have to know what it was about – I just knew that whatever it was, I would love it too, just as I have loved every book that she has written!
Wow, this book was stunning, astonishing, and truly remarkable! It was very different from everything else she has had published. The world she creates on Thisby Island is one that is dangerous and still inviting. Maggie Stiefvater has a way with developing characters that are so realistic and original, that by the end of the novel you feel as if you’ve known them your whole life. Oh and her writing style- It’s so lyrical and magical that it will leave you breathless.
I found that this novel was slow paced and the first half was a build up to the races but I understand why it needed to be this way. Our main character, Kate aka Puck, had to have the time to learn and train for the races. I had a lot of respect for Kate; she held on to her values as she was bold, gutsy, and spirited. As the first and only girl to have ever entered the Scorpio Races, she was strong and persevered through out everyone trying to talk her out of it and telling her she couldn’t do it. Sean was an intriguing character, a rare and unusual addition to the story that was strange and puzzling. I found that he baffled me in a peculiar way that I couldn’t get enough of him throughout the tale. Oh and I can’t forget about the man eating Water Horses- Capaill uisce- I found these creatures to be terrifying, brutal, and vicious.
I want to give this brilliantly unique novel a solid A; for the beautiful and lyrical writing, the heartwarming characters, and the fierce ruthlessness of the water horses. I would definitely say that if you want something truly new and imaginative to read, then this is the book for you! But I still would recommend all of her books!
My Rating: 20/20
Originality: 5
Originality: 5
Plot: 5
Characters: 5
Writing Style: 5
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