Scholastic, Expected Release Date: September 17, 2013
*ARC provided by the publisher at ALA - Thank You!*
If you thought that Maggie Stiefvater pulled out all the stops in The Raven Boys last year, hang on to your hats. You ain't seen nothing yet - just wait until you take on The Dream Thieves, book two in planned four book series The Raven Cycle. I'll try to keep Raven Boys spoilers to a minimum, but you have been warned!
This book picks up right where readers left off as the hunt for long-dead Welsh king Glendower continues, but the stakes have been raised now that a dark secret has been revealed. While The Raven Boys spends a lot of time focusing especially on Blue and the psychic women that make up her household, then The Dream Thieves is Ronan Lynch's book. Readers learn about his past, his family, the nightmares that plague him, and the truth about how he plays a much bigger role in finding Glendower than just being Gansey's friend.
Everyone is going through changes in this installment, and no one is safe. I loved seeing how the relationships between Blue, Gansey, Adam, Ronan, and Noah continue to evolve from the first book, and new characters come into play as well. Readers are introduced to Joseph Kavinsky - another Aglionby boy who makes Ronan's brand of dangerous look downright tame - and the Gray Man - a mysterious fellow looking for the Lynch brothers.
Stiefvater's writing style is an acquired taste that isn't for everyone. I'm not sure if I would have read it when I was younger, but the books of hers that I've read so far seem to suit me now. It's often dark and eerie, and her talent for imagery blows me away page after page. She toys with your emotions as often as possible, so much so that by the end of this book I was at a total loss for words. Every voice is distinct, every scene counts, and every single word matters in putting together this story. Weird is wonderful in this case. I had to take my time reading this book (I made the mistake of rushing with book one and ended up confused) and as a result, I was fully able to appreciate this fantastical world Stiefvater is bringing to life.
Also, thanks to this book, this happened:
So if you are in the mood for a fantasy that blends history, the supernatural, the unexplainable, fast cars, Latin, psychics, new loves, lost loves, kisses, almost kisses, nightmares and new wonders, then The Dream Thieves is absolutely the book for you. Stiefvater pushes imagination and this cast to the brink, then goes over the edge in a spectacular fashion.
Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!
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I totally agree about the writing! Even still, it seems almost "over my head" in some ways. Like, it's so beautiful that I'm lost in it and I have to sort some things out for myself -- and I don't mean that negatively at all!
ReplyDeleteI LOVED that we got to see more Ronan in this book! His story was SO interesting! Great review, Monica!! Loved reading your thoughts :)