The Scorpio Races~Maggie Stiefvater | Review

Title: The Scorpio Races
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: YA Fantasy/Mythology
Length: 409 Pages
Release: October 2011

Review

4.5 stars, I think. 

I started this years ago and only read the prologue. For some reason it just wasn't working for me. For a long time I thought that I might not give it another try. And then I found the audiobook on my library overdrive account and figured why not. I am so glad that I did. 

"It is the first day of November and so, today, someone will die."

One day I want to try reading this in a physical form, but I don't know that it can ever outdo this audiobook. The narrators were absolutely wonderful. They brought everything on the page to life and I felt like I was right there alongside Sean and Puck, riding Corr and Dove, the wind and spray of salt from the sea in my face. It was so wonderfully vivid. 

It always worries me to read books that are set around horses, no matter what kind, because so often horses are not done well. Authors usually do a better job than those attempting movies, but still, it worries me. Maggie managed to do it really, really well though. It's not like it was a manual on riding or horses, but still, the horsey stuff was well done and just as vivid as the setting. It made me long to get back on my horse. 

The relationship between Sean and Puck was beautiful. They were both fighting for their own lives, the things they couldn't live without. Puck's family is falling apart, her brother on the brink of leaving, and Sean is trying desperately to break away from the man who plays games with his life. They have a lot to offer each other because they understand each other so well. 

The story revolves around the Scorpio Races, where men race horses that come from the water. These aren't tame horses, but man eating beasts with magic that will lure you to your death. They are an integral part of the island of Thisby. Both Sean and Puck are caught up in the races for different but similar reasons. 

I've heard people say they are not satisfied with the ending, because it's too open. For me, it was perfect. I didn't need to know all of the details, there were enough hints along the way that I could see the path spread out ahead of Sean and Puck and it was a satisfying one. 

Maggie also wrote and performed music for this audiobook, which was really neat. 

Read this book. Please read it and love it.