readwithria's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Call Down the Hawk is a good book that I just don’t have any strong feelings about. I don’t even have that much to say about it, honestly. It was fine, and I neither liked it nor disliked it.
I feel I am not this book’s intended audience. I like a plot heavy book with a goal of some kind, and this ain’t that. I like my books to be medium to fast paced, and this book is slow and methodical. I like when the choices the protagonist makes impact the plot, and this book felt very reactionary. None of these things are bad things, they’re just not what I prefer.
I did really enjoy Declan Lynch, which was a pleasant surprise! Jordan was also a wonderful addition to the world.
I honestly don’t know if I’m going to keep reading this series. Right now I feel like I’d rather read a Wikipedia article (mostly so I can figure out what the actual plot is, because I don’t really know).
This was a book, and I didn’t dislike it, but honestly I just don’t care about it. 3 stars.
I feel I am not this book’s intended audience. I like a plot heavy book with a goal of some kind, and this ain’t that. I like my books to be medium to fast paced, and this book is slow and methodical. I like when the choices the protagonist makes impact the plot, and this book felt very reactionary. None of these things are bad things, they’re just not what I prefer.
I did really enjoy Declan Lynch, which was a pleasant surprise! Jordan was also a wonderful addition to the world.
I honestly don’t know if I’m going to keep reading this series. Right now I feel like I’d rather read a Wikipedia article (mostly so I can figure out what the actual plot is, because I don’t really know).
This was a book, and I didn’t dislike it, but honestly I just don’t care about it. 3 stars.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Death, Gun violence, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent and Child death
toopunkrockforshul's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was a reread and wow I love this book it was so good. Super excited to read the next two right afterwards. Just absolutely love the writing and complexity of the characters, as well as Will Patton as the narrator in the audiobook is just fantastic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Body horror, Mental illness, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Gore
elizmoe's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
if there’s one thing maggie stiefvater is gonna do, it’s give me explicitly queer urban fantasy with intriguing conflict set in locations I have hiked numerous times. and i cannot get enough of it!!!
.
.
.
ronan was the perfect character to center the spin-off on for obvious plotting reasons (the fact that Dreaming as a magic thing was only part of the conflict of The Raven Cycle kind of blows my mind and also makes me very happy it gets more page time in this trilogy), and also because i intensely needed more gay irish catholic goth shit in my life.
as for the new characters, jordan/hennessy is so compelling to me. art/forgery and also forging of the self…i don’t even have anything intelligent to say i just really really enjoy that storyline.
not too crazy about carmen at the moment but i am intrigued to see where the trilogy takes her, as i’m certain her slightly boring/by the books/singly motivated personality is nothing more than a set up.
also, making me feel something about declan besides disinterest or disparagement? an absolutely insane feat. hats off to you, Maggie, for writing the most annoying antagonist for Ronan only to turn around and deftly justify his garbage personality and make him someone truly empathetic. no one is doing it like her!!!
.
.
.
ronan was the perfect character to center the spin-off on for obvious plotting reasons (the fact that Dreaming as a magic thing was only part of the conflict of The Raven Cycle kind of blows my mind and also makes me very happy it gets more page time in this trilogy), and also because i intensely needed more gay irish catholic goth shit in my life.
as for the new characters, jordan/hennessy is so compelling to me. art/forgery and also forging of the self…i don’t even have anything intelligent to say i just really really enjoy that storyline.
not too crazy about carmen at the moment but i am intrigued to see where the trilogy takes her, as i’m certain her slightly boring/by the books/singly motivated personality is nothing more than a set up.
also, making me feel something about declan besides disinterest or disparagement? an absolutely insane feat. hats off to you, Maggie, for writing the most annoying antagonist for Ronan only to turn around and deftly justify his garbage personality and make him someone truly empathetic. no one is doing it like her!!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Body horror, Gun violence, and Panic attacks/disorders
billyjepma's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The additional worldbuilding and new characters Stiefvater introduced in her sequel series are total gold and feel like perfect extensions of everything she did with The Raven Cycle. She had a unique, incredibly compelling way of merging reality with fantasy without diminishing the strengths of either. This is a creative, exciting, and big story and I enjoyed it immensely for all those reasons.
But the central protagonist is a mostly one-note character whose perspective is so shallow that I almost dropped off entirely in the second act. Ronan Lynch is a perfect supporting character—he adds the right kind of tension and dimension to an ensemble that steals the spotlight without fully claiming it. But as the protagonist, his shortcomings become distracting. I like where he ends up at the end of this book, so I have hope for the following two books, but I was bored by him here, especially considering how interesting his supporting cast is. Every other character is so cool and engages with the dangerous, fantastical world Stiefvater dreamt up in unexpected ways. It’s exciting stuff, and thankfully, all of that comes to the forefront in time for the thrilling third act. The various storylines finally come together and Ronan gets to work off other characters, which is where he’s at his best.
My trepidations aside, I’m excited for more and even more excited to see Stiefvater lean harder into the wilder, almost cosmic fantasy (horror?) she’s been teasing us with.
But the central protagonist is a mostly one-note character whose perspective is so shallow that I almost dropped off entirely in the second act. Ronan Lynch is a perfect supporting character—he adds the right kind of tension and dimension to an ensemble that steals the spotlight without fully claiming it. But as the protagonist, his shortcomings become distracting. I like where he ends up at the end of this book, so I have hope for the following two books, but I was bored by him here, especially considering how interesting his supporting cast is. Every other character is so cool and engages with the dangerous, fantastical world Stiefvater dreamt up in unexpected ways. It’s exciting stuff, and thankfully, all of that comes to the forefront in time for the thrilling third act. The various storylines finally come together and Ronan gets to work off other characters, which is where he’s at his best.
My trepidations aside, I’m excited for more and even more excited to see Stiefvater lean harder into the wilder, almost cosmic fantasy (horror?) she’s been teasing us with.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Violence, Body horror, Death, Cursing, and Murder
Minor: Abandonment, Death of parent, Car accident, and Animal death
onemamareads's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Read my full review here: https://onemamassummer.weebly.com/book-reviews/call-down-the-hawk
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Gun violence, Body horror, Blood, Confinement, Gore, and Violence
botanicalprofanity's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Gun violence, Murder, and Violence
msradiosilence's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Tldr; Ronan and company are back and better than ever, and the cast, the writing, and the stakes are *chef’s kiss*.
Read my full review at: https://www.rainyreader.com/single-post/call-down-the-hawk.
Read my full review at: https://www.rainyreader.com/single-post/call-down-the-hawk.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Suicide, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Gun violence, Mental illness, and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, and Trafficking
jenarae's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, Body horror, Child death, Gun violence, Grief, and Suicide
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Car accident, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Minor: Sexual content and Physical abuse
miagw962's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
"I know you feel anxious on sunny days," Bryde remarked.
"You haven't said it out loud. You barely think it. They love the sunny days, after all. They love a naked sky with a savage white sun set in it like a killer jewel. It doesn't worry them. It's a string of rainy days that makes them grow languid and unsteady. Energy draining, depression eating the marrow out of their bones. Rainy days aren't for them. Do you think a tree hates a rainy day?"
MAGGIE, I am in absolute awe of the way you write. To quote BTS, 'smooth like butter'. It's like drinking a really nice chocolate milkshake, it just goes down so smoothly and it's so easy to drink some more (that is such a bad analogy but it's fine hahaha). The way she writes characters is so unbelievably powerful. AHHHHH, I can't get enough of her writing about these characters and the stuff they get up to.
I don't have much else to say except Ronan was always my favourite so I'm so glad we get to explore his relationships, particularly with his brothers. Such an interesting dynamic has been built up over The Raven Cycle series and I'm so glad to see it here again. The story itself didn't affect me as much as some of those books but it was still really intriguing, very much making me want to pick up the next book. Also, making me want to reread The Raven Cycle which could be dangerous for meeeeee.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Vomit
lizziaha's review
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This wonderful mindfuck of a book manages to distinguish dreams from dreamers and sinks its teeth into the relationships that exist between them and the people who love them. After reading the raven cycle, I never thought I’d love Declan Lynch, but I do. He would surely get king in the soldier poet king quiz (you are tired of being steady. you dream of feeling alive. not that you aren’t, but sometimes it’s hard to remember that there’s a heart between your ribs etc etc).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence
More...