sophiesmallhands's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Murder, Gun violence, and Violence
Minor: Vomit, Death of parent, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
readwithria's review
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
scrubsandbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
4.0
This was a reread for me since I had read this when it first came out and then I didn't read it again and the other two books had already come out.
I loved it then, I still love it now. Jordan and Hennessy are amazing additions to this one, I loved reading more about both Declan and Matthew, I even thoroughly enjoyed reading about Declan and Jordan's budding relationship which was a complete surprise to me. My favorite aspect of this was the relationships between siblings which seems to be my reader wheelhouse when it comes to series books.
I loved it then, I still love it now. Jordan and Hennessy are amazing additions to this one, I loved reading more about both Declan and Matthew, I even thoroughly enjoyed reading about Declan and Jordan's budding relationship which was a complete surprise to me. My favorite aspect of this was the relationships between siblings which seems to be my reader wheelhouse when it comes to series books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Death of parent
keen'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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Death
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Blood
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 against another edition
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
triley's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Blood, Vomit, Violence, Drug use, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Murder, Suicide, and Gun violence
nabecker13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Abandonment, Death of parent, Vomit, Violence, Terminal illness, Gun violence, Murder, and Grief
danaslitlist's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Maggie Stiefvater did it again; she penned another novel that gripped me from beginning to end and ran me through every emotion that's humanely possible. I'm not sure how she manages to consistently write books that leave me clawing for more at the end of every page and remain creative and fresh.
Call Down The Hawk (CDTH) is everything The Raven Cycle (TRC) is and isn't. There's moments in CDTH that make you remember the flavor of TRC, but in its entirety it manages to stand alone. One of the main aspect of the book that I loved the most was that it felt as if it was written for the fans of TRC who had grown up since the first series had concluded. It was more mature, a bit darker, a bit more in everything. Maggie has a great gift for writing for a large variety of readers ranging from young adult to new adult audiences.
It isn't so much a fantasy as TRC. Call Down The Hawk is instead more focused on the realities of our every day world and how Dreamers and Dreamkillers, as well as those stuck in between are forced to function knowing that magic is so deeply rooted around them. The themes are heavier and the stakes feel higher. Where I described The Raven Cycle as "Stand by Me" meets "Buzzfeed Unsolved", Call Down The Hawk feels more reminiscent of an action/detective movie meets TRC.
I love the new characters so much and that was one of my biggest fears going into this series. It's impossible to not compare characters from a previous series, especially ones that had such a huge impact on Ronan's story. But the new additions are fleshed out and so complex that I didn't find myself missing the Gangsey. The expansion of the world of dreamers was everything I had hoped it would be and seeing how there are so many other sides to the coin that is Ronan was enjoyable. It was also a pleasure to have more of an inside look into Declan and Matthew.
I understand for some fans of the Raven Cycle, that the changes in terms of how this book is written (though I'd argue it is so distinctly Maggie Stiefvater) and the theme changes could lead to feeling let down. But I think it's important to remember that this series, while connected to TRC, is not supposed to be a cut out of that series. This is the world of the Lynch Brothers and The Henneseys, of Farooq-Lane and the Visionaries. And I think in that regard it is perfect in every way.
Please check out the content warnings as mentioned above, some of the themes are darker and may be triggering).
Call Down The Hawk (CDTH) is everything The Raven Cycle (TRC) is and isn't. There's moments in CDTH that make you remember the flavor of TRC, but in its entirety it manages to stand alone. One of the main aspect of the book that I loved the most was that it felt as if it was written for the fans of TRC who had grown up since the first series had concluded. It was more mature, a bit darker, a bit more in everything. Maggie has a great gift for writing for a large variety of readers ranging from young adult to new adult audiences.
It isn't so much a fantasy as TRC. Call Down The Hawk is instead more focused on the realities of our every day world and how Dreamers and Dreamkillers, as well as those stuck in between are forced to function knowing that magic is so deeply rooted around them. The themes are heavier and the stakes feel higher. Where I described The Raven Cycle as "Stand by Me" meets "Buzzfeed Unsolved", Call Down The Hawk feels more reminiscent of an action/detective movie meets TRC.
I love the new characters so much and that was one of my biggest fears going into this series. It's impossible to not compare characters from a previous series, especially ones that had such a huge impact on Ronan's story. But the new additions are fleshed out and so complex that I didn't find myself missing the Gangsey. The expansion of the world of dreamers was everything I had hoped it would be and seeing how there are so many other sides to the coin that is Ronan was enjoyable. It was also a pleasure to have more of an inside look into Declan and Matthew.
I understand for some fans of the Raven Cycle, that the changes in terms of how this book is written (though I'd argue it is so distinctly Maggie Stiefvater) and the theme changes could lead to feeling let down. But I think it's important to remember that this series, while connected to TRC, is not supposed to be a cut out of that series. This is the world of the Lynch Brothers and The Henneseys, of Farooq-Lane and the Visionaries. And I think in that regard it is perfect in every way.
Please check out the content warnings as mentioned above, some of the themes are darker and may be triggering).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Murder, and Suicide
Moderate: Death of parent