tjwallace04's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
“It is the first day of November and so, today, someone will die.”
Wooh! 5 stars to this tautly written, human (and horsey), harsh and heartening standalone fantasy. (Actually, first can we just have a round of applause for the fact that it is a strong standalone fantasy? They're so few and far between. No cliffhangers; no manipulative twists. Just a complete story, well told in 400 pages.) (Although, after saying that, hey Maggie Stiefvater, I wouldn't mind a sequel.)
Y'all! I have been waiting to read "The Scorpio Races" for almost a year, after it didn't make it onto my November 2022 reads. At times, that decision felt silly, but I am glad I waited. This is such a perfect book to read in November. It doesn't have the cozy October fall flavor or even the creepy October fall flavor, but it is dark and cold and totally autumnal in its own grey-skied, wind-whipping way. It's not scary per say, but it has teeth. (Demon horse teeth.)
Premise: Each November 1, on the small island of Thisby, the Scorpio Races are run. The capaill uisce, fairy water horse demons (?), rise out of the waves of Thisby in the fall. The brave and the foolish will catch them and train them for the race, but it is a dangerous event that attracts crowds of tourists from the mainland. Quiet, self-contained Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. Puck Connelly is the first girl to ever sign up, believing it is the only way to save her home and family. Neither can foresee how their unlikely alliance will end...
So yeah, I loved this. The writing is wonderful. The characters are believable. The setting is fantastically atmospheric. The romance is so slight and yet so lovely. (The scene where Sean tucks Puck's blowing ponytail down into her collar? Shivers.) And there's not just love between boy and girl here but between boy and horse and girl and horse, which I possibly found even more lovely.
I recommend "The Scorpio Races" to readers who like well-crafted fantasy, misty beaches and small town vibes, realistic sibling relationships, a heroine with a ponytail and also a pony tail, and a hero who doesn't say much but looks with his whole soul.
Wooh! 5 stars to this tautly written, human (and horsey), harsh and heartening standalone fantasy. (Actually, first can we just have a round of applause for the fact that it is a strong standalone fantasy? They're so few and far between. No cliffhangers; no manipulative twists. Just a complete story, well told in 400 pages.) (Although, after saying that, hey Maggie Stiefvater, I wouldn't mind a sequel.)
Y'all! I have been waiting to read "The Scorpio Races" for almost a year, after it didn't make it onto my November 2022 reads. At times, that decision felt silly, but I am glad I waited. This is such a perfect book to read in November. It doesn't have the cozy October fall flavor or even the creepy October fall flavor, but it is dark and cold and totally autumnal in its own grey-skied, wind-whipping way. It's not scary per say, but it has teeth. (Demon horse teeth.)
Premise: Each November 1, on the small island of Thisby, the Scorpio Races are run. The capaill uisce, fairy water horse demons (?), rise out of the waves of Thisby in the fall. The brave and the foolish will catch them and train them for the race, but it is a dangerous event that attracts crowds of tourists from the mainland. Quiet, self-contained Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. Puck Connelly is the first girl to ever sign up, believing it is the only way to save her home and family. Neither can foresee how their unlikely alliance will end...
So yeah, I loved this. The writing is wonderful. The characters are believable. The setting is fantastically atmospheric. The romance is so slight and yet so lovely. (The scene where Sean tucks Puck's blowing ponytail down into her collar? Shivers.) And there's not just love between boy and girl here but between boy and horse and girl and horse, which I possibly found even more lovely.
I recommend "The Scorpio Races" to readers who like well-crafted fantasy, misty beaches and small town vibes, realistic sibling relationships, a heroine with a ponytail and also a pony tail, and a hero who doesn't say much but looks with his whole soul.
mincink's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
dananana's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Animal cruelty, Blood, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexism
melirod0699's review against another edition
5.0
One of the best books I've ever read. Like all stiefvater books, it juxtaposes magical aspects with contemporary ones and pulls it off beautifully. It's also a standalone fantasy, which is perfect in its own right. The characters in this have such lovely interesting interactions, and the story itself is just as strong. Five stars.
cathyrodgers's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Third re-read of this book. It gets better each time. Thrilling fantasy YA novel. Coming of age story.
theatomicpirategirl's review against another edition
5.0
Alright. I’m giving you guys fair warning: I am about to completely GUSH over this book. That’s right. Complete. Book. Lust.
So I read this book a little while ago, and I have been meaning to do a review on it, but I just couldn’t find the right words. I feel that there was so much love and attention poured into this book by Maggie Stiefvater that I really didn’t know where to start. But, after drooling over this book to anyone and everyone that would listen, I have had time to organize my thoughts into something coherent and understandable.
I suppose a good place to start off is with the world that was created. I picture a lonely British Isle in the middle of the sea. There is a sense of emptiness and desperation, but also a rough-around-the-edges beauty about the island that Sean and Puck call home. When talking to my friend, Jeff, about this book, he pointed out that he imagines the world as gray. Simply gray. And, upon reflection, it is. There is rarely any moment of pure happiness for anyone on the island. They are all too consumed with surviving the harsh conditions on Thisby, and when November rolls around, the water horse and the Scorpio Races.
Oh. The water horse! There is the true star of the book. I am pretty sure that somewhere out there in the world of books and make-believe, there is another story with a similar type of mythical beastie. If there is, well, I sure haven’t found it. This is my first encounter with these beautiful, strange, and EXTEREMLY deadly creatures, and I just fell in love. They seem to be the embodiment of the restless and ruthlessness of the islanders. The people of Thisby live under a mask of politeness and sunny attitudes, but in reality, there is a dark and almost…angry? No, not angry…damn, what’s the word I’m looking for…brutality? Yeah. That’s it. But there is an unguarded beauty to the water horse. I just love them and wish that they were real.
Thankfully, Shawn and Puck (Kate is her real name. Why she’s called Puck? Eh…) were likeable characters from the beginning. Both strong and dependable characters who are at their breaking points and doing what they can, anything, to keep themselves and their world from falling apart around them. There’s not too much to say about them other than they are completely refreshing characters in the world of Young Adult. No whining. No instant falling in love. Just two people struggling. They are doing what they need to do to get by. Period. It makes these characters, with all their flaws and guilt and fears and pipe dreams so wonderfully realistic. Granted, they do grow closer together and there is a small, a VERY SMALL kiss shared between the two characters, but it’s like in the last fourth of the book so it’s whatever. Their relationship with each is developed naturally and not forced in anyway. Like I said, it’s a nice change from what you read in most Young Adult books (i.e. Stiefvater’s other series, the Wolves of Mercy Falls or whatever it’s called. Blah. I am so not reading the second book and I’m SO glad I read this book first. Not even sure if doing a review on Linger is even worth it…).
So can you tell I loved this book. I loved this book so much. You know it’s a good book if you can survive it ripping your heart out of your chest and leave you a heaping mess on the floor…and you like it. This book is gorgeous and beautiful tale with the right amount of heart break and triumph. Oh, and did I mention this is a stand alone novel? Not a series? Awesome. Anyway, read this book! You will not regret it.
So I read this book a little while ago, and I have been meaning to do a review on it, but I just couldn’t find the right words. I feel that there was so much love and attention poured into this book by Maggie Stiefvater that I really didn’t know where to start. But, after drooling over this book to anyone and everyone that would listen, I have had time to organize my thoughts into something coherent and understandable.
I suppose a good place to start off is with the world that was created. I picture a lonely British Isle in the middle of the sea. There is a sense of emptiness and desperation, but also a rough-around-the-edges beauty about the island that Sean and Puck call home. When talking to my friend, Jeff, about this book, he pointed out that he imagines the world as gray. Simply gray. And, upon reflection, it is. There is rarely any moment of pure happiness for anyone on the island. They are all too consumed with surviving the harsh conditions on Thisby, and when November rolls around, the water horse and the Scorpio Races.
Oh. The water horse! There is the true star of the book. I am pretty sure that somewhere out there in the world of books and make-believe, there is another story with a similar type of mythical beastie. If there is, well, I sure haven’t found it. This is my first encounter with these beautiful, strange, and EXTEREMLY deadly creatures, and I just fell in love. They seem to be the embodiment of the restless and ruthlessness of the islanders. The people of Thisby live under a mask of politeness and sunny attitudes, but in reality, there is a dark and almost…angry? No, not angry…damn, what’s the word I’m looking for…brutality? Yeah. That’s it. But there is an unguarded beauty to the water horse. I just love them and wish that they were real.
Thankfully, Shawn and Puck (Kate is her real name. Why she’s called Puck? Eh…) were likeable characters from the beginning. Both strong and dependable characters who are at their breaking points and doing what they can, anything, to keep themselves and their world from falling apart around them. There’s not too much to say about them other than they are completely refreshing characters in the world of Young Adult. No whining. No instant falling in love. Just two people struggling. They are doing what they need to do to get by. Period. It makes these characters, with all their flaws and guilt and fears and pipe dreams so wonderfully realistic. Granted, they do grow closer together and there is a small, a VERY SMALL kiss shared between the two characters, but it’s like in the last fourth of the book so it’s whatever. Their relationship with each is developed naturally and not forced in anyway. Like I said, it’s a nice change from what you read in most Young Adult books (i.e. Stiefvater’s other series, the Wolves of Mercy Falls or whatever it’s called. Blah. I am so not reading the second book and I’m SO glad I read this book first. Not even sure if doing a review on Linger is even worth it…).
So can you tell I loved this book. I loved this book so much. You know it’s a good book if you can survive it ripping your heart out of your chest and leave you a heaping mess on the floor…and you like it. This book is gorgeous and beautiful tale with the right amount of heart break and triumph. Oh, and did I mention this is a stand alone novel? Not a series? Awesome. Anyway, read this book! You will not regret it.
lindaunconventionalbookworms's review against another edition
5.0
This book was awesome! the seahorses were great, the main characters were wonderful, and I just want more.
This and other reviews can be found on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews.
I had no idea what to expect when I picked up The Scorpio Races, and I was completely blown away by it all! The characters, the vicious cappal uisce and the mystery surrounding both them and the race.
This and other reviews can be found on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews.
I had no idea what to expect when I picked up The Scorpio Races, and I was completely blown away by it all! The characters, the vicious cappal uisce and the mystery surrounding both them and the race.
starlesssara's review against another edition
something about this wasn’t working for me at this point in time, maybe I’ll try it again later but for now I’m moving on to something else.
erinjpoulin's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
kels_j's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0