Length: 416 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Published: April 1, 2013
Back Cover: Some race to win. Others race to survive.
It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line.
Some riders live.
Others die.
At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.
Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn't given her much of a choice. So she enters the competition - the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.
As she did in her bestselling Shiver trilogy, author Maggie Stiefvater takes us to the breaking point, where both love and life meet their greatest obstacles, and only the strong of heart can survive. The Scorpio Races is an unforgettable reading experience.
My review: Thank you for this lyrical book, Ms. Stiefvater. If you, dear blog reader, tire of the same old dystopian saw in young adult fiction, give this novel a try.
It's hard to review this book without spoilers, so I'll keep it short. The main thing that stood out for me was the overwhelming sense of place. Rarely do I get such a strong visual of an imaginary world. I could see the white chalk cliffs and hear the waves crashing vividly in my brain. I love Steifvater's world building ability.
Another standout is the quiet romance. With bookshelves crammed with brash, over the top love clashes, this slow burn is a jewel. I think many real life loves begin in this way. Obviously, the book is firmly rooted in fantasy, but the romance feels true and everyday.
The only reason I didn't give this novel 5 stars was slight confusion with the point of view. The story is told from the alternating perspectives of Puck and Sean. I felt the voices of each character weren't as strong as they could be. I often had to flip back to the chapter beginning to see who was the viewpoint character.
Overall, it's a great read. It's also set during the month of October. I like reading books set in my current month/season, so this was perfect.
Rating: 4 1/2 stars
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