Reviewing The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

Maggie Stiefvater has done it again folks. She just gave us her best book yet for us to wallow and weep about. Following The Raven Boys -the first of this quartet- Stiefvater's storytelling capabilities in The Dream Thieves have have escalated to magnificence.

For those unfamiliar with the story, it is set in Henrietta a town situated on energy or ley lines. These abnormal energy currents enhance general power but also psychic abilities. The series begins when previously failed psychic Blue sees a vision of a boy's death, Gansey's. Richard Gansey the third is no ordinary Raven Boy of the Aglionby Academy. He has made it his business to find a sleeping king in exchange for one wish, a king he believes has been using the ley-lines to live hundreds of years. The ley-lines are the thing that keeps Noah visible. The ley-lines are what brings Blue to the Raven boys. The ley-lines are connected to Adam now. The ley-lines are the cause of magic and the timeless forest and perhaps Ronan's curious ability to somehow steal things from his dreams. And of course, Ronan isn't the most dangerous person looking for magic in Henrietta.

There aren't enough words to express my deep love for this book. The idea is completely original and creative. Every twist and turn is surprising and wonderful. The Raven Boys and Blue are so well-developed.
 We hadn't seen this much of Ronan before and the narration captured his essence so perfectly. In terms of writing, this book exceeded my expectations. It was fantastical and humourous. Formal yet warm.

This book was raw emotion at times and adrenalin at others. There was the luxury of Raven Boys filled with the darkness of magic and things money can't buy. The two best parts of the book was Ronan's character development and the writing. I closed my eyes and I could see their world. I highly recommend this series as a suspense-filled and fantasy young adult series.


Favourite quote:
“While I'm gone," Gansey said, pausing, "dream me the world. Something new for every night.”

Review and discussion of She is Not Invisible

Beach bags are for book carrying  The only downside to beach-side reading, like so many other beach-side activities: sand. What's up? How are you? Thanks for joining me in this review/discussion of the book She is Not Invisible by Marcus Sedgwick.

Let's begin at the beginning. The book in question has the vaguest blurb ever but the cool cover was enough to convince me to give it a change. So the story is about 16 year old Laureth, her very clever 7 year old brother Benjamin and his fluffy raven Stan. They get on a New York bound plane to collect their father's notebook hoping that they will find him nearby. He's missing, their mum is away, they have a credit card, so why the hell not? This impromptu rescue mission would be crazy enough without the added difficulty that Laureth is blind.

This book was funny, disorienting, immersive and fascinating. The added little mystery/code at the end really drives the point home. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author. Let me know if you have read any Sedgwick. If you are intrigued by this review, please go ahead and read it.

A Spoiler-free Discussion

There are quite a few discussion-worthy happenings in the book. Mostly the coincidence phenomenon. I found it fascinating, the mathematical studies, the true coincidence surrounding Edgar Allen Poe. Lastly, how math, as often happens misses the human element of some things. (Corroborated in An Abundance of Katherines by John Green).

I'll give you an example of coincidence. The day I finished this book about coincidence, I went home and caught up on some Youtube. On the Shaytards daily vlog, Shay was discussing a big coincidence that had happened to him. About a death of another Youtuber some years ago, how a few days before he retweeted a bible passage about being ready for death, and how it somehow came back to Shay when he met a friend of the deceased at church.

Coincidences make us look twice. The book constantly reiterates how they not only pay attention but they make us FEEL something. They make us feel confused and scared. They make us believe in something bigger than ourselves or maybe confirm something we already suspected. If they do nothing other than remind us to read more widely (as this particular coincidence did) or living each day like it's your last then I think they have fulfilled a purpose. Whether it is their actual purpose is still up for debate.

Don't forget to tell me what you think about the book or what you think about this coinky-dink business. Leave me your blog name and I'll be sure to check it out. Ciao