Wow... looks like it's been a while since I posted a review. I went on a semi-hiatus (as you can tell) with both blogging and reading. That being said, I'm playing catch up with reviews, because there are some fabulous books out there. I actually featured The Scorpio Races as one of my Waiting on Wednesday posts, so it's fun to follow up.
Maggie Stiefvater is one of those authors I've always heard about, but have never read. Now, I'm not really sure why.
The Scorpio Races was, in a word, fabulous. The setting was well drawn out and beautiful. You truly got a sense that you were in a magical, yet real, land. The characters, like the backdrop, real, and decidedly human.
Races tells the story of Puck and Sean. Sean is the mysterious golden boy of the races, winning four of the last six years. Puck, as Kate is affectionately known, is one of three orphans. She and her brothers are trying to eek out a living.
Sean races because the sea calls to him, just as it calls to his water horse, Corr. Puck races not for the glory, but for the money. The money will help her family.
The work was beautifully written and had such a great story. There's something so commendable about a writer that takes a "known" fable or myth and re-works it just a touch. As Maggie explains in her Author's Notes, water horses are not something from her imagination. They can be found throughout Irish and Scottish tales. All she did was let the idea ferment for quite some time before she decided to tweak it ever so slightly.
The arduous process that she put herself through truly pays off. There are two stories working as one; the Scorpio Races must be run and the intertwining lives of the riders.
Kate and Sean have immense chemistry together. One thing that was satisfying, though, was there was no insta-romance. They came together through mutual respect and admiration.
Kate and her brothers also have a good, real relationship. Siblings fight, but ultimately love each other. Siblings do stupid things, yet can be (and are) forgiven.
The supporting cast of characters are well developed, and have a great place in the story. They really help the tale move along. Even though she was a little rough around the edges, I liked Dory. I really liked George Holly, and felt that his continued business interest in Sean progressed in a way that we, the reader, could really see expanding into a friendship.
All in all a great read. I think I'll have to pick up more of Maggie's books in the future. Do you have a favorite Maggie book?
The Scorpio Races was, in a word, fabulous. The setting was well drawn out and beautiful. You truly got a sense that you were in a magical, yet real, land. The characters, like the backdrop, real, and decidedly human.
Races tells the story of Puck and Sean. Sean is the mysterious golden boy of the races, winning four of the last six years. Puck, as Kate is affectionately known, is one of three orphans. She and her brothers are trying to eek out a living.
Sean races because the sea calls to him, just as it calls to his water horse, Corr. Puck races not for the glory, but for the money. The money will help her family.
The work was beautifully written and had such a great story. There's something so commendable about a writer that takes a "known" fable or myth and re-works it just a touch. As Maggie explains in her Author's Notes, water horses are not something from her imagination. They can be found throughout Irish and Scottish tales. All she did was let the idea ferment for quite some time before she decided to tweak it ever so slightly.
The arduous process that she put herself through truly pays off. There are two stories working as one; the Scorpio Races must be run and the intertwining lives of the riders.
Kate and Sean have immense chemistry together. One thing that was satisfying, though, was there was no insta-romance. They came together through mutual respect and admiration.
Kate and her brothers also have a good, real relationship. Siblings fight, but ultimately love each other. Siblings do stupid things, yet can be (and are) forgiven.
The supporting cast of characters are well developed, and have a great place in the story. They really help the tale move along. Even though she was a little rough around the edges, I liked Dory. I really liked George Holly, and felt that his continued business interest in Sean progressed in a way that we, the reader, could really see expanding into a friendship.
All in all a great read. I think I'll have to pick up more of Maggie's books in the future. Do you have a favorite Maggie book?
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