booksandmemory-blog

[booksandmemory-blog]

Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Spoilers -

Personal Thoughts - I loved this book so much. You get personally attached to almost every character. I can’t wait to read the next book. The last line confused me, but I imagine it will make sense in the next book. I liked the way the magic confused me as much as the main characters. Stiefvater explains everything that needs to be explained and still leaves you with questions, in a good way if that makes any sense. Summary (with spoilers) - Blue is a psychic’s daughter who is going to kill her true love if she kisses him, she sees Gansey as a spirit (meaning she killed or loved him) Gansey, Ronan, Adam, and Noah are all Raven boys(meaning they go to a local rich kid school) who are looking for a Celtic King on a ley line in the town they are in(Henrietta, Virginia). They meet and Adam and Blue start dating. After blues mom (Maura) bans her from seeing gansey, she helps them look for the ley line. At the same time the boys latin teacher is also looking for the ley line. And Neeve, Blues aunt is in town to look for Blue’s father, but is doing something fishy instead. They eventually find a part of the ley line where trees speak and it does whatever you think. Then Blue and Gansey find Noah’s dead body. It turns out he was a ghost amplified by the ley line, he was killed in a ritual by Barrington the boys Latin teacher in order to wake up the ley line. After the police move his body his spirit starts to disappear. I think after that Gansey goes to his moms birthday and on the way back gets attacked by the Latin Teacher (Barrington), he wants his journal. The boys kind of team up with the psychics that Blue lives with (her mom, etc.) to stop Barrington from waking up the ley line. Adam then loses hearing in his right ear when he is punched by his dad (he was abused often). He doesn’t want to move in with Gansey as he feels it will remove his free will, but since he turned in his dad he won’t be allowed back home. They learn that waking up the line could be dangerous so they decided to wait. Adam goes anyway. At the same time Neeve kidnaps Barrington to use to wake up the ley line. Barrington turns the tables on Neeve and then Adam shows up. Some conflict happens the boys and Blue turn up (Noah’s almost gone as a spirit). More conflict. Adam does some weird sacrifice thing that confused me a little (it doesn’t seem to kill him or do anything but make him invincible for a little bit) Barrington is then killed by a stampede. Neeve disappeared at some point to another dimension maybe nobody knows. Then the end, they move Noah’s body back on the ley line and he comes back.

Points to remember for the next book -

• the comment at the end about chainsaw being created by a dream • Neeve disappeared because the psychics moved her mirror configuration. • the Celtic king will grant a wish to who ever wakes him. • I think Blues father has something to do with the Celtic king. I think Maura wanted a daughter and he granted her wish • I’m blanking so hopefully nothing more.

Characters -

Blue - a psychics daughter who amplifies psychic ability. Her mother is Maura and she is an only child. Her father appeared during a ritual and disappeared as soon as Blue was born. Blue is fated to kill her true love if she kisses him. She is in a relationship with Adam. She is eccentric and sensible. Original she hates Raven Boys. Called Jane by Gansey sometimes.

Richard Gansey III - Goes to Aglionby Highschool. He is very rich and can be flippant about money in away that can be condescending. He has a sister Helen, a father (Richard Gansey II), and a mother who collects plates. He lives at Monmouth Manufacturing with Ronan and Noah. He drives an orange Cadillac that is sucky. He is obsessed with finding the king and the ley line. Blue sees his spirit at the start of the book.

Ronan - goes to aglionby, but barely passing. He is rich but dependent on his brother for money. He is religious. He had two brothers. His dad was murdered due to a secret and knows that secret. He has a raven named chainsaw. He is kind of depressed and has almost killed himself before. He is standoffish and rude.

Adam - goes to aglionby. Very smart. Poor. His father abuses him. He is in a relationship with Blue. He is a fan of his free will and feels like if he moves in with Gansey he will lose it.

Noah - dead for seven years. Used to be rich. Likes Blues hair and her in general. “Smudgy”. killed by Barrington

Barrington- the Latin teacher at aglionby. He murdered Noah and also wants to find the ley line. He used to be rich.

The psychics - Maura - Blues mom. Doesn’t like to order Blue around. Kind Persephone- quiet, soft voice. She is kind Calla- loud, blunt. She can sense things about objects she touches Neeve- Mauras half-sister. Famous. Disappeared