#gansey my boy I adore you!

[lorethebookworm]

I'm sorry but nothing will ever be more chaotic and deranged and hilarious than Ronan fucking Lynch answering Henry's "Parrish , how are you not dead?" with "it's your bullshit sings , they created a bullshit force field" all cool and unfazed as if Adam had not just almost been CRUSHED TO DEATH

[one-squash-one-end]

I wrote a giant Raven Cycle analysis

Hi! Over the last year or so I've been working on a sort of essay about various themes in the raven cycle series, and I finally finished it a few weeks ago.

It is titled: "Why I love The Raven Cycle - An excessive analysis of the themes of friendship, queerness and growing up".

And since tumblr loves its meta (and bc I love peer validation) I've decided to start uploading it bit by bit here, making this the masterpost (if I can figure out the logistics of the linking lmao, bear with me)

(beware of spoilers up to greywaren starting at like 3b!)

Introduction

What even is the Raven Cycle?

Trust me, the characters are queer as fuck and I can prove it a) Blue Sargent b) Gansey c) Adam Parrish d) Ronan Lynch e) Noah f) Henry Cheng g) Honorary mentions

The Gangsey is a polycule

Analyzing the reoccurring themes a) Friendship b) Being a teen/growing up c) (Found) Family d) Magic (as a metaphor) e) Further themes I appreciate

Drawing a conclusion

Click here to start with the introductory parts!

1. Introduction

So here’s the thing: I love fiction almost as much as I love my friends. There’s something deeply comforting about the escapism, even if the book actually makes me want to scream and throw it on the floor (only one book has been thrown so far, I promise!).  Fiction is a healthy thing to occupy my thoughts with: headcanons! Quotes being on loop in my brain! Just fandoms!

And for me, if I am hooked on a book (series), it does not even need a good plot where a lot of things happen. In fact, I would say that my enjoyment of a book is made up of 30% plot and about 70% characters and vibes. If the characters are bland, if they do not make me feel much emotion, it likely won’t be more than 4 stars (additional info: I am way too nice rating books!). I really, really need to love the characters, to be able to relate to some aspects of them, or it just won’t become an obsession.

Since I have already started explaining that a bit, let’s look at this question: What is important to make a book special to me? 1. I need to cry reading it. 2. I have to think about it often, even weeks to months after having read it. 3. Obviously, I need to love the characters. 4. I need to be in the fandom! This can be hard with some books, but the internet is a whimsical space allowing you to find at least a small number of people who are obsessed with a work of fiction to a similar extent as you are.

Now, why am I elaborating on this so much? It’s because The Raven Cycle did all that for me. It is my favorite comfort book series at the moment, for all those aspects mentioned, but of course I cannot just leave it at that. No, I wrote a whole-ass analysis on headcanons and some of its themes. You’re welcome.

2. What even is The Raven Cycle?

The Raven Cycle is all I adore and live for (next to my friends). So, naturally, it’s a book series, specifically a four book young adult contemporary fantasy series by American author Maggie Stiefvater. The books in question are: The Raven Boys (2012), The Dream Thieves (2013), Blue Lily, Lily Blue (2014) and The Raven King (2016), and yes I will admit that the publishing dates are a bit of a red flag. There is also the very relevant follow-up series called The Dreamer Trilogy (Call Down The Hawk, Mister Impossible, Greywaren), but it’s a lot less easy to get into that here as I do not know these entire books by heart, so I’ll stick to the original tetralogy here.

To stick to red flags, the books are set in the fictional Henrietta, a rural town in non-fictional Virginia, US, in the 2010s. However, that doesn’t really say *that* much about the plot, so let me summarize that really quick, because I can do better than the official synopsis! (Or let’s pretend I can.)

Blue Sargent comes from a family of psychics, yet she does not have any powers of her own. Even worse, she is a bit of an amplifier for the others, meaning she is always somehow but never directly involved in the business. As if that isn’t enough for an identity crisis, every psychic she has ever met has told her that her kiss would kill her true love. Yikes.

But because she is that amplifier, she comes to a church watch on St. Mark’s Eve, where psychics see the spirits of those to die within the following year. It’s important business, but to her it’s really just staring into the dark. Until she does actually see a spirit: That of Gansey. Of course this is not a coincidence. No, to add to this teen’s mount of problems, there are only two reasons why a non-seer would see someone’s spirit: They are their true love, or they killed them. Or, in Blue’s case, maybe both.

The aforementioned Gansey is Henrietta’s Golden Boy, the son of politicians (read: he’s fucking loaded). He does not run with the Republicans though, he runs with dead Welsh kings, meaning he has been searching for the probably dead, presumably sleeping Welsh king Glendower (*1350; †1416; yikes) for the past like seven years. Why the fuck would he do that? Well, legend says that he will grant a wish to whoever wakes him, and our favorite PTSD-ridden guy really wants that favor.

Aiding him are fellow Aglionby students Adam Parrish, Ronan Lynch and Noah Czerny, plus Henry Cheng, though only a lot later in the series, but I really did not want to leave out that menace (affectionately) here. The paths of Blue and the boys cross because of Gansey’s search for Glendower, plus the fact that Blue works at a popular pizza place, but that’s a lot less whimsical. And, well, there’s the implication that Gansey might also be her true love, but perhaps she just kills him because of his bad fashion sense, it would be justified. Anyway, in true Famous Five fashion (Ronan is the dog; I won’t elaborate, the girls that get it, get it) they are of course not the only ones searching for the king, so it’s not completely a wholesome friend bonding activity all the way through.

Be prepared for: friendship and growing up, lots of treasure hunting, family mysteries, magical forests, illegal and slightly distasteful activities (our favorite of course), but most of all, heavily queer-coded (or even canonically queer) characters. Be Gay, Do Crime.

[victor-v]

well i finished reading the sunshine court so here you have my thoughts on it. idk if i can say yet, but i think it's my favourite book of aftg so far (or maybe second idk).

remember this? because i love this. 2017.

how far we've come. everything else i have to say is under the cut byeee

‌oh dear jean...... you will need EONS of therapy

‌the patience these people have, wymack and abby deserve everything

‌the meticulous and careful explanation of how he comes to himself is so beautiful

‌sorry but andrew and jean are the two side of the extreme trauma coin

‌the cult trauma this guy is facing who suffered more moreau or jesus christ

‌having a normal person (jeremy) is so refreshing bc you can clearly see the fucked up by contrast

‌jeremy knox so gansey coded ??????

‌pffff jean calling the trojans unsettling and unhealthy??? dude like you haven't spend the past 5 years in the fucking nest

‌CALLING TFC A GOLDMINE OF PERSONAL ISSUES AND ABUSE ARE YOU KIDDING ME

‌im quite much screaming internally at "andrew taught me"

‌the way he sees neil as a cold insane bitch is the realest ever

‌i absolutely adore how neil arrived to everyone's life to turn it upside down and fixNO more like set everything on fire. as he should.

‌the farewell scene of jean and renee is so insanely charged with love

a beautiful boy leaning close to say will you teach me when he's not watching? had me in tears

‌nb character lets go!!!!!!

‌A SECOND TRANS CHARCATER LETS GO!!!!

‌the cardboard dog making an appearance 😭

‌i got so into the book i forgot to write here

‌no babe...... we know what happens whenever the character go on their own...... don't go.....

‌neil clever as fuck and his cero emotional intelligence and tact is incredible. 100% represented

‌NEIL JOSTEN KILLING JEANS ABUSER AAAAAAAAAAAA THE MAN YOU ARE

‌i love that he picks up cooking as a new hobbie (or so i understood) because it's a great activity for grounding you when anxiety kicks, but also it's a tricky sad thing when you have an ed you get a sense of "control" of everything you are eating and it can backfire 💀

[legaltrashgoblin]

It's over.

I've finished The Raven Cycle.

Without the excitement of the impossible possibilities presented to the Gangsey, and the shock at turns in the story and the grief over dead boys and resurrected boys and dying boys and lonesome boys and the absolute joy I felt reading about these whacky teenagers, I feel positively empty.

Music no longer feels like music. Just a jumble of strange words and sounds that used to make sense but no longer do.

Light no longer feels like a beacon. Just a hopeless, annoying shine in my eyes.

Coming home to sit on the bench seat outside with a cup of tea and a Mars Bar no longer feels possible, because I have no longer got anything to long for.

It honestly feels like grief. It's as if I had absorbed these boys and these psychics and these angry tree girls and these magical forests into my soul, and now that it's over I feel I've lost a giant part of myself.

And yes, this may seem very melodramatic, but I am melodramatic. This is a big thing for me. I cannot stay in one universe forever. I have to move on. And books are the only way of experiencing the feeling of life for me. And these books are by far my favourite things ever. Each character was relatable in so many ways, and each felt and saw and heard and did so many things I wish I could.

I'm gonna pull a Gansey move, and instead of saying "What do you know about dead Welsh king's?" I shall ask "Do you read?" I have to make everyone I ever become friends with experience The Raven Cycle.

Also, to make light of everything, I'm so glad my copy of The Raven King had Opal in it, because I absolutely adore Opal, I absolutely adore her way of thinking. I love her curiosity, her love for Adam and Ronan, and the way she loves things.

But one of the highlights of the little story was the fact that OPAL. WATCHES. ADAM. AND. RONAN. DO YOU KNOW WHAT IN THE LAUNDRY AND THE CAR AND STUFF ABOUT BELT BUCKLES AND KISSING AND SKIN AND RIBS AND HIPS BECAUSE SHE'S A CURIOUS LITTLE SHIT

She's such a mood.

Anyways... I'm going to go mourn my lost bone marrow books and my lost soul chunk books. And mourn Noah. Noah was the greatest. And I'll also order Greywaren, because I don't think I'm gonna be posting anymore if I don't get my hands on it. If I come up with more stuff about The Raven Cycle, I'll post about it.

Excelsior,

Squash One, Squash Two,

Me.

[steelycunt]

ten books 2 know me!

thank for you the tag @pancakehouse @fruity-individual @serethereal @rollercoasterwords !

-> skulduggery pleasant, derek landy.

starting with this one because this WAS my childhood i was. i never read percy jackson never read twilight read [redacted] and it wasnt even good but my dad thought id like these so he bought me the first skulduggery pleasant one day...oh man oh boy...these were. i was eight queuing up outside a whsmith with a schoolbag full of books for the author's booksigning...also he was so nice ta derek x

-> giovanni's room, james baldwin.

cannot get into this too much before i start wailing and biting and stuff but well. giovanni's room is my favourite book of all time i read most of it. last year in june laying on brighton beach while the sun was going down and i have never recovered from and will you bring me home again / yes. i'll bring you home again since and fear i never will. also! first james baldwin book i read who has come to be an author whose writing style i adore and carry in my mind whenever i try to write something myself.

-> young mungo, douglas stuart.

not the first book i ever cried at but. first book i ever experienced disgusting full body sobs while reading and fierce competitor also for. my favourite book. had to reread so much of those final pages because i couldnt concentrate with all the crying and after that i am so excited to never have to experience the physical chest-aching worry that i did for the duration of reading this. also i think the very quiet way love is written here through. very trivial small things is something i loved very much and that has stayed with me!

-> wuthering heights, emily bronte.

read this when i was about eleven, and then again a few weeks ago with my mum (whose favourite book it is) and it was still so. absolutely sickening i just think its excellent xx and without it we wouldn't have kate bush's 1978 single wuthering heights so xx think on that xx

-> the autobiography of malcom x, alex haley.

when i was a child my younger sister joined a sunday league football team and my dad used to give her a tenner every time she scored a goal. to even things out since i refused to get up at the arsecrack of dawn to contract hypothermia on a frozen football pitch, he started giving me books exclusively on malcolm x to read and would give me a tenner every time i finished one. this one was the first i read and was indeed the first book that ever made me cry at the end xx

-> my brilliant friend, elena ferrante.

so many of these are recent reads because it was only jan 2022 that i made a genuine effort to get back into reading for leisure and mbf is no different but well. the way friendship is written here is just unhinged and incredible and the series in general so far has been. there is nothing like it i fear

-> the raven boys, maggie steifvater.

gansey unfortunately.

-> macbeth, william shakespeare.

okay i know i know but. when you are studying it in englit class for your gcse it might as well be a book innit. anyway of all the texts i did for english both at gcse + a level macbeth is still my favourite and probably the most effort i ever put into an english essay. special shoutout to frankenstein which i can enjoy in hindsight but unfortunately it fucked me on the exam so out of bitterness it doesnt get a place here x

-> the secret history, donna tartt.

i did inhale this book but also it gets a place purely for being my first exposure to donna tartt's writing and style in general which is so very distinctive and has. undoubtedly had an effect on me for better or for worse we shall one day see but for now. who can say!

-> foster, claire keegan.

it is a little pamphlet of a book at eighty six pages but. i read it just over a month ago and havent properly stopped thinking about it since it was just everything quiet + mundane + understated that makes my brain start sparking and whirring and. im bringing it on holiday in the summer so i can read it again in the appropriate season xx

tagging. but no pressure. @gaewaren @dykefever @emerqldv @fastasyoucan1999 @forlorngarden @writteninverses @boyjoan !!

[cabeswaterdrowned]

for the ship asks: Noah/Blue and/or Noah/Blue/Gansey

Blue/Noah

Whether I ship it or not: yes I really do! They’re one of my favorite noncanon trc pairings tbh. I do think I was more actively into them on some previous rereads compared to recently but I still think they’re neat <3

Why I ship it or not: I mean they’re a lovely relationship whether you ship them or not, I love that Noah so immediately likes Blue (although obviously that was partly about her energy) that makes her feel more at home in the group, and as I mentioned in my notes consistently throughout the series when Blue is at her loneliest (the scene post the boat debacle in tdt / the kiss scene in tdt / the guiding counselor scene in BLLB) Noah will manifest and sort of reflect certain aspects of her feelings or allow her an outlet for them when normally it’s Blue who is the mirror to other chars, but Noah is also a mirror so that gets into an interesting territory the magic/world building of trc functioning as a metaphor for relationships and char work which is always my favorite way for magic in trc (and in many fantasy stories tbh but specifically in this context) to be utilized. So I think there is something very special to their scenes because of that thread and even though they don’t have as many as some other combos they tend to be emotionally impactful to me from that perspective. I generally enjoy when in paranormal stories there’s a blurred line or connection between love and death which is a big thing going on here but I’ll go into my thoughts on that in my Gansey/Blue/Noah answer otherwise I’ll be repeating myself. I also think while a lot of their interactions are very soft and adorable there’s often an undercurrent that’s just a little bit fucked up, such as Noah parasitically feeding off Blue’s energy (which she lets him do because she loves him so much..) or something of that nature, which makes it like. Real sweet but also real creepy, which is appealing to my tastes.

My opinion on their canon potential (chemistry, canon interactions, etc): well their kiss scene is definitely my favorite kiss scene in either series tbh but can you even call it a kiss with chemistry, or a kiss without chemistry for that matter, given it’s function in the story? That could be its own theoretical debate lol but I do think they consistently have really sweet moments of physicality such as the hair touching and hand holding and the pretzel-of-ghost-boy-and-not-psychic-girl scene. And like, it’s trc it’s the Gangsey there’s canon basis for p much everything ship wise.

My opinion on fanon interpretations/fandom around it (Favorite widespread hcs, pet-peeves, etc): I mean it isn’t that popular as a ship so would welcome more content around it.

Gansey/Blue/Noah

Whether I ship it or not: absolutely! one of my favorite triads in the Gangsey, actually there was a time a few years back where I would have called them my favorite that isn’t the case anymore since other ot3/triad dynamics have caught my eye more / I feel more strongly about at least 3 others than I do about this one, but it’s still really up there. Love them

Why I ship it or not: first of all on a thematic level there’s a lot to dig into with the three of them together. While obviously there is a lot going on in trc that is not the literal blurb, in theory the series is built around the idea of killing your true love with a kiss and the Blue x Noah kiss is essentially her first kiss with death because that’s what her kiss was always going to be, on my Blue Pinterest board I have a section labeled “her first and last kiss” (quote from that scene in the book) as my Gansey/Blue/Noah section. I just love the symmetry of the concept a lot. And then obviously just the transference kiss as a concept speaks to ot3 shipping imo. And then you have Gansey/Noah parallelisms re: their deaths and also the Whelk/Noah Gansey/Adam as foils part, and Blue and Noah being the two chars (besides maybe Henry which is a little different) who understand Gansey best which includes understanding his suicidality … there’s just a lot there that’s interesting imo and certain links between all three dynamics so that’s the perspective from which I enjoy it mostly.

My opinion on their canon potential (chemistry, canon interactions, etc): well Bluesey are canon and have plenty of chemistry imo, and I answered Blue x Noah already. I’m not going to say I think Gansey/Noah chemistry ranks high in terms of Gansey’s male friendships I do think it probably is the least homoerotic of them but like. There’s A Lot of competition to be fair. And there are moments (particularly the TRK scene where Gansey is swimming) that feel that way even if it’s less than other dynamics.

My opinion on fanon interpretations/fandom around it (Favorite widespread hcs, pet-peeves, etc): again mostly that I would like more exploration of it

[constellama]

i think something’s happening now!! Uh oh !!!

Llama reads TRC: Chapters 22-25 of The Raven Boys

Chapter 22

Omg helicopter time

Loving the Helen and Gansey sibling banter

“That’s all.” WOOO GANSEY FINALLY RECOGNIZING HER VOICE

“Blue. Do you know Gansey?” OHOHO UH OH

This reoccurring triangle istg

Oh they’re ley lines. Why didn’t I realize that before.

“I’m always straight” “Oh, man, that’s the biggest lie you’ve ever told.” PFFFFT HAHHAAHA

oh my god A RAVEN !! I SURE HOPE THIS DOESNT MEAN ANYTHING !!! <- in fear

Chapter 23

I’m sorry the clocks are what.

Uh oh

“Noah?” WAIT. IS THIS. IS THIS WHERE WHELK DID THE RITUAL?? I COULD BE GETTING THIS COMPLETELY WRONG BUT !!! ITS MAKING ME THINK !!!

WHY ARE THE FISH RED WHATS HAPPENING

Do NOT stand in the tree cavity PLEASE

BLUE

Is she gonna get eaten by the tree

UHHH. WHAT

“Blue, kiss me” WHAT. WHAT WHAT WHAT WAIT WAIT HOLD ON

Adam :((( WHAT DID HE SEE

“I saw Glendower” everyone is having traumatic visions in the moldy tree meanwhile Gansey is living his Glendower kinnie fanfiction dream 😭

Chapter 24

What do you MEAN they were only there for 7 minutes WHAT

“Not that it’s not a cool name. Just that it’s…unusual.” Ok Richard Campbell Gansey III

Ronan chewing on his leather bracelets completely nonchalantly why is he like this /pos

“I’ve always liked the name Jane.” Gansey has too much audacity someone needs to humble him /lh /hj

“Although he couldn’t seem to stop teasing her.” Kanej thoughts are still plaguing my brain and this dynamic being in this book is Not helping /pos

Blue laughs for the first time at something Gansey said!!!

Chapter 25

Blue hanging out more with the Raven boys :D !!!

Adam describing the way Ronan swears at him in the most loving and affectionate way possible,,,

Blue Sargent 🤝 Zoya Nazyalensky Smelling like wildflowers and their love interests being obsessed with it

“He looked joyful and adoring, like a Labrador retriever.” NOAH IS A DOG BOY IM GONNA CRY

“This is precisely why I didn’t want to have a baby with you.” GANSEY?? COULD YOU NOT HAVE WORDED THIS ANY OTHER WAY???

Noah is such a creature I feel like if he was described to be hunched in a corner eating a live bird I wouldn’t question it. I love him sm

Noah Czerny 🤝 Inej Ghafa Appearing out of nowhere and scaring the crap out of their friends

Oooo creepy stone with writing on it

Uhh Ronan

“In case I didn’t recognize my own handwriting.” WHAT

Sorry for the long wait, finding time to read while also putting my thoughts down is hard BUT we’ve passed the halfway mark :))) I have a feeling something is about to go very very wrong and idk if I’m ready

[lizpaige]

happy birthday!! some fic recs for you (with pairings listed for each in case you had any preferences, I wasn’t sure):

room to grow by traincat, pynch + a baby dragon, adorable fluff

am I turning in your stomach, am I making you feel sick? by undergroundash, dream thieves au sort of, pynch but also kavinsky is present, makes me go wtf!! every single time I reread it

strings attached by caravanslost, adam/declan sugar daddy au sorta

i don’t want anybody else (i just want you) by flitwickslittlebrotha, unrequited pining circle between declan, gansey, ronan, and adam

in which gansey is the loneliest most connection-starved boy in the world and ronan is full of light and love and warmth by elliptical, honestly idk how to describe this one it’s truly just pre-canon ronan and gansey two-headed creature etc etc

THANK YOU FOR THE FIC RECS 💕 adding them to my tbr. I am so intrigued by the declan/adam one, I am super into them recently and love a sugar daddy au but these all sound right up my alley so thank you!

[ticklishraspberries]

HELLOOO, i’ve been reading the raven cycle books recently and i’m officially obsessed so could i pretty please request lee!adam with anyone as the ler? i just love them all so much and feel free to delete this! if you’d like any ideas, i can try and come up with a few! thanks :)

hello!! i am not super confident in my ability to write a full-length fic for this fandom at the moment, as i'm still re-reading the first book for the first time in like years lolol but i can definitely give you some lee!adam headcanons!! i hope that will suffice, lol <33

adam's usually reserved nature makes the fact that he's ticklish twice as adorable, because he usually never laughs so openly

since he didn't experience a lot of affection until he met the ~gangsey~ i feel like he wasn't rlly aware of his sensitivity

blue found out when they were seeing each other and thought it was the cutest thing ever!! so she obviously had to spill the beans to the other boys

his worst spots are his neck and thighs, but most spots can get him at least giggling

gansey loves to flutter his fingers over adam's neck while he's studying, just to distract him (and get him to take a fuckin break)

and ronan...ugh, once they get together, tickling adam becomes a pretty common occurance

adam usually hates feeling out of control, but with his friends/partner he finds tickling a bit fun, as long as they know when to back off (and as long as he can get his revenge bc he loves the cat and mouse game of it all)

[drynnki]

It's fic rec time!

Hello friends! Happy new year. I read some really good fucking fics the past few weeks, and although I don't have much of a following I wanted to highlight a few! They not in any particular order, more likely just the order I've read them in.

I Can't Hold It & I Have Nowhere to Put it Down by @aalstroemeriawrites

Ronan Lynch/Adam Parrish | Post-TRK | Mature | In Progress

I don't think I've read a better version of this time period! A lot of the time in my own writing I struggle to reconcile my aggressively academic writing style with the magical-realism of trc, so I'm always super impressed when someone clearly has their own style, but still leans into the trc-like language. Aalstromeria straddles the line so perfectly!

The storyline was so compelling, and definitely fills the void of "what the hell happened between TRK and TDT??" in a way that feels satisfying and complete. This fic has it all! Angst, tasteful smut, Richard Dick Gansey III. Can't wait for the last chapter!!!

Magnetic by MonsieurBlueSky (@mychemicalrachell)

Ronan Lynch/Joseph Kavinsky | Ronan Lynch/Adam Parrish | Re-imagination | Explicit | Completed

HUGE TW: Kavinsky is his own warning, Drug Abuse, Alcoholism, Self Harm, Suicidal Ideation

I. cried. violently. through the whole second half of this fanfic. I am still not okay. If you are in a place to get through the intense sections, this becomes a beautiful story about love, loss, family, and learning to understand yourself again after tragedy. I have severe PTSD and have known several people who struggled with drugs and alcoholism, and this is one of the most realistic and heartbreaking stories about those things I've ever read. Honestly, I cannot overstate the beauty of this fic.

If you can't tell, this entire fic is pretty much entirely heavy angst, but I promise it gets easier. Declan and Matthew are featured heavily, and the brothers learn to love each other and themselves again. Oh, and Robert Parrish gets his ass kicked. Twice.

You Gave Your Body to the Lonely by @mitski-hoe

Ronan Lynch/Adam Parrish | Blue Sargent/Richard Gansey III | Noah Czerny/Henry Cheng | No-magic AU | Explicit | Completed

This was such a lovely fic, and one I just had such a great time with. It's always interesting to see how different people write these characters, how their strengths and flaws fluctuate. The author has a really strong sense of how they wanted these two to be in this fic, and they stick to it. Don't worry, I'm not saying Ronan and Adam are strangers here, just different versions of themselves. They still have all the same buttons.

Also, tasteful smut <3

Henrietta: Without Magic, With Medical Careers by @avalonjoan

Ronan Lynch/Adam Parrish | Blue Sargent/Richard Gansey III | Opal <3 | No-magic AU | Teen-Mature Depending on Individual Work | In Progress

Do you need a sick-fic? Do you need Ronan and Adam being fluffy and gushy and almost gross? Do you want to hear about the intimate details of the US healthcare system? Then boy, do I have the 39-work series for you! This is my feel-good fic, my go-to, the OG. I've been reading it since it started and honestly I just love these boys and Blue being happy and like a family. Kavinsky is in it and also not an asshole most of the time. Maybe a scoundrel, but a big softie. There's smut, too, if you're looking for that! If not, it's easy to avoid since there are so many high-quality, not-explicit fics in this series. Highly highly highly recommend for some good vibes <3

Anyway, that's all! I just wanted to share these since I adore them and half of them tore a hole in my chest </3 stay safe, stay warm!

[greetingsfromhenrietta]

ok but we need to talk about how richard gansey iii is the softest gushiest most affectionate lil lovebug in the history of like??? ever???

ik this isn't a revelation but srsly how often do we see a macho, charismatic privileged white boy who is so un-apologetically and hopelessly head over boat shoes in love. like basically the second that blue confirms she feels the same way all of a sudden he cannot stop looking at her and he will try to hold her hand at any chance he can get and the only thing he can think about all day and the only thing that'll help him sleep is the mere sound of her voice. one of my fav moments in trk is when blue says something slightly sad and gansey is literally all "oh my god cmere right now i need to hold your hand i need to hold you lemme dry your tears i will do anything in my power to keep you the happiest you can be" bC HE KNOWS THAT SHE LIKES TO TOUCH PEOPLE. i mean, when blue pulls off her laumonier-distraction-scheme and gansey immediately hugs her and then proceeds to tuCK HER INSIDE HIS COAT WITH HIM JUST FOR THE HELL OF IT?????????? at the toga party (my beloved), half of the reason it's like the best night of his entire life is because he can be openly and excessively in love with her. the fact that he describes it as feeling like himself, feeling known bC (of various reasons, including) HES WITH THE GIRL HE LOVES AND EVERYONE IS ALLOWED TO SEE AND APPARENTLY HIS "TRUE SELF" IS JUST A SIMP. the piste de la resistance of it all is that the thing that finally breaks him, FORCES him to admit once and for all they're together, is that she gets hurt and he physically cannot go on without being able to outwardly comfort her.

anyways as i said we never see these two tendencies mesh (or anyone that's as adorably affectionate as he is, actually) and it means so much to me and as a whore for physical touch myself i relate to him even more.

[silouvertongues]

FULL THOUGHTS ON THE RAVEN CYCLE PLEASE fave book fave character fave relationship??

HIIII it's so funny whenever u ask me questions like this about media I've consumed just bc. i don't think i have enough braincells to have coherent thoughts but im gonna try <33

ok fave book i can't pick one and bc i kinda read them back to back to back things are sorta blending together but i really liked the dream thieves bc the dream stuff is just really cool and ronan is so fun to read and there was quite a bit of him in it but i also loved the raven king bc all their little friendships and relationships sorta solidified and i loved it more than i can put into words. actually i think plot wise the third book was the strongest for me just because the stuff that happened felt more substantial? maybe? i loved how everything was written in the last one and how it kinda happened but i was expecting it to happen like that so i wasn't like . in awe or in shock yk

now the fave character . i love them all so immensely its a little crazy i didn't think I'd be this attached !! blue is literally my baby i need to shrink her and put her on my shoulder so we can be best friends forever i need to have her with me forever.

the funniest thing about gansey is that he's the stupidest genius around like my boy is so silly i love him for it but also idk how else to describe it but i have the like admiration for him that everyone in the book did??? idk if it was bc I read the others' povs but the way they were like we'd do anything for this man. yeah . yeah .

ADAM . ok this is ridiculous but i went in thinking I'd adore him right away and then i started reading it and the first book i did really like him but then the second book i. i didn't feel so good about him at times and i just couldn't understand why because it's adam and i thought I'd love him so much but then i realized it was bc he was a little too real? idk how else to describe it i was reading his pov and suddenly there was a mirror somehow despite me never having been in a situation like his before and then i understood why he was getting on my nerves and then i got over it as the books went on and he became less of a mirror lol and i am simply so fond of this boy now i need to take care of him and give him several hugs and put him on my other shoulder.

i don't even know what to say about this next guy im. immmmmmm . feeling very much jane austen if i loved you less i might be able to talk about it more. now this one i also knew i would like bc he's just . angsty angry little guy with a softest spot for the people he loves and im always gonna be a sucker for that BUT MYYYYYYY GOD he's like . he's in my heart he's around it he's inside it he's everywhere i love him :(( i think part of it was also because his story had more depth imo and was more interesting to me personally so I just enjoyed reading his bits more but he's so so lovely idk what else to even say

this is way longer than i thought it was gonna be so im gonna be basic and say my fav relationship was just all 4 (5 ig hi noah) of them i cried so many times over just like little moments of love between them im so insanely attached like they're all seriously in love with each other and i loveeeeee them i have moments just running through my head on loop since last night but also like romantic relationships wise i think i feel equally insane about the two main ones (well maybe a teeny tiny bit more insane about THE OBJECTS OF RONAN'S WORSHIP BEING FOCUSED IN ONE DOWNTOWN BLOCK WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCKK but also gansey feeling homesick and calling blue made me lose it i lost it i went insane)

[scarareg]

Aaaaaa please tell me if you’re liking the raven boys and what you’re thinking about it pretty please

Ooooh! A fellow Raven Cycle enjoyer!!!!💖💖💖 I will be honest,I started to read it again because a few years ago I read the first pages for the first time but for some reason that I do not remember neither understand I never finished the book,so technically this is my second time reading it,kinda,not really.

I really really like how Maggie writes,I have seen some people saying that it puts them to sleep, but I think her prose is lovely,so simple yet effective and it makes the scenes feel wholesome.

Gansey is kinda extra af but in a cool,fun way! I adore the way he is so optimistic about his goal and goes to all these ley lines,like is so weird and quirky and that clash with his prep boy appearance,I adore that!

Blue is super fun too! I am in love with the way she put Gansey on his place the first time they met. Her family are so over the top but seem to have each other backs and I can not wait to see more of them and how they affect the plot.

Adam is admirable af! I already named him best boy because of how chill he seems to be and for all his hard work and the way he wants be in a better place in life,I am rooting for him!

Noah and Ronan are kinda of a mistery ,yet,I just can tell Ronan has family issues,I don't know if daddy or mommy, or both ,but I do know that I am intrigued!

Another person that had me intrigued is Whelk,I have no idea what's his deal is,not exactly ,so I am looking forward to get to know him! :D

Now,overall these group if characters make me think that Maggie is a Marauders fan,no joking

Blue=Lily. The girl that takes no shit from no one,probably the only one that had put her future love interest in his place, down to earth,kind.

Gansey=James. Rich guy,leader of the group,wholesome and optimistic,fun to be around,always looking for an adventure

Ronan=Sirius. Bestie of the leader ,rich,goth,family issues

Adam=Remus. Normal guy that somehow ended befriended the rich guys,voice of reason,kind,hardworking,life has been harsh in them

Noah=Peter. The other friend XD

Maybe is just me and I am crazy,you can tell me. Even in the fandom a big ship is Wolfstar aka Sirius x Remus so I really think she is using them as inspiration. I personally like to see an author use stuff that inspire them and how they incorporate these ideas/concepts into their work and makes them their own,is super fun so I am here to see what will happen! I am really excited!

Overall,I have the feeling that this Saga will be one one of my babies!

[jaywalkers]

Hi hi, uh, idk what to call you cause you do don't have like an about me, BUT you are one of my favorite mutuals 💕💕

Anyways, I know you like the raven cycle, and I been thinking of reading it, but I haven't found like a brief summary of the plot of the sags to actually decide, so if you could help me a bit it would be really really amazing

hihi! ahh i'm so glad you've asked! yes, i did adore it (and recently splurged on a first edition of trb) and would absolutely recommend it!

my main issue with normal summaries of trc is that they focus more on the that first line 'Blue Sargent had forgotten how many times she'd been told that she would kill her true love.' it's a fantastic start to the series but it's not the be all end all of a fantastic saga. so here's mine!

the raven cycle is a four book, modern magic, coming of age narrative. it cycles between four main characters — blue, the only non-psychic in her all-woman home; gansey, a rich boy who's on a quest to find the lost burial place of a welsh king; ronan, an assholish smart-ass who's best friends with gansey; and adam, a hard-working scholarship kid at the same school as gansey and adam. they're joined by a group of the most colourful, entertaining side characters who rival the main four for the most interesting, and who all have their own desires and impact on the plot.

the main plot centers itself around gansey's quest to find owain glyndŵr (glendower) which he's dragged the other three into. however, they end up stirring up trouble, either related to the quest or their own plotlines, that end up winding their way into the main plot (it's all very cyclical). there's no true main character, but i would say that the series does set it up so that the raven boys is adam's, the dream thieves is ronan's, blue lily lily blue is blue's, and the raven king is gansey's. there's a very cool range of magic systems and fantasy elements while still remaining very down to earth, thanks to the very teenage nature of the character's lives.

the raven cycle has some fantastic romance in it, but it's not a romance series, really. it is about love though. friends, family, stories and purpose and loving the life you've made for yourself. it's about dragging yourself through your teenage years and looking at what's ahead.

very much would encourage you to get into them! the first book is a little slow but once you get to the end of it i guarantee you'll keep going. the writing style is gorgeous and it has some very well done humour. also if anyone HAS read the series, i wrote a little post-canon fic when i finished them : <33 https://archiveofourown.org/works/42663438

[aalstroemeriawrites]

Do you have any plans for what the other parts of your fic series will be once this one is finished? I look forward to it!

HIII BABY !! oh my god. you are so sweet for asking!

i have a few one-shots in the works, and am planning on posting at least one before the series is finished :,)

i'm going to jump around a bit timeline-wise just because i have so many ideas, but i'm planning on exploring allllll pynch eras in relation to the universe of this fic. i wanna explore EVERYTHING these boys get up to - i am seriously insane & you guys are gonna get to benefit!

i have plans for a few missing scenes/summer scenes from this fic - a couple of post-greywaren epilogue future fics - a few fics from other perspectives, ESPECIALLY GANSEY, who i adore more than i can say - and i'm really excited about writing some missing scenes from the raven cycle series! i loveee the idea of exploring ronan and adam's experience as they were discovering their feelings and growing closer, since we don't get a TON of detailed info in the books. that being said, my plan for those stories is to do mostly 5+1 type fics, or fics that end/are interspersed with scenes of established relationship!pynch, just because i can't stand the thought of posting something where pynch is not together for the entire time ...

anyway! i hope this answers your question. :) thanks for following along -- i am so grateful for you!!!

(if you've read this post and have no idea what i'm talking about, check out "i can't hold it & i have nowhere to put it down" on ao3!!!)

[torydarixs]

I'm reading blue lily lily blue and my favourites until now is- eVERYTHING

- the gangsey laying on their backs staring up at cabeswater????? blue making blue lilies rain on them?????? you don't realize what these two phrases 'Gansey’s eyes opened as petals landed lightly on his cheeks. As his lips parted, ever-wondering, a petal landed directly on his mouth.' did to me. i can'T explain it

- ronan being forced to whistle or sing while they go into the cave to explore so they don't lose track of time?????? help and the way he just smirked and started with "sQUASH ONE SQUASH TWO—" i lovE HIM

- blue????? and gansey??? trying to be subtle but they're oH SO ANGSTY I CRI. the finger tips touching, the phone calls???????? ohmygOd

- the gray man. that's it. he's amazing he's like— like randall?? bryce's step father?? wow there must be something about hit men and sharpshooters who are unnecessarily kind. when he was teaching calla how to fight and said "i can show you how to unhinge my jaw!!" please i love this man

- gansey and adam's friendship. gansey and ronan's friendship.

- NOAH CZERNY FUCKING FLUFFBALL OF A GHOST I ADORE hiM SO MUCH I WOULD DIE FOR HIM AND NO I DON'T CARE THAT HE'S ALREADY DEAD. HE LOVES GLITTER I'M CRYINF. AND HE LOVES B L UE EE. AND WHEN HE SHOWED UP TO HER SCHOOL ON HER FIRST DAY AND BLATANTLY EAVESDROPPED AND COMMENTED WHILE SHE WAS WITH THE COUNCILLOR????? help. "RuDE" "you should see her shoEs. poiNTy" "i'd be wAY more suNSHiney if i was a counselor" yes my love of course no doubt you should be hired right away

in conclusion? i love them

maggie not giving us the full version of the squash song is a hate crime.

BLUE AND GANSEY AND THEIR FINGERTIPS AND "this was not allowed" AND "oh, jane" AND "you shouldn't, but i hope you do" AND THE GLANCES AND THE YEARNING AND OH MY GOD ANOTHER DAY GOING INSANE OVER THEM

i loVE the gray man like dude really just showed up and went "uh hey so i killed your friend's father but he was an asshole anyway and like blue your mom is pretty so yay?" and they all just went along with it i adORe him (also bryce's step father and gray man YES i fucking love parallels)

the gangsey's friendship, period. blue and her boys were all in love with each other and all that *wipes tears*

NOAH CZERNY I WOULD DIE FOR HIM HE'S SO ADORABLE HE'S LITERAL SUNSHINE HE'S SO SMOL AND BABY AND FLOOF AND CUTE AND JUST AKSJDHF I LOVE HIM HE'S MY HEART MY LOVE MY REASON FOR EXISTING