Book Review: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: The Scorpio Races

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher: Scholastic

Publication Date: October 2011

Genre: Young Adult Fiction/Fantasy

Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone

Synopsis can be found here.

Review: 

Sean Kendrick, the reigning champ of the Scorpio Races, is young, strong and mysterious. His quiet strength keeps him detached from everyone except his beautiful water horse who knows him better than anyone else.

Puck Connolly has a family she is struggling to keep together and enters the competition as the first girl to do so. Met with superstition and skepticism, she has to be the strongest rider out there. Her life depends on it.

Puck and Sean start out as competitors, but quickly become friends and maybe something more.

I’ve read all of Maggie Stiefvater’s novels, starting with Shiver. I was surprised to find I really enjoyed her novels Ballad and Lament, as I’m not a big “fairytale” person. And I wasn’t sure what I would find when I started The Scorpio Races.

I was blown away.

This is by far, my favorite Stiefvater novel. The richness of the island, the beauty of the location and the history and character of the setting drew me in. The descriptions of the water horses were both fascinating and dangerous. Mysterious and wild creatures, they over take the book symbolizing life, death and all that is in between.

Puck is a spunky, brave girl who I instantly liked. Her reasons for entering the race show her strong character and love of family. Her voice is smooth, vulnerable and unique. I was rooting for her from the very first chapter.

Sean is a beautiful character. Girls will swoon. Underneath his stoic persona, he is warm, caring and deeply committed to his water horse. The relationship between Puck and Sean blooms naturally over the coarse of the book. Every time Puck blushed, I felt myself doing the same.

As with all Steifvater novels, the writing flows warmly, painting a strong picture. The characters are human, flawed and well developed. Even the “bad guy” is well developed, rooted in reality. You can’t help feeling a little sorry for him.

This book is a standalone and will not be part of a series. I know some other readers are disappointed with this, but I think it’s perfect. The story is so strong, I feel like other books would dampen the ending.

Sean and Puck end as it should, with the promise of more to come, off page.

If you haven’t read a Stiefvater novel, you can’t go wrong. But I highly recommend The Scorpio Races. You won’t be sorry.

Rating: 10 One of The Best