Forever Obsession: Review: Scorpio Races

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
ISBN: 054522490X
Pages: 409
Source: Library
Publication Date: October 18, 2011
Appearance:

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.
At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.
Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

Hello everyone! Welcome to my first review of 2016! I thought I would start off this year with a review of one of my favorite books of last year so let's just get started~

This book was so many versions of amazing with its fascinating premise, excellent execution, and rich world. I didn't want to pick this book up for a while because I've heard a lot of people say that the first half of the book drags on and I've read reviews that call it boring. Since I was in a pretty bad reading slump from August, I didn't want to read a book that had a slow building story line. However, I felt like I was in such a lull and I wanted something to wake me up from it so I picked up the book. I will agree and say that the first 50-60% of the book is really just build up and nothing much happens, but personally, I've just heard so many amazing things about the ending that it all seemed like this slow and mysterious build up to the epic finale. As a result, I didn't feel bored by the beginning, but actually really enjoyed it.

The buildup allowed me to love the characters so much more because nothing was really happening and the background plot just followed the events leading up to the race. The characters had that opportunity to grow and develop relationships with each other so that when the climax hit I was holding my breath. It is the first day of November and so, today, somebody will die. That first line hit me straight in the heart and when it was repeated later at the start of the race I was so scared.

An example of how that slow build allowed me to form a connection with a character is through Puck. I didn't really feel anything for her, but her determination and love for her family and her home grew on me and I definitely think that without the long drag, I wouldn't have seen how strong and fierce her characters was. Sean Kendrick is a bit of a different story. I didn't love him right away, but he grew on me a lot faster than Puck did. Not to mention Corr makes me so happy, a bit terrified, but still happy. At the end of the story, there are still so many unanswered questions about him, but I guess it just lends to his overall mysteriousness.

I cannot put into words how amazing this book is. I loved the Raven Boys and the Dream Thieves when I read them this year, but the Scorpio Races has definitely solidified Maggie Stiefvater's place as one of my favorite authors. My best advice for reading this book is to go into it expecting something amazing because then the beginning, hopefully, won't seem so boring.