Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: 10/18/11
Pages: 409
Reviewed by Sabrina
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.
My Thoughts
The Scorpio Races is a slow paced, dystopian novel set in an alternate timeline, taking place on the fictional island of Thisby. Despite what the title and summary suggests, the plot does not focus on the actual race. Instead, the attention is on the capall uisce (water horses).
One problem I had with The Scorpio Races was that I did not see a lot distinction between Puck and Sean's viewpoints. I liked Sean's point of view more though, since he has a conflicted relationship with his water horse, Corr. That, and Puck irritated me in the beginning. Sean wants to trust Corr but putting that trust there could get himself killed.
The atmosphere fit the story nicely. I love how Maggie Stiefvater created a nice amount of tension and fear in certain scenes (e.g. when a wild water horse confronts a human, Sean needing to trust Corr, etc). What I loved even more was that she had written a more realistic, light romance between Sean and Puck that did not drag down the story. It was the huge (really slow) amount of buildup that did. But the ending was nice, the writing was beautiful, and the story was fine so...
One problem I had with The Scorpio Races was that I did not see a lot distinction between Puck and Sean's viewpoints. I liked Sean's point of view more though, since he has a conflicted relationship with his water horse, Corr. That, and Puck irritated me in the beginning. Sean wants to trust Corr but putting that trust there could get himself killed.
The atmosphere fit the story nicely. I love how Maggie Stiefvater created a nice amount of tension and fear in certain scenes (e.g. when a wild water horse confronts a human, Sean needing to trust Corr, etc). What I loved even more was that she had written a more realistic, light romance between Sean and Puck that did not drag down the story. It was the huge (really slow) amount of buildup that did. But the ending was nice, the writing was beautiful, and the story was fine so...
I couldn't get past the first few chapters of this one. When Puck's older brother just decided to up and leave. I thought that was really horrible. I can only do super slow books if they're compelling and unfortunately I didn't find this one very compelling at all!
ReplyDeleteI hated that part. I didn't get why Puck still wanted him to stay after she found out. I would have been happy if he left. The Scorpio Races was just "okay" read for me.
DeleteI agree, though I felt like the writing excessive-ness of it (wait... does that make sense?) slowed it down a lot. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteMisa
The Magic Attic Book Blog
That's true. For me, there were some scenes where the writing was overdone and there were others that should have been cut.
DeleteI liked Maggie Stiefvater after reading Lament and Ballad. I REALLY liked her after the Shiver trilogy. But after this, I'm in love, lol! Such a unique story that kept me up past my bedtime and on the edge of my seat. High five Maggie, you rock! :)
ReplyDeleteHighly recommended Land For Sale in Alaska website