Maggie Stiefvater is best known for her werewolf-romance trilogy (Shiver, Forever and Linger) but her newest book, The Scorpio Races, is about horses. On the fictional Irish island of Thisby, they love their man eating horses who emerge covered in salt from the ocean.
I feel that my horse allergies would actually be a survival mechanism on Thisby because I’d be sneezing long before these horses arrived at my front door. The main character, Puck Connolly, is an feisty orphan who has decided to participate in Thisby’s famous Scorpio Races where traditionally, men attempt to tame wild man eating horses (called capaill uisce) and race them. Puck is the first girl to race.
Enter Sean Kendrick – the defending champion of the Scorpio Races. Sean is everything young adult fiction requires: brave, sullen and brooding. There is instant chemistry between Puck and Sean. But don’t be mistaken, The Scorpio Races is no pansy willy nilly vampire romance novels. These kids are racing with MAN EATING HORSES. No, this a great adventure novel with rough and tough characters that beat all odds to get what they want most. And it’s not marriage and demon babies.
My only complaint is how the narration shifts between Sean and Puck. It’s hard to distinguish them from each other. Stiefvater also had a strange writing preference of stating quotes and then explaining them. “WOAH!” said Farah. This was because Farah had just read a crazy book about man eating horses.
All in all, this novel surpassed all my expectations. It also proved that there is no love like the kind between man/woman and their hoofed friends – man eating or not.
Photo credits: etsy.com, flickr.com
Wait, what?? Man-eating horses??? Wow, did NOT think that’s what the book was about! (To be honest, didn’t know a whole lot about the premise other than that a lot of people were highly anticipating it!)
Pfft, you mean you’ve never heard of man eating horses? Gosh, everyone knows about those!
Seriously though, it’s a kick ass story about some very scary, beautiful horses. And with teeth like that, you wonder why more horses don’t start eating those pesky humans. I thought it was going to be something like The Saddle Club but I was pleasantly surprised
Let me know when you want to borrow it.
Okay, the no marriage and demon babies clarification has me sold. On hold at the library!
Hi Niranjana! Glad I had you sold! I too have added “no demon babies” to my list of mandatory book requirements.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting! Stiefvater does the back and forth perspective in several of her books (if you’ve read the Shiver trilogy you’ll be familiar), and I agree that sometimes it’s hard to tell who is talking. It’s not a literary device I like in every novel, but The Scorpio Races was a strong read despite the occasional confusion.
Agreed! I still loved the book. I wonder if there will be a second book?
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I have to read this book for a summer reading project at school! I’ve read soooo many reviews and I really hope I will like it! I’m only 14, do you think I will like it?
Yes yes yes! I think anyone could like this book. It’s just a fun read.
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