Review: Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

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...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.(Good Reads)

I could do this review in four words: YOU MUST READ THIS. The Irish myth, wonderful island-folk characters, the relationship between Puck and Sean, and even the horses are sublime. (And for the record I was NOT one of those teenage girls who loved horses. No horse calendars in my past). These water horses, capaill uisc, are scary as all get out, sheep-eating/rider-maiming creatures that appear in the waves each fall and even when captured for the races are drawn to the sea to drown their riders. GULP.  Stiefvater's prose is really beautiful; she is leagues beyond most YA writers out there. I liked the Wolves of Mercy Falls series and so I picked this up, and it was better. Her main characters are kind and funny. The story switches between Puck and Sean's perspective, and its that much sweeter as they fall for each other.

Absurdity: Can I give this a negative 11? There is nothing absurd about this. It is unusual and brilliant.

Originality: 10. This was all new and I am ready to move to this place. Thisby, in my mind, is an Irish, less-lonely version of the Island of the Blue Dolphins. You will want to go there.

Level of Paranormal Romance: the para-part? low. The Romance? 7: I mean, get a load of this: “That's a poor match, Sean Kendrick," says a voice at my elbow....and she follows my gaze to Puck. "Neither of you are a housewife." I don't look away from Puck. "I think you assume too much, Dory Maud."  "You leave nothing to assumption," Dory Maud says. "You swallow her with your eyes. I'm surprised there's any of her left for the rest of us to see.”  ..................................SIGH.

Level of Harry Potter-ness: Thisby is magical, but it is accepted and real and earthy (and deadly), so it would be a 5 for magic but a 10 since Stiefvater hits it out of the park with her writing. You want to re-read lines out-loud, its that good. Also, she is a uber-talented person. Check out the video for the book, animated and scored by Stiefvater herself. Sheesh, must be tough to be good at everything.