The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle #2)

Do you want to read a book about a bunch of rich boys with troubled pasts, amazing supernatural abilities, ripe sexual tension about to burst, and the ability to race (and crash) cars? Because if you’re anything like me, the answer is a definite, resounding yes.

Maggie Steifvater really surprised me in this book, in a delighted, someone brought cupcakes to work to share kind of delighted. It is always such a pleasure when a book manages to surprise me and I was pretty surprised throughout this entire second installment of “The Raven Cycle.”

In Gansey’s continued quest to find Glendower with the help of his besties Adam Parrish, Ronan Lynch, and Blue Sargeant, more surprises like the Grayman, Maura’s budding romance, and Blue’s taste of men changing were popping all over the novel like the mention of Henrietta’s best tuna sandwich.

So first off, I’ve come to accept that I love Ronan as a character. I didn’t want to at first, the whole bad boy with a dead father kinda things gets old after Teen Wolf became popular, but I really do adore him. I like how complex he is, how unadulterated he is about being a dick, how he never outright states his sexuality but that it swirls in and out of his insults, and how he loves his stupid raven and named her Chainsaw. It’s awesome.

So that is one thing Maggie Steifvater does right and continues to do right: her characters. I like the fact that I don’t really know what Blue looks like other than having spiky hair and being shockingly short. She could be any ethnicity, any weight, any eye or hair color and I think it adds a very nice opposition to most YA novels that basically hand out bios and physical descriptions.

I also love Gansey-he might be might favorite actually (which is slightly annoying since he’s everyone’s favorite-the characters, teachers, and other readers included), but you can’t help it. His passion for finding Glendower, the amount of care he puts into his friendships and keeping them together, his ability to dazzle and be dazzled. It definitely grows on you.

Second, the plot is interesting. This might seem redundant and oversimplified, but it’s really, really not. The amount of bad plots, or plots that make no sense, or plots that are bad and make no sense are rampant in teen fiction. It’s honestly a travesty.

But I like that Glendower is steeped in Celtic history and religion, I like the inclusion of psychics and their practice of Tarot Cards and scrying, I like learning about the make of new cars, the town of Henrietta, and all the Latin. I have to admit, the Latin might be the best bit, it makes you as a reader feel very intelligent which is always a bonus.

So as a whole, this was a great second installment. Adam’s bargain with Cabeswater is still confusing in this book (as is his character, like what are you actually doing Adam? You’re being annoying) and I have to admit that Gansey’s and Blue’s budding romance confused the hell out of me at first. It’s what I thought would happen in book 1, but didn’t, so then it popped up in book 2 after she established she liked Adam?

I get that Adam’s violent and a bit of a nut in this book, but I feel like Blue jumped very quickly to being very attracted to Adam and liking him a lot, to just not. Like flicking a switch.

Lastly, the inclusion of the Gray Man was very odd at first, especially how no one seemed to find it bizarre that he was a hit man?! Was I the only one who thought that was an odd profession to have? Apparently so, because everyone in the novel reacts with surpassing remoteness and acceptance.

But Ronan’s dream thieving ability, the continued not-so-subtle polyamorous relationship between all main four characters, the addition of Kavinsky and his relationship with Ronan, the unraveling of Ronan’s home life, and the inclusion of Orla were all things I really enjoyed and kept me reading until the very end. Fabulous job Ms. Steifvater.

Recommendation: If you like asshole boys who are lovable despite their pretentious and ridiculous actions then this book will become your new go-to. If you hate boys and their stupid ability to be cute tied in with weird plot points, then trash this and pick up a copy of the Huffington Post.

Score: 8/10