The Raven Boys
By Maggie Stiefvater
Publishing information: Scholastic Press: New York, 2012
ISBN: 9780545424936
Pages: 409
Ages: 13 and up
Summary:Blue Sargent's gift seems to be that she makes other people's talents stronger, and when she meets Gansey, one of theRavenBoys from the Aglionby Academy, she discovers that together their talents are a dangerous mix. (From NoveList)
Book talk: Blue has been told her whole life that if she kisses her true love then he will die. On Saint Marks’ Eve she accompanies her Aunt to the old abandoned church where the souls of those who will die in the next year walk. Even though she’s never seen ghosts on this night before, this time she sees a boy who calls himself Gansey. Soon she finds herself becoming friends with the real Gansey and becomes swept up in his mystical and mysterious quest. This book has psychics, ghosts, a mythical Welsh King, and a touch of romance. This book will have you hooked from beginning to end.
Subject Headings & Major Themes:
Clairvoyance
Magic
Paranormal fiction
Psychics
Ghosts
Awards & Reviews:
New York Times Bestseller
Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2012
Amazon Books Editors’ Selection: Fall Favorites
2013 YALSA Top 10 Best Fiction for YA
Starred Review Booklist, vol 108, number 22, p66
Starred Review School Library Journal, vol 58, issue 10, p150
Starred Review Publishers Weekly, vol 259, issue 31
Starred Review Kirkus Reviews, August 1, 2012
Discussion Questions and Ideas:
Questions from Scholastic
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Do the quotes in the prologue from Edgar Allan Poe and Oscar Wilde mean something different to you now that you’ve finished the book?
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What does each character’s clothes say about him or her?
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How do you think Blue feels about being the only person in her family who is not psychic?
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A ley line “is a perfectly straight, supernatural energy path that connected spiritual places.” After knowing how powerful ley lines are, do you think that this is an accurate description? Why or why not? Do you think that something like ley lines exist in real life? If yes, explain what they are and where you believe you can find them.
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Ronan and Declan can’t stand each other, but every Sunday they put their feud aside to attend mass together — no matter what. Do you think you could put aside your unfavorable feelings for someone to keep up appearances and traditions?
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Which character from The Raven Boys do you identify with the most? Why?
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Adam, Blue, and Gansey had very different experiences inside the hollowed out tree in Cabeswater. What did each one see? Do you think they saw their futures, nightmares, or dreams?
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Legend says that the person who wakes Glendower is granted a wish. Explain what you think the following characters would wish for if they woke Glendower: Blue, Gansey, Adam, Ronan, Noah, Whelky, Neeve, and Maura.
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Why do you think that Gansey feels the need to take care of Ronan? What, if anything, does Gansey get out of this seemingly one-sided relationship?
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What do you think happened to Blue’s father? Do you think that the time Blue spent in Cabeswater made her want to meet him more? Why or why not?
Related Websites:
Author’s website – http://maggiestiefvater.com/
Read-a-Likes:
Name of the Star - Maureen Johnson
Daughter of Smoke and Bone – Laini Taylor
Bitterblue – Kristin Cashore
Sapphique – Catherine Fisher
Seraphina – Rachel Hartman
Clockwork Princess – Cassandra Clare
The Maze Runner – James Dashner
Other Books by the Author:
Shiver
Linger
Forever
Lament
Ballad
Requiem
About the Author:
From maggiestievfater.com
After a tumultuous past as a history major, calligraphy instructor, wedding musician, technical editor, and equestrian artist, Maggie Stiefvater is now a full-time writer living in the middle of nowhere, Virginia, with her charmingly straight-laced husband, two kids, four neurotic dogs who fart recreationally, and a 1973 Camaro named Loki. She is also an award-winning colored pencil artist, plays several musical instruments (most infamously, the bagpipes), and is an ex-Navy brat.