The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (A YA Book Review)

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

The Scorpio Races is timelessly set on an island called Thisby. This is a small, seafaring island where every year The Scorpio Races are held on November 1st. The sea surrounding Thisby is filled with capall usice, dangerous and very fast water horses. The four time winner of the races is young Sean Kendrick, whose father died in The Scorpio Races, and his water horse Corr. But this year is different. This is the year that the first woman enters the race, Kate “Puck” Connelly, with her mare Dove. To Puck’s chagrin, the men don’t like a woman entering their territory, let alone with a simple horse. But Puck needs to win in order to save the family home and try to prevent her brother from leaving for the mainland. Soon Sean and Puck find that their love for the island is something that brings them together, and through helping each other they can both get what they want.

Maggie Stiefvater is amazing. After reading The Raven Cycle, I’ve been determined to find and read all of her books. Thisby is a magical place and I love that it can’t be placed in a time period of even an exact location. I especially like Sean and Puck, the story alternates between their two voices. What I don’t like is Mutt Malvern and his treatment of the horses. I know it’s realistic, but it really got my goat so to speak. Also, the nature of the capall usice is a violent one. So that said I gave this book 4.8 out of 5 stars. This is an award winning book and its story is pure magic.