Book du jour: Raven Boys
It was freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrived.
A couple of great reads in a row. Unlike Vessel, this one’s set squarely in a contemporary scene, but with equally otherworldly goings-on. Blue Sargent , the only non-psychic in her family, gets mixed up with four angst-y students from the posh nearby boarding school Aglionby. One of these “Raven Boys” is looking for a legendary Welsh king’s final resting place. Or stasis-place. He’s ancient, but reputedly waiting to be awoken to grant a favor.
I really enjoyed how expertly the novel’s scenes are crafted so that the reader consistently has more information than the characters. There are no “hey, wait a minute!” surprises. Information is layered deftly, priming us for each new revelation. Crisply delineated characters, lovely writing, a contemptible villain, and plenty of emotion. Glad to hear there’ll be four books in the series: there are lots of loose threads and interesting paths still to explore.