The Dream Thieves (Book II in the Raven Boys Cycle) by Maggie Stiefvater
Last
year, I was fortunate enough to review the first book in the Raven Boys Cycle.
At the end, I was so wrapped up in the suspense that I couldn’t believe the
book was over. Naturally, I jumped at the chance to review the second book, and
it does not disappoint by any stretch of the imagination.
Blue
and her friends are back again, picking up where the last book left off. Gansey
is continuing his search for Glendower, the old Welsh king, trying to deny his
unusual attraction to Blue. Blue is trying to keep Gansey at bay, knowing all
too well his fate – Blue comes from a
family of psychics (but possesses no psychic ability herself), and it has been
predicted that he is her true love, and if he is to kiss her, he will die. Adam,
the boy who has worked hard for everything he has (overcoming an abusive home
in the last book) has made an unusual sacrifice that causes him to become more
important to the quest than he ever dreamed he would be. And Ronan, the
underplayed character in the first novel, becomes crucial.
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Ronan
has the ability to steal objects from dreams. While not quite understanding
himself, Ronan comes to realize that he is not only important to Gansey’s
quest, but also is being targeted by several who are searching the ley lines
(the sources of magical energy which are being used to find Glendower) as well.
The possibility of murder and a desperate sense of urgency underlie this book,
leaving the readers scrambling toward the finish line, only to be left with a
new series of questions that beg to be answered in book three.
Stiefvater
has done it again. Her writing pulls the reader in, engrossing them in the story
so completely that the book becomes impossible to put down. The dialogue sounds
so realistic, and there are some quips that make the reader laugh out loud. The
complex plot line is woven in such a detailed manner that forces the reader to
pay attention to even the slightest details. In short, it is a work that should
definitely be considered one of the greatest in current YA fiction. The plot is
unlike anything else on the market, yet plays into the themes that are so hot
right now – the sense of a ticking time-bomb, a hint of magic, and a dash of
romance combine to create the second in a series that leaves readers begging
for more.
By: Natalie Hamil
