The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher: Scholastic Press
Released: October 18th, 2011
Pages: 409 (Hardcover)
Cover: 3/5 Stars
Plot: 2.5/5 Stars

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

 -Goodreads.com summary

For me, The Scorpio Races brings up a lot of different feelings. While I didn't traditionally like it, I thought it was beautiful. I took a bit longer than usual reading it, as I could not bear to just put it down. Something inside me had to finish.

The world Maggie Stiefvater created is absolutely magnificent and graceful. Every November on the small island of Thisby, a brutal race is held. They don't ride plain horses, but rather capall uise, vicious horses from the sea. While Maggie didn't really elaborate about them, they remained a large part of the story. Personally, I would be quite nervous seeing one of this colossal beasts on a trip to the beach!

Puck and Sean were good, solid narrators. They painted a vivid picture of their lives and the world that they live in. But I couldn't connect with them at all. They live in a complete different world; one I couldn't get a feel of. This made the book so much more distant than I would like.

While this book didn't hook me, I don't tell people not to give it a shot. The author's ideas are really, really unique, and her writing is gorgeous!

Palak