The Scorpio Races
by Maggie Stiefvater
Summary: Every year, the Scorpio Races are run on the beaches of Skarmouth. Every year, the sea washes blood from the sand. To race the savage water horses can mean death, but the danger is irresistible.When Puck enters the races to save her family, she is drawn to the mysterious Sean, the only person on the island capable of taming the beasts. Even if they stay together, can they stay alive? A breathtaking ride that will make your heart race.
Release Date: October 2011
Genre: YA Fantasy
Where to Buy: Amazon . Barnes and Noble . Scholastic Teen
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Source: I purchased a paperback UK version when I was vacationing in Ireland
Review:
I loved The Scorpio Races. It was a beautifully written story that captured my interest immediately. The writing was superb. It was descriptive and I felt like I could smell the sea and feel the wind on me. I wasn’t sure how a story about racing horses, despite how unlike regular horses they were, would interest me because I know next to nothing about horses and have never been a horse person. I’m always a bit anxious about reading books that deal with things that I cannot relate to or have no interest in, but the author made me care about the characters, understand their need to connect with their horses, and I felt like I understood their desires and felt them myself while I was reading.
The Scorpio Races is not an obvious story. I have no idea what time period it was set or where the story took place. This information sounds important, but it truly wasn’t when I was reading it. I didn’t have to know where Thisby was, what country it was a part of, where the mainland was in relation to the island, or what time period it was. The world was so well described and I felt so in tune with it, the details of the where and when didn’t matter. In some ways, the omission added to the mystery, as I slowly understood the way of life on Thisby.
The Scorpio Races is not a fast paced or action packed novel. Everything was slow and deliberate. I really enjoyed the pace and the way the whole story just sort of eases into itself. The tone, pace, and setting worked really well together. The story was not full of action, but the stakes were high and my heart hammered in my chest many times. The threat of death was just around every corner and many lost their lives throughout the book. Danger was not a quick and shocking thing, but constant shadow and a permanent threat.
I cared a lot about Puck and a lot about Sean, given that both points of view were present. At some point, they started to care about each other and I still don’t really know how it happened. I loved the way the the two characters came together.
I highly recommend The Scorpio Races. It’s a beautiful story full of strange mythology, death, danger, and love.
