The Scorpio Races - A difference of Opinion

Title: The Scorpio Races
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Published: October 2011
Synopsis from Goodreads

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.



Ok I know that I said this review was going to have to wait mostly because I just didn't know what to say, or how to right it...but that would be a lie.

I terrible lie, to disguise a terrible truth...A truth that in the end my loyalty to provide a honest review has to outweigh my love for all things Maggie right?

So here it is...the truth is...well I just didn't LOVE this the way I loved Shiver, Linger, and Forever Please don't get me wrong there is great OMG-MAGGIE-YOU-DIDN'T?-AND-THIS-IS-WHY-I-LOVE-YOU moments.

There is without a doubt no way for you to not love the characters here. I mean Maggie knows her *bleeep* when it comes to building a character in a way that leaves you lost inside their world. Even at time inside them. Kate Connoly was perfection for me. She was selfish with just the right amount of selfishness thrown in to remind us that she is in fact the age she is supposed to be. Which is no easy feet considering it is just her, her older brother Gabe, and her younger brother Finn made orphans by the capall uisce. (blood lusting water horses that plague the island, although I wouldn't really say "plague" is the right word.)With no money or time to spare Kate does the only thing she thinks she can do...she enters the Scorpio Races. But the races are no place for a normal horse. No place for a girl. These races are for men with death wishes and the deadly capall uisce they have managed to pull from the sea. A sea that sings louder and louder as the winter months approach. Calling the blood-lusting water horses back to the sea. Driving them crazy, and mad with longing with each approaching day.

It is the first day of November and so, someone will die...

And don't even get me on Sean Kennrick. He is just as broken as Kate, and together they make quite a pair. Yes I wish they would have made a pair a little sooner. I would have loved to see some more in there. The relationship is a rocky cliff over a ragged sea...it builds and builds until it finally crashes together, making it difficult to sea where the sea ends and the rocks begin. At first it is no mystery that Kate is the rock, and Sean is the sea...but now I'm not so sure anymore. Which I love!

In the end this is a story about working to get what brings you happiness, thinking you know exactly what that is, losing it, and finding out that you got your happiness...you just didn't know that it could come a different way, or that maybe what you thought would equal happiness and what actually does, is two different things. For me this book was good. But would I call it great? Because it pains me to answer that question...I'm going to have to plead the fifth.








I love the Shiver Lady. I mean, I absolutely adore her.

But kids... I'm not going to call her the Horse Lady or the Scorpio Race Chick or anything like that because this book was a major FAIL in my opinion.

I mean.. WHAT THE HECK, SHIVER LADY!?! I want to read a book about romance and young love and you know... something cool!! Not a book about lochness non monstery horse things that have seaweed mains and eat people but can be tamed and a donkey horse. What the heck was this about?!! Oh, and it's told in Hobbit Lingo and when Americans do that it just uber ticks me off. I mean, I understand why Hobbits would write in Hobbit Lingo but us Americans can't wing it and when we try it just sounds uber pushed cuz it winds up sound like PIP and "PEASE SIR, MAY I HAVE SOME MORE." Not cool.

I couldn't even get into this story. Some girly who's orphaned cuz her parents got eaten by a water horse or something, and she lives with her brothers and a most awesome cat.... but the cat didn't get enough air time so I got bored.

Then there was this boy who raised water horses for this dude and his cruddy son and like his Dad was eaten by a Water Horse (apparently parents taste delicious to water horses... there's a reason to be abstinent!! Don't have sex kids or Water Horses will find you tasty!!) but he loves water horses and can't live without them and is a super stud when it comes to horse races and yadda yadda (and by horse I mean Water Horses)

Ugs.... But it was just sooo super boring and Hobbity!! Nothing against Hobbits... they're great.... but seriously... I was waiting for people to start sweeping chimneys and talking about their yellowy teeth and handing out shillings to people in fingerless gloves. AHHH!!! The horror!!

I'm more of a modern girl... unless it's a highlander story and then I'll be whatever you want.... But I did NOT dig this book AT ALL!! I got through about a quarter of it and just wanted to shout "ENOUGH!!" I couldn't get through it. I told DARKFALLEN to tell me the entire story and she did and quite frankly I wouldn't even go see a movie about what she told me.

This was just NOT NOT NOT for me! ANd I'm sorry Shiver Lady... But I gotta flop this one.