Book Review | 'The Scorpio Races'

The Scorpio Races
Maggie Stiefvater
Scholastic Press
404 pg., U.S. Hardcover
(A generous) Three out of Five Stars



I'm really sorry, Maggie Stiefvater, but this book was a colossal disappointment.

Going into Races, I was expecting a thrilling tale of suspense and ravenous horses and character development, but I got none of that. At least, I--Riley Peek--did not. I'm sure many, many other people love(d) this book, but I just do not concur with that opinion.

First let's look at the plot:

Apparently, every November a race between water horses takes place, but I honestly was not captivated by this concept at all. I thought that I would be, but I wasn't. In my most 'humble' opinion, the plot was an attempt to rival the brutality of the Hunger Games, but failed. Sure, the concept could potentially have been WONDERFUL, but I just wasn't convinced that the threats were real to the characters.
I will say, though, that I was able to discern the supremacy and importance of the Races from the way characters reacted, which is ALWAYS good! I just wasn't entirely pulled in to the storyline.

Now let's look at the characters.

The story (primarily) follows two racers: Puck Connolly and Sean Kendrick. Kendrick has competed before, Connolly has not. Kendrick and Connolly, however, do not seem to be two individuals to me, but one entity that just has two families. Stiefvater's way of splitting the perspectives was very, very difficult to keep up with to the point where I just forgot that the chapters alternated perspectives between Puck and Sean. If there is anything I do enjoy about the characters, it would be the angst that they possess and the ways that they exert it. I think that they were very true teenagers and characterized in a very proper way, the characterization was just not upheld as much as it could have been.

I honestly do not want to bash this book, I really wanted to love it! Perhaps my expectations were just held too high and were just mitigated after reading the book. I tried my best to point out both flaws and successes in the story, it was just very hard!

I definitely will at least look into Stiefvater's next release, The Raven Boys, and will read the Shiver trilogy, but will learn to lower my expectations and hope for a fun plot!

I'll deeply consider reading the sequel to Races, as well.