Review - The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

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.

I don't know why The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater sat on my bookshelf so long before I picked it up to read it. Maybe it was the suspense of what was hiding between the covers that kept me away from it so long. It could also quite possibly be the fact that when it comes to choosing what to read I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed.

That being said... I loved it. Love love loved it. It was a simple story line with lots of interesting story threads hanging off of it. The story starts out with Sean Kendrick's point of view but reading more it seems that Puck may be the MAIN main character, even though the VPs alternate between the two. And it was funny... reading her, I always pictured her younger than she was. And reading Sean I pictured him so much older.

Puck and her brothers are orphaned when their parents are killed by the water horses and are struggling to hold their heads above water on their own. Sean Kendrick, also orphaned when his father is taken down by a water horse, works for the biggest horse people in Thisby. He is the go to guy when it comes to water horses, or just horses in general. He has a way with them... a magical way that draws Puck to him. But she's wild, and soon he's drawn to her as well.

I love the relationship between Puck and her horse, Dove. She knows her inside and out and Dove knows Puck just the same. Sean and Corr are much the same, but on a completely different level. And I love the fact that Puck, being the first female ever to ride in the races, doesn't try to make it an issue of gender. She just wants to be left alone to do the only thing she can think of to save her house.

Honestly, I really don't know what to say about this book. Other than I loved it. And I think I've said that enough. It was kind of a leisurely read. I didn't speed through it, although I probably could have. But it definitely held my attention every time I opened it up. The ending was amazing and heartbreaking all at the same time and I wasn't sure which to feel. I'm kind of sad that it was a stand alone novel. I'd love to find out what happens to Puck's brother, Gabe. And what happens between Puck and Sean.

There was no clear "relationship" defined between Puck and Sean. I liked that. There was no "Oh my gosh I love him even though I just met him!" that happens in so many other stories (not that that's always a bad thing... sometimes it's done really well). They both had so many other things on their mind that their feelings completely snuck up on them before they knew what was happening. And I thought that was absolutely perfect.

I absolutely recommend this book to everyone. The legend and lore behind the water horses is so interesting to learn about and the story was heartwarming and just wonderful to read. Loved it. Seriously. Why haven't you read it yet?