“You're asking me to define an abstract concept that no one has managed to explain since time began. You sort of sprang it on me," Gansey said. "Why do we breathe air? Because we love air? Because we don't want to suffocate. Why do we eat? Because we don't want to starve. How do I know I love her? Because I can sleep after I talk to her. Why?”
SPOILER ALERT!!!
Book: The Raven King (The Raven Cycle #4)
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Paranormal
Synopsis: All her life, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love's death. She doesn't believe in true love and never thought this would be a problem, but as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.
What I think about it…
Finally, the conclusion of The Raven Cycle series! I have so much to talk about but I don’t know how to talk about it without spoiling it so I decided this review will contains lots and lots of spoilers… and rants. But to sum up my feelings for the whole series, I will still stand with what I said in the review of the first book (The Raven Boys) that this is going to be a favorite although the book two and three is not much fun for me. I love all the characters here and everything else is solid.
What I liked less…
You see, even if it’s one of my favorites, there are some things here that, I would say, confused the hell outta me and there are questions that sprout on my mind with that ending.
- I personally think that Gansey and Blue’s love story was set aside to give way to Ronan and Adam’s. I mean, of course they’re not the only main characters in the story but given that synopsis in book one and all, I thought that their love story is gonna be the thing.
- I don’t know if I missed the part where Gansey knew that he’s going to die when he is kissed by Blue. I was surprised to read that he already knew that he’s going to die from Blue’s kiss but how did he know that he is Blue’s true love? I know Blue told him that her true love is going to die if she kisses that true love but did Blue told her that it is him (the true love)? Or Gansey just connected the dots?
- So it was mentioned countless of times that there are three sleepers – one being the demon and then Gwenllian and the last one who? When they found Glendower, he is dead. Dead. Dead for so centuries. They can’t wake him up and so I thought that made him not the third sleeper because he’s not sleeping. Again, he’s dead. And then there are events that seemed to tell us that Gansey is the Raven King like (1) In Blue Lily, Lily Blue when he fell in the first cave and then suddenly there are ravens that began to shout, “The Raven King, make way for the Raven King,” and Gansey said he’s coming out of the pit; (2) when the three women who looked like Blue appeared in Cabeswater and they’re walking towards Gansey saying, “Make way for the Raven King”; and (3) they woke him up in the ending and as the last tree from Cabeswater fell, there was something that said, “Make way for the Raven King,” and then Blue said, “Wake up.” So I thought, is he the Raven King? Do Blue, Ronan and Adam know about that? Coincidence? But I’m paying attention when I was reading book one to know that The Raven Boys do not believe in coincidence and so am I.
- That was it for Noah? What? No. Maggie Stiefvater didn’t give his character a justice. He’s one of the Raven Boys and his character was left like that? Also I’m confused with time being a circle or whatever or whatnot and it turned out that it is Noah who whispered something to Gansey and not Glendower but still it’s confusing. So why is Noah’s spirit still with them then? For what other purpose? To poke Blue’s eyes out?
- In my personal opinion, Persephone’s death is completely unnecessary. I mean, why did she die? What reasons? To teach Adam what? I don’t get it. I think Stiefvater killed her just to have some bang in Blue Lily, Lily Blue’s ending.
- Some characters are there for completely no reason at all first one being Malory, I mean, okay he helped Gansey during his search for the ley line abroad but I don’t think his character helped a lot to progress the story when he appeared in book three. Then there are the Laumonier triplets who I thought was really scary and a worthy opponent but then I also thought we’re already in the ending and Stiefvater is still trying to introduce us to problems. What is she up to? And then Jimi – heck I didn’t know about Jimi, Orla’s mother, until this book. We were introduced to Jimi only to know that she and Orla was sent away somewhere to keep them safe. No, I think Stiefvater only wants to get rid of as much characters as she can because it’s the end and there’s really nothing for them.
- Also I need more from Neeve. Her half chapter doesn’t even discuss why she’s that way. I mean, okay, she wants more but what’s up with waking up the demon? And she died just like that? She isn’t even needed in this whole series so why make her character.
- I need to know what happened to other characters like Artemus and Gwenllian, are they gonna stay in this world and not aged? Also, I thought there was something more about why Artemus is acting cowardly but there’s no explanation at all. Why was he so distant? And I don’t like how crazy Gwenllian is like why does Stiefvater made her that way? Just to make it appear like there’s some kind of a mystery and in the end not even addressing it? Heck. What happened to Mr. Gray and Maura’s love life? Declan and Matthew? What happened to the people in the gathering and the demon? When Gansey died, the demon just disappeared like that? No more details?
Now let’s talk about that ending. I made my point that I think Gansey is The Raven King but his death was delivered like that. I want more, I was expecting more drama and more tears but there’s none. And I love Gansey. Blue, Ronan and Adam love Gansey and I know that for a fact but it felt like Henry Cheng is more hurt and in pain when Gansey died than those three. The three books build that up – Gansey’s death – and that was it? Again. I. Want. More.
The thing with Glendower is quite satisfying because I don’t know if I can handle it if he is, in fact alive. I didn’t understand that thing with Artemus and Gwenllian but with Glendower, its fine. But what’s sad is that they don’t get to make a wish for Noah to come back to life but I also think that it’s okay. But again, Noah deserves a good ending. Also, I’d like to know where the myth that Glendower is actually alive and that you can ask him for a favor comes from because damn Gansey was expecting so much from it and I was expecting so much more from it.
My Verdict
To sum up my The Raven Cycle experience, I love it. It’s just that I felt like the ending was rushed and I don’t know if I was the only one with so much confusion like that. I didn’t know if it was explained in the book and I just missed it. I love it. Still one of my favorite series. Crazy ride my Raven Boys.
MY RATING
★★★★☆
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