Amanda Shofner

Though The Scorpio Races was not my first introduction to Maggie Stiefvater, it is, perhaps, the first book of hers that I fully latched onto. Her stories are lyrical and deeply intriguing, forcing you slow down and savor rather than rushing through—even though you must know what happens.I am fascinated by this world where the Scorpio Races happen and capall uisce are feared monsters. Nothing is a given—not for Puck and not for Sean. The two of them are driven to enter into the Scorpio Races, each for their own reasons and each for desperately fighting for survival in a world set against them.Thisby is not a place one can survive in. If you’re not lost to the bloodthirsty horses, you’re escaping to the mainland. Staying isn’t for the faint of heart; you must love the challenge of a world set against you as much as you love the island. But against all odds (literally, in Puck’s case), both Puck and Sean attempt to make a go at it, drawn to each other by their similarities. The Scorpio Races leaves me oddly unsettled even now, after finishing. But it’s the kind of the unsettle that stays with you, bringing the story back in your memory again and again, enticing you with its lyrical quality and haunting world. I want more.