THE SCORPIO RACES by Maggie Stiefvater

I have typed and erased, typed and erased the first sentence of this review no fewer than five times. I do not really know how to tell you about this book. I feel like I have been living inside of it since I closed the pages on the first reading. I have now read it twice and am listening to it on audio, and I am quite sure that before the year closes I will have read through the physical book again. I have been a fan of Maggie's for awhile now, and loved the Wolves of Mercy Falls series a lot, but this book is different.

This book is exquisite. This book is magic. This book has moved me in ways that I think I haven't been moved since I first opened a Robin McKinley book. This book is now on my top ten YA of all time list. (Yes, I will write that entry.) This book is not for everyone, and some may dismiss it as being "too horsey," although I think those people may not have been looking deeply enough. To look at THE SCORPIO RACES and see only a book about horses is to miss...so much.

I do not want to spoil a single moment of this story for you, but I want to tell you that it is based on a tiny fragment of a legend about water horses that has been with the author a long time. It is about an island called Thisby, which is in our world, but not, because this book is what we call "alternate history." Our world, but not. Our history, but not. It is about the Scorpio Races, which are run on the beach every year, when the capull uisce (CAPple ISHka) come out of the ocean and into the hands of men, who fight to control their speed and their danger for a brief time in order to be named victor at day's end.

If they survive the beach, that is. And many do not.

And it is about Puck Connolly (and her brothers and her dead parents) and Sean Kendrick (and his dead father) and their mutual desire for freedom and mutual love of horses, and how their stories slide into one another, quietly, seamlessly, beautifully. These two people, who have lost everything and yet still have everything left to lose, somehow find one another amidst the surf and the sorrow and the stunning, beautiful words, and their story - the separate parts and the together parts - weave together to make something that I cannot seem to put down for more than a few days at a time. 

It is about horses, and not. It is about love, and not. It is about life and death and magic and folklore and family and debt and honor and OH MY GOODNESS THE SCENE WHERE SEAN BRINGS THE BREAD TO DINNER. And the last line, which has made me bow my head over the pages and sob twice. 

This book. THIS BOOK. This book, if you (or your gift recipient, should you be looking for holiday recommendations) love Robin McKinley or Kristin Cashore or Leah Cypess or Patricia McKillip. This book, which I feel I may never stop reading. This book, which has become tied for my Printz pick (my other favorite will be in another post). 

This book, which has curled itself around my heart and lives there still.

(This book, which you can enter to win a hardcover copy of, by going over to Kidliterate's Facebook page. For various reasons I need to up the numbers of fans the blog has on Facebook, so for the time being, contest entries will only be taken there.)

Comments

[Deva Fagan]

I loved this one too (after loving Lament and Ballad, but not connecting so much with the wolf books). It took me a bit to settle in and appreciate the emmersive feel of it, but once I was there I, too, did not want to leave. And that ending! Perfect!

I had not really considered until reading your review here how there is an almost traditional-fantasy feel about the story, with the isolation of Thisby. In my mind, it also felt like it might have been in an earlier (1950s?) era. Especially George Holly!

[DPM]

Darn it, Melissa, but you can really "sell" a book. Even though we don't *always* ultimately feel the same about a book (see: I AM NUMBER FOUR), your reviews always make me want to read whatever you are raving about.

I only read the first Mercy Falls book and it wasn't my cup... I had planned on giving The Scorpio Races a pass. Now, of course, I'm going to have to read it.

[Laurina Cashin]

I liked the Mercy Falls books but I loved this one. That last line -- I think I stopped breathing for a second.

[Patti]

I'm looking forward to reading this -- thanks for the review

[Emily McIlvoy]

It took me awhile to get into this one, but once I did I couldn't put it down. I remember you talking about this at Maggie's event. OMG, that was a good book! I tried to book talk at this fall, and had a terrible time trying to sell it. Wish I had your review to read beforehand.

[Idana]

Hi, I am loving your website. But have a question. I have a 4th grader who is really reading up - but I am worried about content (for example, we have discouraged her from reading hunger games yet. Where do Stiefvater's books fall into the adult content type of category. She devoured Inkspell trilogy and Percy Jackson for ex.

[Melissa]

Thanks Idana! I think Maggie's books are too sophisticated for elementary-level readers; I'm hesitant to recommend any of them before, say, 6th or 7th grade at the earliest. In the Mercy Falls books there's older content (sexual situations, violence); in The Scorpio Races there's a lot of violence and a lot of internal ruminating on adult problems that I think would just be wasted and missed on a 4th grader.

I think you've done the right thing on the Hunger Games as well.

If you need more ideas, try these authors: Anne Ursu, Jessica Day George, Robin McKinley (not Deerskin, though), Brandon Mull, James Dashner (only The 13th Reality), Trenton Lee Stewart, Pseudonymous Bosch, Floors by Patrick Carman, Jody Feldman, Lian Tanner, Marianne Malone, Tamora Pierce (try Alanna or Protector of the Small), Garth Nix...

[Idana]

Thank you for the suggestions! We're always looking for new things to keep her sated. On your advice, I already took out Jessica Day George's Princess of the midnight ball - and my daughter LOVED it. I'll have to buy her trilogy as our local library doesn't carry it. Also took out Savvy for my daughter, but she hasn't read it yet.
Idana