The Scorpio Races by Maggie StiefvaterRating: 4.5 stars
Synopsis: Every year, the Scorpio Races are run on the beach of Skarmouth. Every year, the sea washes blood from the sand. To race the savage water horses can mean death, but the irresistible. When Puck enters the races to save her family, she is drawn to the mysterious Sean, the only person on the island capable of taming the beasts. Even if they stay together, can they stay alive?
My review: I loved this book! I haven't yet read the 'Shiver' trilogy (I'm going to I promise!) but I've read so many series and trilogies lately I wanted to indulge in some stand alones for a little while. With all the hype over the Shiver trilogy I was intrigued as to whether this would live up to all the buzz and Oh My Gosh it did!
I loved the whole idea of the races; it's unusual and different and you could tell Maggie had really thought about the whole process of them, from sign-up to the actual races the whole thing felt alive and real.
The water horses (or capall uisce/cappaill uisce as they are known in the book) added to the originality of the book and I loved the idea of capturing the horses from the sea each year. The way the water horses are savage beings from the stormy sea is really unique and shows you that you can't trust anyone in the races - especially the horses.
The characters are really well written. I love that Puck isn't like so many of the female protagonists I've read recently who are whiny and a little bit stupid, she just gets the job done. She takes part in the races to try and keep her family together and, I think, to prove to herself that even if her family is torn apart, she is strong enough to hold what's left of it together. Sean is the mysterious horse whisperer who has won the races for the past few years. Something you'll learn about me, I fall in love with the male protagonists very easily and Sean is no different. Again, he does what he has to do to survive although he takes part in the races not just for the money but also for the thrill of the races.
If I can't have Sean though, I would settle for Corr. I adore the connection Sean has with his water horse and how, although Corr is as dangerous as the other water horses, both horse and rider love each other and will do anything to protect the other which is all kinds of sweet. Seriously, if Sean is unavailable, I'll take Corr (or both, preferably both!)
The only reason I gave this book a 4.5 rating was I felt the ending was kind of sudden and a little confusing. Don't get me wrong, it's a satisfying ending but I felt it could have been done differently - maybe fleshed out more and explained a little bit better. I kind of understood why it ended the way it did - I don't know maybe you guys will disagree with me if you read it.
Apart from that, the book is incredible and I can't do it justice without giving everything away! If you're wary of starting the Shiver trilogy, start with The Scorpio Races - it's a brilliant way to introduce yourself to Maggie Stiefvater's writing.
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