The Scorpio Races by Maggie StiefvaterOn the library stacks: YA Fiction
AR Reading Level: 5.5
Awards: Kirkus Editors Choice; Publishers Weekly Best Book; Michael Printz Honor Book; SLJ Best Book
Recommended for: Ages 13+
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Puck Connolly loves her island home of Thisby. She can't understand why her brother Gabe wants to leave the land she loves. So she signs up as the first woman ever to run in the annual Scorpio Races in the hopes that Gabe will stay and change his mind. Dangerous carnivorous water horses come up out of the sea each year on Thisby. Some are captured and tamed enough to ride in The Scorpio Races. Puck doesn't have a water horse, but that won't stop her.
Sean Kendrick, who has won the race four times trains water horses at the Malvern yards. Mr. Malvern is the richest man on the island has agreed to sell Sean is beloved horse named Corr if he wins. Sean feels drawn to help Puck train, even if they both can't win the race.
This book is told in the first person and alternates between Puck and Sean. I listened to the audiobook and the readers who played Puck and Sean were fabulous. The readers had British accents, so I was bothered just a little that Stiefvater used the word "pants" quite often instead of "trousers." But it's a minor quibble. Well, that and for the life of me I could not understand why anyone would want to live on an island with man-eating horses, let alone ride one. But, I was drawn into this world and I ultimately had to find jobs to do around the house that would allow me to finish listening quicker. Highly recommended.
Also reviewed by: I Am A Reader, Not A Writer ~ Not Enough Bookshelves ~ Emily's Reading Room ~ Silly Little Mischief ~ Book Nut ~ Your link here?
Source: Library Audiobook
3 comments:
That is a interesting book and sounds enjoyable. I wouldn't have picked it up though. Thanks!I will add this to my TBR..
Isn't it funny how a little thing like the use of pants can bug us? I've heard a lot of great things about this book - I need to give it a try!
What I found most fascinating in your review was the idea of water horses, flesh eating at that! I love the idea of water horses, and am now tempted to read the book just for them!
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