The Scorpio Races

The Scorpio Races
by Maggie Stiefvater

What is it about:
It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

What did I think of it:
This is a beautiful read.

I've read several books by Stiefvater and thought I knew what to expect from The Scorpio Races.

I was wrong.

This story has a quiet beauty that grabs you and haunts you. Once I got drawn into the story it was hard to put the book down and the mood and atmosphere stayed with me long after I finished the book.

Puck is a strong and likeable heroine and it was easy to root for her. Sean is more complex and it took me some time to warm up to him. I loved the scenes between Puck and Sean and those between Sean and George Holly (an American visiting the island) because in these scenes you finally got to see more of what made Sean tick. It was in these scenes that I slowly grew to love Sean as much as I loved Puck.

I also loved Puck's younger brother Finn. He's a very unique character and I wouldn't mind if Stiefvater ever decided to give Finn his own story.

The races and everything around it, like the horses, was really well done in my opinion. I could easily picture the water horses with their monstrous behaviour and the descriptions were so clear I could almost smell the horses as well.

Overall this is an intense and beautiful story about belonging, love and determination and I will most certainly reread it often.

Why should you read it:
It's a hauntingly beautiful YA read.