The Raven King (The Raven Cycle #4) Maggie Stiefvater April 26th 2016 Scholastic ******Will probably contain spoilers for this book and the whole series just as a heads up****** I'm not going to try and write a normal review for The Raven King, because quite frankly I don't even know if I'm capable of doing proper reviews any more, and this is not the book or the series where I want to figure that out. That, and my love for this series transcends that of something which I can properly review, as I am completely biased and I *will* fight people about these books. On that note, this is also won't even entirely be about The Raven King on its own. Rather, it's a chance for me to go on and on and on and on and on about how much I love these books and Blue and those darn boys. My biggest fear about The Raven King, as is always the case with final books in a beloved series, was that it wouldn't be a good or fitting ending. I did not need to be worried. Rather than reac...
But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?
Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little blue birds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still the yellow brick road, though—but even that's crumbling.
What happened?
Dorothy. They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.
Best Bits: Oh. My. Glob. There was something so deliciously twisted about this book that kept me from setting it down. I was reading it during my lunch break because I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. Amy is like Dorothy in many ways, she just wants to escape her life in Kansas. Her issues, unlike Dorothy's, are more serious and intense. This makes her a great character. She's not exactly likable all the time, but I understand her motivations. She's tormented by her peers, her mom is struggling with addiction, and she can't wait to leave her home behind. Perfect timing for a tornado, right? Paige was able to take Oz, and make it her own. The associations that I have about Oz from childhood were turned upside down, and I loved it.
The characters are everything that you want them to be, and Paige doesn't spare anyone. It's sort of like Game of Thrones, no one is safe! The reader never truly knows who is good and who is wicked, and if wicked is really good in Oz?! I'm looking forward to Amy's struggle with power, and her ability to navigate who to trust (and hopefully, ultimately, trusting herself). The characters we know and love(d) make an appearance, and they're absolutely vile. I never thought I would be disgusted by the cowardly lion (because really, in the movie I just want to give him a big hug). Paige excels in warping these characters, while giving the reader an understanding of why they serve Dorothy.
Nit Picks: There is a decent amount of swearing in this one. I didn't mind it, but those who try to avoid that should be aware.
Dorothy Must Die
By Danielle Paige
Published by HarperCollins
452 Pages
Purchased
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