The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

If you have read my previous reviews for Maggie's books The Raven Boys, The Dream Thieves, Blue Lily, Lily Blue, and The Raven King you know it is because of my friend Rachel that I discovered my love for Maggie's writing. 

I don't remember how I stumbled across it but there is a recipe called November Cakes that I somehow landed on the page for and it sounded delicious and I loved the snarky side notes in it, they felt so Maggie. I couldn't think of anyone else I knew who would appreciate it as much as me so I asked Rachel of she would eat them if I made them. She then told me it was from this book, and I had no idea...so of course I needed to read it before attempting to make the cakes. 

AND I AM SO GLAD I DID!!! I loved this story. I love Puck and how amazing and strong she is even when she is scared and lost. Her courage is AMAZING!! I love Sean and how he allows himself to be alive when he meets Puck. I love the imagery of Thisby and I can understand why Puck loves her island home so much. The danger of the water horses and the race made my heart pound more than once. The gentle love that develops between Puck and Sean is not at all gratuitous and feels right. Their love of their horses is what begins to bond them and it is so well written, how they see each other's humanity and heart in how they treat their animals. 

Every November 1 Thisby has its Scorpio Races event. People come from the mainland and watch and bet on the races. People die during it. The capall uisce are mythical sounding creatures that are horses that are brutal and beautiful and come out of the ocean. Every year they are raced. Sean has won 4 times. He needs to win again, once last time, for himself and for his beloved Corr. Puck needs to win her first and only race, on her beloved "pony" Dove so she can save her home and take care of her younger brother as her older brother has withdrawn from them and wants to leave the island. The way Maggie writes this you can see the ocean, smell the salt and blood and picture the horses and their deadly beauty!!

Sean works at the Malvern yard and has made himself the reason for the successes of the place which dissent sit well with Mutt Malvern, a cruel and awful person and the son of the owner. He is quiet and strong and kinder than anyone seems to know, and a bit of a horse whisperer. 

Puck and her brothers are orphans and struggling to survive. And then she and Sean are thrown together. 

I want to go on and on about how beautiful and horrible and amazing Thisby and this story are but I will just say read it!! You won't be sorry. 

(Finished September 14, 2020)