The Scorpio Races

“These are not ordinary horses. Drape them with charms, hide them from the sea, but today, on the beach: Do not turn your back.”

Sean Kendrick knows better than most that the legendary water horses of Thisby are deadly – his father was killed in the annual Scorpio Races when Sean was a child.  But the horses’ deadly hunger is married to a terrible beauty and strength that calls to Sean’s wildness and love for the sea.

Puck Connolly, on the other hand, is happiest with both feet firmly planted on the island, with no regard for the water horses’ dark allure. Until she enters the Scorpio Races and discovers the other world that exists on her island – a world that no one understands better than Sean Kendrick.  Both Sean and Puck need to win, and as they grow closer to race day and to each other, they realize that even if they both survive the Scorpio Races, only one can triumph.

My Review:  Whether or not you love horses, read this book!  Thisby comes alive through the ritual and danger of the races, when only those courageous enough to brave the water horses on land and those lurking in the sea will experience the true exhilaration of the races. Puck and Sean love the island in different ways but both are strong and loyal and set on a fixed course that could determine the rest of their lives.  They’re each so much a specific part of the island and I loved that.

Pick up The Scorpio Races if, like me, you can’t get enough of Maggie Stiefvater’s gorgeous writing, if you love a setting that comes alive, and if you want characters that will stay with you.  If you’re an aspiring writer, you can also check out Maggie Stiefvater’s revision process for part of the book by visiting her website.

Katie Clark
Teen Librarian