The Dream Thieves, by Maggie Stiefvater

The Raven Cycle #2
Scholastic
ISBN:  978-0545424943
September 2013
Young Adult

THE DREAM THIEVES, by Maggie Stiefvater, is an incredible continuation of The Raven Cycle series.  Told in the same haunting, mysterious voice as THE RAVEN BOYS, book two focuses on Adam’s transformation following his sacrifice to the ley line, Ronan’s ability to remove objects from his dreams, and Blue’s determination to not fall in love.  New characters, The Gray Man and Kavinsky, add tension and unexpected twists to an already complex story.  

Book one in the series, THE RAVEN BOYS, was a complicated novel which focused primarily on establishing background, setting, and purpose for the series. If you have not read THE RAVEN BOYS, I highly recommend you do so before reading the second book, as THE DREAM THIEVES picks up where the first book left off and is grounded in showing the outcome of the young group’s pursuit of the slumbering Welsh king.  As revealed in the previous book, Blue’s connection with the boys who attend Aglionby are centered on her knowledge that Gansey is going to die within the year, and Blue hopes to prevent Gansey’s death.  Befriending the boys is contradictory to Blue’s beliefs, as she doesn’t usually like the wealthy boys who attend the boarding school, but for some reason she fits in nicely with this motley crew.  Trying to avoid a deeper emotional connection to both Adam and Gansey is challenging, despite the knowledge that if she kisses her true love, the boy will die.  However, she finds herself drawn closer and closer to these boys as they seek tomb of the sleeping king. 

 

Unlike THE RAVEN BOYS, THE DREAM THIEVES starts at a much faster pace, and though is purposefully meanders at times, the story definitely hooks you and moves quickly.  Relationships between Gansey and Adam, as well as Gansey and Blue undergo major transformations, and Adam’s role in the group changes drastically.  Ronan’s ability to bring the objects from his dreams into the physical world makes him even more dangerous.  Supporting characters, such as psychic women with whom Blue lives, provide both a sense of normalcy in the lives of the group, but also add mystical elements throughout.  Each character, each action they take, and each thought that is voiced is important and moves the plot forward, however, the reader is still completely unable to anticipate what will happen next.  Stiefvater’s writing is beautiful and complex, and I cannot wait to find out what happens in the third installment of The Raven Cycle.

Rating:  4