Review - The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle #2) by Maggie Stiefvater

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater
Series: The Raven Cycle #2
Publisher: Scholastic UK (19th Sept 2013)

Blurb:
The ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken. Dangerous magic is rising. Nothing for Blue and Gansey will ever be the same. Ronan is falling more and more deeply into his dreams – and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Gansey is needed at home, and fighting to stay in Aglionby. And Adam? He’s made some new friends. Friends who are looking for the same pieces of the puzzle that Gansey, Blue and Ronan are after. Great power is at stake, and someone must be willing to wield it…

After reading The Raven Boys, the story of the four mysterious Raven Boys and Blue kept invading my thoughts and I just needed to find out what happens next. The Raven Boys ended so beautifully but the cliffhanger! So I dived right into the world of ley lines and the dangerous quest to resurrect the Welsh King in The Dream Thieves!

“In that moment, Blue was a little in love with all of them.
Their magic. Their quest. Their awfulness and strangeness.
Her raven boys.”

Before I go on, I must warn you. This review might contain spoilers because there are some things that can’t be left out before The Dream Thieves strongly focuses on Ronan, the dark and mysterious Raven Boy who has an air of aloofness with him. So, do proceed with caution, if you don’t mind a wee bit of spoilers!

“I wish you could be kissed, Jane,' he said. 'Because I would beg just one off you. Under all this.' He flailed an arm toward the stars.”

The Dream Thieves focuses solely on Ronan, as I’ve mentioned, who reveals that he can dream of things and take them out of his dreams and into reality. Hence, the title of the book which is such a clever way of introducing an arc for Ronan in the series. I admit, I didn’t probably warm up to Ronan in The Raven Boys but thankfully, I could finally see him for who he is and what’s been haunting him so terribly. In The Dream Thieves, Maggie Stiefvater once again displays her amazing turn of phrase and poetic prose in writing a story that would capture your attention from the first page until the very end.

“He hadn't realized yet that Gansey could persuade even the sun to pause and give him the time.”

I loved how the story unfolded as I found myself back in Henrietta, where the ley lines have been wreaking havoc in the little Virginia town and the introduction of a new character that immediately sets the pace of the book going. Yes, the Gray Man was such a frightening and terrifying character that I was afraid to read about, but I couldn’t resist finding out how his piece would fit into the entirety of the book. The book moved at such a pace that would lull readers into falling in love with the story and the kitsch little town of Henrietta where magic does exist with beautifully detailed descriptions of the surroundings that successfully painted countless images that somehow made me feel transported to where the characters were.

“Reality's what other people dream for you.”

It was wonderful to fall into step with the characters once again and I felt welcomed into the gang, right from page one. I adored the teasing and banter between Gansey and Blue and finally, there is something going on between them. Like, hallelujah! However, I didn’t really get my dose of Gansey and Blue in The Dream Thieves because Ronan took the spotlight in the book. Well, here’s hoping that there will be more focus on Gansey and Blue’s relationship in the next book, Blue Lily, Lily Blue!

“He danced on the knife’s edge between awareness and sleep. When he dreamt like this, he was a king. The world was his to bend. His to burn.”

The Dream Thieves was a haunting addition to the Raven Cycle because it was more dangerous and suspenseful compared to the first book. I loved how Maggie Stiefvater could expand her story by giving Ronan such a huge role in the series and I couldn’t get enough of Noah. Oh, sweet, darling Noah! Kerah!

Have you read the Raven Cycle books? Let's talk about them! I need someone to fanboy over the books, please.