It has been years since I first read The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater and was completely lost. I didn’t understand a thing and wondered what on earth I just had been reading. In fall 2024, I reread it and I finally kind of understood it. What’s the difference? I read it in my native language. Back in 2014, only the first two books of “The Raven Cycle” got a translation and now al four are getting a (second) chance on the Dutch market. Whereas I still wasn’t fully convinced by the first instalment in this series, I nonetheless was curious for The Dream Thieves. This one came out in February and I finally had the time to read it. Am I ale to understand why people are raging about these books?

About the book

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater
Series: The Raven Cycle #2
Published by Scholastic Press on September 17, 2013
Pages: 439
ISBN: 9780545424943
Genres: Fantasy, Young adult
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Ronan Lynch has secrets. Some he keeps from others. Some he keeps from himself.

One secret: Ronan can bring things out of his dreams.

And sometimes he’s not the only one who wants those things.

Ronan is one of the raven boys – a group of friends, practically brothers, searching for a dead king named Glendower, who they think is hidden somewhere in the hills by their elite private school, Aglionby Academy. The path to Glendower has long lived as an undercurrent beneath town. But now, like Ronan’s secrets, it is beginning to rise to the surface – changing everything in its wake.

Of THE RAVEN BOYS, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY wrote, Maggie Stiefvater’s can’t-put-it-down paranormal adventure will leave you clamoring for book two. Now the second book is here, with the same wild imagination, dark romance, and heart-stopping twists that only Maggie Stiefvater can conjure.

My review

As I was still confused by The Raven Boys and therefore not 100% convinced, I went into this sequel with curiosity. Something happened at the end of the previous book and I wondered what this would mean for the continuation of the story of the boys and Blue. Furthermore, I saw that this book would focus more on Ronan, a character whom we barely got to know. I mean, he was present and played a role, but remains mysterious as Gancey, Blue and Adam took center stage. As the premise promises us to show more Ronan, I was expecting to get to know him better.

My expectations were partially met. Indeed, the spotlight is shining on Ronan and his mysterious gift, but I still think he stays a little illusive. Of course we get some more insight in Ronan’s family dynamics – or either, the lack of – but I still don’t have the feeling that we actually get to know him as we should for a main character. It took me a good portion of the book to understand what he is doing with his gift and how it influences him. To me, Gancey’s and Adam’s stories in this book were a bit more clear. Unfortunately, all characters stay a little vague to me and nobody shows clear character growth.

Moreover, I wasn’t too intrigued by the plot in this second instalment of “The Raven Cycle”. Compared to the first book, I found it even more vague and I have the feeling that I still am lost on what I just have been reading, even if I finished it nearly a week ago. The fact that this is a direct follow-up to the previous book doesn’t change this at all. To me, it sounds like this series is hard to grasp whenever you don’t have any knowledge of the paranormal and spiritual world. Unlike my expectations, and what it’s quite the standard for YA series, these books are not action-packed. You also have to read between the lines a lot, because the author isn’t fully transparent in storytelling and a lot happens behind the words. This made me struggle, because I was hoping that it would finally “click” with me and I could understand the hype. Even though the ending gives us a glimpse of the next book, it doesn’t leave me too curious for it.

The writing however is phenomenal. It’s whimsical and lyrical, with a lot of POV switches. Although these switches are necessary, they could be confusing at times as it feels like Stiefvater jumps from one subject to another. From one character to another. This makes it hard to follow the storyline and therefore to get sucked into this book. This series therefore should find its right audience, because it clearly isn’t for everyone. I definitely wouldn’t recommend it to new readers or people who are returning to reading after taking a long break. These books are not straight forward and you constantly have to read between the lines. I do recommend these books however, if you are looking to step out of your comfort zone.

What I was afraid of might turn out to become true, I wonder if Maggie Stiefvater’s “The Raven Cycle” is a series for me. Whereas I was able to understand the first instalment better the second time around and in my native language, The Dream Thieves was – and still is – really vague to me. I finished it last week and am still lost and confused on whatever I just read. I have no idea what the author wants with this story as the plot is too vague to me. It’s definitely not straight forward and you have to read between the lines a lot. The focus has been shifted to Ronan for this novel, a character who hardly got his chance to shine in the first book. Still, he remains quite a mystery to me, even though we get more insight into his life, family dynamics and gift. Because of the vagueness of the plot, I struggled getting intrigued by it and am not sure whether I will continue this series by reading Blue Lily, Lily Blue. Are you interested in the paranormal and the spiritual world and don’t you mind reading between the lines constantly? Then this entire series might be for you.