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7 Reasons To Read The Book Series That Changed My Life: Raven Cycle

The Raven Cycle is about more than just a couple of Virginian teens.

kdennehy

Nov 08, 2018

Ithaca College

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7 Reasons To Read The Book Series That Changed My Life: Raven Cycle

Photo by Abyan Athif on Unsplash

March 8th, 2016 (according to my Facebook page) I had gotten home from school, finished my homework and looked at the four hundred books sitting unread on my shelves. A year ago, my Grandparents had gotten me a series I had flippantly added to my Amazon Wishlist, The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater. At that point, there were only the first three out and I'd thrown them on my shelf to look pretty, telling myself, one day I'll read you, but not today. Boy, was I wrong.

When I get to thinking, it usually ends up in extremes. So, I sat there, staring at the series for a good five minutes. What if, I thought, I start reading that first book and it ends up being my favorite series and I'll never know until I pick it up? Would I be disappointed in myself for not picking it up earlier? Would it be ground-breaking and everything I wanted in a book? So needless to say, I picked up the book. I got halfway through that night. And that was what started my almost three-year relationship with TRC. But why should you read TRC you ask? Well, there are plenty of things that make TRC so different than the rest of Young Adult lit out there.

1. The Characters

Photo by Tobias Mrzyk on Unsplash

The best thing about TRC is the characters and their relationships with each other. Each character is completely different and dynamic, with thoughts and motives and crazy quirks (and cool cars). This makes them feel so real and believable and relatable.

2. The Plot (And Subplots!)

I once went to see Maggie give a talk and she said whenever people ask her what TRC is about, she changes it every time. It's simultaneously about so many things. It's a rom-com without the rom and it's a coming of age and coming out, it's about found family, it's about prep school boys with fast cars, it's about the past, present, and the future in one place and one time, it's about time being a circle and not a line, it's about learning what you want, it's about a girl who is destined to kill her true love, it's about making mistakes and sacrifices to a sentient forest, it's about ghosts and their mysteries, it's about murder and underground business, it's about being rich and being poor, it's about how someone appears and how someone actually acts behind closed doors, it's got trees that speak Latin and mountains with cursed woman inside, it's about psychics and nymphs and it's all set in modern Virginia.

3. The Villains

Giphy

Out of the villains in TRC, I don't know if I'd categorize most of them as your typical villain. Imagine John Mulaney or Paul Rudd playing a villain but with John and Ant Man's personalities intact. Yeah, it's great, I know.

4. The Setting

It gives you an accurate representation of a modern Virginia small town in the Blue Ridge Mountain area. It also depicts the difference between the rich and poor parts of Virginia and private school life.

5. REPRESENTATION

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No spoilers, but there's very good LGBT+ rep in this series particularly bisexual and gay rep.

6. Latin (And Jokes In Latin)

I'm sorry but Latin jokes are superior to all your other jokes and no one can tell me otherwise.

7. Magical Sleeping Dead Welsh Kings

Photo by Paweł Furman on Unsplash

So one could arguably claim that this is mainly what The Raven Cycle is about, these friends setting out to find Owain Glyn Dŵr, or as they refer to him in the book Owen Glendower, a magical sleeping dead Welsh king who, upon waking, is supposed to grant a favor to the one who had awoken him.

So, in the end, everyone should read The Raven Cycle. It's the best book series to ever exist.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

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7 Reasons To Read The Book Series That Changed My Life: Raven Cycle

The Raven Cycle is about more than just a couple of Virginian teens.

1. The Characters

2. The Plot (And Subplots!)

3. The Villains

4. The Setting

5. REPRESENTATION

6. Latin (And Jokes In Latin)

7. Magical Sleeping Dead Welsh Kings

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The Best Lines from the Fab Four

And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make

The sun is up, the sky is blue, it's beautiful and so are you

Love is old, love is new, love is all, love is you

There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be

Life is very short, and there's no time for fussing and fighting, my friend

He say, "I know you, you know me", One thing I can tell you is you got to be free

Oh please, say to me, You'll let me be your man. And please say to me, You'll let me hold your hand

It was twenty years ago today, Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play. They've been going in and out of style, but they're guaranteed to raise a smile

Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see

Can you hear me? When it rains and shine, it's just a state of mind

Little darling, it's been long cold lonely winter. Little darling, it feels like years since it' s been here. Here comes the sun, Here comes the sun, and I say it's alright

We danced through the night and we held each other tight, and before too long I fell in love with her. Now, I'll never dance with another when I saw her standing there

I love you, I love you, I love you, that's all I want to say

You say you want a revolution. Well you know, we all want to change the world

All the lonely people, where do they all come from. All the lonely people, where do they all belong

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends

Hey Jude, don't make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away. Now it looks as though they're here to stay. Oh, I believe in yesterday

And when the brokenhearted people, living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be.

And anytime you feel the pain, Hey Jude, refrain. Don't carry the world upon your shoulders

I'll give you all I got to give if you say you'll love me too. I may not have a lot to give but what I got I'll give to you. I don't care too much for money. Money can't buy me love

All you need is love, love is all you need

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

Blackbird singing in the dead of night, Take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life, You were only waiting for this moment to arise

Though I know I'll never lose affection, for people and things that went before. I know I'll often stop and think about them. In my life, I love you more

Obviously the best superpower.

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8. To be welcoming and accepting of everyone.

9. How to be my own, individual person.

10. How to work for what I want.

11. How to be great at giving directions.

12. How to be humble.

13. To be well-rounded.

14. How to be great at conflict resolution.

15. The beauty of getting outside and exploring.

16. To be prepared for anything.

17. That you don't always have to do it alone.

18. How to be creative.

19. To brush off gossip.

I have never been so thankful to know you.

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

Don't freak out

Email the professor

Attend the first class

Keep attending class

Have a backup plan

Remember that everything works out at the end

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