🍃 The first 100 people to download Endel by clicking the link or scanning the QR code will get a free week of audio experiences! bit.ly/caricanreadEndel
I saw Maggie speak once and she said that she had a sticky note on her desk that just said “the worst thing that can happen is that they stop being friends” the entire time she was working on the series. that doesn’t keep me up at night or anything I’m super chill about it
@@evergreencollective9059 There's a sequel series? I just know about the book (s?) about Ronan. Sounds like a very universe-breaking sequel if they really aren't friends anymore :(
@@emdove Yeah in the Ronan trilogy follow up the others are barely mentioned aside from Adam. I haven't read past the first one but from what I hear it basically seems/feels like they are not friends
@@evergreencollective9059 the Declan-Jordan romance is the only canon part to me, everything else didn't happen in my mind, the badly shoehorned in epilogue where they appear for five seconds will not change that lol
I haven't actually read this series but one of my close friends has. The only thing they've said to me about it is that "that should've ended in a polyamorous relationship. cowards."
Now that I can actually watch the video instead of commenting without watching it because I was at work, The Grey Man is my "okay, but here me out" (for which I won't to avoid spoiling people), the Dream Thieves was my favourite book but I reread the Raven King more so maybe that one is, and the Dreamer Trilogy is bonkers.
I just finished rereading the trb and now I'm wondering how I didn't get the memo the first time I read it.. bc Noah and Ronan literally spoiled everything themselves 😭
Maggie Stiefvater’s writing feels like enchanting dream logic (which - fitting for the themes of this series). Like, the plot points sound chaotic, soft, and off-the-wall when you try to tell someone about it … but it makes absolute perfect sense while you are reading and it’s such a fun journey.
I never comment on TH-cam videos but TRC is my favorite series of all time and I wanted to provide some IRL context from when the books were coming out: part of the reason the writing in the final book is so strange and dreamlike is because Maggie Stiefvater was suffering from a then-undiagnosed illness that caused severe brain fog while writing it--the publication was actually delayed by like 6 months because she needed more time to finish the book. The chapter near the end where Ronan is being unmade and repeatedly fights his way to consciousness, using the brief moments that he's in control of his own mind to pull beautiful things out of his dreams, basically encapsulated what the writing process was like for her (she wrote that chapter in a rare moment of total lucidity near the end of editing). She's written a lot of really interesting blog posts about the process of writing the series, especially The Raven King, though some of them might be hard to find since she deleted her Tumblr. Fun fact: When I got my first TRC tattoo, I posted about it on Tumblr and Maggie Stiefvater liked the post. A couple months later, I went to her book signing and showed her the tattoo and she remembered me!
finally cari has been sucked into the raven cycle cult. there’s another series that takes place after the raven cycle called the dreamer trilogy that follows ronan and the lynch brothers!!
Funny thing: Maggie actually wrote Dream thieves first, then realised there was too little "crew" in all that Ronan, so she wrote The Raven Boys to give everybody else more of a background and stuff.
Maggie didn’t write The Dream Thieves specifically first she was creating a story around a character who took things from dreams, his name was Sean & I think she borrowed parts of that for TRC & the dreamer trilogy & the main plot actually went to The Dreamer Trilogy.
@@alexagc123uploads after Maggie finished writing Greywaren she decided to burn the notebook she used to compile trc/tdt info/writing process & she posted pictures on Twitter & Instagram, the post is still on Instagram you have to scroll back to late 2021, specially November based on the dates on the screenshots I grabbed.
Maggie Stiefvater's writing style is just my absolute favorite. I highly recommend another book she wrote, the Scorpio Races, if you liked her prose! Its one of my fave books of all time
If memory serves, Maggie actually wrote the dream thieves first, and then added the raven boys to kind of expound on the relationships and everything. I just love them so much it’s not perfect by any stretch and of course, there are a few plot holes that I refuse to analyze lol and it’s got a little bit of that “it’s not about but the destination but the journey” thing going on but i recommend a series to everyone. Definitely a comfort read for me.
godddd gansey is just a character of all time for me, and stievater's prose and dialogue has stuck in my brain like nothing else. a beautiful depiction of what a really good teenage friend group looks like imo, reminds me of the best moments with my high school friends
"i'm not really sure what's going on but I'm loving it" is kind of the only review this series can receive LOL this was such an exciting watch and perfect timing for an autumn reread of the raven cycle
@@caricanreadyou, Cindy, readswithrachel, clockwork reader, and MyNameIsMarines are THE quintissential booktubers! side note, I kinda hate how the author spelled the beautiful name of Niamh as Neeve 🤣🤣
I was talking to a friend a while ago about how the Republican-ness of the boys ages so funny, like imagine Gansey's mom being involved in anything in politics from the last 10 years
I feel like the raven cycle is a series that sometimes gets kind of tedious to get through but then in hindsight you just can't help but love it. I guess it's because you just get to know the characters so well even if the plot doesn't really progress for a long time.
I loved reading it but I can see where you are coming from. But also I feel like a lot of the plot lines and details in the books left a cloud have, would have thought. Like everytime I reread it or think about there are a few details where I’m like Mhh That’s interesting and think about it for ages
I am literally 1 hour away from finishing the first book on audio and I am LOVING it and don’t know how it’s taken me this long to read! It’s giving me The Marauders meets the Graveyard Book meets Practical Magic??? So now I am saving this video for when I have finished the series and can savor this!!
I am in the third book and now I have the need to re-read again to refresh my memory!, so happy that you got to read the raven cycle, it honestly feels like home in a weird way 🥹
I truly think (as someone who rereads these books once a year) that they get better the more you've read them. Like the first time is to get a gist of who these people are and then coming back it's like meeting your best friends you haven't seen in a while, just having a good time - enjoying their company as you will. These books are not about the story, they're a warm embrace of loved ones
I love this series, Adam Parrish is one of my favourite characters of all time! The action and the plot sometimes is too vague and confusing but I guess that's kind of the point, because like you said in particular in the last book everything gets very dreamlike. For me what really makes this books good are the characters and the relationships between them.
@@user-bj5yl7cp1s see examples lol www.google.com/search?q=gasp+excitement+gif&sca_esv=571066675&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjclbmWhuCBAxWbD1kFHcqkA3IQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1600&bih=743&dpr=1.8
Legit my favorite book series of all time, never have I read a series where all of the main cast of characters have such complex relationships with every single one of each other. They explore so many kinds of love and all different dynamics and it just hits SO HARD AUUGHHH.
the effect this series had on me when I was thirteen CANNOT be understated- I re read it this summer and it was still so magical. It’s like nothing else I’ve ever read and I’m so glad you enjoyed it too!!!
When Ronan and Adam became my second fave couple of all time, I wouldn't shut up about it around my sister. She doesn't read but she knew about Ronan Lynch and Adam Parrish 😂
The fact that I couldn't get behind either of those couples, DNF-ed The Song of Achilles and found the Raven Cycle just so-so. Please tell me more of your favourites so I can avoid them! 😂 (In case it doesn't come across, this is just a joke of course, we all have different tastes 😊)
@emdove lol 😭😭😭they are not everyone's cup of tea and i get that. Some of my other fave couples are Scarlett and Zev (the Lunar Chronicles), Nina and Mattheius (Six of Crows), Emma and Julian (The dark artifices).
I'm obsessed with the audiobooks. The narrator truly only enhances the mysticism of it all and enriches the world. I've listened to the whole series multiple times because of how much I love the recordings!
I listened (probably at least 7 or times) to the audiobooks narrated by Will Patton and I can hear all the characters' voices in my head. They are some of the most vividly narrated books/characters I've ever heard. Haunting, hysterical, so absolutely endearing. Yes. 😭
I’m German and I tried listening to the German audio book but didn’t like the narrator. But after reading so many comments about loving the will patton one I gave them a try and wow there sooo nice
Another tidbit about the Raven Cycle that puts some of the pacing into perspective is that it was initially meant to be a five book series, with the fourth book ending with Gansey's death and the fifth book entirely concerned with getting him back and tying up other loose ends. Maggie's illness and publishing pressure/concerns over how a five book series would sell (I guess?) turned five books into four. I too was not super excited about the way the fourth book ended but learning that made it make a little more sense. There is a second series centering Ronan and dreaming called the Dreamer Trilogy that does explore and answer a few of the dangling questions from the Raven Cycle.
Cari - your videos do something so beautiful, I’ve been thinking about why I enjoy and rewatch them so much and I think I’ve realised why - your videos connect to something really core to the human experience. I find it hard to sit down and read books through, but your forgot the plot vids make me feel like a friend is telling me this crazy fantasy story with so much energy and fun - it’s something really nourishing and the way stories were told and passed along for thousands of years. Food for the soul type of stuff. Also you’re very funny and your videos crack me up and the way you tell them really helps make the stories so compelling. Basically love ya girl, keep doing what you do.
Someone already mentioned it but the audiobook for this series is read by Will Patton and it’s SO GOOD. He’s so good with his voices and tone that really heightens tension, or softens the scene with a calmer voice. He’s also narrated a bunch of Stephen king books and after listening to this book it makes total sense haha
OMG I got so excited when I saw this thumbnail!!! You HAVE to read the Dreamer Trilogy spinoff, I honestly loved it even more than TRC. It really dives into the whole dreamer lore and the themes are so much more about like, becoming an adult, defining yourself in the world, being different - it’s honestly one of the best things I’ve ever read
I'm for sure one of the people whose entire personality is these books lol. Would def recommend the sequel books (Dreamer Trilogy) if you're wanting more!! They're focused on the Lynch brothers :)
Not Cari posting a video reading one of my all time favorite series!!! *grabs a pint of ice cream and settles in* Having watched now: I think this series is also wonderful on a re-read, because you can immerse yourself in them without having to worry about plot or whether bad things will happen, you can just…live in the words. I always say Maggie’s writing (especially in TRC) is some of my favorite, and is the kind of writing that reminds me why I want to write. PS- Not only are there novellas, but there’s a whole Dreamer Trilogy that focuses on Ronan. Which…I haven’t read yet shhhhhh I’m horrible
The Raven Cycle series has me in such a chokehold! Word on the street is if you like the SoC and TRC found family then you miiiiiggghhtt like the All for the Game Trilogy by Nora Sakavic. The trilogy is absolute unhinged hot garbage that I don’t recommend at all (but I absolutely love)💀 I think it’d make such a fun video😂
I absolutely love these books, and i honestly don’t know how much of that is due to Maggie's writing and how much of it is Will Patton's narration. It's the *perfect* collaboration.
You must read her book “The Scorpio Races!” It’s so underrated and the characters are so good. It’s a stand alone. The opening line is “It’s November 1st, so today someone will die.” I literally read it every November because it’s so good
JUST FINISHED THE SERIES . WOW. The prose , the characters, the world. Nothing has captured me so fully before. There are a lot of parts of the series that I personally feel could have been delved into more or perhaps had squandered their potential- but overall it’s so gripping. So magical. I love the whole main cast so much!
HI JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK U THANK U THANK U!!! Me and my bf went on a 9hr road trip last week and i got to choose what we played in the background. I chose ur ACOTAR plot summary bc i've read the series like 8 times and thought it would be fun to make him listen to the insane plot. he got HOOKED! he asked me to play the next one. we even finished the ACOWAR one and now he wants to actually read the books 😭 i've been trying to convert him for years lol ur video was all it took
This is a series that just gets better each time you read it. Even though you know what's going to happen you pick up on details sprinkled throughout the series. It's one of my favorites 😍 Also I strongly recommend the audiobooks - Will Patton narrates these beautifully.
I've literally been trying to get people to read this series. I found it by accident, but where I'm from it's not something people know about. I adored this story and the characters and have no words for my feelings.
aaa i’m always excited when i see people discover the raven cycle, it’s been my favorite ya series for years. it got me back into reading so it’s almost like it was my six of crows lol. i’m so glad you enjoyed it!!
This series changed me in that the WRITING is so... inspiring? The way she writes magic is great. Have you read "the winners choice"? I havent seen people talk about it and I get it but I remember liking the plot and characters. Would love your take on it!
"Adam knows but they're just tiptoeing around it because they're both weird as hell" I snorted. Nothing ever said has being more true. happy you liked this series!! one of my favorites
Absolute favorite series of all time. I always recommend it to everyone and I feel like people don’t take the recommendation seriously bc it’s not fairy smut! I would give anything to read this series for the first time again!
My absolute favorite book series of all time. Instant classic. Literally nothing like it. My fav is blue lily lily blue!!! The last book I actually really loved too considering how a lot of people didn’t like how it ended!! Sooo glad you covered this series 😭💖🩶!!!
Maggie was my life blood in my early teens! I felt she just understood me as a dramatic, poetic, young person and I adored her for it! Lament and Ballad were my favorites by her! I haven’t read them in so long… I’m scarred my adult viewpoint will ruin the magic I felt when I was 16 😅 but man… this vid took me back to my Maggie years! I loved her work so so much!!
Ahhh! I have been waiting so long for you to read this series and make a video about it. This series holds such a special place in my heart I can’t even describe it. I stumbled across this series at the exact point in my life where I needed it, I had just experienced the death of a loved one for the first time at 16 years old and was just struggling with the grieving process a lot. I hadn’t been reading for a while, but I just needed an escape and books had always done that for me. So I started reading this series, and while it was doing exactly what I needed - helping me escape reality - I didn’t realise at first that it was also helping me grieve. It helped me navigate my emotions of love and loss and pain and joy and everything in between because I got to process it and experience it along with the characters in a way that didn’t feel too close. It let me process my loss at a distance, through these characters and a make believe plot. Never has a book or series made me feel such genuine, real emotions before or since. I love that you’re finally reading it and bringing attention to it as I feel like people don’t really give it the appreciation or attention it deserves when compared to a lot of other books, and that the comment section is filled with other people that shared the experience of reading and loving this series and the emotional rollercoaster of it.
I have been checking your channel EVERY DAY since the teaser. Thank you for doing the Raven boys it's one of my all time favorite series ever. Top three. I discovered it later in life as well which honestly wasn't that bad. I would have OBSESSED over it even more as a teenager.
I was like "yay, a new Cari video!" And then immediately paused it because you started talking about it and I started tearing up.... I thought I had put this book series behind me, but you mentioned the beginning of The Raven King and I was ready to BAWL.
30:51 cari, don't worry: i too started the raven boys (inmediately after reading shiver) and DNF. then, i tried again, and fell into the book like Alice fell into Wonderland.
I was scared to click on this video because TRC is one of my favorite series --- so relieved that you loved it! Funnily enough, I had the same experience with the first book: thought it was okay the first time I read it, re-read it when the second book came out and loved it. Thank you for the lovely video, Cari!
Lmaoo I love to see the contrast between the Cari of the beginning and the Cari of the end of the video. I just love this series so much. I honestly never found other character that made me feel like Adam has, his struggles with growing up poor but still so affected by his own pride is really well done. And he is bi, so there's another one in my bingo card. The relationship between Adam and Ronan is suchhh a delight to me. I love that so much about them exists between the lines and both of them are sort of liars to the outside world, but they understand each other so much. I think you'll be catching yourself re-reading a lot of the 4 books and catching something different between the characters every time. The problems to me always evolves around the villains. The author does a beautiful job building a family among the protagonists, but the villains are always kinda meh and honestly confusing hahahah I remember reading the first one and having a hard time cause I was still learning english and the mythology was so different and the plot so difficult. Great video!
I don't know if you've read the Dreamer trilogy but the villains were one of the big reasons I didn't enjoy it. Maggie to me excels at small-stakes dreamy local magic stuff, and did not do well at expanding that kinda vibe to world-ending plotlines
@@Tarmachan TELL ME ABOUT IT. I still haven't read the last one (maybe this video pushes me to finish it), but what you said is definitely one of the reasons for my delay. So many POVs and new characters and antagonists that I do not care even a little bit. Not a single drop of charisma. And PLOT STILL VERY CONFUSING. Honestly if someone told me that a Ronan trilogy focused on him and his brothers would be disappointing I would say they were crazy. But here we are. And I also have some problems with the direction that Maggie was taking with Ronan because I really want him to leave Henrietta and it seemed that that wasn't on the cards (I can still be surprised but don't know)
@@laismariano5293 Yeah for me I just wasn't happy with the character development of existing people (except Declan, I actually really liked his and Jordan's stuff but this all gets shunted in the final book in favour of him looking for his mother and boyyy did I not enjoy that or the backstory changes). I especially didn't like the really contrived way that Adam and Ronan were kept apart by weird plot or character decisions, because having Adam there would solve half the plot issues instantly. Their relationship woes felt super out of character for the people we already knew from TRC, and their reuniting and the resolution to their relationship was a huge letdown for me in the final book. The final book felt very rushed after how much book 2 dragged, and the ending scene felt like a mid fanfiction to me, which was my biggest disappointment. If you do ever finish it, come back and let me know what you thought if you remember!
THE RAVEN CYCLE DESTROYED ME. I READ IT TWO YEARS AGO AND A DAY HAS NOT PASSED SINCE THAT I HAVE NOT THOUGHT OF THR HEARTWRENCHINH PLOT AND CHARACTRRS OF THIS SERIES. IT IS MY FAVOURITE SERIES EVER AND I WISH MORE PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT IT
I similarly also read the first one (and a little of Dream Thieves) and then kind of lost the thread. I think I wasn't in a good reading headspace or something. I think it was well over a year later when I decided to continue the series because I owned them all and wanted to get back into it (I also had a writer friend who really loved them) and I just got so into it and devoured the series and loved the series as a whole. The characters are great. I've read it through a couple times now and am getting read for a reread before an upcoming Maggie Stiefvater workshop.
these books changed my life circa 2015 & i think it's one of the longest-standing love affairs i've had with a book series (along with the more recent Dreamer Trilogy sequel) & now like. it's not enough to miss TRC i have to read an academic paper about it....... glad to hear you enjoyed it!!! 🫶🏽
omg i’m so happy cari read this series it’s one of my favorites from that 2015 era tumblr books that feature ravens hahsjsjksk now all she needs it to read aftg and she’ll have read the trio (soc/ trc/ aftg)
The timing of this coming out while I’m halfway through my 3000th reread of this series 🙌 you should reread it soon after knowing the whole story, it’s an entirely different experience - so deep and fulfilling and that was when a series that I loved became my favourite of all time
I’m scared for this one but I know you’ll do it justice! This series is a huge part of my personality as well 😂! I listen to the audiobooks embarrassingly often. Maggie is by far my favorite author. ❤ Can’t wait to hear your thoughts!!🎉 Edit to say it’s so weird to hear this read by a voice other than Will Patton 😂
i waited a YEAR to come back to this video and now i finally finished trc 🎉 i had a similar journey as you with the story. read the first book three times and it only stuck the third round. this video motivated me to pick it up once more and i am CHANGED. excelsior!
One of my favorite things about this series is just how much of the future plot is straight up told to you within the first like 50% of the first book but you don't notice because your attention is being diverted to something else. And then on subsequent rereads, when you realize what "I've been dead for seven years", "that's all there is" "three three times in three different handwritings", "where did you find that bird? in my head" etc. etc. mean, you really feel that sensation of time slipping and being circular that the characters are experiencing as well. Such a good example of foreshadowing and writing style complementing the content and I can't shut up about it lol
Maggie Stiefvater has been my favorite author since I was a kid and my mom recommended this series and the Scorpio Races to me! She writes books that are technically YA but can be amazing reading experiences for pretty much any age group. She herself doesn’t love the age-based genres her books are grouped into and I totally agree with her. I’ve reread the books maybe every 3 years and I’ve gotten something new from them every time.
When I woke up and remembered I have a WHOLE HOUR of Cari talking about books to enjoy with my morning pumpkin coffee, I couldn't wait to start the day.
I stumbled upon your channel a few months ago because i saw a short of yours, and I'm so happy I did! I also read a ton throughout my childhood and them stopped once I got into college, then I had kids immediately afterwards, so never feel like I have time to read, but have recently gotten into audiobooks so that I can still enjoy the stories while I'm busy doing other things throughout the day amd everything I have listened to so far are all books you have recommended 😊 they've all been great!
OH MY GOD YESSS, my favorite booktuber reviewing the series that's so close to my heart. I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THIS! (I need to work now but I will be coming back to this soon
I’d just like Cari and y’all to know that I was literally catching up with the channel while I played a harvest moon game and JUST ran out of the most recent one and felt SO SAD there weren’t more!! And then… this happened to pop up when I closed out. A blessed day ❤🎉
🍃 The first 100 people to download Endel by clicking the link or scanning the QR code will get a free week of audio experiences! bit.ly/caricanreadEndel
I saw Maggie speak once and she said that she had a sticky note on her desk that just said “the worst thing that can happen is that they stop being friends” the entire time she was working on the series. that doesn’t keep me up at night or anything I’m super chill about it
🥺❤️🩹
And then in the sequel series they're basically not friends and never see each other or talk to each other anymore! So! It's not canon to me
@@evergreencollective9059 There's a sequel series? I just know about the book (s?) about Ronan. Sounds like a very universe-breaking sequel if they really aren't friends anymore :(
@@emdove Yeah in the Ronan trilogy follow up the others are barely mentioned aside from Adam. I haven't read past the first one but from what I hear it basically seems/feels like they are not friends
@@evergreencollective9059 the Declan-Jordan romance is the only canon part to me, everything else didn't happen in my mind, the badly shoehorned in epilogue where they appear for five seconds will not change that lol
i have read the raven cycle series multiple times and still could not tell you the plot, i'm here for the characters and the vibes
😂😂😂
"Whenever they talk about what Gansey is wearing, I black out." Said like a true TRC enjoyer 😭
Pastel chinos and a yellow sweater? Suddenly I cannot see 🙈
If he knew how to dress he'd be too powerful. Maggie had to nerf him a little bit I guess 😂
I read the series ages ago, but i still remember Blue talking shit about his boat shoes!! It was a formative moment for me
@@galllowglass when she spat lake water on them purposefully in book 2 🤣
I haven't actually read this series but one of my close friends has. The only thing they've said to me about it is that "that should've ended in a polyamorous relationship. cowards."
tell your friend i say amen
But Adam and Rowan are cuter than Blue and Adam ever were also Rowan "sadly" is gay he wouldn't want a polyamorous relationship with a girl :>
True and correct
so real 😭 except blue & adam and blue & ronan
@@namkia205 the poly ship is Blue + Gansey + Henry, aka Sarchengsey
Of course you’re never gonna be the same this book series is fantastic and I love it so much.
🥹🥹🥹
Now that I can actually watch the video instead of commenting without watching it because I was at work, The Grey Man is my "okay, but here me out" (for which I won't to avoid spoiling people), the Dream Thieves was my favourite book but I reread the Raven King more so maybe that one is, and the Dreamer Trilogy is bonkers.
@@symwinter when you say the Dreamer Trilogy is bonkers do you mean that in a good way or in a bad way? I'm currently debating if I should read it lol
My favorite thing about Noah is the fact that he's been telling them he's dead since day one, and they didn't believe him 😭😭
I just finished rereading the trb and now I'm wondering how I didn't get the memo the first time I read it.. bc Noah and Ronan literally spoiled everything themselves 😭
So technically I gave my daughter the middle name Jane in honor of Blue, deep cut reference that no one will ever know about teehee
omg love
My CAR is named Jane because it's blue. Hahaha.
Mine is named Ronan because it's a Rogue! haha (really bc he's my fave and how could I not)@@mawilliams17
Maggie Stiefvater’s writing feels like enchanting dream logic (which - fitting for the themes of this series). Like, the plot points sound chaotic, soft, and off-the-wall when you try to tell someone about it … but it makes absolute perfect sense while you are reading and it’s such a fun journey.
reading the raven boys at age 12 completely rewired my brain chemistry
REAL OMG
Same
Even years after I still grin like an idiot every time I hear about Adam and Ronan they're adorable
I never comment on TH-cam videos but TRC is my favorite series of all time and I wanted to provide some IRL context from when the books were coming out: part of the reason the writing in the final book is so strange and dreamlike is because Maggie Stiefvater was suffering from a then-undiagnosed illness that caused severe brain fog while writing it--the publication was actually delayed by like 6 months because she needed more time to finish the book. The chapter near the end where Ronan is being unmade and repeatedly fights his way to consciousness, using the brief moments that he's in control of his own mind to pull beautiful things out of his dreams, basically encapsulated what the writing process was like for her (she wrote that chapter in a rare moment of total lucidity near the end of editing). She's written a lot of really interesting blog posts about the process of writing the series, especially The Raven King, though some of them might be hard to find since she deleted her Tumblr.
Fun fact: When I got my first TRC tattoo, I posted about it on Tumblr and Maggie Stiefvater liked the post. A couple months later, I went to her book signing and showed her the tattoo and she remembered me!
That is so interesting I never heard that!! That sounds awful and also makes the book so much sadder and impactful now I think of it.
what tattoo is it?
finally cari has been sucked into the raven cycle cult. there’s another series that takes place after the raven cycle called the dreamer trilogy that follows ronan and the lynch brothers!!
Funny thing: Maggie actually wrote Dream thieves first, then realised there was too little "crew" in all that Ronan, so she wrote The Raven Boys to give everybody else more of a background and stuff.
ohhh that totally explains why it’s so character focused!!
Maggie didn’t write The Dream Thieves specifically first she was creating a story around a character who took things from dreams, his name was Sean & I think she borrowed parts of that for TRC & the dreamer trilogy & the main plot actually went to The Dreamer Trilogy.
She started writing what would become The Raven Cycle in 2007, it was a 5 book series originally titled The Llewellyn Society.
@@mevstheangrymob Where did you get this info? I just finished the series and I'm obsessed with finding anything about Maggie's writing process
@@alexagc123uploads after Maggie finished writing Greywaren she decided to burn the notebook she used to compile trc/tdt info/writing process & she posted pictures on Twitter & Instagram, the post is still on Instagram you have to scroll back to late 2021, specially November based on the dates on the screenshots I grabbed.
I’m not a huge fan of YA but reading the Raven Cycle was one of the best decisions in my reading journey ❤️
no books will ever impact me the way these do. literally everything i encounter in my life reminds me of the raven cycle.
Maggie Stiefvater's writing style is just my absolute favorite. I highly recommend another book she wrote, the Scorpio Races, if you liked her prose! Its one of my fave books of all time
Scorpion races is one of my comfort reads
I looooove the Scorpio Races and it's almost November!!! It's time!
@@mawilliams17 Does November mean something special in Scorpio Races?
@@thedarkphoenix1640 yes! Most of the book takes place in November.
Omg yes to The Scorpio Races! That ending makes me cry every single time
If memory serves, Maggie actually wrote the dream thieves first, and then added the raven boys to kind of expound on the relationships and everything. I just love them so much it’s not perfect by any stretch and of course, there are a few plot holes that I refuse to analyze lol and it’s got a little bit of that “it’s not about but the destination but the journey” thing going on but i recommend a series to everyone. Definitely a comfort read for me.
godddd gansey is just a character of all time for me, and stievater's prose and dialogue has stuck in my brain like nothing else. a beautiful depiction of what a really good teenage friend group looks like imo, reminds me of the best moments with my high school friends
"i'm not really sure what's going on but I'm loving it" is kind of the only review this series can receive LOL this was such an exciting watch and perfect timing for an autumn reread of the raven cycle
Love the WithCindy mention! She also got me into booktube 🤣
our patron saint :''')
@@caricanreadyou, Cindy, readswithrachel, clockwork reader, and MyNameIsMarines are THE quintissential booktubers!
side note, I kinda hate how the author spelled the beautiful name of Niamh as Neeve 🤣🤣
@@Artbyhurricanyounot right?! it bothered me the whole book ahahahha
I was talking to a friend a while ago about how the Republican-ness of the boys ages so funny, like imagine Gansey's mom being involved in anything in politics from the last 10 years
every time the red ties were mentioned i was biting my tongue hahah
Literally!! And whenever Gansey’s outfits were mentioned all I could think of was the “You know I had to do it to em” guy 😭
@@CheesecakeIsLifeeOH MY GOD EXACTLY HOW I IMAGINE HIM
my heart literally started racing because of this
LOL
I feel like the raven cycle is a series that sometimes gets kind of tedious to get through but then in hindsight you just can't help but love it. I guess it's because you just get to know the characters so well even if the plot doesn't really progress for a long time.
100% while i was reading it i was bored as fucj but i just finished trk and now i miss all the characters so much, blue has my whole heart
I loved reading it but I can see where you are coming from.
But also I feel like a lot of the plot lines and details in the books left a cloud have, would have thought. Like everytime I reread it or think about there are a few details where I’m like Mhh That’s interesting and think about it for ages
I am literally 1 hour away from finishing the first book on audio and I am LOVING it and don’t know how it’s taken me this long to read! It’s giving me The Marauders meets the Graveyard Book meets Practical Magic??? So now I am saving this video for when I have finished the series and can savor this!!
Guess who’s back 😎😎
I am in the third book and now I have the need to re-read again to refresh my memory!, so happy that you got to read the raven cycle, it honestly feels like home in a weird way 🥹
happy rereading!
@@caricanread Thank you!!
I truly think (as someone who rereads these books once a year) that they get better the more you've read them. Like the first time is to get a gist of who these people are and then coming back it's like meeting your best friends you haven't seen in a while, just having a good time - enjoying their company as you will.
These books are not about the story, they're a warm embrace of loved ones
I love this series, Adam Parrish is one of my favourite characters of all time! The action and the plot sometimes is too vague and confusing but I guess that's kind of the point, because like you said in particular in the last book everything gets very dreamlike. For me what really makes this books good are the characters and the relationships between them.
i audibly gasped when i saw the notification
❤❤❤
Why is it that good? (Genuine question)
@@user-bj5yl7cp1s a gasp can have a negative or positive connotation - in this case its a gasp of excitement (i hope lol)
@@user-bj5yl7cp1s see examples lol
www.google.com/search?q=gasp+excitement+gif&sca_esv=571066675&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjclbmWhuCBAxWbD1kFHcqkA3IQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1600&bih=743&dpr=1.8
I let out a breath i didn't know i was holding
Legit my favorite book series of all time, never have I read a series where all of the main cast of characters have such complex relationships with every single one of each other. They explore so many kinds of love and all different dynamics and it just hits SO HARD AUUGHHH.
the effect this series had on me when I was thirteen CANNOT be understated- I re read it this summer and it was still so magical. It’s like nothing else I’ve ever read and I’m so glad you enjoyed it too!!!
When Ronan and Adam became my second fave couple of all time, I wouldn't shut up about it around my sister. She doesn't read but she knew about Ronan Lynch and Adam Parrish 😂
Who's the firsttt
@@Sarah-ss6fr lol Patroclus and Achilles from Madeline Miller's The Song of Achilles😇
The fact that I couldn't get behind either of those couples, DNF-ed The Song of Achilles and found the Raven Cycle just so-so. Please tell me more of your favourites so I can avoid them! 😂
(In case it doesn't come across, this is just a joke of course, we all have different tastes 😊)
@emdove lol 😭😭😭they are not everyone's cup of tea and i get that. Some of my other fave couples are Scarlett and Zev (the Lunar Chronicles), Nina and Mattheius (Six of Crows), Emma and Julian (The dark artifices).
I DEVOURED this series in maybe 3-4 days back in college and this is a sign I’m due for a reread!!!!
if you're ever in the mood, i highly recommend listening to the audiobooks - will patton is really incredible
ohhhh sounds tempting!
I'm obsessed with the audiobooks. The narrator truly only enhances the mysticism of it all and enriches the world. I've listened to the whole series multiple times because of how much I love the recordings!
@@theforceisnotwithyou they really chose the perfect man for the job
I have to agree with this. Switching to the audiobooks really increased my enjoyment of the series!
i Love the audiobooks Will Pattons voice just scratches a itch in my brain
I can’t wait for Cari to find out about the Dreamer Trilogy
Just thought about it. Waiting for the third book to be released in my country 😍
The comments about blacking out for ganseys outfits and them being repulican were the exact same thoughts i had while reading lol
have i read each raven cycle book at least 6 times? yes. am i going to sit for an hour as cari retells it to me? also yes.
I listened (probably at least 7 or times) to the audiobooks narrated by Will Patton and I can hear all the characters' voices in my head. They are some of the most vividly narrated books/characters I've ever heard. Haunting, hysterical, so absolutely endearing. Yes. 😭
I loved the audio book! Will Patton crushed it
I’m German and I tried listening to the German audio book but didn’t like the narrator. But after reading so many comments about loving the will patton one I gave them a try and wow there sooo nice
YES! Will Patton at first I was like what the hell is will doing here but just a few minutes into the first book I LOVED it
“Maybe this is my moment, maybe this is my Raven Boys moment” is exactly my vibe when I decided to reread Raven Boys in my 20s 😂
Another tidbit about the Raven Cycle that puts some of the pacing into perspective is that it was initially meant to be a five book series, with the fourth book ending with Gansey's death and the fifth book entirely concerned with getting him back and tying up other loose ends. Maggie's illness and publishing pressure/concerns over how a five book series would sell (I guess?) turned five books into four. I too was not super excited about the way the fourth book ended but learning that made it make a little more sense. There is a second series centering Ronan and dreaming called the Dreamer Trilogy that does explore and answer a few of the dangling questions from the Raven Cycle.
Cari - your videos do something so beautiful, I’ve been thinking about why I enjoy and rewatch them so much and I think I’ve realised why - your videos connect to something really core to the human experience. I find it hard to sit down and read books through, but your forgot the plot vids make me feel like a friend is telling me this crazy fantasy story with so much energy and fun - it’s something really nourishing and the way stories were told and passed along for thousands of years. Food for the soul type of stuff. Also you’re very funny and your videos crack me up and the way you tell them really helps make the stories so compelling. Basically love ya girl, keep doing what you do.
Someone already mentioned it but the audiobook for this series is read by Will Patton and it’s SO GOOD. He’s so good with his voices and tone that really heightens tension, or softens the scene with a calmer voice. He’s also narrated a bunch of Stephen king books and after listening to this book it makes total sense haha
OMG I got so excited when I saw this thumbnail!!! You HAVE to read the Dreamer Trilogy spinoff, I honestly loved it even more than TRC. It really dives into the whole dreamer lore and the themes are so much more about like, becoming an adult, defining yourself in the world, being different - it’s honestly one of the best things I’ve ever read
I could not imagine hearing troublemaker while reading that prologue… how unserious 😂😂😂😂.. but I love this series and all the characters
definitely did not match the vibe hahhaa
I'm for sure one of the people whose entire personality is these books lol. Would def recommend the sequel books (Dreamer Trilogy) if you're wanting more!! They're focused on the Lynch brothers :)
Declan just became my absolute favorite in the dreamer trilogy
Not Cari posting a video reading one of my all time favorite series!!! *grabs a pint of ice cream and settles in*
Having watched now: I think this series is also wonderful on a re-read, because you can immerse yourself in them without having to worry about plot or whether bad things will happen, you can just…live in the words. I always say Maggie’s writing (especially in TRC) is some of my favorite, and is the kind of writing that reminds me why I want to write.
PS- Not only are there novellas, but there’s a whole Dreamer Trilogy that focuses on Ronan. Which…I haven’t read yet shhhhhh I’m horrible
Cari you got me to read several ACOTAR books out of sheer curiosity, I will follow you into this darkness ✨
The Raven Cycle series has me in such a chokehold! Word on the street is if you like the SoC and TRC found family then you miiiiiggghhtt like the All for the Game Trilogy by Nora Sakavic. The trilogy is absolute unhinged hot garbage that I don’t recommend at all (but I absolutely love)💀 I think it’d make such a fun video😂
The trifecta 😭
omg cari NEEDS to read aftg
I absolutely love these books, and i honestly don’t know how much of that is due to Maggie's writing and how much of it is Will Patton's narration. It's the *perfect* collaboration.
Been counting down days for this one 😂🤍 praying for your sanity 🙏🏻
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
You must read her book “The Scorpio Races!” It’s so underrated and the characters are so good. It’s a stand alone. The opening line is “It’s November 1st, so today someone will die.” I literally read it every November because it’s so good
Yes I also really liked it! Love a good fantasy stand alone
I love this one! And i highly recommend All the Crooked Saints by her was well
JUST FINISHED THE SERIES . WOW. The prose , the characters, the world. Nothing has captured me so fully before. There are a lot of parts of the series that I personally feel could have been delved into more or perhaps had squandered their potential- but overall it’s so gripping. So magical. I love the whole main cast so much!
HI JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK U THANK U THANK U!!! Me and my bf went on a 9hr road trip last week and i got to choose what we played in the background. I chose ur ACOTAR plot summary bc i've read the series like 8 times and thought it would be fun to make him listen to the insane plot. he got HOOKED! he asked me to play the next one. we even finished the ACOWAR one and now he wants to actually read the books 😭 i've been trying to convert him for years lol ur video was all it took
This is a series that just gets better each time you read it. Even though you know what's going to happen you pick up on details sprinkled throughout the series. It's one of my favorites 😍 Also I strongly recommend the audiobooks - Will Patton narrates these beautifully.
I've literally been trying to get people to read this series. I found it by accident, but where I'm from it's not something people know about. I adored this story and the characters and have no words for my feelings.
You ARE the golden Era of booktube
“The tree that shows you visions” is giving “the beach that makes you old”
aaa i’m always excited when i see people discover the raven cycle, it’s been my favorite ya series for years. it got me back into reading so it’s almost like it was my six of crows lol. i’m so glad you enjoyed it!!
This series changed me in that the WRITING is so... inspiring? The way she writes magic is great.
Have you read "the winners choice"? I havent seen people talk about it and I get it but I remember liking the plot and characters. Would love your take on it!
"Adam knows but they're just tiptoeing around it because they're both weird as hell" I snorted. Nothing ever said has being more true. happy you liked this series!! one of my favorites
Absolute favorite series of all time. I always recommend it to everyone and I feel like people don’t take the recommendation seriously bc it’s not fairy smut! I would give anything to read this series for the first time again!
I reread the series every couple of years, it’s so comforting! Glad you had a good time with it 💗
My absolute favorite book series of all time. Instant classic. Literally nothing like it. My fav is blue lily lily blue!!! The last book I actually really loved too considering how a lot of people didn’t like how it ended!! Sooo glad you covered this series 😭💖🩶!!!
Typing this in a movie theater rn but guess there’ll be another movie length feature to watch afterwards!!! 😂
lmfao ELLIAS PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY!!!!
Maggie was my life blood in my early teens! I felt she just understood me as a dramatic, poetic, young person and I adored her for it! Lament and Ballad were my favorites by her! I haven’t read them in so long… I’m scarred my adult viewpoint will ruin the magic I felt when I was 16 😅 but man… this vid took me back to my Maggie years! I loved her work so so much!!
Ahhh! I have been waiting so long for you to read this series and make a video about it. This series holds such a special place in my heart I can’t even describe it. I stumbled across this series at the exact point in my life where I needed it, I had just experienced the death of a loved one for the first time at 16 years old and was just struggling with the grieving process a lot. I hadn’t been reading for a while, but I just needed an escape and books had always done that for me. So I started reading this series, and while it was doing exactly what I needed - helping me escape reality - I didn’t realise at first that it was also helping me grieve. It helped me navigate my emotions of love and loss and pain and joy and everything in between because I got to process it and experience it along with the characters in a way that didn’t feel too close. It let me process my loss at a distance, through these characters and a make believe plot. Never has a book or series made me feel such genuine, real emotions before or since. I love that you’re finally reading it and bringing attention to it as I feel like people don’t really give it the appreciation or attention it deserves when compared to a lot of other books, and that the comment section is filled with other people that shared the experience of reading and loving this series and the emotional rollercoaster of it.
I have been checking your channel EVERY DAY since the teaser. Thank you for doing the Raven boys it's one of my all time favorite series ever. Top three. I discovered it later in life as well which honestly wasn't that bad. I would have OBSESSED over it even more as a teenager.
I was like "yay, a new Cari video!" And then immediately paused it because you started talking about it and I started tearing up.... I thought I had put this book series behind me, but you mentioned the beginning of The Raven King and I was ready to BAWL.
30:51 cari, don't worry: i too started the raven boys (inmediately after reading shiver) and DNF. then, i tried again, and fell into the book like Alice fell into Wonderland.
I was scared to click on this video because TRC is one of my favorite series --- so relieved that you loved it! Funnily enough, I had the same experience with the first book: thought it was okay the first time I read it, re-read it when the second book came out and loved it. Thank you for the lovely video, Cari!
Yes withcindy!! She's my first introduction to booktube and you're my latest talk about a full circle moment
the raven cycle is my entire personality tbh.. has been for the past 9 years 😭
I’m currently in the middle of reading this series so i’m saving this video for when i’m done, but the timing is just impeccable
Lmaoo I love to see the contrast between the Cari of the beginning and the Cari of the end of the video.
I just love this series so much. I honestly never found other character that made me feel like Adam has, his struggles with growing up poor but still so affected by his own pride is really well done. And he is bi, so there's another one in my bingo card.
The relationship between Adam and Ronan is suchhh a delight to me. I love that so much about them exists between the lines and both of them are sort of liars to the outside world, but they understand each other so much.
I think you'll be catching yourself re-reading a lot of the 4 books and catching something different between the characters every time.
The problems to me always evolves around the villains. The author does a beautiful job building a family among the protagonists, but the villains are always kinda meh and honestly confusing hahahah I remember reading the first one and having a hard time cause I was still learning english and the mythology was so different and the plot so difficult.
Great video!
I don't know if you've read the Dreamer trilogy but the villains were one of the big reasons I didn't enjoy it. Maggie to me excels at small-stakes dreamy local magic stuff, and did not do well at expanding that kinda vibe to world-ending plotlines
@@Tarmachan TELL ME ABOUT IT. I still haven't read the last one (maybe this video pushes me to finish it), but what you said is definitely one of the reasons for my delay.
So many POVs and new characters and antagonists that I do not care even a little bit. Not a single drop of charisma. And PLOT STILL VERY CONFUSING.
Honestly if someone told me that a Ronan trilogy focused on him and his brothers would be disappointing I would say they were crazy. But here we are.
And I also have some problems with the direction that Maggie was taking with Ronan because I really want him to leave Henrietta and it seemed that that wasn't on the cards (I can still be surprised but don't know)
@@laismariano5293 Yeah for me I just wasn't happy with the character development of existing people (except Declan, I actually really liked his and Jordan's stuff but this all gets shunted in the final book in favour of him looking for his mother and boyyy did I not enjoy that or the backstory changes). I especially didn't like the really contrived way that Adam and Ronan were kept apart by weird plot or character decisions, because having Adam there would solve half the plot issues instantly. Their relationship woes felt super out of character for the people we already knew from TRC, and their reuniting and the resolution to their relationship was a huge letdown for me in the final book. The final book felt very rushed after how much book 2 dragged, and the ending scene felt like a mid fanfiction to me, which was my biggest disappointment. If you do ever finish it, come back and let me know what you thought if you remember!
I'm re-reading these right now! The audiobooks are incredible, Will Patton is a southern gentleman and he does everyone so well!
It'll forever be one of my all time faves I love the friendship dynamics and vibes 🌿
THE RAVEN CYCLE DESTROYED ME. I READ IT TWO YEARS AGO AND A DAY HAS NOT PASSED SINCE THAT I HAVE NOT THOUGHT OF THR HEARTWRENCHINH PLOT AND CHARACTRRS OF THIS SERIES. IT IS MY FAVOURITE SERIES EVER AND I WISH MORE PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT IT
Yessss, top moment of every week ❤ the suspense around these books was killing mee
hahahha thank you!
I similarly also read the first one (and a little of Dream Thieves) and then kind of lost the thread. I think I wasn't in a good reading headspace or something. I think it was well over a year later when I decided to continue the series because I owned them all and wanted to get back into it (I also had a writer friend who really loved them) and I just got so into it and devoured the series and loved the series as a whole. The characters are great. I've read it through a couple times now and am getting read for a reread before an upcoming Maggie Stiefvater workshop.
i definitely think this is a series that needs to have a toe dipped in first before fully jumping in!
these books changed my life circa 2015 & i think it's one of the longest-standing love affairs i've had with a book series (along with the more recent Dreamer Trilogy sequel) & now like. it's not enough to miss TRC i have to read an academic paper about it....... glad to hear you enjoyed it!!! 🫶🏽
omg i’m so happy cari read this series it’s one of my favorites from that 2015 era tumblr books that feature ravens hahsjsjksk now all she needs it to read aftg and she’ll have read the trio (soc/ trc/ aftg)
Oh I’m sooo excited to watch this!! I inhaled all of trc in like one week, it rekindled my love for reading this series is my everything
The timing of this coming out while I’m halfway through my 3000th reread of this series 🙌
you should reread it soon after knowing the whole story, it’s an entirely different experience - so deep and fulfilling and that was when a series that I loved became my favourite of all time
I’m scared for this one but I know you’ll do it justice! This series is a huge part of my personality as well 😂! I listen to the audiobooks embarrassingly often. Maggie is by far my favorite author. ❤ Can’t wait to hear your thoughts!!🎉
Edit to say it’s so weird to hear this read by a voice other than Will Patton 😂
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT LIFE EVENT FOR ME
Cari. This series is everything. I have numerous giant tattoos for this series. My cat is named after Declan
i waited a YEAR to come back to this video and now i finally finished trc 🎉
i had a similar journey as you with the story. read the first book three times and it only stuck the third round. this video motivated me to pick it up once more and i am CHANGED. excelsior!
One of my favorite things about this series is just how much of the future plot is straight up told to you within the first like 50% of the first book but you don't notice because your attention is being diverted to something else. And then on subsequent rereads, when you realize what "I've been dead for seven years", "that's all there is" "three three times in three different handwritings", "where did you find that bird? in my head" etc. etc. mean, you really feel that sensation of time slipping and being circular that the characters are experiencing as well. Such a good example of foreshadowing and writing style complementing the content and I can't shut up about it lol
this is my absolute favorite series of all time this makes me vibrate /pos
I love this book series so much 😭 its one of my favorite of all time
Maggie Stiefvater has been my favorite author since I was a kid and my mom recommended this series and the Scorpio Races to me! She writes books that are technically YA but can be amazing reading experiences for pretty much any age group. She herself doesn’t love the age-based genres her books are grouped into and I totally agree with her. I’ve reread the books maybe every 3 years and I’ve gotten something new from them every time.
girl you will never escape trust me I know lollllll I've reread that series four times in two years and I'm itching for a fifth.
When I woke up and remembered I have a WHOLE HOUR of Cari talking about books to enjoy with my morning pumpkin coffee, I couldn't wait to start the day.
I stumbled upon your channel a few months ago because i saw a short of yours, and I'm so happy I did! I also read a ton throughout my childhood and them stopped once I got into college, then I had kids immediately afterwards, so never feel like I have time to read, but have recently gotten into audiobooks so that I can still enjoy the stories while I'm busy doing other things throughout the day amd everything I have listened to so far are all books you have recommended 😊 they've all been great!
OH MY GOD YESSS, my favorite booktuber reviewing the series that's so close to my heart. I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THIS! (I need to work now but I will be coming back to this soon
It's so wild, I went to to primary and high school with Chloe Gong, so weird she's an author casually mentioned in this haha
Cari im gonna cry i love series so much. I really hope you liked it! ❤️❤️❤️
Yyasssssss I will never read this books series thank you cari I’m rereading Percy Jackson right now I love these vids ☺️☺️😸💙
just need you to know, need everyone to know, i'm binging these videos and love trc so im very excited to see this video exists
OMG FINALLY!!!! I'm so glad you decided to read these! Best books ever fr fr
I’d just like Cari and y’all to know that I was literally catching up with the channel while I played a harvest moon game and JUST ran out of the most recent one and felt SO SAD there weren’t more!! And then… this happened to pop up when I closed out. A blessed day ❤🎉