Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
From GoodReads:
It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.
At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.
Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.
From me: Yes...water horses called the Capel Ishka. When I first heard about the story someone said "sea horses" that eat flesh and I kinda chuckled. Really? Sea Horses?
Nah, not the kind you see in the aquarium, but the kind of ancient Irish legend, which I hadn't heard of until now. Here is more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelpie
The writing is just SO DAMN GOOD. Seriously. I listened to it on audio and when I wasn't listening I was reading. There were sentences that I would stop and reread. One line mentioned a woman's green rubber boots "unimpressed with our mud."
If you get a chance....pick it up. It is labeled a teen book, but don't be put off. Check it out.
If you get a chance to listen to it, please note that the music used was written and performed by the author. Kinda cool.
Ah...I was looking for the music included and found it here on this book trailer (commercial for the book)
6 comments:
Love the music.
To be honest it sounds rather Hunger Game-ish....but I like the Irish legend tie in.
Have you read the Hunger Games?
Hunger Games: futuristic, post apocolyptic, fight to the death.
Scorpio Races: set in the past, poor rural islanders racing as a matter of pride and cash prize to improve their life
Yes, I did.
And I suppose you're right, I didn't realize this wasn't a futuristic thing.
Did you like them? Did you read all three in the series?
I listened to them on audio and was surprised by how much I was sucked in...
You should listen to the Chaos Walking Trilogy next...if you ever listen to books. The first one is the Knife of Never Letting Go. I loved it so much I am thinking about listening to it again.
I hate to admit it...but I did like them.
I read the 3 books in 3 days. Easy, quick reading, but quite addicting.
And I admit to never having listened to an audio book.
Reading is such a tactile pleasure for me...
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