The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

 

Stiefvater, Maggie. The Scorpio Races. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2011. ISBN 9780545224918

Plot

Puck Connolly, a teenage girl, lives on a craggy, windswept island with her two brothers after her parents were killed by the capaill uisce, the water horses. Her older brother decides to leave their small island for the mainland to pursue a better job and flee his lingering sorrow. But the Connolly’s house is owned by a wealthy horse breeder, and they are in danger of losing it. Sean Kendrick’s father was killed by the capaill uisce years earlier in the Scorpio Races, a deadly water horse race that takes place every November. However, that hasn’t stopped Sean from developing a deep bond with one of the capaill uisce and entering the races every year. This water horse is owned by the same horse breeder, and it’ll take more than Sean owns to buy it from him. Puck has never paid much attention to the races, but Sean is a four-time champion. This year, they both have compelling reasons to enter the races and win the large cash prize.

Analysis

The Scorpio Races take place on an unspecified island in the east Atlantic Ocean in an unspecified time period in the mid-20^th century. The island is harsh and unforgiving. Some would find it bleak, but through the eyes of Puck and Sean readers discover its beauty. Stiefvater creates an immersive experience, alternating between first person point of views as told by Puck and Sean. Readers are able to smell the salt air, taste the bitter winds and the sweet festival foods, and feel the spirit of the island. Chapters are titled with the characters’ names so that it’s easy to follow along.

With Puck’s limited knowledge of the Scorpio Races, readers are introduced to the races along with Puck as she learns more about their history and unique culture. Puck has a regular horse of her own named Dove. As one would expect, Puck has a fear of and resentment towards water horses, and so decides to enter the race on Dove. Regular horses aren’t as fast as water horses, but they are more predictable and less deadly. Puck is determined to follow her own path. She doesn’t quite fit in with the others on the island, but the island is a part of her. Sean doesn’t fit in with the others on the island either, for different reasons. He has an innate ability to train both regular horses and water horses—leading to his deep bond with one of the capaill uisce and his multiple wins of the races. Sean and Puck come together as they prepare for the race. Refreshingly, they are supportive of each other rather than overly competitive, and a believable, natural romance slowly develops. Themes of perseverance, determination, roots, and home are strong throughout, set against the backdrop of an untamed island and a deadly competition. Puck and Sean discover that things don’t always go exactly as planned, but there is still hope for the future.

Awards and Recognition

Stiefvater is a best-selling author, and The Scorpio Races received a 2012 Michael L. Printz Honor. It was also named Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year and has received many positive and starred reviews.

“The water horses are breathtakingly well-imagined, glorious and untamably violent. The final race, with Sean and Puck each protecting each other but both determined to win, comes to a pitch-perfect conclusion. Masterful. Like nothing else out there now. ”—Kirkus Starred Review

“Maggie Stiefvater’s violent, stand-out fantasy, ‘The Scorpio Races,’ is set on the fictional island of Thisby […] Stiefvater’s descriptions of the small island community, from the gossipy butcher shop to the sacred hush of the Malvern stables, are poetically rendered and steeped in a belief system that feels entirely real.”—Jennifer Hubert Swan, New York Times Book Review

“Stiefvater’s narration is as much about atmospherics as it is about event, and the water horses are the environment in which Sean and Puck move, allies and rivals to the end. It’s not a feel-good story—dread, loss, and hard choices are the islanders’ lot. As a study of courage and loyalty tested, however, it is an utterly compelling read.”—Publishers Weekly Starred Review

Connections

A bright spot in life on the gray, windswept island is “November Cakes,” a festival food available each autumn as preparations and celebrations for the horse races are underway. The recipe for November Cakes is provided in the back of the book. Preparing and sharing these cakes is an excellent way to extend the experience, further immerse yourself in the culture of the book, and entice others to pick it up and read.

Read the brief author’s note, award acceptance speech, and discussion between author and editor to gain a deeper understanding of the inspiration and work that went into writing the book.

Readers who enjoyed this title may also enjoy:

• Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater
• Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
• Terrier by Tamora Pierce
• Titans by Victoria Scott
• Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

*This review was written for a youth literature class through Texas Woman’s University.