The Scorpio Races

Review

Common Sense Media says

Bloodthirsty horses star in thrilling coming-of-age tale.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

AGE
12
QUALITY
 

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this 2012 Printz Honor Book is an action story about killer horses by the author of Shiver -- and there’s a lot of killing. Parents are snatched from boats; riders are grabbed by the throat, torn to pieces and trampled; islanders are menaced by mystical beasts that come from the sea. The violence is never gratuitous and often is tempered by touching moments of humanity: holding the hand of a man as he dies, joining a family at a funeral pyre for a slain teen, setting aside disputes to try to save the life of an endangered rival. The romantic thread is more about kindred spirits than physical attraction.

  • Educational value1
    Readers will learn a bit about horses and their care, and may be inspired to learn more about water horse legends.
  • Positive messages4
    Bravery, determination, and hard work propel Puck and Sean. The twin narratives reveal how our self-image often doesn’t match our outward appearance: Puck, for example, often feels foolish for being so precocious, but Sean and others see her as fiery. Sean and Puck ultimately show how rivals can still be partners, even when their goals are mutually exclusive.
  • Positive role models4
    The women -- including Puck -- are quirky, strong, and full of surprises. Puck is petulant and impetuous, but others readily see her courage and determination. She doesn’t act out of any feminist impulse but sets a fine example in character that puts the men around her to shame. Sean is less showy but still a fiery spirit. There’s an assortment of nasty, unpleasant peripheral characters, but most of the secondary characters demonstrate great integrity.
  • Violence4
    The water horses are predatory, bloodthirsty creatures: During training, in races, and in between they are quick to attack and kill -- several characters are brutally slain by capaill uisce. A bully threatens and harasses his rival, attempting to orchestrate his death and others. He also cruelly maims a horse. Both of the main characters lost parents in attacks by water horses.
  • Sex2
    There’s some innuendo, but little beyond kissing. One adult character appears in a hotel with rumpled clothes and lipstick on his collar. There are intimations of other sexual relationships and a bit of kissing, but it's generally tasteful. Some characters comment on a woman's chest size.
  • Language2
    Some salty language is peppered throughout, including "bastard," "piss," "balls," and "tits."
  • Consumerism0
    Not applicable.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking1
    A festival scene features a drunken crowd, and a few characters drink to excess in a bar.
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What's the story?

As November nears, the fierce water horses surge out of the sea onto the beach at Thisby. Tourists flock to the island as the locals try to capture and train the dangerous capaill uisce (water horses) for the Scorpio Races. Four-time champion Sean Kendrick lives to ride his stallion and knows well how deadly the races are, but this year he has even more than his life at stake. Puck Connolly lost her parents to the capaill uisce a year earlier. Afraid of losing her older brother to the mainland and her family home to the lender, she signs up to race on her own mare. As the first woman ever to enter, she’s met with hostility -- until she forges an unlikely friendship with her rival, Sean.

Is it any good?

 

Maggie Stiefvater serves up a terrific mix of action, magic, and romance that defies neat categorization into any one genre. It’s a fantasy horse story for teens who hate both fantasies and horse stories: The pulsing danger of the capaill uisce (water horses) is seductive. The narration shifts between Puck and Sean, both strong and appealing voices. The two perspectives together paint a vivid portrait of Thisby and the solid supporting cast. Stiefvater’s Thisby is the kind of place readers want to get lost in: She drops so many intriguing hints into the lives of the secondary characters, you wish you could follow them a bit more too. The American Library Association named Scorpio Races a 2012 Michael L. Printz Honor Book for excellence in literature for young adults.

The story is a thrill ride, so much so that the romance sneaks in quietly. Sean and Puck, both headstrong and fierce in their own distinct ways, are classic heroes who’ll resonate with independent-minded teens.

What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about the violence throughout the book. Is it used effectively, or is it over the top? How would the story be affected if the author scaled back the description of the violence? Do you find the violence incongruous with the romantic elements, or do they work together?

  • How would you classify this novel? Is it a fantasy? A romance? A thriller? An adventure tale?

This review was written by Darienne Stewart
Kid, 12 years old
February 15, 2012
AGE
11
 
Authentic and captivating novel
I read The Scorpio Races this year and enjoyed thoroughly. As a horse rider, I appreciated the bond of humans and their water horses, as well as the correctness of the terms used-most books get horse terms mixed up. The characters are admirable, with Puck and Sean's relationship being sigh-worthy. The plot is engaging and the harshness of the racing world is realistically well-written. Violence is plentiful but not that graphic, though one character maims a horse dreadfully. Nothing beyond kissing, lingering looks, and comical groping, George Holly (i love him!) appears with messed clothes and lipstick on his shirt. Mild swearing. Over all, an exciting must read!
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Kid, 12 years old
February 2, 2012
AGE
11
 
Read it!
This book is really well-made. It's a book to read if you like horses. It's really funny, and a pleasurable read. Humorous and fun.
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Kid, 12 years old
January 24, 2012
AGE
13
 
READ IT NOW!
It is a great book!!!! It says piss alot tho. BUT ITS STILL AWESOME!
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Helped me decide (2) | Had useful details (2) | Read my mind (4)
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Teen, 15 years old
April 17, 2012
AGE
13
 
It was a good book!
It was a really good book! It didn't live up to it's 5 star rating though. There was some language that I wouldn't use but it wasn't anything horrible.
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This review was written by Darienne Stewart
Topics:magic and fantasy
Author:Maggie Stiefvater
Book type:Fiction
Genre:Fantasy
Publisher:Scholastic Press
Publication date:October 18, 2011
Number of pages:416
Hardcover price:$17.99
Publisher's recommended age(s):13 - 18
This review was written by Darienne Stewart
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
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