The Scorpio Races

Every year, the famed Scorpio Races take place on the beaches of the island of Thisby. But racing the stunningly beautiful but savage water horses can too often be deadly. Only the most courageous – and reckless – riders will risk their lives to take part. 

Puck Connolly would never have dreamed of riding in the races, but everything changes after she and her two brothers lose their parents. As she and her two brothers struggle to survive, Puck determines she must enter the races to save her family. As an inexperienced young girl – the first woman ever to compete in the races – her decision causes a stir on the island. Puck quickly finds herself far out of her depth, but help comes from an unexpected source – the mysterious Sean Kendrick, who is known as the only one on the island who is capable of taming the water horses. But even with Sean’s help, can Puck survive the Scorpio Races?

Told from two contrasting perspectives, this is a beautifully-written and distinctive fantasy with a subtle hint of romance. Puck and Sean are unusual and intriguing central characters, and Stiefvater brilliantly conjours up the wild beauty of the remote island, and its traditional ways of life. Drawing on traditional folklore and fairy-tale, The Scorpio Races is an atmospheric and compelling novel, which although it has many moments of darkness, is ultimately uplifting.