The Raven Boys – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

The Raven Boys

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

book2013

79%

WISE Score

4.5

Amazon

Moody, atmospheric YA fantasy where a psychic's daughter and four prep school boys hunt a dead Welsh king—slow burn, big feelings, zero shortcuts.

The Raven Boys

book

2013

79%

WISE Score

4.5

Amazon

Moody, atmospheric YA fantasy where a psychic's daughter and four prep school boys hunt a dead Welsh king—slow burn, big feelings, zero shortcuts.

4.5

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Screenwise Verdict

This is YA fantasy for readers who want atmosphere, character depth, and prose that doesn't talk down to them. Stiefvater builds a world that feels lived-in and strange—ley lines, psychics, dead Welsh kings—without explaining everything upfront. The Raven Boys themselves are a study in privilege, grief, loyalty, and what it costs to want something desperately.

The trade-off? It's slow. Really slow. If your teen devoured Percy Jackson for the monster fights, they might bounce off this. But if they loved the emotional weight of The Book Thief or the atmospheric weirdness of Coraline, they'll probably fall hard for Blue and Gansey's crew.

The content is solidly YA—drinking happens, language is mild but present, and the emotional themes (abuse, class resentment, death) are heavy. It's not graphic, but it's not sanitized either. For mature 14+ readers, it's a rich, rewarding read. For younger or less patient readers, maybe wait a year or two.

Age Fit

Best for mature teens 14+ who enjoy character-driven, atmospheric fantasy. The slow pacing and emotional complexity reward patient readers but might frustrate those expecting action-heavy plots. Not for younger middle-schoolers due to drinking, language, and heavy themes.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Emotionally complex YA that explores friendship, class tension, and belonging without being preachy. The characters carry real baggage—grief, family strain, economic resentment—and the book doesn't shy away from teenage drinking or mild language. But the core relationships model loyalty and vulnerability. The pacing is deliberate, sometimes slow, which might frustrate readers expecting constant action but rewards those who lean into character development.

Imaginative

A genuinely original blend of Welsh mythology, psychic visions, and ley lines wrapped in a quest narrative. Stiefvater creates a richly atmospheric world where magic feels grounded in place and history rather than generic fantasy tropes. The premise—a girl who will kill her true love, four boys hunting a dead Welsh king—is weird and specific in the best way. It invites readers into mystery-solving and world-building that feels fresh for YA fantasy.

Safe

No graphic content, but this isn't squeaky-clean. There's underage drinking (characters acknowledge it), mild violence, references to death (the premise involves seeing the soon-to-be-dead), and emotional intensity around grief and family dysfunction. One character deals with an abusive home situation. Language includes occasional profanity. The mystical/psychic elements are central to the plot. For teens 14+, these are manageable themes; younger readers might find the emotional weight heavy.

Enriching

This is character-driven YA that asks real questions about class, privilege, identity, and the cost of ambition. Adam's scholarship-student resentment of wealth, Ronan's grief-fueled anger, Blue's outsider perspective on privilege—these aren't just plot points, they're explorations of how teens navigate unfair systems. The Welsh mythology and ley line lore offer cultural enrichment. It's also beautifully written; Stiefvater's prose rewards close reading. The slow burn might test patience, but it builds empathy and critical thinking.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely original premise mixing Welsh mythology, ley lines, and psychic visions in rural Virginia
Complex, flawed characters dealing with class tension, grief, and identity—not cardboard YA cutouts
Beautifully written prose that rewards readers who appreciate literary fantasy over constant action
Explores real issues like economic inequality, family dysfunction, and the cost of ambition without being preachy
Strong found-family dynamics and loyalty themes that feel earned, not forced

⚠

What to Watch For

Underage drinking is present and acknowledged—characters drink at parties, not glorified but not condemned either
Emotional intensity around death, grief, and an abusive home situation (one character's father is violent)
Mystical/psychic elements are central—magic, clairvoyance, and supernatural quests drive the plot
Slow pacing—this is character-driven literary fantasy, not a fast-paced adventure; some readers find it meandering
Mild language and occasional profanity

Conversation Starters

"Blue's warned she'll kill her true love—do you think that kind of prophecy would change how you approach relationships?"
"The Raven Boys come from wealth while Blue's family scrapes by. How does money change the way the characters see the world?"
"Adam resents accepting help even when he needs it. Why do you think pride matters so much to him?"
"If you could go on a quest like Gansey's, what would you be searching for?"
"Ronan's anger is really about grief. How do people you know handle loss differently?"

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