Review: Call Down the Hawk | Maggie Stiefvater

This review is spoiler free.

“You are made of dreams and this world is not for you.”

Series: The Dreamer Trilogy
Published: 2019, by Scholastic.
Pages: 472
Format: Paperback
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, LGBT
Contains: Violence, Murder, Death, Strong Language, Blood/Gore

‘Call Down the Hawk’ is the first instalment in the sequel series to The Raven Cycle; The Dreamer Trilogy. It follows Ronan Lynch after the events of The Raven King, as he continues entering his dream-space. Exploring the world of dreamers, Ronan meets Hennessy, and together they face a dreamed world of battles.

This book has been one of my most anticipated reads of the year since discovering its release in 2019. Needless to say, it was definitely worth the wait.

Ronan Lynch was one of my all-time favourite characters in The Raven Cycle, so having his own spin-off series was like music to my ears. His character develops wonderfully in this first book, maturing a lot since the previous series. His relationship with Adam has blossomed, his relationship with his brothers had softened and his overall perception of existence had transformed. He lived and breathed as a new man, learning to cope with his abilities and meeting those alike him. He teaches those around him, becoming the hero of his own story. It was truly beautiful to read.
Jordan is a close second favourite character to me, purely because I hadn’t expected her to be. At first, I delved into this book purely for the relationship between Ronan and Adam, yet was pleasantly surprised by the affect the newer characters had on me. Jordan is desperate to be her own person, and develops from the submissive dream, to a dominant individual. It’s brilliant to see.
Declan and Matthew Lynch were also fleshed out more in this book, exploring theirs and Ronan’s relationship dynamics and their own individual quirks. Declan is continuously described as the dull older brother in this novel, yet he proves otherwise as the story develops, whereas Matthew’s excitement and immaturity takes a turn in the opposite direction. I love them.

Maggie Stiefvater is as poetic as usual with her way for words, the sentences flowing beautifully amongst the pages. The story itself is fast paced, with short enough chapters to feel as if you’ve only scratched the surface when before you know it you’ve read 20+ chapters. It’s a gorgeously poetic and fast book, making for a perfect afternoon rainy-day read.

Overall, I loved this first novel. It was everything I hoped it would be: gripping, poetic, and full of Ronan Lynch’s badassery.