I love The Scorpio Races and so tried to listen to Call Down the Hawk last year without knowing anything about it. I didn’t make it very far before putting it away, thinking that maybe The Scorpion Races was a one off for me and the author. Then I was introduced to The Raven Boys and now can’t get enough.
Synopsis
The dreamers walk among us…and so do the dreamed. Those who dream cannot stop dreaming – they can only try to control it. Those who are dreamed cannot have their own lives – they will sleep forever if their dreamers die.
And then there are those who are drawn to the dreamers. To use them, To trap them, To kill them before their dreams destroy us all.
Ronan Lynch is a dreamer. He can pull both curiosities and catastrophes out of his dreams and into his compromised reality.
Jordan Hennessy is a thief. The closer she comes to the dream object she is after, the more inextricably she becomes tied to it.
Carmen Farooq-Lane is a hunter. Her brother was a dreamer … and a killer. She has seen what dreaming can do to a person. And she has seen the damage that dreamers can do. But that is nothing compared to the destruction that is about to be unleashed…
Backstory
Going into it, I didn’t know anything about Call Down the Hawk, except that it was a spin off of The Raven Cycle and focused on Ronan Lynch. I wasn’t sure how I even felt about Ronan after The Raven King. He is such a complex character, not entirely likeable, but also one you’d defend at all costs. He started something with Adam toward the end of The Raven King, and seemed to be on the road to happiness, which made me happy.
Call Down the Hawk starts with a government agency, whose task is to eliminate the dreamers. We are introduced to new characters within the organization, with Farooq-Lane being our POV of the agency. She experienced some pretty heavy stuff and seemed to question her role, and the role of the agency as she got deeper into it.
We soon also learn about Jordan Hennessy / Hennessy. Her career in art forgery brings her into contact with the Lynch Brothers. They both have secrets that pull them into the sights of the agency.
Ronan is working to find his way, keep Matthew safe, and keep Declan off his back. With Adam at Harvard and Blue and Gansey on their road trip, he is navigating his dreams with the help of Bryde.
Thoughts
I spent the first chunk of the book tense; waiting for something bad to happen with him and Adam, a bad experience in his dreams, or getting caught by the agency. While it was filled with action, my tension slowly started to ebb. As characters paths cross multiple times, they realize they have to work together to stay safe/alive.
I had so many feelings during the course of Call Down the Hawk. Anxiety was a big one, but also tenderness, hope, excitement, and understanding. So much more is explained about dreamers. It is still a little mind bending, but I had a better grasp on everything this time around.
I really loved the interactions between the brothers. Their family is not a normal one and they each dealt with it in their own way. The Declan behind all the masks was a compelling character with a depth I wasn’t anticipating.
The addition of the new characters helped to stretch and grow the Lynch brothers. Jordan / Hennessy’s story was intriguing. Their story and growth were captivating, going from hopeless to fighting for what they want/need. Farooq-Lane’s character hasn’t won me over yet. She is a hesitant villain and I hope that she starts to see that she is on the wrong side.
I wished there was more Adam (especially with how it ended), but have every confidence that Maggie will make it right. Their relationship was sweet and new and I hope we get more of it in the next books.
“You’re wondering if this is real.
You want proof this is an actual encounter and not just a bit of subconscious mindfuckery.
What is real? Listen: You fall asleep, dream of feathers, and wake up with a raven in your hands, and you’re still asking, What is real?”
Maggie Stiefvater
Overall. . .
I felt like I was running the whole time, heart rate raised, and anxious for everything to be ok. It ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I’ll be finding Mister Impossible asap. The 3rd book in the trilogy, Greywaren, comes out Oct 18, so I picked a good time to start!
