The Scorpio Races

The Scorpio Races are run not by traditional horses, but by capaill uisce, also known as a water horse. These creatures come from the sea often hungry for human flesh. Men will tame these water horses and race them at The Scorpio Races. Puck is a girl who has lost her parents, and the only way to keep her and her siblings from being evicted from their home, is to race. Sean is a boy who lost his father when he was young. He’s vowed to never be afraid, and works in the stables with the water horses. Puck’s intent to race is not a popular idea, and she comes under quite a lot of ridicule and opposition. Sean’s boss’ son Mutt is jealous of Sean and constantly seeks to make his life miserable, turning to mutilating Sean’s water horses. All three, Puck, Sean, and Mutt all race in The Scorpio Races, but Mutt attempts to kill and prevent both Sean and Puck from winning.

This is a fast paced and exciting novel that will keep all readers interested from beginning to end. Though The Knife of Never Letting Go is quite a different novel, it has the same level of heart racing as The Scorpio Races. The Scorpio Races is a great next read for lovers of The Knife of Never Letting Go.

Chapter 6: Fiction Genres for Adolescents

Fantasy and Science Fiction

Maggie Stiefvater creates a realistic fantasy world in which you root for the underdogs, sneer at the antagonist, and hope that the protagonists will overcome all of their odds. This is most certainly a fantasy/sci-fi novel that readers will easily transport themselves into.

Stiefvater, M. (2011). The Scorpio Races. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.