Dead things were not to be eaten on the porch, which was a hard rule, because living things were also not to be eaten on the porch.

Hiding objects from other people counted as stealing, unless the objects were presents, which you hid but then laughed about later. She did not have to take a bath or otherwise wash herself unless she wanted to come in the house, and she could not lie about having washed herself if she wanted to be allowed on a couch because God, Opal, your legs smell like wet dog. She was allowed to climb on nearly anything except for the cars because hooves were not good for metal and also her hands were always very grubby. She was not supposed to call Ronan Kerah because he had a name and she was perfectly capable of forming any word she liked, unlike Chainsaw, who only had a beak. It’s magical, emotional, and the Will Patton’s narration just makes you fall in love with it more.“She was not to eat anything that was inside the house unless it was given to her, even if it was something that sounded good while she chewed it, like cardboard boxes or plastic serving utensils, and in particular she was not to eat anything of Adam’s or from Aurora’s bedroom and if she did, she would be punished. Overall, I loved this little short story. Stiefvater writes so beautifully, yet again showing her strengths as a writer and presents this wonderful character in an equally magical world. The story itself is extremely compact, yet the level of characterisation and development given to Opal is huge and leaves you in awe. However, their interactions and love for another was what really gave this instalment so much intense emotion everything made you feel for them. Ronan and Adam dealt with a lot in this mini instalment to the series, dealing with their traumas and potential future in a way that is understandable and relatable given the circumstances the pair had dealt with throughout The Raven Cycle series. Yet, with the way the pair interact with another, it’s impossible not to empathise and relate. It’s clear she adores both Ronan and Adam, so much that it was achingly hard to listen to at times. Not understanding much about the world she lives in, listeners had the chance to view the world through her youthful eyes and see Ronan and Adam through her perspective. Opal is a character liked no other, being honest and innocent with the way she perceives the world. However, I never expected Opal to be such a wonderful character. The moment I spotted this on my Audible account, I just knew I had to listen to it, preferring shorter Audio-books and being a huge Raven Cycle fan. Taking place after the events of the fourth instalment of The Raven Cycle, The Raven King, this enchanting short story tells the story of Opal, Ronan’s dreamt creation.

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Short Stories, LGBT, Paranormal “She loved him the best when he was very sad or very series or very happy.”

Opal book maggie stiefvater