I sometimes feel like this book does not deserve the four stars that I awarded it, but fuck that; I had quite a great time reading it, and it was a great improvement for the Raven Cycle. For once, I could actually see why people like Maggie Stiefvater so much... 
 I'm certain that one of the reasons why I enjoyed The Dream Thieves was Ronan's presence. While in The Raven Boys the reader only got to see him through other characters' POVs, The Dream Thieves is clearly his book. Ronan is, honestly, my new favourite character in this series; he got amazing character development so far, he's mysterious, and he's both soft and strong. His character arc is defined by brotherly love, found family, deathly loss, and a very strange and magical ability. 
 Ronan's dreaming ability was so beautifully pictured! Stiefvater generally has a whimsical writing style, but the way she focused on Ronan's dreams, on the way they blurred the lines between subconscious and reality, was probably the best I've seen of her. (view spoiler)[My favourite part was when, on the 4th of July, Ronan had that epic dream fight with Kavinsky and decided he doesn't hate himself for who he is. That was the climax of the book, and it was written with so much care and imagination. (hide spoiler)] Maggie Stiefvater has all my respect for that. 
 I'd be lying if I said that I didn't miss every single one of these characters. I was eager to see them grow after what happened in the previous novel. And they did grow. They became more of a family, and their friendship seemed much more realistic this time, because now the writer took her time; I didn't feel that things were rushed, as I did while reading The Raven Boys. I missed the Gangsey and I missed the women of 300 Fox Way. Only this time I felt closer to them than before. 
 The plot was, once again, the reason I cut off a star. Nothing was really happening during the first half of the book. There was nothing wrong with it, but there was nothing right, either. But I'm getting used to this way that Stiefvater writes. Her books feel like stepping into a dream: the world looks exactly the same, except there are some weird things going on. The second half of the book was amazing. I have absolutely nothing to complain about. (view spoiler)[ Also, that ending! I can't wait to start Blue Lily, Lily Blue, considering the circumstances. I think we'll be seeing more of this mysterious Greenmantle in the following book... (hide spoiler)] 
 Finally, finally this series got a villain that it deserved! (view spoiler)[I did see the plot twist with Kavinsky coming, but I think this was the point. There were many clues about him between the lines (e.g. his gift for Ronan), and I couldn't wait to see how he'd play out as a villain. He managed to impress me. Finally, I got a villain that I could both hate and appreciate; a villain with a backstory, and (my favourite bit) a villain who possesses the same abilities as the main character. (hide spoiler)] How cool is that! 
 I'm not even going to talk about the romance, because it stayed in the background (as it should) and it was perfect. That one scene when Blue and Gansey sneak out to look at that stars... I loved that to bits! There's also a hint of a future romance, which I'm excited for and I can't wait to see how Maggie Stiefvater manages it. 
 Look at me, people! I'm finally getting the hype for this series! 
 My review for The Raven Boys