About This Book
Reach for this book when your teenager is grappling with the weight of their own potential or feels like they are carrying a heavy responsibility alone. This atmospheric fantasy explores the blurred lines between art, dreams, and reality, following three young people whose lives are shaped by the power of creation. It is a story about the cost of talent and the deep need for a place to belong. While the narrative is sophisticated and often intense, it offers a profound look at how we define ourselves apart from our families and our pasts. The emotional themes of identity and accountability make it an excellent choice for mature teens who appreciate lyrical writing and complex characters. It provides a mirror for those who feel 'different' and a window into the dangers of unchecked ambition.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
DISTRESS: There are scenes of visceral body horror involving 'dream-leaking' where characters physically deteriorate or manifest unsettling biological anomalies. A scene involving a character being shot and another involving the discovery of a corpse may be distressing for sensitive readers. CONVERSATION: Parents should be prepared to discuss the ethics of 'creation' and autonomy. Specifically, Jordan Hennessy is a 'copy' of an original person; this raises questions about what makes someone an individual. There are also references to self-destructive behaviors as a coping mechanism for internal pressure.
Ideal Reader
A 16-year-old artist or 'outsider' who enjoys high-concept fantasy with lyrical, complex prose and characters grappling with the weight of their own creative power.
Parent Prep
Preview the scenes involving the 'Visionaries' and their clinical approach to assassination to ensure your teen is comfortable with the thriller elements.
Age Experience
Younger teens (14) will likely focus on the 'magic' and the action-thriller plot. Older teens (17+) will better appreciate the philosophical questions about art, legacy, and the burden of talent.
What Makes It Special
Stiefvater’s prose is exceptionally stylistic and poetic, elevating a standard urban fantasy into a psychological exploration of the creative mind.
Read plot summary
Call Down the Hawk follows Ronan Lynch, a young man who can manifest dream-objects into reality, as he navigates a world where a secret organization called the Visionaries aims to eliminate dreamers to prevent a predicted apocalypse. The story introduces Jordan Hennessy, a master art thief who is herself a dream-creation, and Carmen Farooq-Lane, a hunter haunted by her brother's destructive dreaming. Their paths converge in a high-stakes search for a mythical power that could either save or end the world.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Jordan Hennessy is a 'dreamed' person. Does the fact that she was created by someone else make her less 'real' than Ronan? Why or why not?
2
Carmen Farooq-Lane believes she is saving the world by hunting dreamers. Is it ever right to hurt a few people to potentially save many? How does her personal history with her brother cloud her judgment?
3
Ronan’s dreams can be both beautiful and catastrophic. How does his struggle to control his power reflect the way we handle our own talents or emotions?
4
The Lynch brothers have very different ways of dealing with their family secrets. Which brother's approach do you think is the healthiest, and why?
5
In the world of the book, art and dreaming are closely linked. How does the author show that creating something new can be both a gift and a curse?
