Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #1)
User reviews
I really, really like this book. It was
beautiful in many sections, and the emotion felt between Sam and Grace seems
electric, real and totally engaging. The story is told from the
perspective of both of the central protagonists, which sets it apart from the
others and allows one to feel the different feelings, the mixed emotions and
the pain Grace feels, as she knows she may have to lose her true love to an
eternal winter. The story is powerful and moves at a good pace as it
tells the tale of a girl who falls in love with the most inconvenient of people
(Sound familiar?) a wolf. And as she realises that they can really be
together, they are forced to find a way of stopping themselves being torn
apart.
The characters in this book are brilliantly well
made, from the frantic, art loving mum who dejects her daughter, but is still
oddly loveable, to Sam an incredible, sensitive well structured character that
doesnt annoy and really does pull at the heart strings. Of course there is
Grace who, to me, feels just so real, as does her group of friends, the proper
mix of people that often occur in the strange world of adolescence. This is a very powerful, beautiful book with
very powerful beautiful characters.
However, I dont think that there is enough in
this book to set it apart from the rest of the books in this bloated genre. Im not saying thats because its bad, its
not, in fact Id say its better than most, I just think that it wont be recognised
amongst all the over titles, as its a gentle, calm love story, something that
might stay on the shelves while more well known, more shouty things are picked
up.
But this is a very small problem in a book that
is, generally very, very beautiful and powerful, a book that will have you
thinking about it long after youve turned the last page, the kind of book to
truly lose yourself in.
Yours truly, Alex Lines, a 14 year old British
male who reads far, far too much.
So I read a few reviews on other sites comparing "Shiver" to the 'diluted version of Twilight'. This is NOT another version of Twilight nor is it 'diluted' in any way.
We meet Grace and Sam immediately and it becomes pretty clear from the start that Sam is the werewolf and Grace is the girl he has eyes for. She has suffered a traumatic attack as a child in her very own backyard and her life begins to unfold soon after. Grace is not your typical teenager with nagging parents and a horrible existence at school. She has the kind of parents that need parenting themselves and although Grace is more than happy to oblige, she stops and wonders from time time if they ever really care about her. For someone like me who was born to a teenage single mother and felt like she was a sister more than a parent growing up, it was very easy for me to understand Grace's plight when dealing with her parents.
Sam becomes a very important part of her life. He saved her from an almost fatal attack as a child and has watched her ever since. Grace has felt the pull and attraction to the woods and especially her 'wolf' from the time she was 6 years old. How is it possible that she knows when he is watching her without spotting him, feels his presence before he appears, understands his feelings without ever communicating? This is what Grace has to figure out for her own.
She has two best friends and they play an important role in her relationship with Sam.
Everything explodes when a school mate, Jack, is killed presumably by wolves. Just as his parents prepare to deal with the grief of a funeral, his body disappears from the morgue. We soon learn that Jack, Sam, Grace, her friends and even Jack's sister Isabel are all connected by the mystery that surrounds their town. The woods hold many secrets and they unravel right before their eyes.
It's very easy to say that this is the story that could have been written for Jacob from the Twilight Series but within the first few pages you see that Sam an Jacob are as different as they come. Even if they are both wolves. Maggie Stiefvater's writing flows and is lyrical in so many ways. She has a way of intoxicating the reader and bringing them into Grace and Sam's world. I usually take notice of what page I'm on when reading and then figure out how many more pages I have to go before the end of the book. I never did that with "Shiver"! Before I knew it I was on page 227 and I was immediately thinking 'I hope this goes on forever, better slow down my reading so it doesn't end so soon'. Give this book a try, go for it! Its worth it!
What if you couldn't have the one you loved?
While this archetypal theme is extremely common in literature,
especially in teen fiction, Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver presents a fresh
take on the idea. In her latest novel, two teenagers in love are not
separated by race, social standing, or even parents. They're threatened
with separation by the coming winter, which will force Sam into his
other form, a wolf. Stiefvater's writing has the perfect amount of
description, and borders on poetic at some points. Her writing style
has a soft, well put together flow to it, while managing to keep the
reader turning pages.
As far as the plot goes, Stiefvater has taken werewolf mythology
down a whole new road. I've heard of the "change" being caused by
night, the lunar cycle, or even willpower. But a change initiated by
the changing of season was extremely creative, and aided in forming a
gripping, original plot.
With the plethora of teen fantasy romance books being published
after the onslaught of Twilight, I was afraid that this book would fall
into the poorly written majority. I'm glad to say that this is not the
case with Shiver. The main characters, Sam and Grace, experience the
natural, everyday emotions of the average teenager, along with those
problems caused by Sams condition, creating an interesting blend of
the real and the supernatural. The only complaint I would have at all
about the book is that I would have liked to see some more development
of the minor characters. But overall, this book provided a unique plot
with memorable characters. I would recommend Shiver to those readers
who are looking for a well-written fantasy novel, as well as those who
are just looking for a good read in general.
Grace was attacked by wolves years ago, she could of screamed and
struggled. But she didnt. She was saved by a wolf, her wolf, from
being torn to shreds. Every winter she knows that her wolf will be
lurking in the edge of the woods by her home watching her silently.
Sam
was bitten when he was very young, his parents thought he was
possessed. They tried killing him, giving him a fear of bathtubs. When
he is a wolf he watches Grace silently in the woods outside of her
home. But when he is human, he wouldnt dare talk to her. Until now.
Another
attack happens, leaving a teenager dead. The town decides to hunt down
the wolves and kill the animals to prevent future attacks. Grace finds
Sam wounded and half alive on her porch, she instantly knows its him.
Their love for each other deepens as Sam tries to stay alive, will Sam
stay human? Or will he turn into a wolf forever? What will Grace do to
keep Sam?
Told in alternative perspectives, Shiver will give you a whole new concept of werewolves.
This
book was very good! I loved the plot and idea of it. The writing was
great, urging you to keep reading no matter how late in the day it is.
The writing was understandable and clear, giving you a picture of the
characters surroundings in your head.
Maggie Stiefvater made
the characters with realistic flaws and feelings. The first page will
get you hooked to the book and its characters.
Love, mystery, secrets and grief Shiver is a great book that I recommend to readers who enjoy the Twilight Saga.
**contains brief sexual content**
For book updates and reviews go to my blog: http://bookstobegfor.blogspot.com/
This is a flat out gorgeous book. Not only is the cover breathtaking,
but the pages have a nice texture and the font is blue instead of your
average black. This book has been ranted and raved about recently. I
have to say that I agree.
Sam and Grace are two very cute and
believable characters. I loved how the point of view switched at least
every two chapters. It was just lyrical and fun! My biggest problem
with the story is how long it takes for anything to happen. It's mostly
fluff for the first half which isn't a problem for me, but some of you
might not like that.
The take on werewolves is unique-
triggered by temperature instead of the moon or anger. I like how the
wolves communicated as well - it was very unique. I do wish that
Stiefvater (Which I learned is pronounced Steve-otter by the way) had
explored a little more into their mythology.
In short, Shiver made me,well, shiver.I really did like Shiver and the sequel Linger will be out next fall!
B
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