Review: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Shiver

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Series: The Wolves of Mercy Falls, Book 1

Publication Date: August 1, 2009

Publisher: Scholastic Press

ISBN: 978-0545123266

391 pages

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf — her wolf — is a chilling presence she can’t seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It’s her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human — or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

My Thoughts:

Initial Reaction:

Loved, loved, loved it!! What more can I say?!

About the Book:

Grace is a teenager with an obsession with the wolves who live in the woods on her property. She is especially enamored with one wolf … her wolf … the wolf with yellow eyes who saved her from a wolf attack seven years prior.

Sam is a werewolf; changing into human form with the seasons. The warm weather changes him into a human; the cold weather, a wolf. After a certain period of time, the wolf will not change into human form and will remain a wolf forever.

Told in alternating points of view, one chapter from Grace, one chapter from Sam, with the temperature noted in each chapter header, we are drawn into Grace and Sam’s story. After Grace was attacked by the wolves, Sam has kept watch over her, keeping her safe. Grace has always felt him nearby and has searched the woods for him, feeling comforted by his presence.

When Sam turns up at Grace’s door one night – as a human – they immediately fall for each other, learning everything they can about one another, and fight to stop Sam from changing back into a wolf. Sam wants to remain human, to stay with Grace forever. The story moves fluidly and rapidly, entrancing the reader, making us wonder what will happen. Will he change back into a wolf? Will a cure be found? What will come of Grace and Sam?

This is my first book by Stiefvater and will surely not be my last. I cannot wait to read Book 2 in this series, LINGER, which is due out July 20. I have an ARC to read, so watch for my review very soon!

Overall Opinion:

I have a few small issues with this book. First, I found it kind of hard to believe that Grace’s parents were that oblivious – that they didn’t know a boy was STAYING IN THEIR DAUGHTER’S BEDROOM FOR WEEKS! A bit far-fetched, but I suspended all reality so I wouldn’t let this ruin by overall feeling of the story. Second, I was curious about Grace and Sam’s human interactions through the past 7 years. The reader gets one brief flashback of when Sam first sees Grace (but she doesn’t see him). I am assuming that Grace and Sam never communicated with each other as humans before this story.

Other than that, LOVED this book and definitely recommend it! Great characters, well-developed story. I felt the connection between Grace and Sam. I felt their love and was rooting for them to find a way to be together.
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