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Book Review
Jul. 3rd, 2015 08:20 pmShiver
by Maggie Stiefvater
This is the first of The Wolves of Mercy Falls series, a YA paranormal romance tetralogy (so far) involving werewolves. The first book introduces Grace and Sam, our star-crossed lovers. Grace is a regular teenage girl living in Mercy Falls, MN. She has a particular fond fascination for the wolves that live in the woods beyond her backyard, despite the fact that some of them attacked her when she was about 11. She feels a special affinity for a yellow-eyed wolf. Sam is that yellow wolf. Having saved Grace from the attack, he has remained emotionally attached to her even while living a double life as a wolf in the cold months and a human during the warmer ones. When Sam finally meets Grace while he is in human form, they fall in love and Sam must fight to stay human.
Shiver was surprisingly good, if something of a guilty pleasure read for me. The romance between Sam and Grace is very sweet and avoids being too swoopy - Stiefvater gives it a very warm and comfortable aspect. Plus, I was immensely relieved that it was a pretty healthy relationship, too, free of stalking or creepy possessiveness. The characters were pretty good, too, especially the supporting cast. I really liked Grace's friends and the way their friendship operated. Grace herself could have used a little more individuality, but she did have a lot of backbone and agency.
by Maggie Stiefvater
This is the first of The Wolves of Mercy Falls series, a YA paranormal romance tetralogy (so far) involving werewolves. The first book introduces Grace and Sam, our star-crossed lovers. Grace is a regular teenage girl living in Mercy Falls, MN. She has a particular fond fascination for the wolves that live in the woods beyond her backyard, despite the fact that some of them attacked her when she was about 11. She feels a special affinity for a yellow-eyed wolf. Sam is that yellow wolf. Having saved Grace from the attack, he has remained emotionally attached to her even while living a double life as a wolf in the cold months and a human during the warmer ones. When Sam finally meets Grace while he is in human form, they fall in love and Sam must fight to stay human.
Shiver was surprisingly good, if something of a guilty pleasure read for me. The romance between Sam and Grace is very sweet and avoids being too swoopy - Stiefvater gives it a very warm and comfortable aspect. Plus, I was immensely relieved that it was a pretty healthy relationship, too, free of stalking or creepy possessiveness. The characters were pretty good, too, especially the supporting cast. I really liked Grace's friends and the way their friendship operated. Grace herself could have used a little more individuality, but she did have a lot of backbone and agency.
