Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
August 22, 2010 13 Comments
Shiver
I’ve seen this book on “every” blog and it’s oh-so popular. But it’s also a YA book, and while I don’t mind (at all) reading YA books, I do want to select only the best! So, I wasn’t sure whether I would read it, but then Iris from IrisonBooks convinced me that I should read it.
The book is about Grace who has an obsession for Sam, a wolf (a werewolf, to be specific). Sam reciprocates this obsession and they spend all their time together when he is human. They know he cannot stay human forever and they start looking for ways to stay together.
The first half or so of the book reminded me a bit too much of Twilight. Not the story as such, but elements in the story: teenagers, obsession, werewolves, parents not (much) around. I liked it but I wasn’t awed by it.
I started to like the book a lot when the character of Beck appears. He’s Sam’s protector and surrogate father. The book also moved from a love story to a kind of survival story and thus became more interesting (in my eyes).
The book was well-written (much better than Twilight, I thought), so that’s a great positive.
Read it if you’ve got it or walk into it at the library, but don’t go out of your ways. Unless you are a young adult who really enjoys this type of stories.
Shiver is on EVERY blog isn’t it?! I don’t think it’s my style of book. You have the most unbiased review that I’ve read. I don’t think I’ll be missing out if I skip reading Shiver.
PS– Good luck with your giveaway!
I don’t think you’ll miss much not reading Shiver, indeed!
There were aspects of this book that I loved, especially switching voices between Grace & Sam, the temperature at the beginning of the chapters, little details. I wasn’t in love with this book but it was entertaining and a good palate cleanser between some of the heavier, more “literary” books I had been reading. Do you think you will read Linger?
My friend loves Maggie Stiefvater and lent me her older books, which are about faeries (if you had to sum them up in one word:P). I actually enjoyed them more than Shiver/Linger; if you happen across them, I’d give them a try!
I bought this book because of all the hype surrounding it and I was disappointed. I didn’t give it a very good review which seemed to upset some people. I just couldn’t “feel” the characters.. it all seemed so… ah… young. And i’m not all THAT old. Still a young one myself (or so I like to believe)
I think I am just over the whole girl meets boy, boy is some sort of supernatural being, they must fight to be together, kind of story.
Call me boring but when I was younger (and single or dating) I loved stories like that.. now I have settled down with the perfect man for me and we have a great relationship that has never had any difficulties, it just seems so silly that “love” must “always” be a fight. Yup.. as I said, boring.
True, Rachel, the book is a little old-hat. And when you’re past the YA age, it doesn’t appeal so much anymore. I still like the dystopian YA books (in small quantities) because of the ideas the writer puts in them, some sort of apocalypse, surviving in some way, etc. But love-YA books are not really my thing either.
I’m still not sure what to think about this one — some folks love it, and others? Not so much! That it reminded you too much of Twilight in the beginning is an issue for me, as I’ve already had that problem while reading books like Evermore (really disliked that one!). I think I’ll hold off on this one for now!
I don’t think you miss a lot, not reading this, Meg. I mean, it’s fun to read, but not THAT much that you should run to the shop/library this minute (or even next week).
Thanks for your thoughts on this one. I have it so I will read it soon I hope
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I think I liked this book more than you, but I also felt the same way in some respects. I wouldn’t buy this book, but I enjoyed it alright. I thought it was more well done than Twilight was because it confronted the family issues Grace has to a small degree which I definitely appreciated.
I agree. I think you liked it a little bit more than me, but I don’t think my review is all that negative, is it?
I think it was more ambivalent than negative. I got the feeling you were kind of “meh” about the book. Am I wrong?
No, that’s about right!