Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Plot Summary

My Review

Note: If I could give this book 3.5 stars, I probably would. But I’m trying to stay away from half stars and fractions, so I’m going with 4 stars.

I whipped through this book practically in one sitting! It was actually two sittings, but only because I got interrupted by mundane life necessities.. like dinner.. who needs that, anyway?

I had a few gripes, which I’ll explain in a minute, but overall I loved this book. The romance, the fantasy, the wolves, and especially the whole star-crossed lovers thing — totally up my alley. Sam and Grace really give a whole new meaning to the term “summer fling.”

There were definitely a lot of ways I was able to relate to the main character, Grace. The way she just feels like she belongs somewhere, her connection to nature, her obsession (that even annoys her friends a bit), and the way that she just doesn’t quite fit in amongst her peers when they’re criticizing the wolves or even calling for them to be killed. She’s introverted, but mostly because she makes herself that way (rather than because she can’t help it).

One thing that bothered me was the lack of a “falling in love phase” for Sam and Grace. Their whole relationship moved so quickly. When I’m reading books with romance, I love reading about the ‘chase’ and the periods of uncertainty (“does he like me?”). I feel like Shiver just jumped right into Sam and Grace already being connected, already in love, already knowing how the other person feels, and even kissing during their first real meeting. But I guess that was kind of the point. They had already spent years watching each other and that was supposed to be their ‘falling in love phase.’ But I don’t know — it just wasn’t my thing, I guess.

But once I got over the annoyance of that, I loved their relationship. I loved that they weren’t just in love — they were best friends. They teased each other, laughed, shared secrets, and shared silence.

But my biggest disappointment? Page 294.

Why, Maggie?

Why must you taunt me so??

The bottom of page 293: things are getting hot and heavy. Exchanging saliva, clothes coming off, bodies touching — the whole deal. Just as I’m getting excited and my heart starts racing, eager for the sexy bits that are surely to come — I turn the page just to be cut short. The next page — the end of the chapter — the dreaded page 294 — is like three sentences, successfully concluding the chapter, leaving out the details of the clothesless event that took place, forcing me to resort to using my imagination.

Sadface. Sometimes I just want the dirty details!

The Verdict