Shiver

Written by Maggie Stiefvater

Goodreads Synopsis: 

the cold.

Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn't know why.

the heat. 

Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves. And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace...until now.

the shiver.

For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance. But once it's spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam must fight to stay human--and Grace must fight to keep him--even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future.

My Confession: I commend Stiefvater for creating a paranormal romance that somehow manages to keep both feet in the realm of normal. While the subject of werewolves has been broached and, at times, seriously overdone, there's something different and fresh about the love story between Sam and Grace. For one, their relationship seems extremely real. Perhaps it's the easy and fluent dialogue between the two, but I never second-guessed their sincere feelings for each other. And, given the history the two share before they even meet as humans, there is something special about how quickly they fall into a routine with each other. Take away the supernatural element, and the story loses its urgency. But, at the same time, Shiver does not feel reliant on the notion of creatures-you-never-believed-existed to carry the storyline.

Sam's Shiver: Sam's only a human during the warmest seasons--namely, the months between June and August. For some reason, as soon as it starts getting cold, he--wait for it--shivers, and turns back into a wolf until the warm weather returns. Naturally, that's going to put a kink in his relationship with Grace, especially since he senses that the summer he spends with her will be his last a human. 

The rules Stiefvater puts in place for Sam's transformation creates a sad and omnious tone for the novel's duration. There's a feeling of inevitability that these two lovers will be separated forever. And even though I love a good happy ending, I just didn't see how it could be pulled off without cheapening what came before. Seeing as this is the first book in a trilogy, there is obviously some resolve, but Stiefvater has stated a few times that she wrote these books to make people cry. 

In other words, brace yourselves. 

My Recommendation: As I anxiously await the arrival of Forever (click here to pre-order the final book in this trilogy, out July 12), I enjoy reading this story over. Linger, the second book, will be reviewed here as well in the future, and also packs a somber punch. The series could go either way--happy or sad. And even though there's a part of me that wishes I knew, the lack of predictability is what makes these books so special. Without a strong foundation in Shiver, this series would have nothing to build on. You'll get attached to the characters, but not because they're written in an overly-sympathetic or mushy way. 

It feels like Shiver accomplishes what Stephenie Meyer tried to do in the creation of Twilight's "heroine" Bella. Grace is her own person, but she feels like you, or your best friend. Sam is the boyfriend you always wanted, but when you get him, he both gets on your nerves and inspires spontaneous bursts of love. Wolves aside, this could be your life. Well, not really. But you get my drift.

Rating: 4.2/5

392 pages, published by Scholastic Press (Jan. 1, 2009)