Chill out
It's important, I think, to mention that listening to an audiobook is a somewhat different experience than reading a book (or a Kindle). I don't really prefer one over the other, as both have their pros and cons - audiobooks offer mobility, books offer tangibility. I will say that audiobooks are great in that ears can't skip ahead like eyes can, potentially deflating any build-up of suspense or ruining a surprise. And with a tense, dramatic story like this, that's a big plus.
When Grace was 11 years old, she was attacked by a pack of wolves - and saved from them by a wolf with amazing golden eyes. For the next six years, the two beings - the human girl and the boy wolf - watch each other every winter, when the wolf appears on the edge of Grace's backyard. But what Grace doesn't know is that her wolf turns into a human every spring, an unassuming young man named Sam. When a boy from Grace's school is attacked by the same wolf pack that attacked her, it sets off a series of events that lead Sam to Grace. Once she has him, she never wants to let him go - even though this year is Sam's last before he turns back into wolf form forever. Meanwhile, Grace's obsession with wolves is getting on the nerves of her friend Olivia, who all but disappears during the progression of Grace and Sam's relationship. And Grace is being recruited by Isabella, sister of the boy who was attacked, to find out what they can do to help her brother. Grace and Sam know they only have a short time to spend together, but a spark of hope remains that maybe things don't have to be this way.
Normally, I have to say, moody books aren't my cup of tea. And one of the biggest elements of this novel is its moodiness, its serious and contemplative tone. It's also one of the most engrossing, page-turning elements that Shiver has to offer. It must take its conceit seriously: these shapeshifters are slaves to the mysterious illness that turns them into wolves. They form a pack - a family of misfits - and try to work out how to live without tipping any normal humans off. But the pull Sam feels toward Grace - the backbone of this story, and its other most endearing characteristic - causes him to break that one rule. Without giving into too many angsty passages or purple prose, Stiefvater creates a thrilling and wonderfully romantic love story. It's so nice to read a good love story.
The two main characters share narrative duty, and Stiefvater balances two quite decent and distinct voices. Sam is intense and worrisome while Grace is straightforward and sardonic. While I really grooved with Grace's voice, I found Sam to be more interesting as a character - he just has more at stake, and he's more easily sociable. The two of them as a couple works extraordinarily well. There's plenty of backstory to be had for both characters, allowing comparisons to be made between Sam's super-supportive pack and Grace's flighty, barely-there parents. Supporting characters are fairly well-used, and I really liked that nobody was villianized here; everyone had believable and sympathetic reasons for their motivations. Isabella in particular has some nice character growth that will satisfy readers. Other characters such as Olivia and Shelby - a girl-wolf who stalks Sam - get less court time, but it's obvious that their narrative strands will be picked up in the sequel. The prose, as I mentioned, is a little too precious for my taste, but some of the wordplay is nonetheless clever and evocative. Stiefvater knows how to use words to convey difficult emotions; things such as Sam's struggle to resist his wolf side and a beautifully rendered scene where Grace devours the scent of a candy shop stick with you after putting the book down.
Rating: 4.5 songs penned by Sam out of 5.
Normally, I have to say, moody books aren't my cup of tea. And one of the biggest elements of this novel is its moodiness, its serious and contemplative tone. It's also one of the most engrossing, page-turning elements that Shiver has to offer. It must take its conceit seriously: these shapeshifters are slaves to the mysterious illness that turns them into wolves. They form a pack - a family of misfits - and try to work out how to live without tipping any normal humans off. But the pull Sam feels toward Grace - the backbone of this story, and its other most endearing characteristic - causes him to break that one rule. Without giving into too many angsty passages or purple prose, Stiefvater creates a thrilling and wonderfully romantic love story. It's so nice to read a good love story.
The two main characters share narrative duty, and Stiefvater balances two quite decent and distinct voices. Sam is intense and worrisome while Grace is straightforward and sardonic. While I really grooved with Grace's voice, I found Sam to be more interesting as a character - he just has more at stake, and he's more easily sociable. The two of them as a couple works extraordinarily well. There's plenty of backstory to be had for both characters, allowing comparisons to be made between Sam's super-supportive pack and Grace's flighty, barely-there parents. Supporting characters are fairly well-used, and I really liked that nobody was villianized here; everyone had believable and sympathetic reasons for their motivations. Isabella in particular has some nice character growth that will satisfy readers. Other characters such as Olivia and Shelby - a girl-wolf who stalks Sam - get less court time, but it's obvious that their narrative strands will be picked up in the sequel. The prose, as I mentioned, is a little too precious for my taste, but some of the wordplay is nonetheless clever and evocative. Stiefvater knows how to use words to convey difficult emotions; things such as Sam's struggle to resist his wolf side and a beautifully rendered scene where Grace devours the scent of a candy shop stick with you after putting the book down.
Rating: 4.5 songs penned by Sam out of 5.
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