Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #1)

by Maggie Stiefvater

Grace is fascinated by the wolves in the woods behind her house; one yellow-eyed wolf in particular. Every winter, she watches him, but every summer, he disappears. Sam leads two lives. In winter, he stays in the frozen woods, with the protection of the pack. In summer, he has a few precious months to be human ...until the cold makes him shift back again. When Grace and Sam finally meet, they realize they can't bear to be apart. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human - or risk losing himself, and Grace, for ever.

• ISBN10: 0545227259
• ISBN13: 9780545227254
• Publish Date: 1 August 2009
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Scholastic Paperbacks
• Format: eBook
• Pages: 400
• Language: English

Reviews

[ladygrey]

So Twilight. I mean, this is so Twilight from the entire sections of intensely only these two people to some of the rules of the wolves. And yet, it's the good version of that sort of the thing where an author rewrote someone else's book the way they'd do it. And Shiver is also very Maggie Stiefvater. It's moody and quiet and a little sad and also a little funny. It's about identity instead of love and mortality but it's still very much a Maggie Stiefvater version of Twilight.

I do like the rules she wrapped around the wolves, particularly with the temperature. And I liked the variety of personalities and temperaments in the wolves. A little bit the magic was suppressed because Sam was always fighting it so the novel wasn't really infused with magic the way it could have been. But it came out from time to time in key moments almost enough.

She put several things into motion subtly enough that they didn't scream of attention but obviously enough that there weren't many surprises about how it all would go. Some of the why and hows weren't obvious but the what pretty much was. I did expect Shelby to be more of a threat toward the end but that's probably rolling over into the next books. Olivia was obviously bitten. I did expect there to be something more sinister up with Beck and a reason it was so deep in winter and he hadn't changed yet but Sam's anger at him played well enough for that story thread.

I think the thing I liked best is the way Stiefvater makes things apparent without saying them. She talks around them just enough and in the right ways that you understand and there's a subtly and complexity to that that I enjoy.

I'm curious now how the story will stay connected to magic and the wolves but that's part of the fun of reading the next book.

[liz089]

I've never read this series, even though I've wanted to for YEARS. This should have been one of those series that I read when I started with YA, when I was more of a teenager myself. But I didn't.. and then I got afraid that I would not like it because it would be too childish for me now.
It happened with a couple of re-reads like Hush, Hush, which I loved when I was 16.. but not so much when I'm all grown up and know what a healthy relationship looks like.

But this one was still interesting enough and I liked reading it. It was not extremely action-packed or over the top dramatic, but I enjoyed reading it, it was relaxing and entertaining, and I want to continue with the rest of the series.
It still feels like I need to have read this series to be a better YA reader haha XD

So 3.5 stars for this one, but I will round it up to 4, because the MC was very likable and not stupid for a change. And well, the romance was normal enough without a douch/asshole for a love interest ! Yeah !

[Leah]

I’ve been meaning to read a Maggie Stiefvater book for years – literally. I’m sure I even owned Shiver at one stage, but I was never as into wolves as I was vampires, to be completely honest, so I never read it. BUT WHAT WAS I THINKING??? Because Maggie Stiefvater is a fantastic writer! And Shiver is a fantastic novel! I was so stupid to think otherwise, and believe you and me, I will not be waiting long to read Linger, Forever and Sinner – I have them reserved at the library and I am just waiting for them to come in! Shiver is such a gorgeous book – and it seems to go from 0 to 60 in such a short space of time. I started reading and I liked it, but then Sam turned into a human and I was like woah there! This is awesome! And I couldn’t put it down from there (I mean I had to, to go to work but if I hadn’t I would have read it in just the one sitting).

I really liked both Grace and Sam. Going into the book I had no idea if I would like it, because I had scared myself reading the horrible GoodReads reviews. Note to anyone: Never, ever read up on a book on GoodReads before you read it, otherwise you’ll legit never read anything, ever. I love GoodReads, but some reviews are just harsh – if you don’t like werewolves or romances, then obviously Shiver isn’t for you. *Shrugs* People, eh? I, however, loved the book. Grace seems to come across quite young/naive at first, but she’s actually incredibly strong and I loved the way she was so forthright with Sam about a lot of things, unwilling to take his crap or take no for an answer. I respect that. And I liked Sam! He was adorable, kind of like a puppy, which is probably not the best analogy considering… I liked the wolf mythology, that they change in the spring/warmth to humans and in the winter/cold to wolves. But I did tear up on numerous occasions at the whole can only change for a certain number of years thing. And not only for Sam!

What I liked most about Shiver was the ending. In book series, books number one and two usually end on an annoying cliff-hanger you have to wait a year to resolve but Shiver ends in a nice, self-contained way. No, everything isn’t fixed and there are still lots of questions, but if I have to wait a little bit for Linger, I’m not exactly gnawing off my arm or rushing to my local Waterstones to devour it – I still *want* to devour them, but it isn’t a manic need you get from knowing a book is a year away and by that time you’ll not even know who Sam or Grace are. I am dying to read Linger, don’t mistake what I’ve said for me not being bothered because I AM!!!!! I’m actually hoping that by the time this review goes live I’ve finished the series, but knowing my local library (which I love and adore) it did take two months for me to get the last two of Teri Terry’s Shattered trilogy and I’m still waiting for the first book in another trilogy, even though books two and three have arrived so yeah. Shiver is a fantastic read. It’s cute, it’s quick to devour, the story is amazing, the characters are just delightful and I am a wolf convert, and I’m also kicking myself for not reading it sooner! Boy, have I been missing out.

[Kate (Blogging with Dragons)]

My love of wolves and the author's other series, The Raven Cycle, were not enough to get me through this book and it's almost unheard of for me to leave a book unfinished. But the entire story was far too reminiscent of Twilight, complete with another girl with a strange fascination for a supernatural being that borders on self-harm.

I really don't understand how getting dragged into the woods by wolves as a child leads to falling in love with one of them, who just happens to be a werewolf, as a teenager. And when this teenager runs into the woods filled with armed hunters trying to kill these wolves, I simply rolled my eyes. Where are the stories with intelligent young heroines capable of thinking with their heads and not their obsessed hearts? Certainly not in this book.

[Amanda]

3.5

Shiver and I have a long and complicated relationship. I've started and stopped both the paperback and audiobook. Not that there was anything wrong with Shiver -- there wasn't. It just didn't hold my attention enough.

What makes this time different than previously? One, I listened to the audiobook, and Maggie Stiefvater's books translate so incredibly well to audiobook. (Despite the fact I was less than impressed with both narrators' voices for the opposite sex.) I like Maggie Stiefvater books in audiobook.

Two, I had the ability to listen to Shiver within a short span of time. This, probably more than anything, was likely the reason I finished Shiver. There's nothing quite like getting sucked into an audiobook over the course of a few days. (Which for me is very fast.)

I adored Sam and Grace together. Swoony, one might say. But Maggie Stiefvater threw up enough roadblock to make staying together difficult. And sad. And tension-filled. The woods of Mercy Falls come alive. (Though I'm disappointed that Minnesota didn't play a huge role as a setting and the time Sam and Grace spent in Duluth didn't do the city justice.)

Am I glad I finally powered through Shiver? Yes. I've liked all of Maggie Stiefvater's books I've read. I'm not sure it was my favorite, but it was good. I just can't decide if I want to continue with the series and pick up Linger.

[girlinthepages]

*Re-read Review*

I first read the Wolves of Mercy Falls series around five-six years ago, when I was in high school and fresh into my love affair with all things paranormal. I had never really heard of Maggie Stiefvater and picked up the series on the recommendation of a friend who really enjoyed werewolf books. I ordered the first book in paperback to try and found myself smitten with the lyrical prose and the angsty characters. Rereading this book for about the third time (I believe I reread it a few years ago before that last book in the series, Forever, was released) I found that Stiefvater’s writing still struck a chord with me, but for very different reasons.

I used to be obsessed with Sam and Grace’s love story. Sam fit into my “type” of book boyfriends (emo, dark hair, piercing eyes, etc). and I identified a lot with Grace as a protagonist. I still think Stiefvater is a wonderful character writer, but as an older reader this time around I found myself drawn to different characters, namely Cole and Isabel. I still thoroughly enjoyed Sam’s character, but I appreciated his tragic back story and his quest to fight his demons more than him as a love interest (I find him frustratingly passive at times). I found myself often irritated at Grace, and she seems to be the most one-dimensional character this time around, with her stoic personality and lack of emotions. Isabel, however, I thoroughly loved, how she seems to be cast as a villain at first but then grows into a character with as much at stake as Sam and Grace, straddling the line between the mythical wolf world and the often times more dangerous human ones. Add Cole to the mix and the clash of personalities in this book are really beautiful.

The prose in this novel was really beautiful, and at times carried a sleepy, dream-like, romantic quality that lends itself to the slow pacing throughout the first half or so of the book. Sam in particular brings a pretty poignant narrative of what it is to be human, and what essential qualities of humanity he can never mimic or retain as a wolf. The interplay between wolf and human is so fascinating too, watching each character who shifts have a different experience with their wolf affliction, with some embracing the change as a means of escape, a means of choice, and some abhorring the feral instincts and tragic circumstances that brought them their fate. I also like how in this series the wolves aren’t really treated as typical “mythological” werewolves, but rather as real, majestic, and vulnerable wolves that happen to possess a dual nature with that of a human.

Overall: There are a lot of really beautiful moments in this book, a lot of stunning descriptions of nature from the barren, snow-silent forests to Grace’s inexplicable yet undeniable connection to the watching and waiting wolves. The pacing may be too slow for some, but this novel has layers of many different stories and many different characters and if you’re patient these interconnected stories will tease themselves out beautifully.

This review was originally posted at Girl in the Pages

[Stephanie]

Hmm. This was very much a book you would find on the "paranormal teen romance" shelf in B&N, and if rating this as such, it was good. But in general YA terms? Meh, just okay. There was a lack of suspense/bad guy/urgent plot device from external sources. /shrug

[ellieroth]

Siempre se me hace difícil catalogar este libro como favorito. ¿lo amo? Sí ¿Es importante para mí? Sí ¿Quiero compartirlo con el mundo? No. Sólo quiero que sea mío y que todos los otros seres vivientes de olviden de él, quiero que sea única y exclusivamente mío.

Es un libro especial e importante para mí. I love you so much Maggie Stiefvater

[Jack]

When I first started reading this it reminded me so much of Twilight with those stupid wolves. But then I realized how much better it was then Twilight, that the wolves are actual wolves, and I've always loved wolves. hah.

It's believable so far, Grace isn't a perfect Mary Sue like I thought she would be. She's in introvert, loves books and her wolf. Reminds me of myself actually, which is wonderful because I can actually connect with the character.

High school drama, fighting friends, all totally believable.  The only thing thats squicked me out so far is that Grace is in love with a wolf, which screams bestiality, which is mega creepy. Luckily for her her wolf turns out to also be a boy. Who happened to get shot, and transformed naked on her porch. Grace said she didn't stare, but if I just found my love interest naked on the floor, bleeding or not, I'd take a moment to stare.

I like that the book is split into Grace's and Sam's perspective. I enjoy Sam's POV much more then Graces. He has a much more interesting take on the world, because he spends most of it as a wolf.


The rules on changing seem to be pretty straightforward, if you get bit by a wolf, you become one. Although for some reason Grace hasn't, although she does have a 'wolf sense' or something, that if she focuses gives her heightened senses of smell and hearing. You become human in the spring months, and turn back into a wolf at the winter months, which seems pretty interesting to me. Although I think I'd rather be a wolf in the spring months, and human during the winter so at least I won't freeze or starve to death as a wolf. You also get a limited number of changes, I'm wondering if you get to chose to become human or wolf at the end. Although Sam said that this time would be his last time changing or something.





The chasity fact also annoys me. It's clear they Sam wants to be with Grace, but he's really hesitant about putting any moves on her. It seems like he doesn't even want to kiss her, yet he's seen her naked. And they sleep in the same bed! You can't tell me he doesn't wake up in the mornings aroused. Do something already!! Or at least talk about it or something, especially since they are clearly madly in love with each other.


I find it hard to classify the wolves as werewolves, to me those creatures are something like out of Harry Potter, a bit grotesque and very scary, not actual wolves. To me  Sam and his group are move like shape shifters, or lycans or just plain people that change into wolves, or wolves that change into people since they will eventually become wolves forever.



The ending was so frustrating! It just ends, they see each other again, and thats it no feelings from either character on what its like to see the other.

I'm going to read the next book because I liked the first one. Although Grace annoyed me more as the book went on. Sam did a bit too, although I really liked the character, the fact that he was so chaste, and felt that their love making was a mistake or something was just off. It made no sense, especially since he loved Grace so much, and wanted to be with her. He didn't react like a guy was supposed to, he was far to chaste for today's men. Which while isn't necessarily a bad thing, it would have been nice to have Sam display his want for Grace a bit more.

[jnikkir]

3.5 stars...

I feel bad rating this only 3.5 stars, so I (originally - see my last note) rounded up to four. I was really excited to read this book. The reviews I read from people who loved it described things that I was expecting to love just as much. But now that I've finished it and thought back on it, I'm just not enamored.

The story just felt a little bit sideways the whole time. In my opinion, it would've worked so much better if it had been written in third person rather than first. Lyrical writing is great; I love me some beautiful descriptions, and I loved Maggie's [b:The Scorpio Races|10626594|The Scorpio Races|Maggie Stiefvater|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1330964654s/10626594.jpg|15535056], which was so atmospheric and gorgeous and the stylistic choices worked in that book. But in this book -- in a much more modern setting where teenagers who still speak like teenagers are telling the story from their own perspectives -- something felt off. The narration wasn't even close to the characters' speaking voices. It was pretty, but I just didn't believe it. It worked a little bit better for Sam because that seemed to be part of his character. But the style of narration was exactly the same for Grace and I had trouble differentiating them at times. And that just didn't work for me at all.

Other reviewers also said that the story was pretty slow until the end, but I honestly wasn't expecting it to be THAT slow compared to the final few chapters. It left me with a really "woah what just happened" feeling, like the book suddenly decided to change from lyrical modern fairy tale to action-packed fantasy while trying (sometimes) to remain lyrical... It just didn't work. Grace and Sam spent the first 2/3rds+: meeting and instantly-falling-in-love, hanging out and being (yeah I admit it) pretty adorable, and hiding Sam from the cold.

Admittedly, there were some plotty side-plots going on during the time that I've labeled "slow", but I had one of two problems with those. Either A) not enough suspense was built in those side-plots for them to have any real impact on the slowness (at least for me). Or, B) the side-plot turned out to have no actual importance. Like Beck and the new wolves who actually turned out to have been recruited all along... I felt like this was dragged out for the sole purpose of adding some tension. It turned out to be such a non-issue and would've taken Beck 5 seconds to explain to Sam. Unnecessary.


Meh, I don't know. I might have to round my rating down to 3 stars, just because I'm pretty annoyed that I didn't like this book as much as I thought I would. I liked it when I was reading it, but reflecting back... not so much. *sigh* Hindsight is 20/20. Not sure if/when I'll be reading the next 2 books in the series.