“Linger” by Maggie Stiefvater

I absolutely loved the first book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy, Shiver, and it was such a great story, I’d been hoping it would remain as a stand-alone book, so when I found out there would be two more I had mixed feelings. However, as time drew nearer to the release of Linger, my anticipation mounted and I couldn’t wait to read it when it was finally released.

What a wonderful book Linger turned out to be. Stiefvater plugs into the gamut of teenage emotions including Isabel’s anger, Cole’s depression, Sam’s insecurity and loneliness and Grace’s hidden sadness and worry. I did miss the closeness and intimacy of the story of Grace and Sam with the inclusion of Isabel and new character Cole as narrators, but both felt necessary as the story develops and leads up to a heart wrenching climax and cliff hanger for the final part of the story.

There is an undercurrent of sadness running through this book. It pervades every line of the writing, and left me with a feeling of melancholy as I finished the book. Stiefvater’s writing is beautiful yet measured, and her style is clean but emotive.

I was a little disappointed with one aspect in that one of the elements I loved most of Shiver was the descriptions of landscape and homes and even trucks, yet this was missing from Linger although I guess the setting hadn’t changed at all, so the need it wasn’t there, nevertheless, I missed them.

Overall though I loved it, and will wait eagerly for the final installment so I’ll be able to read the whole saga again in one fell swoop!

“Shiver” by Maggie Stiefvater

Ever since Grace was attacked by the wolves in the woods behind her house, she’s been fascinated by them, especially the one with the yellow eyes, who seems to watch her throughout the winter. That wolf is Sam, a human boy who changes into a wolf as the summer turns to winter every year, running with his pack, living for those few precious, warm summer months when he can be human again.

A return to YA fantasy with a werewolf book this time. I absolutely loved it. Each of the chapters is written from the point of view of one of the two principle characters, so you see the story from each of their perspectives. The connection and the developing relationship between them felt very real and believable, and the sense of growing desperation builds as the story progresses.

I thought the descriptions were very good, and I had a very strong picture in my head of the landscape, the buildings and even the trucks and cars.

The only complaint I have is that the ending felt a little bit rushed, and I’m not sure I was 100% convinced by it, but I enjoyed the rest of the story so much that it didn’t spoil the book for me at all. In fact, I enjoyed it so much, it’s one of the few books from this genre I’ll be keeping to read again.