Shiver - Maggie Stiefvater

   Title: Shiver
   Series: Mercy Falls, Book 1
   Author: Maggie Stiefvater

   Publisher: Scholastic Press
   Year Published: 2009
   Pages: 390

“I could still smell her on my fur. It clung to me, a memory of another world.

I was drunk with it, with the scent of her. I'd got too close.

The smell of summer on her skin, the half-recalled cadence of her voice, the sensation of her fingers on my fur. Every bit of me sang with the memory of her closeness.

Too close. I couldn't stay away.

Shiver is hardly a new book, and I've seen it around for a while, knowing it was quite popular, but I never quite seemed to get to it. This week, however, while getting to know the new batch of year 7 readers, one girl borrowed the last in the trilogy and talked to me about how much she had enjoyed it. That was all the prompting I needed to tick this one off my list.

Shiver is the first book in a trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater. It is a love story between a girl named Grace and a boy named Sam - but Sam is no ordinary boy. Every year, during winter with the temperature drops, Sam becomes a wolf. A wolf among a pack of wolves who live in the forest behind Grace's house. The very same pack that attacked Grace when she was a little girl. This is a story about growing up, about love, about danger, and about sacrifice.

fanart by connorose

Grace is seventeen years old, very practical and responsible. She looks after herself, her family, and her friends. She likes numbers and things that make sense. Sam, on the other hand, is dreamy and creative. Eighteen years old, he has spent a large portion of his life shifting back and forth between being a wolf and a human. He likes music, and poetry, and above all, Grace.

I particularly enjoyed the way this story was told. These days, first person narratives that jump back and forth chapter to chapter between characters are very much the norm. But unlike some other YA romances in this format, the voices where clear and and distinctive, even when the pattern of changes shifted. (To be fair, I did listen to an audiobook which made this impossible to miss, but I still feel the characters were clearly separated).

fanart by finncollins

I found Stiefvater quite lyrical in her writing, very fond of descriptive passages romanticised imagery. That being said, overall the novel wasn't overly sappy or cheesy, due in no small part to the character of Grace being relatively practical and stoic. 

I would like to say this book was a must read, as I truly found it pleasant and, at places, even a beautiful novel - but it's not groundbreaking. At it's core it's a paranomal YA romance, like the many written at the same time. It is certainly well written, and has rounded enough characters that I'm quite happy to suggest it to a wide range of students at school, but it doesn't have anything all that new.

fanart by dearbrigan

Recommended Age Group:

I'll be steering to the 15+ crowd based on the age of the characters and some hints towards sex (though nothing at all graphic). It would be acceptable for mature readers a little younger if you felt they were capable. All the covers I've seen have been very girl oriented, but it has it's share of action and quite a believable male voice, so it might be worth extending a suggestion to some of the boys also.

Content Warnings:

- some mention of sex (not graphic or lewd)

- some violence

- trigger warning for suicide backstory

Similar Reads:

Other Reviews Have you written a review for this book? I would love to include it, comment below and I'll add your link!

Grounded

Grounded: A Down to Earth Journey Around the World
Seth Stevenson

Published: 2010; pages: 304

For her part, Rebecca's been most intrigued to learn that in Mandarin there is no easy way to say "no". It's just not in the language. To express a negative, you can use the word bu - the equivalent of "not" - coupled with the appropriate verb. So if someone inquiries as to whether its raining outside, you could answer, "Not is." Or if someone asks you if you want to go out to a movie, you could say, "Not want." Which, I would argue, sounds much harsher than an unadorned no.

Rebecca, in her endearing way, instantly cottons to this harshness. For a full afternoon, she adopts "not x" as her exclusive means of communicating with me. Rebecca, what time is it? "Not know." Rebecca, do you have the subway map with you? "Not have." Rebecca, this is sort of wearing on me. "Not care!"

 

I have a not-so-secret secret. Are you ready? I would kill to travel. Really. I’m always insanely jealous whenever anyone leaves the country, and then hang on every word they deem to share. I was pathetically excited to go on a plane to Melbourne. My yen to travel is, in fact, so severe it crosses over into the realm of stereotype (I have the whole map and pins on the wall). Because of this, I have a hidden passion for travel literature. I came across Seth Stevenson’s Grounded while browsing in my local bookstore and my armchair adventure yearning came to the forefront and I had to get it.

Journalist Seth Stevenson and his lawyer partner, Rebecca, have become complacent in their lives. They’ve hit a rut, and this realisation comes at quite the shock to the former free spirits. They decide that adventure and travel is the answer to all their problems as so, casting off all the trappings of their lives, they each back a single backpack and set off to see the world.

But what makes Seth and Rebecca different than any other globetrotter? Well, they have a special goal in mind: to circumnavigate the world entirely by use of ground travel. That’s right, they will cross every line of latitude without the aid of planes. Boats, trains, cars, even bikes – that will be the way for them.

I must admit that I thoroughly enjoyed Grounded. Stevenson’s journalistic style is fresh, informative, and just cheeky enough. The relationship between he and Rebecca is faithfully and entertainingly shared, and the personalised knowledge he brings about his locations is charming. It will make you want to travel, and it will make you reconsider the beauty of more traditional transport. Highly recommended for the traveller (armchair or otherwise) in everyone. 5/5

Still following the Yellow Brick Road

The Marvelous Land of Oz Eric Shanower, Skottie Young, and L. Frank Baum
Published 2010; 192 pages

First cab off the rank this year is Eric Shanower and Skottie Young’s adaption of L. Frank Baum’s The Marvelous Land of Oz. Much like its predecessor The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (adapted by same), I was highly impressed by its loyalty to the original. Not only is its plot accurate, it has captured the spirit and youthful energy of Baum’s world superbly.

For those not familiar with the tale, The Marvelous Land of Oz tells the story of Tippetarius, known more commonly as “Tip”. Unlike Dorothy, Tip is a native of Oz who, when he runs away from the evil witch who is his guardian, finds himself entwined with the politics of Oz.

General Jinjur and her army of Ozian girls have marched onto the Emerald City, revolting against the Scarecrow King and the long standing patriarchal rule of Oz... which would be more impressive if the soldier-girls were a little more skilled in their work and noble in their intentions.

Tip and his magical creations Jack Pumpkin Head and Saw Horse join the Scarecrow and the Tin Man in restoring order to Oz.

As I said, this is a faithful adaption of Baum’s book, yet it possesses a charm unique to its form. Skottie Young’s highly stylistic artistry is beautiful and lends the perfect degree of whimsy to Shanower’s treatment of Oz’s political scene.

4/5

The No Nonsense Guide to Soul Mates

The No Excuses Guide to Soul Mates
Stacey DeMarco and Jade Sky

Soul Mate stories can be traced as far back as 3000 BCE Egypt... there has been evidence of Soul Mates throughout the ages, but the difference between our Hollywood inspired kind of soul mate and how the ancients viewed the idea are worlds apart. In most ancient references to Soul Mates, there was more than one type. (12-13)

 

Regular readers of my blog may note that non-fiction – self-help in particular – is not my usual fare, however when approached to review this book, the title intrigued me. And while it’s not a book I would have normally picked up on my own, I can honestly say that I enjoyed reading it, in part because of its novelty to me.

Authors Stacey DeMarco and Jade Sky call on their years of experience as spiritual practitioner and psychic/medium, respectively, to explore, explain and then advice on the subject of soul mates. While their focus is definitely of a spiritual – one might even say mystical – nature, I was impressed by their ability to seamlessly include both historical and scientific information on the subject.

The book takes on the mission to discredit the Hollywood notion of a singular soul mate

“Stacey... didn’t much like the idea that somehow she was fated to meet this person and if she messed it up, well that would be that and she would never be happy.” pg. 5

instead they centre on the idea of multiple soul mates – that a person can not only have more than one soul mate, but attract and possess different varieties that fulfil different purposes throughout their lives.

Being a self-help book, the book offers many suggestions or tips in attracting, keeping or dealing with soul mates. These tips range from the common sense (of the ‘you smile and the world smiles with you’ variety) to the more involved (rituals, or spells). The authors also provide case-studies from their own clients to demonstrate these examples. It should be noted that while the authors write with a genial, friendly tone, that the titles promise of a ‘no nonsense’ approach is certainly delivered.

I cannot honestly say that I was inspired to perform any soul mate-attracting rituals, nor have I discovered a long-lost karmic soul amongst my friends or family. However, as I said above, I did enjoy reading this short book. I was truly impressed by the authors’ attempts (I would say success) at writing a book of this variety that can and should cater to peoples of all lifestyles. The book is an informative and interesting read that would be appealing to those interested in the subject from either a practical or historical standpoint. 3/5

The Lady of Shalott

Song of the SparrowLisa Ann Sandell
394 pg; published 2007

What place does a woman
have here, in this
realm of men?
I wonder.
But I do have a place.
I belong here, with these men.
They are my family.
I mend their clothes,
I mend their bodies.
I grew up wild like a boy
here.
How could she possibly belong here,
to this camp?
Her clothes are far too
clean for these dusty soldiers,
dusty tents.
Yet, I always dreamed of a girl
coming to live here, of a girl
who would be my friend. (182-183)

Sixteen year old Elaine, with a temperament as fiery as her red hair, is the only female in a battle camp of over three hundred and fifty men. Growing up with this band of brothers and no mother to guide her in the ways of ladyship, Elaine has lived and grown as a boy, wild and free.

Now that she is older, however, things aren’t quite as they used to be… and she’s not even sure that she wants it to be. While her ‘brothers’ look to her for friendship, advice and, and always, the mending of their clothes, they leave her behind when they go off to war. She is quick, fast, and knows medicine – she could be of help to them, she’s no longer the little sister they coddled.

She does not want her friends to get hurt while she’s not there to help them, especially her best ‘playmate’, the brave and handsome Lancelot. She yearns to tell him how she fells, to have him tell her she’s beautiful and loved. Her plans for love are interrupted, however, when Lancelot returns to the camp with Arthur’s new bride: the beautiful Gwynivere, with whom he is already “enchanted”.

Elaine’s hopes for a new friend are crushed when Gwynivere’s haughty, almost cruel nature is made clear. And her presence does nothing to help her plans where the war, and her involvement, is concerned.

I’d admit it, I got sucked in entirely by the cover on this one – it was just too pretty to resist. As such, I was surprised to get it home and actually realise that it a verse novel; not what I had expected. I’ve read a few verse novel’s this year, but I’d have to say that this one is my favourite. Sandell’s verse swung between absolute straight forward practicalities and beautiful descriptions.

As a character somewhat overlooked in most tellings of Arthurian legend, I was looking forward to seeing Sandell’s treatment of Elaine. She was an honest and endearing character, and this came through quite strongly through her voice. Sandell took a few liberties with Tennyson’s poem, but it was done respectfully and, I feel, to great effect.

Overall, a lovely book that I’d recommend to any fan of Arthurian legend. 4.5/5

Other Reviews
Have you written a review for this book? I would love to include it, comment below and I'll add your link!

Orphan, Clock Keeper and Thief

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Brian Selznick

525 pages, published 2007

When Hugo Cabret's father, a clockmaker, dies in a museum fire, the young Hugo is taken in by his Uncle Claude. Employed and boarded by the train station, the drunken Claude teaches Hugo how to run and maintain the stations various clocks ... which, as it turns out, was fortunate, for when his Uncle Claude suddenly disappears, Hugo has to maintain the clocks in order to hide the disappearace and keep what little home he has.

Unable to cash his uncle's pay checks for fear of discovery, Hugo must (grudgingly) resort to stealing - both to survive and to aid his secret and most determined project. Hiding away within the walls of the station, Hugo squirrels away small mechanical components that he uses in his attempt to fix the mechanical automaton discovered by his father.

His attempts (and dodging of the Station Master) run smoothly until the day he is caught stealing a wind-up mouse from the station toy store. The store keeper is rightly upset by the boys ongoing thievery, but when he sees Hugo's notebook, filled with his father's sketches of the automaton, he reacts severly: taking the boy's notebook and threatening to burn it.

Why is the old man so upset? What does he know about Hugo's machine? And why won't he give him back his notebook?

The Invention of Hugo Cabret was an interesting read - nice story, reasonably developed characters and just enough of a mystery to keep you interesting. But what turns this book from an 'okay' book to a 'fantastic' book is that is is 90% pictures. The written text itself is actually very limited; most of the story is told through closely sequential (and full page) illustrations. I'm not quite sure I'd call it a graphic novel, but it is certainly a unique way of story telling. Definately worth a look at. 4.5/5

Holes
Louis Sachar

233 pages, published 1998

Talk about cruel and unusual punishment! Charged and convicted for the theft of a famous baseballer’s sneakers, Stanley Yelnats is sent to a boys juvenile detention centre in the middle of a huge, dried-up lake bed. Forced to spend each day out in the blazing sun digging a hole both as wide and deep as the shovel he’s issued, Stanley makes friends - and enemies - amongst the fellow boys and the workers in charge. Coupled with the interlaying story of the notorious bandit ‘Kissing Kate’, Stanley can’t help but feel that there is more going on to their detention than the boys are being led to believe.

An undemanding but enjoyable read, one can’t help but sympathise with poor Stanley, whose only crime is the possession of extremely bad luck. 3.5/5