Review of Shiver

First book of The Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater

Shiver

Rating 3 of 5 stars




after all busy days I had, this book had done and I wanted to pat my own back for my patient.
so, let's move to the review.



Grace had always looking for her wolf, the one who saved her with its yellow eyes when she was so close to death. and now, even after years passed, she would longingly wait for winter to came, the only time her wolf appeared.
there was a girl, who always sat in the cold winter while looking at the forest, that Sam always watched since the first time they met. but he never dared to approached her, until the time when he almost killed and this time, the girl saved him.
now it was getting hard to stay away and no matter how hard they wanted to be together, they couldn't. because everything would fallen apart as the freezing winter breeze touched their skin...



This is probably SPOILER. Probably...


how to put it? well, first the character.
Stiefvater made well-developed characters. I liked them, really. because they felt real and not as perfect as in usual novels. that was one star.

Grace. she was and ordinary girl. the one with ignorant parents that she had to be an independent, mature, and yet lonely teenager. her character was so real, she didn't believe in fantasy, she liked her wolves and watched the forest in winter.
but she was selfish, because she wanted Sam by her side, she would do anything even if that mean he could be killed? that was horrible!

Sam. he had abusive childhood because of his wolf side, that's why he became very secretive and feared what people might do to him.
I didn't feel he was someone dangerous, I didn't even think he could kill someone with his poetic, fragile heart. it seemed funny how this romantic boy was the one they expected to be an alpha. I doubted him that strong. seriously.

Isabel. I liked her from the start. she was very refreshing in this cold novel with her cynical, annoying behavior. but despite her popular sign on her head, she was strong and not as airheaded as popular girls could be.
plus, she was nice, for all I could see.

Olivia. I couldn't think... what were Grace and Olivia fighting anyway? it didn't make sense! I mean, just because Grace and werewolves and her photos? I knew people say best friends fight over stupid things, but that was so stupid it seemed not real.

Beck. what I imagined about him: father who had a children when he was young. that mean, he wasn't as mature as he should be. that's my impression.

Jack. a jock is a jock. the one who will bully anyone who gets on his way (or even who is not). but I couldn't blame him, no when he was so desperate to find his way.

Shelby. was Stiefvater intended to make sort of villain who will do anything for something? I didn't know. I didn't like Shelby. not because she was bad, but she wasn't my favorite kind of villain.

Grace's parents. I felt scared, what if when I'm grown up I'll be someone like Grace's mother? please don't. *put on my 'don't do' list*


the story
for all romance fans, read it. just like my aunty, who said this book was real good and now I realized I was probably spent my time reading for nothing. still, I couldn't blame her, she was so romance-ish while I preferred to buried my head on stacks of murder books.

it wasn't as if this book was worthless, because it didn't. it actually had one of the most beautiful writing I've ever read. with its poetic, sometimes I felt like I was looking on the painting of Mercy Falls, the cold winter in the forest. yes, you would find yourself not reading, it was as if written in brushes and water colors.
actually, its beautiful writing made me add one star for this book. I probably would read the english version.

still, I couldn't help to not felt bored. I mean, it was so lack of actions! (it was romance after all) and all through the book was about... love?
great. I was going to hit my head on my pillow instead.
plus, what was it about anyway? come on, Sam and Grace maybe watched each other all over the years, but actually they just met in human shape then fell in love just a minute they saw each other!
sorry, I didn't believe in love-at-the-first-sight.

plus, I could feel the blanks that weren't done in this book. maybe because this is a series? whatever.
and, how come from about the new wolves then it turned to be about meningitis? they didn't even think much about it. it was like, fever? sure! let us get the meningitis blood!
for all the science kids all over the world, do you think this is make sense? (sorry, I'm a social girl)




By the way, I was so in love with Indonesian cover! So winter-ish, very Grace, and super cute wolf! I wanted to hug him!
Sadly, the poems weren't translated that good. Even, the translate was disappointing. Good God.

will I give a try for Linger? maybe. if the third has released and people say this series is worth.
PS. I hate computer school, it makes my hand feel itched!